Your Biggest Electric Guitar Influences and Favorite Players?

[Steve DeRosa]

In approximate chronological order:

• Les Paul - first electric guitar I ever heard was on the Les Paul at Home 1950's TV show, folks told me in later years I used to "jam" with the TV on my Mickey Mouse guitar
• Buddy Merrill and Neil Levang - house guitarists for Lawrence Welk and recipients of many of Leo's prototype instruments (in particular the Mandocaster and Bass VI), my first exposure to a Tele and Strat respectively
• The Ventures - my first introduction to rock electric lead guitar, and I'm still a fan nearly 60 years later
• James Burton - didn't know the name of that guy on the Ozzie and Harriet Show, but I knew he sure could play
• Jack Wilkins - a legend among hardcore jazzers and a "players' player," took lessons with him in the early/mid-60's when he was a teenage phenom
• Chet Atkins - as an old Brooklyn boy Gretsch was our hometown brand (virtually all of my guitar-laying friends owned a Clipper or Anniversary until things started getting louder and heavier later in the '60s), but I never really understood what the buzz was all about until I heard those famous boom-chick bass lines and intricate leads, all clean as could be
• George Harrison - Chet may have opened up my ears, but it was George who validated the Gretsch brand for me (and a couple million others) as a rock axe
• Carlos Santana - between my Latino city housing project neighbors and my uncle (who hailed from Valencia, Spain) I was very familiar with a lot of the Spanish popular repertoire/styles, but it was Carlos who showed me how to make it rock
• B.B. King - how many other guitarists only need to play one note for you to identify them correctly...?
• Allman Brothers - Diz & Bird's bop-era parallel horn lines pumped through Marshall stacks, with a rock sensibility and blues-based vocals
• George Benson - the only guitarist who could hang successfully with Les Paul in an extended non-stop jam (a full half-hour - ABB territory here -and Gabor Szabo and Bucky Pizzarelli had long since dropped out when I saw them at the '77 Guitar Summit), and to think this guy was originally signed as a singer

[Ray175]

Eric Clapton (early years)
Peter Green
Mike Bloomfield
Richard Thompson
Jerry Donahue (under-exposed)
Roy Buchanan
Albert Lee
Jeff Beck
Al di Meola (early years)
Mark Knopfler
Django Rheinhardt
Joe Pass
Wes Montgomery
Terry Kath (seriously under-rated)

[Coop47]

Keef, Chuck Berry and Steve Cropper are all guys I tried to imitate, but I think there were unconscious influencers that I heard all the time. If you listened to radio in the 60's, 70's and 80's, how could you not be influenced by the Wrecking Crew, The Funk Brothers or the Swampers? Waddy Watchel and David Lindley are a couple of others. I started playing because of Keef, but Woody's playing on Every Picture Tells a Story had a big impact.

I wish I knew who originated it, but there's a theory that the music you listened to when you were 13 stays with you your entire life. I have a working theory that any song you played air guitar to eventually stuck in your head enough to be an influence. (Hello, Malcolm Young.)

[redir]

So many to choose from. Probably my all time fav electric player is Frank Zappa. I love shredders like Shawn Lane and Buckethead too. Then of course there is Eddie. I love the blues players too like Albert King and Buddy Guy. I'm also pretty solidly in the Gilmore camp too.

In the end though with my band I play more like Tony Iommi who is definitely on my top ten list. Like him I like riff based music and man did he ever come up with some of the most iconic riffs in rock music.

Oh and then of course there is Dr. Brian Harold May.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Ray175

Eric Clapton (early years)
Peter Green
Mike Bloomfield
Richard Thompson
Jerry Donahue (under-exposed)
Roy Buchanan
Albert Lee
Jeff Beck
Al di Meola (early years)
Mark Knopfler
Django Rheinhardt
Joe Pass
Wes Montgomery
Terry Kath (seriously under-rated)

What Eric Clapton early years are you referring to? His John Mayer and the Bluesbreakers and/or Cream days or his early solo days?

[12barBill]

This album ---- Grinderswitch - "Macon Tracks" (Dru Lombar)

[Craviola]

Leslie West, Robin Trower. Johnny Winter, Mark Farner,Terje Rypdal, Mundel Lowe, Albert King, T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton, Sonny Sharrock

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

What Eric Clapton early years are you referring to? His John Mayer and the Bluesbreakers and/or Cream days or his early solo days?

As a man prone to typos I shouldn't laugh. But it would be something to see John Mayer sitting in with Mayall's Bluesbreakers regardless if Clapton showed up or not.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

As a man prone to typos I shouldn't laugh. But it would be something to see John Mayer sitting in with Mayall's Bluesbreakers regardless if Clapton showed up or not.

I'm embarrassed! . You are correct. I listened to the "Beano" album for the first time a couple of years ago. That was a significant moment for the Gibson Les Paul and Marshall.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I'm embarrassed! . You are correct. I listened to the "Beano" album for the first time a couple of years ago. That was a significant moment for the Gibson Les Paul and Marshall.

Yes that LP helped launch the Les Paul craze for sure. Good companion listens would then is the next Bluesbreakers' Album (A Hard Road) with Peter Green and the Bare Wires LP with Mick Taylor. And that's only about half (though the most famous half) of great guitar players that went through that band.

[KCharlesD]

George Harrison
Roger McGuinn
Pete Townshend
Richard Thompson
Dave Edmunds
James Burton
Albert Lee
Mike Campbell

[Ray175]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

What Eric Clapton early years are you referring to? His John Mayer and the Bluesbreakers and/or Cream days or his early solo days?

Bluesbreakers through to D&D inclusive - although (unlike Cream, Bluesbreakers and Blind Faith) much of the quality of the Layla sessions was a result of Duane Allman and EC pushing each other. For me, some of his nicest laid back work was with Delaney and Bonnie. Later music is still good - the 2012 reunion concert was great - but I loved the fire in those earlier periods.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I'm embarrassed! . You are correct. I listened to the "Beano" album for the first time a couple of years ago. That was a significant moment for the Gibson Les Paul and Marshall.

I'm just glad I'm the only one making the occasional gaff

I had a John Mayall album but it was the live "Turing Point" album which seemed a bit more focused on his harmonica .

[C-ville Brent]

I'm mostly an acoustic player for the past few decades, but was inspired to buy a guitar in 1981.

Electric:
Jimmy Page: early electric blues Zep especially
Eddie Van Halen: especially the first album, I was in high school and it was over the top

Acoustic:
Neil Young: we share a birthday, saw him solo, some of the first songs I learned to play chords on, even an F chord.

Unfortunately, no one will ever mistake my playing for any of the above.

[Marley]

My all-time favorite guitarist is Jerry Garcia, by far and no one close. There's a few reason why.
1. The most beautiful clean tone I've ever heard. The guy played thousands of shows and numerous albums, so maybe not 100% of the time but generally speaking, I've never heard a tone my ears like better.
2. The notes he played sing to my ears. Less is more and Jerry was in the pocket for decades. His licks are as good and EVH or Jimi's, his chord progressions are amazing and his solos were perfect.
3. His love for beautiful and cool guitars, his never ending quest to perfect the guitar, the fretboard, his gear etc.. The guy was a guitar playing and singing genius. There may be others who are just as good as him but no one is better. Jerry could play with absolutely anyone and outplay most everyone.