Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

The death of Prince gave me the idea for this thread. These are the guys that in your opinion have amazing skill but don't seem to get lumped up there with the Guitar Gods such as Clapton, Jeff Beck, Hendrix, Van Halen, etc.

Mine are:

1) Robert Fripp. Just an absolute monster on the guitar, with blazing speed and technique.
2) Frank Zappa. Fans of Zappa know just how incredible he was, but mainstream music fans just seem to go "Oh, that 'Don't Eat the Yellow Snow' Guy. Whatever."
3) Rory Gallagher. If there had never been a Clapton or Hendrix he might be a household name like those two are.
4) Prince. As I said in the other thread, his chosen genres of music might have overshadowed his ability to blow the roof off of the house.
5) Adam Jones. His playing with Tool is the very definition of textured.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

I'd have to include John McLaughlin and Ry Cooder on my list. Hell, half the time I mention them, folks say "Who??"

Edit: Can I add Jorma Kaukonen to these?

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Good call on John McLaughlin!

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Steven Stills
Neil Young
Jesse Cook
George Harrison
Joe Walsh

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

I was about this ----><---- close to putting Joe Walsh on my list.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Can hear the "life in the fast lane" riff in my head right now

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Stills was outstanding, but I always felt Walsh was too restrained in the Eagles sound. Give me some James Gang though . . . :banger

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Ooo, ooo, ooo . . . Alvin Lee!

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

I'd throw in David Gilmour. And, someone has to say, Jerry Garcia (unless he is considered one of the gods and is off the table.)

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

For possible reference, there's this.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/li...rists-20111123

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Re John McLaughlin, he's #68 on the above list, but in the blurb Jeff Beck is quoted as calling him "the best guitarist alive".

Oh, and at #63 I found Johnny Winter, so that finally completes my five.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

It's a bummer that classic rock radio only seems to play a handful of Walsh's non-Eagles songs. He has so many great songs from his James Gang and Barnstormer days. Occasional I'll hear something like 'Meadows', 'Ashes, the Rain, and I', or 'The Bomber' on Sirius-XM Deep Tracks and it puts a smile on my face. My wife and I were in the car a few weeks ago and they played 'Meadows'. She said "This is a good song. I wonder why I've never heard it before." Exactly!

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Some awesome choices up there. Couple more off the top of my head.

Richie Blackmore
Kim Thayil

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

James, Meadows is a nice balladish song, but not all that guitar heroic. Now THIS . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3lEqVAroX4

Oh, and is that Steve Cropper up there with Joe? Damn!

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

That was cool!
Yeah, I used 'Meadows' just as an example of a great Walsh song you rarely hear. If we're going for solely "guitar heroic" I'd add 'Stop'.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

I don't know if Blackmore's considered underrated; maybe in the U.S. but definitely not the rest of the world. I put him up there firmly in the pantheon of Guitar Gods.
Great call on Thayil. If I made a top 10 list he'd probably make it.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Now I don't if to Stop or Walk Away. :r

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Chose one or you might Turn to Stone. :D

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Yeah, it just seems like the younger generation doesn't recall him the way they do some of the other older greats, but I totally dig where you're coming from.

Re: Your Top Five Underrated Guitarists
 

Another one just popped into my head: Frank Marino.