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The Worlds Very Best Lead Guitar Players is the last in this series and I will start it off with one individual who has stood the test of time.

Eric Clapton. Undoubtedly he will always be mentioned among the best.

Let's hear your nominations. Any genre and any style of playing is fair game.

Hear is Cream's "Crossroads" track for your listening pleasure. The way that its is presented by the youtube poster is kind of cool, it turns out that it is somewhat educational.

Mark Knopfler. Of course.

Unanswerable.

Lead playing is WAY too subjective and style oriented.

I could say Freddie King and give 300 reasons, someone else could say Andy Timmons or Reb Beach and give 300 reasons, and in case of lead, There's no right or wrong.

There's online fitting, and not-fitting the song

Jimi Hendrix.

Best is hard to say, if not impossible. We can have our favorites and can say who's greatest, but "best" is something else. It would be someone who could express his soul so directly and deeply that any considerations of style or technique would be extraneous. In other words, Jimi Hendrix.

edit: Ilan beat me to the punch while I was pondering Jimi

Just to be clear so there is no confusion, there is no right or wrong answer. This is a very subjective topic just like all the others that preceeded it.

What I will do though when this series has been finalised is invite people to put together some supergroups for discussion based on the results of all the threads combined. That might prove to be a bit of fun.

The Steves: Hackett and Howe
Alan Holdsworth
Phil Keaggy
Pat Metheny

To name just some of my favorites.

I'd have to say
Danny Gatton,
Brian Setzer,
Brad Paisley.

jps wrote:Alan Holdsworth

I saw him in the early eighties, was absolutely floored by him. If you close your eyes you can't tell what instrument he's playing, sometimes horn, sometimes keyboard, sometimes vocal sounds with nothing but a strat and a volume pedal. Phenomenally trippy player.

We could mention Roy Buchanan, too, without hesitation.

Actually, Roger McGuinn ain't no slouch.

I'd also throw in a big vote for Lonnie Mack. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0uYqs6u ... re=related

My tastes also lean toward Stevie Ray and Robin Trower as lead players who carried a band.

T

sowhat wrote:Mark Knopfler. Of course.

+1 one of my big faves. I think my own playing is very Clapton-esque.

I also nominate Jimmy Page...sloppy, but he had such a feel for the instrument:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMUZXNVYuI

Another vote for Brian Setzer here, and Jimi.

Jeff Beck

Johnny Marr, though he's not a traditional lead player per se.

1. Eric Clapton
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Mark Knopfler
4. Chuck Berry
5. Pete Townshend
6. Mike Campbell
7. George Harrison
8. Keith Richards
9. Mick Taylor
10. Muddy Waters

I dunno, Jake. Number 8 is a little questionable as a lead player...

It was tough, I will say. I love Stevie Ray Vaughn, too. My dad has a few of his records, and he's amazing. Carlos Santana is another great lead player. Again, it's tough to narrow it down (especially when you're trying to think off the top of your head).