Who do you think are some great guitarists that are overlooked?

Question

Like for me, Terry Kath (Chicago) is one of the many guitarists that got me playing but is sometimes overlooked by many. Who do think are some overlooked guitarists?

Answer 1

It's funny that you mention Terry Kath. I just posted a Youtube link here the other day of the song 'Free Form Guitar' off of the 'Chicago Transit Authority' album. I've been a huge fan of those first few Chicago albums for many years...that one in particular. I was in a band many years ago and we covered their song 'South California Purples'...great soloing by Terry!

Their cover of I'm a Man was incredible too!

Terry Kath is best known for pioneering the hammer-on harmonic guitar technique. He was also worshipped by Jimi Hendrix after Jimi caught them in a live performance at The Whisky A Go Go in 1968.

It's so nice to see somebody mention his name in this forum.

Amazing guitarist, and definitely overlooked!

RIP Terry Kath.



Another guitarist in Terry's league back at that time was Phil Keaggy of the band Glass Harp. Ted Nugent was quoted as saying "I don't know what happened to that Phil Keaggy, he could have saved the world with his guitar" in Guitar Player Magazine.

When Jimi Hendrix was on the tonight show in the late 60's, Johnny Carson asked him, "what does it feel like to be the greatest guitarist in the world?" Jimi responded with, "I don't know, you'd have to ask Phil Keaggy".

Phil was an incredilbe player, and another one of the many overlooked guitarists.



Here's a few others that don't seem to get much recognition:

Jim McCarty - guitarist for Mitch Ryder Detroit/Wheels & Cactus

Steve Hillage - guitarist for Kahn, Gong, Mike Oldfield, etc.

Steve Hackett - Genesis

Eddie Phillips - The Creation (first to ever bow an electric guitar)

Tony McPhee - The Groundhogs

Dave 'Clem' Clempson - Colosseum, Humble Pie

Jorma Kaukonen - Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, solo

Peter Kaukonen - Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, solo

Peter Banks - Yes, Flash, solo

Eddie Hazel & Ron Bykowski - Funkadelic & Parliament

Darryl Stuermer - played with Jean Luc Ponty, Phil Collins, etc.

Phil Manzanera - Roxy Music

Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter - Steely Dan

Randy California - Spirit

Uli Roth - The Scorpions, Electric Sun

D*ck Wagner - The Frost, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, etc.

Steve Hunter - Detroit, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, etc

Paul Chapman - UFO

Mick Box - Uriah Heep

Jan Akkerman - Focus, solo

Frank Marino - Mahogany Rush, solo

Walter Rossi - Charlee, solo

Adrian Belew - King Crimson, Frank Zappa, solo

Mick Abrahms - Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig, solo

Leigh Stephens - Blue Cheer

Kazuo 'Flash' Takeda - Blues Creation, Creation

Elliot Easton - The Cars, CCR Revisited

John Goodsall aka Johny Mandella - Brand X, Atomic Rooster, etc

Lee Pickens - Bloodrock, solo

John Nitzinger - Nitzinger

Larry Reinhart - Iron Butterfly, Allman Bros, Captain Beyond

Les Harvey - Stone the Crows

Stan Webb - Chicken Shack, Broken Glass, Savoy Brown

Phil Keaggy - Glass Harp,

Adrian Gurvitz - Gun, Three Man Army, Baker Gurvitz Army

Floyd Radford - Edgar Winters White Trash, Johnny Winter, Tin House

Tom Verlaine - Television

Dominic Troiano - Bush (Canadian band), James Gang, solo

Bob Welch - Fleetwood Mac, Paris

Ricky Medlocke - Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Harvey Mandel - Canned Heat, Rolling Stones, solo

Mike Pinera - Blues Image, Iron Butterfly, Thee Image, Ramatam, Alice Cooper

Kirby (no known last name) - Stretch, Curved Air. Stretch also toured the US as the bogus Fleetwood Mac in the early 70's



Some great answers here, but I feel many of the guitarists mentioned are not overlooked at all...and are very well known and respected musicians. Especially when it comes to the likes of Ritchie Blackmore, Gary Moore, Peter Green, Peter Frampton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pete Townsend, Frank Zappa, Eddie Van Halen, Martin Barre, Jeff Beck, and Steve Howe. No offense to the people that mentioned them...but when have they ever been overlooked?



I could list many more guitarists that I feel are overlooked...but there's a few anyways!

Answer 2

Poor old Frank Marino...he gets overlooked in the overlooked question...

Earl Johnson of Moxy...

Mark Chatfield of The Godz



Edit: Neil Giraldo Pat Benatar's guitarist husband

Answer 3

Tim Pierce

Tim is currently one of the top studio guitarists in LA. Prior to concentrating on studio work he played/toured with Rick Springfield and other bands. He has played lead guitar for many artists over the years including Michael Jackson (Thriller, Black & White), Rob Thomas, Bon Jovi and many others.



For further information I've included a link to an interview with Tim: http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/timpierce.html

Answer 4

Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day)...people tend to forget that all the guitar on the albums used to be just him, and it was pretty damn good. Also, Pete Loeffler (Chevelle)--highly overlooked. Chevelle gets credit for being a great band, but has anyone even listened to this guy play? If you get a chance, definitely go see them...they deliver a great live show, and Pete is an awesome guitarist.

Answer 5

Richie Blackmore

Eric Braun

Eric Johnson

Stevie Vai

Joe Satriani

George Harrison

Michael Nesmith

Randy California

Answer 6

Les Paul, Leo Kottke, Jose Feliciano, Roy Buchanan, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Shawn Phillips, Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow), Mike Campbell (Tom Petty), Bonnie Raitt, Chrissie Hynde, Roy Clark (although primarily country - an amazing guitarist, along with fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and you name it!), Chet Atkins, Lindsey Buckingham, Rick Neilsen (Cheap Trick), I'll be back if/when I think of more.

Will: I would have added Frank Marino if you hadn't - overlooked for sure!

Answer 7

Did a person seriously say Pete Townshend Stevie Ray Vaughan? Brilliant guitarists, but they don't belong in this thread - both are among the most famous musicians of the 20th century.



I would put forth Denny Laine of Wings.

Answer 8

Jagori Tanna

Mike McCready

Alex Lifeson

Steve Howe

Answer 9

Robin Trower

Garry Moore

Jeff Beck

Alvin Lee

Ronnie Montrose

Steve Howe

Peter Green

Mick Ronson

Frank Zappa

Billy Gibbons



All great guitarists that hardly get mentioned.



Edit: Will, how could I forget Mahogany Rush, one of my favorite bands!

Answer 10

Jake Cinninger- Umphrey's Mcgee

Answer 11

Wow. it is so subjective and relies upon plenty on your music type decision. there are maximum of super ones available that that is tough to declare who could or should not be seen between the very superb. for sure Harrison should be reported, yet different glaring greats comprise Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Andres Segovia, Chet Atkins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Clapton, Jimmy internet site, Les Paul, B.B. King and Duane Allman. who's the excellent? Who belongs and who would not? Like tastes in music, it relies upon on the listener. all the boys I basically reported belong at or close to the perfect in my estimation. i'm specific that i've got ignored some too, yet to respond to your question, i've got continually seen George Harrison to be the equivalent or close to-equivalent of his previous buddy Eric Clapton. once you look at each and each artist's physique of artwork, they are incredibly comparable, even although George became overshadowed by making use of Lennon/McCartney for the time of his Beatle years.

Answer 12

Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick. His style is cool. He's very good. He uses almost no guitar effects too. He should be judge by his live performances where he really shines! He's not complex like Satriani or Vai is. But Rick Nielsen's playing style is cool!

Answer 13

Pete Townshend -The Who

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Kirk Hammet-Metallica

Answer 14

Engwey Malmstein, Ace frehley, Eddie Van Halen,Don Dokken,Mark Slauter,Steven Piercy(ratt)

Answer 15

Martin Barrie (Tull)

Ritchie Blackmore (Purple)

Tony Iommi (Sabbath)

Peter Green (Fleetwood)

Gary Moore

Peter Frampton (Herd & Humble Pie)

Gerry Rosington(Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Mark Knopfler(Dire Straits)

Brian May (Queen)

but the two best guitartist out there are Clapton and Page

Answer 16

Jake E Lee, often viewed as the fourth best guitar player to share the stage with Ozzy, his work is often overlooked and it should not be IMO.

Answer 17

Jerry Cantrell

Zakk Wylde

Answer 18

good ol' Texas boy John Nitzinger (but I DO think I saw him mentioned) ... I saw him once at the 6th Street Grill and some local TCU Horned Frogs were there with jaws dropped WIDE OPEN! Randy Almond 09/2015

Answer 19

seriously you guys. Steve Vai, Stevie Ray Vaugn? Mark Knopfler and Frank Zappa? the question was about OVERLOOKED players, not legends.

Answer 20

if you ever have a yen for the blues, check out Sonny Landreth. Overlooked by rockers, I think.

(give a listen to "A World Away")

Answer 21

Vernon Reid of Living Colour. Has constantly flown under the radar b/c of Living Colour's lack of commercial success, but he's one helluva technical shredder.

Answer 22

It's nice to see Robin Trower on your list, Beatle.



I'll second Carlos Santana's nomination as well.



Also, Bonnie Raitt. Killer slide guitar...

Answer 23

Alex Lifeson

Answer 24

Bucket Head (Guns n Roses)

Billy Duffy (The Cult)

Jade Pudget (AFI)

Dan Jacobs (Atreyu)

Billie Joe (Green Day)

Maybe Carlos Santana

Answer 25

All the guitarists I listen to...why do people like rap anyway?

Answer 26

Prince.



Arguably the most underrated guitarist in all music history.

Answer 27

all of what "Beatle fanatic" said, and.



Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagon (when they still rocked before the ballads)



Tommy Bolin Deep Purple and as a solo

Answer 28

Ritchie Stotts of the Plasmatics, he made his axe sound like he was killing it every night

Answer 29

I think Nikki Sixx is overlooked a lot. He is great.

Answer 30

I agree with Beatle fanatic...

adding:



MARK KNOPFLER

STEVE HACKETT

PACO DE LUCIA

AL DI MEOLA

JOHN MC LAUGHLIN

Answer 31

OMG -



C.C.DeVille of Poison



SLASH from gunners / velvet revoler



Shane Howell - KISS

Answer 32

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