My Top 20 Favorite Guitarists
by abbeyroad992 | created - 02 Oct 2011 | updated - 13 Aug 2013 | Public
1. Frank Zappa
Soundtrack | Baby Snakes
Of all the qualities that typified Frank Zappa, perhaps the most striking is that he was a paradox. A workaholic perfectionist rock star who eschewed the hippie culture of the 1960s, deploring its conformism, spurious ideals and drug use, Zappa was not only a brilliant rock guitarist but an ...
2. Jimmy Page
Soundtrack | The Song Remains the Same
Jimmy Page was born on January 9, 1944 in Heston, Middlesex, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Song Remains the Same (1976), Godzilla (1998) and The Adam Project (2022). He was previously married to Jimena Gomez-Paratcha, Patricia Ecker and Charlotte Martin.
3. Neil Young
Composer | Dead Man
Neil Young is one of the most respected and prolific rock/folk guitarists of the late 20th century. Raised in Canada, he first became well-known as a guitarist and occasional vocalist for the band Buffalo Springfield. After the band's breakup, Young became a solo performer. However, he also has ...
4. Steve Howe
Soundtrack | Apollo 18
Steve Howe was born on April 8, 1947 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and composer, known for Apollo 18 (2011), Almost Famous (2000) and Toys (1992). He has been married to Janet Osborne since January 1975. They have three children. He was previously married to Patricia Stebbings.
5. Jimi Hendrix
Soundtrack | Woodstock
Widely regarded as the greatest and most influential guitarist in rock history, Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, to African-American parents Lucille (Jeter) and James Allen Hendrix. His mother named him John Allen Hendrix and raised him alone while his father, Al ...
6. Duane Allman
Self | Untitled Allman Brothers/Nick Cassavetes Project
Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee in November 1946. On Christmas Day in 1960, Duane was given a motorcycle as a gift while his younger brother, Gregg Allman, got a guitar. A few months later, Duane wrecked his motorcycle in an accident, but traded in the spare parts for a guitar of his ...
7. Buddy Guy
Soundtrack | In the Electric Mist
Buddy Guy was born on July 30, 1936 in Lettsworth, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for In the Electric Mist (2009), Idiocracy (2006) and Nothing to Lose (1997).
8. Eric Clapton
Soundtrack | Lethal Weapon 3
Eric Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. His real father was a Canadian pilot but he didn't find that out until he was 53. When he was 2 his mother felt she was unable to look after him, so Eric then went to live with his grandparents. When he was 14 he took up the ...
9. David Gilmour
Soundtrack | Pink Floyd: The Wall
David Jon Gilmour was born on 6th March, 1946, in Grantchester Meadows, Cambridge. As the lead guitarist of Pink Floyd, he is by many considered one of the most influential guitarists on the rock stage. Right up to "The Dark Side of The Moon", Dave wrote his own songs, but from then up to "The ...
10. George Harrison
Actor | A Hard Day's Night
A master musician, a film producer and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and occasionally lead vocalist of The Beatles, George Harrison was born February 25, 1943, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He was also the youngest of four children, born to Harold Harrison and Louise Harrison.
Like ...
11. Mike Bloomfield
Soundtrack | Sneakers
Mike Bloomfield was born on July 28, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a composer, known for Sneakers (1992), Easy Rider (1969) and Rocketman (2019). He died on February 15, 1981 in San Francisco, California, USA.
12. Carlos Santana
Soundtrack | La Bamba
Carlos Santana is a Mexican guitarist, composer, singer and band-leader who helped to shape the concept of "world music" by his experiments with blending many styles of music from a multitude of ethnic sources.
He was born Carlos Augusto Alves Santana on July 20, 1947, in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco,...
13. Stephen Stills
Soundtrack | Prometheus
Stephen Stills was born on January 3, 1945, in Dallas, Texas. He dropped out of college to play music professionally. He formed Buffalo Springfield ("For What It's Worth") with Neil Young and later became part of Crosby Stills & Nash. After they broke up, Stills joined Manassas, then helped to form ...
14. Pete Townshend
Music_department | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Born in Chiswick, London just ten days after the German surrender in 1945, Townshend grows up in a typical middle-class home. His parents, Cliff and Betty Townshend, are both musicians, and as a child he accompanies them on dance band tours. Townshend starts playing guitar at 12. He goes to art ...
15. Jerry Garcia
Soundtrack | The Box
One of the most prolific and iconic guitarists of the second half of the 20th Century, Jerome John Garcia was born in San Francisco, California, USA on August 1st 1942. Garcia, whose mother was a registered nurse and whose father, Jose, was a small time jazz musician, had a troubled childhood. At ...
16. Mick Ronson
Soundtrack | Fright Night
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success while working with David Bowie as the lead guitarist and band leader for Bowie's backing band, the Spiders From Mars. Ronson was also a session ...
17. Dave Davies
Composer | Village of the Damned
Dave Davies is the brother of Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks, of which he was the lead singer up to 1964, when Ray joined. He was also the lead guitarist and backup singer for the Kinks. As children, both brothers were immersed in a world of different musical styles, from ...
18. Phil Manzanera
Soundtrack | Safe House
Phil Manzanera was born on January 31, 1951 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Safe House (2012), The Great Gatsby (2013) and Velvet Goldmine (1998).
19. Robert Fripp
Soundtrack | Children of Men
Robert Fripp was born on May 16, 1946 in Dorset, England, UK. He is a music artist and actor, known for Children of Men (2006), The Big Boss (1971) and Power Rangers (2017). He has been married to Toyah Willcox since May 16, 1986.
20. Terry Kath
Soundtrack | Electra Glide in Blue
One of the most influential yet underrated guitarists of all time, Terry Alan Kath was born on January 31, 1946 in Chicago, Ill. Musical practically from birth, Kath taught himself bass, drums, and guitar, and made the rounds in local bands, impressing everyone he met. Childhood friends included ...
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