Greatest Guitarists In History

What is rock and roll music without guitars? The string instrument is essential to the music of youth rebellion and expression, interpreting through its rhythms and riffs all of the joys, frustrations, and melancholy that life brings. There is a reason that all around the world people want to pick up a guitar and strum it. 

The guitar can make you dance, or perhaps the guitar itself can gently weep and transfer that feeling to you as well. The versatile instrument has become the devotion of countless great musicians, and many brilliant artists make their names through their mastery of the guitar. Read on for the four greatest guitarists in the history of music.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hednrix is one of music’s most quintessential guitar gods. The Seattle born psychedelic rocker lived a tragically short life, having been born in 1942 and dying at the age of 27 in 1970 likely from drug related health problems. In his ever too brief career, he revolutionized the way people play guitar, with his style inspiring his peers and future generations of guitar players.

What made his style so unique were the unusual combinations of notes and chords that came together in a fluid manner. Nobody broke all the rules and stitched them back together the way Hendrix did, and on top of it all he had taken guitar feedback to another level, using it in a creatively satisfying way. Hendrix was well known for playing the Fender Stratocaster, though whatever he played with, the sound was extraordinary and distinctly his own. Over half a century later, if you hear one note from songs such as “Purple Haze” and “Foxy Lady,” you’ll immediately know it is Hendrix, and you’ll be transported into his psychedelic world.

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton is a shoe-in for any list of the greatest guitarists of all time. Hailing from Surrey, Clapton has tons of classic music to his name, whether it was as part of his group Cream, in his solo work, or one of his many collaborations. Clapton is nearing his 80s, having been born in 1945, and he is still active both with his touring and with making music, now with over two dozen albums under his belt.

Clapton was greatly inspired by blues, and he brought that into a rock format while adding countless touches of his own. He typically keeps his guitar work simple and elegant, making moving music that is nuanced rather than in your face. He is quick to mention the other great musicians who have both inspired him and pushed him to work harder, saying that his great work with Cream was him “just trying to keep up” with the fantastic jazz guitarists he was playing with. 

Eddie Van Halen

As the eponymous leader of the iconic hard rock band Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen never missed an opportunity to show that he could rock out on the guitar better than anyone. Many have tried to follow Eddie’s signature method, which involved holding his pick with his middle finger and thumb, allowing him to run his fingers over the strings in a unique way. However, none have been able to do it as smoothly as he did.

A Van Halen riff is immediately identifiable, and while many have imitated him, you can always tell the real thing from the imposter. Songs such as “Hot for Teacher'' and “Ain’t Talkin ‘Bout Love” are excellent showcases for his guitar skills, and they make for great tests for anyone practicing their instrument. The band released 12 albums, the last of them coming out in 2012, and they went on numerous tours, with the final one being in 2015, five years before Eddie died at the age of 65.

Bo Diddley

Nearly every great guitar player in rock and roll history owes a debt to Bo Diddley. The pioneering music artist even has the oft used “Bo Diddley beat” named after him. Born Ellas Otha Bates in Chicago in 1928, Diddley went on to be one of Elvis Presley’s major influences, and his guitar playing left an everlasting impact on popular music.

His work may be simpler than those who came after him, with novice guitarists finding it easier to replicate than someone like Hendrix, but that is what gives his work such appeal. Once you know his style, you can spot it from a mile away, with songs such as  “Road Runner” and “Who do You Love?” being some of his essential works. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have Buddy Holly, Keith Richards, and many other greats, and it isn’t a stretch to say that modern music as we know it would be radically different without Diddley.