Who do you think is the greatest guitar player of all time and why?

[corey]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Page yet...


As for overall, Page  

I marvelled that it took almost a whole page of posts myself...
Watching him play WSBM gives me goosebumps everytime...

Led Zeppelin - White Summer/Black Mountain Side

head to about 1:55 if you dont feel like waiting.. i'm pretty sure he is doing this entirely with his eyes closed to... incredible.

and if you think THIS is flat emotionally... your on some serious peyote.

[Randy@StradaFab]

SRV
Freddie King
Chris Duarte
Eric Sardinas
Glenn Cambell
Prince

Over Rated:
Eric Clapton
Slash
Kieth Richards
John Mayer

[ZLTFUL]

Going along wth alot of the previous named awesomeness...especially SRV and Jimi.

But gonna add:
Richard Thompson
Bo Diddley
B.B. King
(I know he was mentioned but again) Kenny Wayne Shepherd

I favor the blue guitarists but love the classical and folk guitarists as well as the good old fashioned hard rock guys as well.

[GAAN]

he had satans help..... no fair

Oh well then this topic is closed

SATAN is clearly the best guitarist ever

which I s'pose is why he went to georgia looking for a fiddle player to join his band

The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down To Georgia

[Oldfisti]

In no order...

Django Reinhardt
Blind Willie Johnson
Joe Pass
Barney Kessel
Les Paul
Chet Atkins
Al Di Meola
Matthew Bellamy
Trey Anastasio
Jerry Garcia

and of course... Zoot Horn Rollo!

...and all the others mentioned, as well as many more!

Nice to see some love for Mr. Kessel and Mr. Pass!

I'm partial to fingerstyle so Charlie Byrd, Tommy Emmanuel and of course the incomparable Scotty Anderson must be included.

Danny Gatton owns the rockabilly category.


However, to pick one greatest...

LENNY BREAU stands alone at the top. The man mastered EVERY style of playing. Just name it - country, classical, jazz, fingerstyle, flamenco, middle eastern.

He even liked harmonics so much that he turned it into an entire style of playing of his own!


Lenny Breau - The Claw

[GAAN]

Neil Young

I dig him


Neil Young OLD MAN


Neil Young - Rockin In The Free World

[TwoWheels]

Trying to pick one greatest guitar player is kind of like trying to pick one greatest motorcycle rider among a variety of diciplines including road, dirt track, motocross, trials, drag...  It can't be done.  Heck, I have trouble picking my own favorite because it changes over time or even with my mood.  That said, here are some of my favorites:
SRV
Chris Duarte
chris duarte Charlotte Big Legged Woman
Hendrix
B.B.
Buddy Guy
Bill Nelson Be-Bop Deluxe
Be Bop Deluxe - No Trains To Heaven
Ritchie Blackmore

[corndog67]

2 weeks ago I went a saw Dick Dale, the king of the surf guitar, at a little bar in San Luis Obispo.   He might not be the best ever, but he still smokes on that old Strat.   An excellent, high energy show by one of the originals.  

[Kopfjager]

Neil Young

I dig him

Saw him in concert in 73. He stopped playing in the middle of the 3rd song and asked everyone to stop taking pics (flashbulbs). Started another song, and of course everyone kept taking photos. He stopped and walked off stage. I hated him for years. 

[Randimus Maximus]

Saw him in concert in 73. He stopped playing in the middle of the 3rd song and asked everyone to stop taking pics (flashbulbs). Started another song, and of course everyone kept taking photos. He stopped and walked off stage. I hated him for years. 

were you in grade school when you saw him?

[That Nice Guy Beck!]

Saw him in concert in 73. He stopped playing in the middle of the 3rd song and asked everyone to stop taking pics (flashbulbs). Started another song, and of course everyone kept taking photos. He stopped and walked off stage. I hated him for years. 

sounds like a real dick

[NAKID]

Ever tried to concentrate with hundreds of flashing lights in your face?

[Popeye the Sailor]

Ever tried to concentrate with hundreds of flashing lights in your face?

He could've turned his back to the audience.

[redxblack]

The beatles stopped playing live because it was no longer about the music, but instead the spectacle. Neil Young has more integrity than most performers. He was there to play music, not to be fetishized.

[Triple J]

Ever tried to concentrate with hundreds of flashing lights in your face?

He could have ignored it. He was undoubtedly use to hot, bright lights in his face all the time...not to mention the never ending distractions of monitors, mics, etc. not working properly at the beginning of a show. Performers are used to that crap...sounds to me like he was just being pissy.

Sometimes musicians get arrogant and forget they are only popular because of the people who come to see them...