The best guitarists of all time: Top 10 musical virtuosos according to The Rolling Stone

Music provides amazing opportunities for creative realization and unlimited scope for self-improvement, which at one time was used by 10 legendary performers who managed to reach the top of the ranking of the best guitarists of all time according to The Rolling Stone magazine. It is about these outstanding personalities that we will tell in our material.

10. Pete Townsend (The Who)

Legendary rock guitarist and composer Pete Townsend was fond of music at the age of 10, and a couple of years later he was playing rock and roll for The Confederates. Townsend’s main brainchild, The Who, brought the famous guitarist and composer great success: millions of records sold and the status of a legendary rock band that brought the audience into a state of euphoria. In addition to guitar, Townsend is a multi-instrumentalist who has mastered banjo and accordion, piano and synthesizers, bass and drums.

9. Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers Band)

Inspired by the work of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, young Dwayne Allman taught himself to play the guitar and, together with his brother Gregg, founded the rock band The Allman Brothers Band, which performed hits in the style of blues rock, country rock and hard rock, and subsequently gained such a cult status that in 1995 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition to participating in the project “The Allman Brothers Band”, Dwayne Allman has collaborated with such stars as Eric Clapton, Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin. Dwayne Allman lived a short but very eventful life, and his discography continues to remind of the glory days of rock and roll in the sixties.

8 Eddie Van Halen

The world-famous guitarist and composer Eddie van Halen was fond of music along with his brother Alex, who, by the way, became a famous drummer. Among Eddie’s idols who noticeably influenced his work are Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. In 1972, brothers Eddie and Alex founded the band Van Halen, and in 1978 the debut studio album was released, followed by worldwide popularity and a series of first-class releases that have become recognized rock classics. In addition to his consistently striking image, Eddie van Halen is also credited with popularizing the tapping technique, and in 1974 the musician launched mass production of his own Frankenstrat guitar, which is easily recognizable by its unusual red and white colors.

7. Chuck Berry

The famous singer, guitarist and composer, originally from St. Louis, began performing while still a schoolboy, and at the age of 18 he landed in jail, where he organized a musical quartet. After his early release, Chuck Berry worked at a car factory, and in the evenings played music in local nightclubs: it was during this period that the basis of his corporate style was formed, with an attractive mixture of country and blues. His single “Maybellene”, which was released in 1955, was sold out by a gigantic circulation of 1 million copies at that time, after which the artist began a “star streak” of hits that were admired by members of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and thousands of fans. In total, Chuck Berry released more than 20 studio albums, which have become recognized classics of the blues. Perpetuated the memory of the famous artist and Quentin Tarantino:

6. BB King

Internationally recognized guitarist and songwriter BB King has been fond of music since childhood: he sang in the church choir and mastered the guitar, which largely predetermined his life path. He realized his talent by giving street concerts, and in 1947 he moved from his native Mississippi to Memphis, where he had a fateful meeting with Frank Sinatra: an influential singer and producer contributed to the development and promotion of the young BB King. Years later, at the peak of his career, the famous bluesman gave up to 250 concerts a year, and his skill was noted not only by fans, but also by the Grammy Award jury, which awarded the artist the coveted statuettes with a gramophone. In 1980, BB King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

5. Jeff Beck

A virtuoso guitarist originally from London, he enthusiastically studied music as a child: he played the cello, piano and drums, and sang in the church choir. Years later, while studying at the Wimbledon College of Art, Beck mastered the guitar and continued his musical career with the Tridents and The Yardbirds. In 1967 Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Roni Wood and Ainsley Dunbar formed The Jeff Beck Group. After releasing 2 studio albums, the band markedly influenced the development of hard rock, and in the 70s, after a not-so-successful attempt to become a celebrity with the new line-up of The Jeff Beck Group, Jeff rushed towards a solo career and collaborated with first-rate stars – Sting, David Bowie, Jon Bon Jovi, Ian Hammer, Max Middleton, Jess Stone, Johnny Depp, and also recorded soundtracks for films.

4. Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)

The famous guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of The Rolling Stones has been interested in music since childhood: Richards’ grandfather, who once participated in tours as part of a jazz big band, instilled in the young man an interest in music, and his mother gave him his first guitar and introduced him to the work of Billie Holiday , Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, which predetermined the fate of the world famous rock star. With the future vocalist of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Richards met back in school days, and years later fate brought them together again: accidentally finding themselves in the same train car, they realized that their musical tastes largely coincide, and very soon started performing together. Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Brian Jones formed The Rolling Stones in 1962. which was positioned as a rebellious alternative to the mega-popular at that time “The Beatles”. The Rolling Stones’ first studio album was a real sensation and became a bestseller largely due to Richards’ composing skills.

3. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

The famous virtuoso guitarist and honorary holder of the Order of the British Empire showed interest in playing the guitar at the age of 12, and from the age of 14 he began taking lessons at a music school and was actively engaged in self-education. Early in his career, Jimmy Page worked as a session musician, playing in The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Neil Christian & The Crusaders, and showed his full creative talent as part of Led Zeppelin. Complementing the electric guitar sound with a fuzz effect, a wah-wah pedal, and playing with a bow, Page did not stop experimenting and recorded his ideas on a portable tape recorder to use during studio sessions. After the collapse of Led Zeppelin, Page continued to participate in musical projects and even wrote the soundtrack for the film Death Wish 2.

2. Eric Clapton (Cream, The Yardbirds)

The famous rock musician and Commander of the Order of the British Empire was a street musician in his youth, and the meteoric rise of his career began in The Yardbirds, where the young guitarist stood out for his unique style. Worldwide recognition came to Clapton already as part of the Cream group, whose records were sold in millions of copies in Europe and America. However, the group soon broke up, and in 1970 Eric Clapton began a solo career, which brought the musician a resounding success. Clapton’s style has changed over the years, but classic blues roots have always been discerned in his performing style. The famous guitarist has appeared on over 50 albums and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times.

1. Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

The legendary virtuoso guitarist Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle and since childhood was fond of the work of BB King, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and at the age of fifteen he bought his first guitar, and since then he has not parted with this musical instrument: he has mastered all the intricacies of the game and invented his own innovative performance techniques. Since 1964, Hendrix has been in an active creative search and appeared as part of The Blue Flames, King Kasuals, Band of Gypsys, Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience brought the artist large-scale success and worldwide fame: the records scattered like hot cakes, and the concerts gathered whole crowds of fans. The virtuoso musician never ceased to amaze the audience, playing with the help of teeth and elbows, and once during a performance he even set fire to his guitar. Jimi Hendrix lived to be only 27 years old and, as a result of his vibrant career, was awarded prestigious awards, including the Grammy Award, and the artist’s name was immortalized on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.