Underrated Guitarists

[4sooner]

Sorry for the serial postings, but just thought about Bonnie Raitt, which reminded me of Susan Tedeschi, too. Bonnie's a better singer than guitarist, but she can get down when she wants to.

Better singer than guitarist??!!!!! Bonnie Raitt????!!! Are you serious???!!! this belongs in the blasphemy thread! She's one of the best slide guitar players to ever grace a stage. I'd put her in the Duane Allman, Derek Trucks class. And I don't think she is much of a singer. Listen to her guitar playing on Streetlights or Give it Up. I dare you.

This reminds me that it took us waayyyy too long to mention Lowell George.

[pearlysnaps]

Sorry for the serial postings, but just thought about Bonnie Raitt, which reminded me of Susan Tedeschi, too. Bonnie's a better singer than guitarist, but she can get down when she wants to.

Better singer than guitarist??!!!!! Bonnie Raitt????!!! Are you serious???!!! this belongs in the blasphemy thread! She's one of the best slide guitar players to ever grace a stage. I'd put her in the Duane Allman, Derek Trucks class. And I don't think she is much of a singer. Listen to her guitar playing on Streetlights or Give it Up. I dare you.

BB KIng says she's his favorite slide player ever.

[Smitty]

Sorry for the serial postings, but just thought about Bonnie Raitt, which reminded me of Susan Tedeschi, too. Bonnie's a better singer than guitarist, but she can get down when she wants to.

Better singer than guitarist??!!!!! Bonnie Raitt????!!! Are you serious???!!! this belongs in the blasphemy thread! She's one of the best slide guitar players to ever grace a stage. I'd put her in the Duane Allman, Derek Trucks class. And I don't think she is much of a singer. Listen to her guitar playing on Streetlights or Give it Up. I dare you.

This reminds me that it took us waayyyy too long to mention Lowell George.

!!!
he completely slipped my mind... should've thought of him when I posted Ry Cooder...

[Smitty]

Toy Caldwell

He was the King

[LuthierJustin]

Brad Paisley

[Clams]

Doug Pettibone. Used to play in Lucinda Williams' band. The guy can play.

[Son of Swamp]

:?

Frank Zappa, not really known for his guitar playing,

I doubt that very seriously.

Depends on who you're talking about. I think it's fair to say that there's a whole swath of the population that just thinks of zappa as that "wild and crazy guy" who gave his kids weird names. OTOH, people who know a little bit more about music know (or at least have the general idea of) just how talented he was, as a guitarist and in his other musical roles as well.

I've always felt Zappa to be the unerrated Guitar player poster child. As far as being Wacky... maybe he was wacky with the Mothers... but i think the word you are looking for is "Different". He didn't do what everyone else was doing, which probably scared simple folk...

Not only is he an amazing composer and song writer... but yeah, he can shred a guitar like a burnt weenie sandwich!

[RevMatt]

Anyone who ever owned a Frank Zappa album knows how great a guitarist he was. Problem was that more people knew who he was than ever heard his music. His image was so iconic.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Prince is a very underrated guitarist. I can't say I like everything he's recorded but when he decides to get down and dirty with the guitar, he get's it done.

[Son of Swamp]

Anyone who ever owned a Frank Zappa album knows how great a guitarist he was. Problem was that more people knew who he was than ever heard his music. His image was so iconic.

that is very true.

[StevieRay]

Alejandro Escovedo

[mhc]

Doug Pettibone. Used to play in Lucinda Williams' band. The guy can play.

Yes he can, saw him play with Lucinda a bunch.

[mhc]

Django Reinhart.
His influence ranges from Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson, to Dickey Betts.


Charlie Christian


Tony Rice


John Scofield

[4sooner]

Michael Hedges

[mhc]

Sorry for the serial postings, but just thought about Bonnie Raitt, which reminded me of Susan Tedeschi, too. Bonnie's a better singer than guitarist, but she can get down when she wants to.

Better singer than guitarist??!!!!! Bonnie Raitt????!!! Are you serious???!!! this belongs in the blasphemy thread! She's one of the best slide guitar players to ever grace a stage. I'd put her in the Duane Allman, Derek Trucks class. And I don't think she is much of a singer. Listen to her guitar playing on Streetlights or Give it Up. I dare you.

This reminds me that it took us waayyyy too long to mention Lowell George.

Exactly, nothing like the Rock and Roll Doctor!!!

[scotto]

James Blood Ulmer in general, and this album in particular:

[beantownbubba]

Not sure why, but i saw james blood ulmer first and i immediately said to myself, "that's got to be scotto."

Not so much underrated as kind of forgotten:

Roy Buchanan (courtesy of stevieray - thanx for the reminder!) and charlie christian.

[StevieRay]

Roy was certainly under-appreciated, if not under-rated. Sad story.

Not sure why, but i saw james blood ulmer first and i immediately said to myself, "that's got to be scotto."

Not so much underrated as kind of forgotten:

Roy Buchanan (courtesy of stevieray - thanx for the reminder!) and charlie christian.

[StevieRay]

Cary Hudson

[4sooner]

Rory Gallagher

[tinnitus photography]

totally agree w/ Django and Blood Ulmer.

[Smitty]

I don't think Django's underrated in his class, which is jazz - he's always been held up there at the top with Wes Montgomery(or atleast it seems that way to me)

heres one:



Stanley Jordan

[LuthierJustin]

Adrian Belew

[mhc]

Shuggie Otis

[beantownbubba]

Be nice if shuggie would play/record some!

[scotto]

Not sure why, but i saw james blood ulmer first and i immediately said to myself, "that's got to be scotto."

I'm all about being predictable.

[Penny Lane]

Adrian Belew

YES

[Given to Fly]

Bill Kirchen

[blessedcurse]

For pure tone and melody, Johnny Hickman from Cracker frequently leaves me breathless. Should get more props than he does.

[The Drifter]

Not necessarily underrated, just unknown. Jeff Massey from The Steepwater Band