Who's the most underrated guitarist of all time?

[artpaul]

I voted George Harrison because when You think of the Beatles you think of John & Paul who wrote most of the songs but you forget that George played lead and may have often wrote his own lead and not got credited.

But Prince also is someone I don't think of as a guitar player though I have seen pictures and have seen him performing with one but most of the time when I(and maybe others too)think of prince it's his weird voice that comes to mind.

I guess when I think of guitar it's usually on songs by Heavy Metal bands like Lead Zepplin & Deep Purple or Black Sabbath.

When I think of The Beatles,Prince or The Beachboys(Who also had a lead guitarist) I think of more of more the vocals and forget there is guitar there.

[marcus_doneus]

No doubt all the guys mentioned are great players.
But - they are all world famous, so what do you mean by “underrated“?
Here's my personal list of really underrated (and underpaid) acoustic guitarists. All of them brilliant, so I'd like to spread the word of:

Peppino d'Agostino, Woody Mann, Tim Sparks, Jacques Stotzem, Beppe Gambetta, Franco Morone, Don Ross, Alex de Grassi, Laurence Juber, Dean Magraw, Martin Simpson, Dylan Fowler

These are only acoustic fingerstyle guitarists, but think also of Jazz, Blues, Classical, Latin. So many great musicians out there, but only a few are lucky enough to get an appropriate amount of attention.

Please check these guys out on the internet or go to their concerts. You'll be fascinated, just like me.

Greetings from Austria,
Marcus

[Backslider]

Well on my list would be:Randy Bachman,Paul McCartney,Lennie Bruce.But at the top only because the average person never really thought about him, has to be George Harrison who made some of the most memerable solo's and chord changes of all time.

[Kotrof_Wizzard]

I think Prince, mostly because when he`s not holding a guitar, or a mic, he`s crawling on the floor, or humping air....lol...I know alot of great guitarists,many of which will probably never be heard,much less recognized....My write in for the day is Richard Johnston in the blues genre....peace out....Drop The Sun

[artpaul]

Actaully I was thinking about this and Weird Al Yankovic's Guitar player really is good but you'll never hear people talking about him alot or The Guitar Player in Tenacious D.

I'm not sure I Like the Songs but I got to admit the guitar player in Tenacious D is one of the hardest working acoustic guitar players.

[mlr_pa]

for shame people! What, no Bill Nelson fans(Be Bop Deluxe/Red Noise)? Or Mike Oldfield? Robert Fripp? Steve Hackett or Anthony Phillips ()Both of early Genesis) fans? And no one mentioned the greatest guitarist ever? The immortal FRANK ZAPPA. for shame.....

[Larryallenbrown]

There are so many great players around the world...but there is only one that stands head and shoulders above all of them, and if you asked them they'd tell you his name is Danny Gatton. Danny played as though he invented the instrument and all the different styles that we hear today. There is great...and then there is Genius. Danny died tragically in 1994, and we will never see anything comparable to him again. Check out his website, and prepare to be amazed. The greatest players in the world nicknamed him..the Humbler.

[JeraldHenry]

[5T]

www.marccantlin.com

and no he isn't me

[Bluessunn]

Prince: He is NOT underrated! Look up various guitar and music mags...

I love him: Look up you tube with him 'playing' with James Brown

AND Michael Jackson...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9c7WnhNVREk

if that does function...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WU4fzeeev0g



George Harrison: Poor bloke. Bless Him. Very innovative. Flawless song

writer. In the same vein as The Edge and David G. from Pink Floyd.



Keith Richards: This guy is a joke. I can run rings him around myself.



The Edge (U2): MY VOTE IS CAST ON THIS GUY.



Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins): It is a shame that Billy is such a butt

munch. Many of his songs of the past and present are elegant.

Very innovative as well.



What about JAMES IHA of (Smashing Pumpkins) and (A Perfect Circle)?


Trey Anastasio: Flawless, yet not innovative. Great song writer however,

he does not anything new into the realm guitar sonic wizardry.



-Taylor A. of Bluessunn





To get a feel for artists I have recorded/ promoted, check out:

http://www.myspace.com/jaminbray

http://www.myspace.com/catarinothebutcher

[Bluessunn]

I agree with these fellow guitarists:

signhereonline:

Robbie Krieger of The Doors was never given the recognition he deserves in terms of his styling and songwriting ability.


GregKroeter:

Steve Howe from Yes, Carlos Santana should be on the list , but one of the most amazing guitarists who unfortunately is no longer living was Michael Hedges- that guy did things with just an acoustic guitar that would blow your mind..


Kotrof_Wizzard

My write in for the day is Richard Johnston in the blues genre....peace out....Drop The Sun


mlr_pa

…Robert Fripp? …The immortal FRANK ZAPPA.

What about JAMES IHA of (Smashing Pumpkins) and (A Perfect Circle)?


-Taylor A. of Bluessunn





To get a feel for artists I have recorded/ promoted, check out:

http://www.myspace.com/jaminbray

http://www.myspace.com/catarinothebutcher

[DamienProject]

Yes to Steve Howe from yes............
Greg Lake from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer....
Mark Skipper is definitly underated
As for the list, Tie between Prince and george harrison

[mobilehomeboy]

By underrated, are we talking about guys who simply don't shred, or are we talking about simply being "not technical", "didn't sell enough records", "didn't-play-75,000-notes-where-one-would-have-done-just-fine"?

Ignored by the industry? s***, that's all of us.

To me, a good guitar player isn't measured by technical style, endorsements, or records sold. To me a good guitar player is one that makes you WANT to play.

So here are my nominations:

Ace Frehley (KISS / Frehley's Comet)
Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth)
Neil Young (Too many to list)
Dave Grohl (Drummer for Nirvana, now singer / axeman for the Foo Fighters)
Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains, baby, YEAH!)
Jesse Davis (The Nixons)
Fletcher Dragge (Pennywise)
Steve Von Till (Souls at Zero)
Wiley Arnett (Sacred Reich)
Scott Ian (Anthrax, simply because he stayed with the same band for 20-and-some-odd-years)
Brent Mason (Country axe-slinger, look him up, he'll blow your mind)
Chet Atkins (Chicken-picker deluxe)
Roy Clark (Dude could play everything from dobro to banjo)
Joe Pass (Not EXACTLY underrated, but let's face it, with the guys they put in "Guitar for The Practicing Musician" THESE days.....)

This list could go on forever, these are just a few of the names that come to mind.

But moreover, the most underrated guitar players are the ones in their garages, or homes, playing their asses off because they CAN. Not for money, not for fame, not for beer-and-bitches, but because it's WHAT THEY DO.

And THAT, my friends, is:

THA WORD.

[GregK]

Mobilehomeboy Wrote:
But moreover, the most underrated guitar players are the ones in their garages, or homes, playing their asses off because they CAN. Not for money, not for fame, not for beer-and-bitches, but because it's WHAT THEY DO.

This thought has been in the back of my mind all this time but I didn't say it- Damn do I agree with this!!
I could go on and on about all the hundreds of guitarists who helped influence me- shape me in whatever directions- some blues, some jazz, some rock, some metal, some country, some classical-
Some have sold millions worldwide- some hardly made it outta their home town.
But the countless- nameless/faceless out there doing this day after day and are NOT getting much-if-any money or recognition..
I'm among that crowd- playing my fingers down to bleeding knubs, writing song after song, countless nights of insomnia hunched over my guitar or at the mixing controls living off of coffee.. friends and family wondering if I am insane because in the middle of a movie if the inspiration hits I would go into my spare room and start playing guitar and neglect eating, sleeping..AND ALL FOR WHAT- I'M NOT GETTING MUCH THROWN INTO MY JAR AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.. I GET STANDING OVATIONS BUT NOBODY REMEMBERS MY NAME- OR KNOW HOW TO SPELL IT OR PRONOUNCE IT.. so why Lord- WHY do I and countless others in this boat subject ourselves to this torture????
This is what we do- THIS is WHO and WHAT we are. Some dudes can take apart a truck and get it all back together- some dudes can throw a perfect pitch at 90mph.. I can't do that kinda stuff- but I CAN play guitar almost second nature! So to all of the MANY -like myself in this boat.. hats off to you!!!

[mobilehomeboy]

Yeah, I think anybody who plays music because it's what they are (creative people) do it to the point of obsession, and it's an obsession that we don't WANT to control, thank you, so keep your opinions out of our lives......

But beyond that, it is what it is, we're happy with what it is, that's the way it goes, peeps.

Johnathan Davis said:

"A lonely life, where no one understands you, but don't give up, because the music do."

Words of inspration to us all. We're all f*** up, but we're all all right.

Nothing at all wrong with being weird either. I wouldn't WANT to be normal, and live that kind of existence. How boring would life be? I heard a preacher one time say:

"What kind of world would this be if we just went around doing whatever made us happy all the time?"

Yeah, wouldn't THAT be terrible?

And let's face it, the only reason guys like us never get anywhere in the business is simply because we aren't related to anyone in the biz, (meaning last name of "Hilton", who actually purchased her recording contract) or we simply aren't "fashionable". I have all the fashion sense of a frumpy, middle-aged, jaded, guy who knows too much type.

And that's what I AM. And I BUY music from guys JUST LIKE ME. Weezer ROCKS!!!!

And THAT, my friends, is:

THA WORD.