Well, let me tell ya, them folks at Rolling Stone, they got themselves a big job tryin’ to figure out who’s the best guitar picker. It ain’t easy, no sir. Everybody’s got their favorites, you know? Like back in my day, we just listened to what was on the radio, didn’t go around makin’ no lists. But these young folks, they like to rank everything. So, here we go, talkin’ ’bout them guitar fellas.
Jimi Hendrix, now he was somethin’ else. People sayin’ he’s the most skilled and innovative guitar player ever. I reckon they might be right. He could make that guitar sing, make it cry, make it do things you never thought possible. He played loud, he played wild, and he played with a whole lotta heart. He was gone too soon, that boy. But his music, well, it sticks with ya.
Then you got Brian May. Some folks call him Sir Brian now, all fancy and proper. But he can still make that guitar scream. He’s got that big ol’ hair and that homemade guitar, and he plays those Queen songs like nobody else can. Them songs, they get stuck in your head, and you find yourself hummin’ them all day long. He’s a real showman, that one.
- And let’s not forget Keith Richards.
- He’s been playin’ with them Rolling Stones forever, it seems.
- He’s the backbone of that band, the one keepin’ the beat goin’.
- He ain’t flashy, but he’s steady, and he knows how to make a song groove.
- He’s had his share of troubles, but he’s still rockin’, and that’s somethin’ to admire. Keef, yeah, that’s what they call him. Always got a cigarette hangin’ out of his mouth, even when he’s playin’. Reckless, but that’s rock n roll for ya, I guess.
Rolling Stone, they made a whole list, a hundred of ’em, the greatest guitar pickers of all time. Can you imagine? A hundred! That’s a lot of guitar playin’. They went and put two songs for each fella on their website. From the lowest to the highest. Lowest to highest of what, I don’t know. They got all sorts of fellas on there, some I heard of, some I ain’t. But that’s the thing about music, there’s always somethin’ new to discover.
It ain’t just about who’s the fastest or the loudest, you see. It’s about feelin’, about expressin’ yourself. It’s about tellin’ a story with them six strings. Some folks, they can just pick up a guitar and make it talk. And that’s a gift, a real gift. It don’t matter if you’re playin’ in a stadium or on your front porch, if you got that gift, you got somethin’ special. You know, reminds me of that ol’ fella down the road, always playin’ on his porch swing. wasn’t famous or nothin’, but he sure could make that guitar sing.
So, who’s the best? Well, I reckon that’s up to you to decide. There ain’t no right or wrong answer. It’s all a matter of taste. But one thing’s for sure, them guitar players, they bring a lot of joy to the world. They make us laugh, they make us cry, they make us wanna get up and dance. And that’s somethin’ worth celebratin’. So crank up the music, tap your feet, and enjoy the sounds. ‘Cause at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.
David Fricke, he put that list together back in 2003. Took him a long time, I bet. Pickin’ and choosin’ from all them guitar players, that ain’t no easy task. But he done it, and he gave us somethin’ to talk about. And we are still talkin’ about it, ain’t we? All these years later. That just goes to show you how much folks care about music, how much it means to us.
So, whether you like your guitar fast or slow, loud or soft, country or rock, there’s a guitar player out there for you. Just gotta find ’em, that’s all. And once you do, you hold on tight, ’cause good music, well, that’s somethin’ precious.
Tags: Greatest Guitarists, Rolling Stone, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Keith Richards, David Fricke, Guitar, Music, Top 100, Best Guitarists
