The Best Blues Rock Guitarist Of All Time Ranked
Rock music uses driving rhythms and electric guitar techniques such as distortion and power chords already used by 1950s electric blues guitarists, particularly Memphis bluesmen such as Joe Hill Louis, Willie Johnson and Pat Hare. Characteristics that blues rock adopted from electric blues include its dense texture, basic blues band instrumentation, rough declamatory vocal style, heavy guitar riffs, string-bending blues-scale guitar solos, strong beat, thick riff-laden texture, and posturing performances. Precursors to blues rock included the Chicago blues musicians Elmore James, Albert King, and Freddie King, who began incorporating rock and roll elements into their blues music during the late 1950s to early 1960s. While blues rock and hard rock shared many similarities in the early 1970s, more traditional blues styles influenced blues rock in the 1980s, when the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Georgia Satellites and Robert Cray recorded their best-known works, and the 1990s, which saw guitarists Gary Moore, Jeff Healey, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd become popular concert attractions. Female blues singers such as Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Sue Foley and Shannon Curfman recorded blues rock albums. Groups such as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the White Stripes brought an edgier, more diverse style into the 2000s, while the Black Keys returned to basics. Here are all of the best Blues Rock Guitarist of all time ranked.
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20. David Gilmour
“Pink Floyd are not blues but David Gilmour is a blues guitarist who uses blues licks and scales in his and Pink Floyd songs. Some of the songs where he uses blues scales and licks: Wish You Were Here’s riff is in a blues scale, Another Brick In The Wall Pt 2’s blues-like guitar solo, he also uses some blues licks in Shine On.”
19. John Mayer
“Probably the most mechanically gifted guitar player still playing right now. People deny him his props because they don’t like his pop songs, or his personality, or they’re jealous of the fact that he can get any girl he wants. But let me tell you if you’ve listened to “Where the Light is: Live in L.A.” or if you’ve just seen him play live at all and you refuse to believe that he is an insanley gifted with a guitar in his hand, there’s something wrong with you. The man is a stud.”
18. Peter Green
“I can listen to this man play guitar over and over! Oh well part one and two blow me away every time. But the one true record that gets me is “I need your love so bad” his voice coupled with just simple expressive guitar playing is just breathtaking. I urge all walks of life to listen to this!”
17. Jimmy Page
“This guy is my all time favorite guitar player. He was as good at blues as any other blues guitarist and better. Listen to songs like Since I’ve been loving you, Traveling Riverside Blues, When the Levee Breaks, In my time of Dying and I can’t Quit you baby and you will see what I’m talking about.”
16. Johnny Winter
“John Dawson Winter III was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters.”
15. Roy Buchanan
“Anybody who is a real blues fan will know who Roy Buchanan is. he is the worlds greatest unknown blues guitarist as said by Rolling Stone. Just listen to some tracks like When a guitar plays the blues, his cover of Hey Joe and so many others. His guitar playing will put you in a trance.”
14. John Lee Hooker
“The Groundhog, was one of mine and millions others favorites, very traditional, interpretative blues. honest and from the heart of a soul that beat in time with life. He will forever be a master in his field and cherished, loved, respected and constantly reminding people of how true the blues can be.”
13. Jay Jesse Johnson
“Merging the rock genre with the blues, Johnson has his own unique style and tone. It’s blues based but he goes for it. Where others play it safe with same old riffs, Johnson digs in deep and creates a modern yet classic statement. Some say he’s In the style of Trower, Travers and Marino and there is some truth to that but I think this guy stands up to some of the great guitarist of the world.”
12. Rory Gallagher
“Rory was on a whole different level for his time. Ultimately one of the greatest slide players in my opinion but the mix of his style and vocals was always something to be in awe over. He’d always sneak a note in that’d match what he was singing truly showing that the two went hand in hand but ultimately his tone was by far one of the best”
11. Elmore James
“Let’s see here. What rock n roll player who also plays good blues on this list before this man… Did not idolize him, and play his tunes?. The Sky is crying… Albert K and Stevie Ray. Bleeding Heart Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix had called himself “Jimi James at one point.” Come on… Folks put away yer rock hats and put on yer Madison Blue Shoes…”
10. Gary Moore
“Gary Moore is definitely the best blues guitarist of all time – even Joe Bonamassa actually acknowledged his main influence was Moore in a video on Youtube. He could play any style on guitar with heart and soul and always was striving to get better.”
9. Jimi Hendrix
“Best guitarist ever, not just in blues but in everything. No one ever came close to replicating his style or writing blues and rock the way Hendrix did. Every note just filled itself with emotion, while innovation was greater than all other guitarists. He invented the classic distorted guitar sound while keeping his original the best. He created rhythms baselines and melodies all at the same time playing fast paced but still loyal to the blues tradition”
8. Duane Allman
“Duane Allman was just 24 years old when he died. What he left behind in just a few short years was nothing short of amazing. Of course we all know about his great guitar work with the Allman Brothers but people often forget about all of his session work with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and so on. T”
7. Albert King
“Extraordinary guitarist and a master of a single string solos. His bends and vibratos had a huge impact on generations after him. For example SRV to just name a few. Extraordinary voice as well. Also my personal favorite.”
6. Joe Bonamassa
“Joe is the Blues. Saw him live recently. Great seats. He plays the guitar better than any other Blues player I’ve seen or heard. His singing has also improved exponentially. Not much of a personality, just pure Blues business in a classy way. Show started at exactly 8pm, to the second. This guy plays articulately, with great speed. He sweats like a true pro. Can’t wait to see the hardest working Blues giant again. The band is so tight, it’s scary. Pure Tonal Heaven”
5. Buddy Guy
“Buddy Guy is at the pinnacle of Chicago blues, with enough technique to outpace many of the older blues masters but vastly more soul in his playing than the contemporary style-over-substance figures who play an altogether too large role on this list.”
4. Robert Johnson
“An innovator at a time when there was less information and it was much more difficult to excel in the manner Johnson did. This is why he is considered “ahead of his time. I personally think that Johnson is overrated. He had innovative songwriting, but his guitar playing wasn’t as challenging as it sounded.”
3. B.B. King
“Riley B. King, known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimmering vibrato and staccato picking that influenced many later blues electric guitar players.”
2. Eric Clapton
“Clapton has been with us half a century, is still with us, is still evolving and has mastered every style he encountered including reggae, acid rock, delta blues, gospel, bluegrass, southern rock… the list keeps getting longer. Nobody has EVER done that before. I doubt anyone ever will again.”
1. Stevie Ray Vaughan
“Many fantastic technicians have come along, fewer still who play with true soul, but no one has come close to fusing the two with that immeasurable something extra Stevie had. His emotionally sensitive ferocity is unique in the annals of electric blues rock playing, possibly music history in general. He could simultaneously make your spine tingle, drop you to your knees, and bring you to tears in the same tune.”
