The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players

[whojamfan]

Oh, and Scotty

Actually, he's quite good, just don't congratulate him on anything

[gellkeller]

I guess if that's the criteria, Malcolm Young of AC/DC is one chord playing son of a gun!

Mike, I couldn't agree with you more.

[royclough]

John McNally already mentioned but Bruch Welch has to be up there with the best.

[lennon211]

Trading off lead and rhythm, Keith Richards and Brian Jones were both great. There was a quote from Jones saying that "I play the bits that no one can hear." Also, in an issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine, Tom Petty was being interviewed and he said that he believed Jones to be the quintessential rhythm player.

[kiramdear]

Kinks' songs are always lots of fun for the rhythm player, even more fun than Stones or Who songs IMHO.

[rick_ovic]

Mike,

Good pick - but I thought you'd be on the Pete Townsend bandwagon![/quote]

I love Townshend as a musician, and artist. I respect his dedication to his songwriting and rhythm stylings, which have influenced many, myself included. Where I see the problem here is that he was multi-faceted, and played different instruments. He quickly progressed to a lead player in the better half of the 60s and settled back more in to rhythm and licks for pretty much the rest of the Who. I had the priveledge of seeing them live when Entwistle was still with us, and Pete played some leads that would rival anyone of his generation. Absolutely brilliant.

The point of all of this is to simply say that Pete Townshend would have never been happy just chugging away the chords.

I guess if that's the criteria, Malcolm Young of AC/DC is one chord playing son of a gun! [/quote]

There I was, all ready to nominate my two favourite rhythm players, and Mike's already done so!

[yettoblaster]

Danny Kortchmar, produces now I think but he played some GREAT rhythm guitar with Johnny Hoy and The Bluefish (from Martha's Vineyard), on their Trolling With The Hootchie record.

Really stunning little rhythm figures in the background of several songs.

[charlyg]

Acoustic rhythm- Jerry Garcia Stephen Stills
Fingerpick acoustic - Leo Kottke
Electric rhythm - Pete Townsend(Darren - I have always thought this too!) Joe Walsh
Slide - Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raitt Joe Walsh (Roy Rogers is great but I have just "discovered" him)
thumb lead - Leslie West Toy Caldwell

How's that?

[woodyng]

steve cropper

[Darkhollow]

Acoustic rhythm- Jerry Garcia Stephen Stills
Fingerpick acoustic - Leo Kottke
Electric rhythm - Pete Townsend(Darren - I have always thought this too!) Joe Walsh
Slide - Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raitt Joe Walsh (Roy Rogers is great but I have just "discovered" him)
thumb lead - Leslie West Toy Caldwell

How's that?

Some good stuff in there Charly. To me, listing slide guitarists without Duane Allman's name next to it seems like listing the greatest hockey players without mentioning Gretsky. Clapton is no slouch either. And both together was a gift from the music gods. http://www.last.fm/music/Eric+Clapton/_/Mean+Old+World

I will also add that Bob Weir is a fantastic rhythm guitar player.

[captsandwich]

Lynn Tait.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Taitt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XERCcU9I ... re=related

[nick_allen]

One of the greatest rhythm players, when NOT playing slide, is Ry Cooder. The only person I would rate highly as a "rhythm-slide" player (i.e. playing rhythm WITH the slide) is David Lindley - and that's lap-style. Check him out on You Tube.

[winston]

David Lindley is a magnificent slide player. His rhythm parts are so effective and so unorthodox, but you have to see him play live to appreciate the subtle nuances of his playing style.

[captsandwich]

I remember flipping channels late one night and a 'classic' Saturday Night Live was on. The musical guest was Jackson Browne, who I have no strong feelings about. When his segment came on, I was about to flip channels agian when I caught a glimpse of some long haired crazy looking dude huddled over a lap steel. Holy ****, it's David Lindley! And who's that on bass? Why it's Leland Sklar. No wonder Runinng on Empty was one of the few Jackson Browne songs I like.

[JakeK]

1. Brian Jones
2. John Lennon
3. Tom Petty
4. Pete Townshend (had a great style of adapting rhythm and lead into one onstage)
5. Ray Davies