Under-Appreciated Guitar Players

I just saw Los Lobos (for the fourth time) this past week. They have to be one of the best guitar bands still touring. The six-string prowess of both David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas is well known. During the set, former drummer Louie Perez assumed his usual position at stage center, strumming rhythm while Hidalgo and Rosas wailed away. Toward the end of the show the band broke into Mas y Mas (from 1996's Colossal Head) and Louie unleashed a stunning guitar solo, his only one of the evening, that made jaws drop. It felt like he was channeling Jimi Hendrix, it was that good.

 

The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time – Rolling Stone

 

Isaiah Mitchell

 

Went to see The Aristocrats last week. Their guitar player Guthrie Govan is shurely one of a kind. Strange music, but what a band.

 

Jim McCarty from Cactus.
Ronnie Montrose from Montrose.

 

Popa Chubby, who may just be the best electric blues-rock guitarist alive.

 

Clarence White, Justin Hayward, Buck Dharma, Tony Hicks, Paul Kossoff and yes, Alvin Lee.

 

Almost forgot: Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music.

 

Junior Watson
Oscar Moore
Charlie Whitney
Joe Goldmark
Marshall Crenshaw
Laurie Wisefield
Ted Greene
Bill Jennings
Pat Donahue
Dave Ball
Duck Baker
Bobby Womack
Little Beaver
Curtis Mayfield

 

(Caveat: Don't know if mentioned yet.)
Chris Forsyth
Steve Gunn
Tommy Keene
James Mastro
James McMurtry

Enjoy the music!

 

Dada is one of the great under appreciated bands of the 90’s. Amazing live band. I just stumbled upon them playing in a local venue this summer. I can’t wait to see them again.

 

I'm #251 on the under-appreciated list

 

Brix Smith of The Fall. Not technically great, but she knew what to do better than most.

 

Listen to the album "Stardust" by Willie Nelson. He takes a guitar solo on almost every song, and they sound perfect.

 

Some thoughts here:

In the acoustic steel-string world, you hear a lot about Michael Hedges, Tony Rice, Leo Kottke, and John McLaughlin among others - today Billy Strings. But I'll nominate Pierre Bensusan, too. (He was a big influence on Hedges).

 

I'm a huge fan. Outstanding vocalist, too.

 

Oh, how we need a vinyl re-release of this:

 

Lowell George. I'm happy to to be told that I'm out of my mind but I fear that it's true (that he's under appreciated).

 

I was in the audience for this: stunning. John Zorn's Dreamers, feat. Marc Ribot - "Exodus"

 

Phil Manzanera - Frontera (inst)

 

Prince - Alexa de Paris

 

I'm 51 and thought I had heard most of the great guitar albums of the '70s, but somehow I missed the Maggot Brain album. I listened to it for the first time two weeks ago. Eddie Hazel blows my mind. What a talent he was.

 

Dave Meniketti of Y&T. Not only is he the lead guitarist but also the singer.

 

Very underrated as a guitarist (even within his own band!) was Danny Kirwan of Fleetwood Mac. Yes, Peter Green(alishi) was the the MAN, but Kirwan was also outstanding. I love his timing on this, coming in just after the beat on the 2nd phrase of each verse melody section. When I hear people cover the song, they almost always miss that little detail.

Fleetwood Mac - Sunny Side of Heaven

 

Some underappreciated ladies of jazz:

Mary Osborne
Sheryl Bailey
Mimi Fox