# Underrated guitarists



## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

There seem to be many genuinely gifted guitarists who never get mentioned on the "short lists" of rock guitarists who have left an indelible mark. Every list includes Hendrix, Clapton, Page, Beck etc. but I feel many who are every bit as influencial get overlooked.

One guitarist I would add to the list is Andy Summers. He played with the No.1 band in the world in the early eighties. His style has been copied by many. He has a totally original approach and sound. He re-invented what a trio should or could be with his less-is-more textural approach. He only showed a fraction of what he could do while with The Police and was the biggest part of their sound. I believe he was the biggest musical influence of the eighties.

Let's hear your favorite underrated picker picks.evilGuitar:


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## Welladjusted (Feb 19, 2006)

Sticking with guitarists in trios...

Ty Tabor holds the dubious distinction of being the guitarist for the band most commonly recognized as "criminally overlooked". He has monster chops and tone to match and he's a great pop songwriter. It's a difficult feat to be catchy and heavy in the same song


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

frank marino
vince gill - it is truly astounding that he has never graced the cover of guitar player!
kim mitchell
wendell ferguson
colin linden
doyle bramhall II
rick gunn (local toronto guy)


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

david henman said:


> frank marino
> vince gill - it is truly astounding that he has never graced the cover of guitar player!
> kim mitchell
> wendell ferguson
> ...


I've heard some pretty wicked stuff from Vince Gill, I agree he doesn't get the recognition as a guitar player.... +1 on Linden and Bramhall II.
Playing a guitar strung upside down seems to give him a very interesting approach .


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## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

For blues to name a couple

Roy Buchanan
Smokin' Joe Kubek


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

There are so many, but I'll put Rory Gallagher up there. He was an amazing player! Check out "Live at the BBC".


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## Beatles (Feb 7, 2006)

George Harrison


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## MaxWedge (Feb 24, 2006)

Jerry Garcia, particularly for his steel guitar on 'Teach Your Children' with CSN&Y. I'm not sure about this, but apparently this was Jerry's first go at steel. Did a fantastic job, imho.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Well I'd have to say Lenny Breau.

He was a guitarist's guitarist for sure so the fact that the general public is largely oblivious to his genius is no surprise.

He was on a different level than most normal people, in fact he was almost a savant.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Milkman said:


> Well I'd have to say Lenny Breau.
> He was a guitarist's guitarist for sure so the fact that the general public is largely oblivious to his genius is no surprise.
> He was on a different level than most normal people, in fact he was almost a savant.



...in a somewhat different context, perhaps, but i kind of think of danny gatton in the same way. gatton's musical vocabulary seems entirely out of whack for a blues and rockabilly picker - ergo, the savant analogy. i can't even compare him to jeff beck - again, an entirely different context. gatton is very much a telecaster speed picker, and there are no shortage of those. there may even be a few that are in gatton's equal. not merely for speed, of course, but for the combination of speed, taste, imagination and musical vocabulary. for me, gatton is downright scary. i'd love to know if there are other (living) players that are in his league.

-dh


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...in a somewhat different context, perhaps, but i kind of think of danny gatton in the same way. gatton's musical vocabulary seems entirely out of whack for a blues and rockabilly picker - ergo, the savant analogy. i can't even compare him to jeff beck - again, an entirely different context. gatton is very much a telecaster speed picker, and there are no shortage of those. there may even be a few that are in gatton's equal. not merely for speed, of course, but for the combination of speed, taste, imagination and musical vocabulary. for me, gatton is downright scary. i'd love to know if there are other (living) players that are in his league.
> 
> -dh


Yup, Gatton was indeed a monster and was largely ignored by the general public.

I'd wager that there are many players like these guys who just never make it as big as they should.

Then again, you have the view this in the context of the type of "artist" that does make it big.

Remember, the American public made stars out of M & M, Ashley Simpson, Fifty cent and many others of dubious talent. It would be out of character for them to support real talent to the same extent.


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

Yeah, Danny Gatton was a monster player. Still have 2 picks he gave me after a show.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

How about Brian Setzer? He does get some props, but not near what he deserves in my opinion.

Ritchie Sambora can play his ass off, but unfortunately he's generally associated with his JBJ work. His first solo album is fantastic.

Joe Perry is another one. The early Aerosmith stuff just works for me. It's like someone took all those late 60's/early 70's guitarists we all love & rolled them into one package.

And I always think about guys like Brian Robertson & Scott Gorham from Thin Lizzy. Understated but tasteful players.

And a big +1 on Frank Marino.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

A big +1 on Gatton

Pat Thrall is my fav underated rock player.


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

if you really really really like old aerosmith, Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner should be at the top of all unsung heroes lists.

Between the yardbirds in the 60's and ozzy in 80's, Phil Lynott's the one who introduced the best crop of new talent from one source

Andy


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Yeah, I'd definitely include Lenny Breau and Danny Gatton. The first time I heard Gatton was on TV where he was billed as "the world's best unknown guitar player". He was also unusual in being a telecaster "specialist". He knew how to play a guitar better than most, but knew how to play a tele better than anyone. Lenny Breau remains unsurpassed.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The late Domenic Troiano. First saw him in January '66. Blew my mind. Last time was in 1979 - he was playing in another dimension by then.


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## famouspogs (Jun 9, 2006)

Larry Lalonde and Steve hackett


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

Tommy Emmanuel


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## rippinglickfest (Jan 1, 2006)

*Under rated*

Alex Lifeson is very under rated as is Keith Scott for Bryan Adams..........a fine guitar player who plays for the song and just oozes melody.
All of the Thin Lizzy guys for sure Especially John Sykes.
And Shawn Lane who isnt with us anymore.
Ray


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

rippinglickfest said:


> Alex Lifeson is very under rated as is Keith Scott for Bryan Adams..........a fine guitar player who plays for the song and just oozes melody.
> All of the Thin Lizzy guys for sure Especially John Sykes.
> And Shawn Lane who isnt with us anymore.
> Ray


+1 for lifeson. In fact, Rush in general is an underated band.


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## Neill MacInnis (Feb 12, 2006)

david torn, terje rypdal, and eivind aarset ...

for some ripping guitar check out torn on Bruford Levin Upper Extremities (BLUE) live, Polytown w/ mick karn and terry bozzio, "SPLaTTeRCeLL" ::OAH::, the film score to the order, torn on jan garbarek's "its ok to listen to the grey voice", and any of his solo releases.

eivind aarset... pretty much anything but electronique noire is my fave

and check out rypdal's vossabrygg (an homage to miles davis' bitches brew)


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## Crossroads (Apr 23, 2006)

Davey Johnstone


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

Welladjusted said:


> Sticking with guitarists in trios...
> 
> Ty Tabor holds the dubious distinction of being the guitarist for the band most commonly recognized as "criminally overlooked". He has monster chops and tone to match and he's a great pop songwriter. It's a difficult feat to be catchy and heavy in the same song


He is an absolute master, no question. An awesome guy to boot!


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## hush (Sep 8, 2006)

I gotta go with Milkman on this one - Lenny Breau. Genius.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I live in Kitchener-Waterloo and every sunday afternoon you can see this guy at the Boathouse bar in Victoria Park for a couple of bucks. He's the real deal.


http://www.melbrownblues.com/

Shawn.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Skilled for sure, but Kellerman bores me to tears. The faces he makes are over the top. Just my opinion. I miss Pop the Gator.

Shawn.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

Kim Mitchell ( vocals too ) and for sure Randy Bachman.......waaaay under rated on guitar . Guitarist for Red Ryder ?? ( got brain lock )
Gordon Lightfoot , Robbie Robertson , and a lot of other CDN guitarists and groups who have never got any recognition . Who played in Sass Jordan's band ?


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

I think Billy Corgan is vastly underrated -- he has his own thing going on and manages to tame it too. I like his phrasing.

Andy Latimer of Camel - fantastic player, great tone, good ear, tasteful phrasing.

Robin Guthrie (of the Cocteau Twins) -- again, got his own thing going on. 

I always liked Bernie Torme too, at least when he was playing with Gillan in the 80s. Not sure about later on.

Not sure if Marc Ribot counts as underrated. Underexposed maybe, but people who have heard of him seem to like him well enough.

Zal Cleminson is a great player you don't hear much about either.

I heard Robert Fripp did (part of?) a G3 tour and was booed by the shredheads. Unbelievable! 

Elvis Costello is underrated, even (especially) by himself. His playing is appropriate for what he does.

Vishwa Mohan Bhatt!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I was fortunate enough to see Lenny Breau at the old Le Hibou here in Ottawa in 1971. Hell of a show. Funny guy, too.

There is a lengthy list of people I could name, some of whom have already been named. But I have to say that I was shocked to learn a year or two ago that some of my absolute favourite solos in Beatles tunes were not George Harrison but rather Paul McCartney. For example "Taxman". He has this neat "angular" style.

And even though most folks know him for tunes like "Laying Pipe", once upon a time David Wilcox was an incredible player. Used to see him in Toronto and vicinity in the late 70's, and he could play *anything*. He'd switch from a George Benson thing to a Flatt & Scruggs thing to BB King thing in the blink of an eye. Not sure what happened to him, because you never get a hint of those chops anymore.

Two of the saviest rhythm players out there are Paul Westerberg and Marshall Crenshaw. Those guys don't even *have* to play solos. I'm just always in awe of their chord voicings and turnarounds.


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## rwe333 (Feb 18, 2006)

Ollie Halsall
Eef Albers
Steve Topping
Bill Connors
Richard Thompson
Martin Newall
Andy Powell
Eddie Hazel
'Too Loud' MacLeod
Jan Akkerman
etc. etc. etc.


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## Luke98 (Mar 4, 2007)

I agree with Devnulljp, Billy Corgan is underrated... and though they're not really a guitarist, The Jimi Hendrix experience minus jimi. They were all great and talented musicians but were eclipsed by Jimi immensely.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Not to start a debate , but Noel Redding was an OK guitarist and a lousy bass player. The "bass" lines on "Are You Experienced" were, according to accounts by Eddie Kramer, recorded on the low strings of a Telecaster. Such was Noel's discomfort with the electric bass. At the time Chas Chandler put the band together for Jimi, Noel Redding was a guitarist. Most of the bass tracks for "Electric Ladyland" were re-recorded by Jimi. Stories vary as to why this was done. Some say Jimi was disatisfied with Noel's skills as a bass player for the more sophisticated music on "Ladyland". While other accounts say Noel grew tired of the endless takes Jimi felt were necessary for this album. Mitch Mitchell was a great drummer, especially for Jimi's live improvisational flights of fancy. Not that Noel's skill level takes away from how great any of this music is.

Shawn.


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## FrankyFarGone (Dec 8, 2008)

Luke98 said:


> I agree with Devnulljp, Billy Corgan is underrated... and though they're not really a guitarist, The Jimi Hendrix experience minus jimi. They were all great and talented musicians but were eclipsed by Jimi immensely.


I think Scotty Moore got eclipsed by elvis alot....good old scotty 
But i think Billy Corgan....well he suck big breads


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

"suck big breads" That's the funniest thing I've read on this forum, hands down. Don't ever change Franky. 

Salut, Shawn.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Cornell Dupree
Ronny Jordan
Rodney Jones
Bruno Speight
Grant Green
Ed King
Tommy Bolin
Steve Gains
Jordan Officer


etc etc etc


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## Luke98 (Mar 4, 2007)

Rugburn, I was more thinking of Mitch Mitchell .
And as previously mentioned, Randy Bachman is waaaaaaaaaaay underrated. Check out Vinyl Tap on CBC radio.


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## chaploune (Jun 17, 2008)

COLIN JAMES! A Canadian!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=OyIFXozLeq4&feature=related


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

I'd have to say David Gilmour -- obviously he is well respected, but I still feel he doesn't get enough recognition as compared to other guitar "heroes". His excellent phrasing and articulation allow him to say more in a measure than Page or Hendrix often do in an entire solo.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

I like Colin James too....thanks for the reminder, time to head over to Youtube to see what I can find.

I'll also add Brian Setzer, Pete Lesperance from Harem Scarem (who IMO could keep up with any of the 80's big name shredders, but noone has ever heard of ), John Sykes, Reb Beach. 

I'm tempted as well to name Phil Collen, b/c I've always had a suspicion that his ego was so in check (rare for an 80's rock band guitar god), that he forego showing off his greatest abilities in order to best serve the band/song. I dont think he ever got enough credit for posessing that kind of humility


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