Greatest Rock Guitarist of All Time?

I like Mark Knopfler the best, but talent and creativity wise it’s Keith Richards and it’s not even close.


ETA: Mick Jagger and the rest of the Stones used to sit around all day in the studio, while Richards was in the basement brainstorming. Everything they did was the brainchild of Richards.

Her

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Knophler

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He's really damn good, man.

I see. I misspelled his name. I need to drink some beer.

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I like Mark Knopfler the best, but talent and creativity wise it’s Keith Richards and it’s not even close.

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No way, man. Just no.

Greatest of all time? Man, that’s a near impossible debate. Chuck Berry, Jimmy Paige, Prince, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, David Gilmore... you can argue for decades.

Not saying he's the best but definitely needs to be mentioned. Jimi Hendrix said he was the best guitarist he had ever seen and was better than him.

Terry Kath

Another for honorable mention because I am a fan of the band:

Kirk Hammett

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Prince

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Woot woot! This dude doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves.

One of the greatest musicians of all time, IMO

Found the Terry Kath - Jimi Hendrix information on IMDB.



"One of the most influential yet underrated guitarists of all time, Terry Alan Kath was born on January 31, 1946 in Chicago, Ill. Musical practically from birth, Kath taught himself bass, drums, and guitar"

"A true innovator, Kath experimented endlessly with amps, guitars and equipment. While he possessed a rudimentary awareness of musical composition, he mostly just played by ear. Other band members were in awe of his ability to hear something once and play it back. Legend has it that Jimi Hendrix, with whom Chicago toured in the early days, idolized Kath, telling Parazaider, "Your guitar player is better than me". Listening to Kath's early recorded soloing on such tunes as "South California Purples", "Poem '58", "Listen" and "25 or 6 to 4", you'd be hard pressed to say Hendrix was wrong. Chicago's producer Guercio has said that Kath could have been a monster as a solo artist."

"That Kath never received the recognition due him as a guitar hero is old news now, but it irked him during his lifetime. Band-mate James Pankow recalls a tour in England where Kath publicly gave the crowd the finger for comparing him unfavorably to noted greats like Eric Clapton and Page. Listening today, aficionados are amazed at Kath's picking and, while a bit dependent upon the wah-pedal, his creativity is still dazzling. He was capable of handling all genres, including jazz, country, metal, blues, and flat-out rock. "

"Though Chicago never scored on the charts with a Kath single, the tunes he wrote were generally killer. Some, like "O Thank You, Great Spirit" and "Take It on Uptown" rival anything Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton or Page ever came up with. And Kath sang rings around them all. Blessed with a soulful, husky voice, Kath belted and whooped his way through such classics as "Make Me Smile" while possessing the ability to go smooth when the need arose ("Wishing You Were Here", "Colour My World", "Brand New Love Affair, Part 1")."

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0441256/bio