Who's the most recently influential guitarist?

Question

This can be any guitarist you think has helped pushed playing,technique,showmanship,song writing,anything you like.My pick is.......Dimebag Darrell.Simply because without him and Pantera,metal would have become more stale than a 20 year old slice of toast!!God bless him!!Its over to you guys!!

Answer 1

Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P.) .... to even mention anyone else is just blasphemy. He has inspired an entire generation of grunge guitarists to put a little more effort into the guitar again. Ever notice that guitar solos have been making a comeback?

Thanks, Dimebag.

Answer 2

Sinceyou asked for most recently influential,that puts a different perspective on the answer.I have no doubt you are a Pantera and Damageplan fan,and Dime was a great player,but most influential in recent times is Eddie Van Halen.He has been the most influential guitarist in a generation.Guys today are still copying his licks and style.Unfortunately,he hasn't done much work lately,but listen to some of his earlier stuff.All the Van Halen albums had a solo guitar tune on them.Without EVH,Dime and his generation would have never happened.Most influential of all time is a story for another question and another day

Answer 3

My guitar player preferences change day by day and ultimately teh best guitarist ever argument goes around in circles. Here are mine 1. Ritchie Blackmore -when he is on 2. Rory Gallagher - no one knows who this guy is. They should 3. Steve Morse 4. Paul Gilbert 5. Mark Knopfler - makes the damn thing talk some times 6. Jeff Beck (see 5 above) 7. Martin Barre(Jethro Tull) - most underrated player on the planet 8. Joe Satriani - much more than a shredder 9. John Butler (John Butler Trio) 10. Tommy Emmanuel (can play anything anytime )

Answer 4

Ok , we have to be careful about that "Most Influential" tag, cause a lot of answers you're going to get are gonna be about pretty lame guitarists in newer bands but people want to drop names because they think "So and So" is totally cool or whatever. I'm a guitar player meself of many years so i have higher standards that are elevated above the newer bands idea of what good guitar is. My personal opinion is that Darrel Abbott and Yngwie J. Malmsteen have contributed significantly to the guitar community over the last 20 years, Look at how many copycats those two have spawned! , ....final answer Regis.

Answer 5

My pick would have to be Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin fame. As stated in Wikipedia, "Page is credited as a forefather of heavy metal by not only turning up the accepted volume of the electric guitar but also with his memorable riffs and studio production. As a producer Jimmy Page is widely considered to be the first person to truly create the "heavy" sound of rock music with the combination of new drum recording methods and revolutionary room miking."
He's been on in the top 5 or 10 of every "Top 100 Guitarists" poll that's ever been taken and IMHO should be No. 1 (or 2, but only after Jimi Hendrix).
Wikipedia, again, "Noted guitar historian Robert Lynch made this comment about Jimmy Page: "In the relatively short history of the electric guitar in rock music, there have been few who can be labeled as 'Iconic'. Mr. Page is one of those select few. His eclectic stylings, his compositional prowess, his studio mastery and innovation, and his stage presentation were all areas where he excelled like no other and foreshadowed many who have followed in his wake."
Need I say anymore???

Answer 6

Johnny Marr of the Smiths in the 80's

Answer 7

John Mayer

Answer 8

I do not like Eddie van Halen's style, with a constant stream of popping arpeggios, and I do not like his brash/flash style of showmanship. It is therefore with great reluctance that I have to admit that he was really the last guitar player who actually moved the envelope.

Answer 9

Ben Harper, John Mayer

Answer 10

Jerry Garcia and Jimmy Page.

Jimmy Page is the one and only true god-like guitarist.

Jerry is on my list because of the whole character of The Grateful Dead...and the whole band's ability to play 7 hour sets for free, while consuming as much acid as is humanly possible, and not giving a sh*t if they fu cked up.