Top Seven Underrated Guitar Players in Rock History

There are 100s if not 1000s of guitar players out there that nobody has ever hear of that are far better players many "famous" players. I think what seperates a technically great player, from a great musician is that there are a few that just have a sound that you instantly recognize when they play, and are able to express an emotion. Setzer certainly has that in spades.

Junior Brown is the same way for me. I hate to say it, but I think he has even greater command at playing the thing than Setzer does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jonJu6-XpWU&feature=related

I came across Scotty Anderson once on youtube while searching for Setzer stuff. Sort of Tommy Emanuel like, but I like his taste a lot better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRJbg1XyEbo

Also, Willie Nelson is really very good at mixing it up, throwing in some nice jazz chord changes, and breaking the rules with leads and voicing. It's simple but mighty expressive. Certainly not the best, but deffinatly under rated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7vaYOIKWYY

I guess I have to ask, "Underrated by whom?" If the answer is the standard, establishment rock press as represented by Rolling Stone, then I would add Brian to a list including Steve Vai, Eric Liefson, Buckethead, Zappa, Vernon Reid, and Robert Fripp. Some of these players are merely ignored by the journaistic inteligencia, but some, like Vai, are openly mocked by these pencil-heads for what I can only believe is some sort of resentment or envy.

Believe me, There is PLENTY of politics,resentment and envy over at Rolling Stone. Do people still read the "Rolling Communist Manifesto"

Tommy

OK! Well, many of the ones mentioned here actually are rated, but not justly deserved. However, here's my 7:

1, Mickey Gee
2, Brinsley Schwartz
3, Frank White
4, Jerry Donaghue
5, Mark Harman
6, Boz Boorer
7, Many many more (phew! that covers me - lol)

Mikey Gallup

HEY scatcatnut,

How's it goin' man?

Warner Hodges and Jimmie Vaughan?....DEFINATELY!!!!!

Man I've seen Jimmie play live... GREAT taste, definately not a million notes a minute, but 1 note placed in the exact right place everytime!
Warner, what can I say?...Golden Ball And Chain Album remains one of my ALL TIME FAVOURITES!! Another player that can shred but with extreme taste.
Dave Gonzales from The Paladins for his straight forward roots playing, Poison Ivy from The Cramps for her raw, edgy r'n'r and Billy Duffy from The Cult for his tasteful licks and riffs that brought rock back in the '80s and early '90s have got to be some of my top underrated players. Cheers Pete.

Whilst a lot of good guitarists are mentioned here, nobody ever seems to mention Jimmy Bryant & he deserved to be in the top 20 ever! He is so fast & precise & he never used distortion or studio gimmicks just some reverb. Check out what I mean here....

Listen too little Rock Getaway.....

http://www.myspace.com/jimmybryant

I read a Setzer interview years back saying Jimmy Bryant was one of his idols, I can't think of a better endorsement

Buzz Campbell und Brophy Dale,

cool guys. Great Players.

Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Winter ( not on his own records, heh heh), Dave Gonzales, Lester Peabody, Hubert Sumlin.

1. Brian Setzer
2. Phil Keaggy
3. Buddy Guy
4. Scott Dente
5. Chris Rodriguez
6. Ric Hordinski
7. Robben Ford

Charlie Baty
Dave Gonzales
Eric Sardinas
Dave Hole
Ruyter Suys
Sue Foley
Johnny Winter
gwyn ashton
etc. etc.

I could mention more than 100

don't forget, these ceremony (grammy, oscar, etc...), all these rankings best guitarplayer = Without interest, it is for the weak.

Throw these two guys on the list:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZzdbY9jc_g

These lists (not in the forum) are a little rediculous. Some of the lists Rolling Stone puts out are particularly bad.

Anyone ever heard of Hillel Slovak? (The ODd "Stratmaster" of the Red Hot Chili Peppers 2nd & 3rd albums). One of the best live guitar players I have ever seen. He is up there with Setzer, Page, Guilmour, Townsend, Van Halen, Vaughn, Clapton, Zappa, Perry and whom I have all seen.

Setzer is an extremely underated artist. I think the orchestra and old school style allowed much of the broader media to dismiss him as a gimmick type artist to a small degree and overlook his talent. Thats small minded and really demonstrates how little folk actually listen at times.

Two other underrated favs of mine are two N. Cali artists Kevin Russell (blues) and Dave Meniketti (hard rock, blues). The connection between all three is the sincerity each play with. Chords and technique can be learned but heart and energy are not replicable and unfortunately they do not receive enough attention. Some great artists in this thread