What 5 Guitarist have influenced you the most

**rob taft** · 02-14-2017, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dennis D

Or maybe the subject of another thread - - - ' who really got you started ' ?......even on a Jazz forum, surprised no one mentioned :

Chet Atkins

Yeah we probably all heard him early on, and yeah we went to probably all went to other styles, but does his playing ever leave us ?....or better, should his playing ever leave us ?

Just MHO

See post#20

**MarkRhodes** · 02-14-2017, 10:25 AM

(I'm basing this on how I play now, not the way I played--or tried to--when I was in high school.)

Freddie Green
Charlie Christian
Herb Ellis
Joe Pass
Frank Vignola
Mimi Fox

(I know that's six.)

**Dennis D** · 02-14-2017, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by rob taft

See post#20

Sorry I missed that - thanks !

**MarkRhodes** · 02-14-2017, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by viccortes285

1) Andea Segovia
2) Joe Pass
3)Eric Clapton
4) BB King
5)'Allman Brothers

This was a great idea for a thread. Thank you for starting it!
Three of your choices---Clapton, King, the Allman Broters---were huge influences on me as a kid. (So was Hendrix.) But I don't play that way much anymore.

**David B** · 02-14-2017, 10:52 AM

5 guitarists I have spent the most time studying (either their playing, education materials, or in personal lessons):
- Sheryl Bailey
- Roni Ben-Hur
- Pasquale Grasso
- Jimmy Raney
- Jonathan Kreisberg

**stoneground** · 02-14-2017, 10:53 AM

I will have to acknowledge some pre-1970, mainly British, blues/rock influences notably Hendrix,Clapton,Spit James/Miller Anderson (Keef Hartley band) and early Rory Gallagher (Taste). After 1969 this was starting to become less interesting and my tastes were changing having heard Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery and Hank Garland (Jazz Winds). It was like studying a totally different instrument. I think Garland had the most influence on my playing despite his small jazz output.

I don't listen to any of my early influences very much now, even the Jazz ones.

These days it's Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Lage Lund and the less shreddy recordings of Frank Gambale.

I don't think I can sensibly rank a top 5, it's a complicated subject.

**destinytot** · 02-14-2017, 10:57 AM

João Gilberto
Earl Klugh
Sean Levitt
George Benson
Wes Montgomery

**Sam Sherry** · 02-14-2017, 10:59 AM

I can't shake two guys I grew up around:
. Bob Kobus
. Froc Fillipetti

It's not that they were necessarily "as good" as John Abercrombie, or Wes Montgomery, or Terry Kath, or John McLaughlin or any of the other players you guys have listed.

But Kober for precision and Dave for passion. They each left an indelible mark. Thank you gents!

**m_d** · 02-14-2017, 11:14 AM

Keeping the "5" rule will prove impossible. In no particular order:
(except for) Frank L., my guitar teacher back in the day in Paris for about a year in the late 90s, one of the best guitarists and musicians I've ever heard live or on record. I would leave each of his lessons stunned, every time. He was much too advanced for me. From what little information I gathered much later from the Web, he was no longer playing jazz and had moved on to oud music, and was making surf boards for a living. He may be the best of them all. I wouldn't be playing without him.
Jimmy Raney
John Collins
Mark Whitfield
George Benson
Paul Jackson Jr.
Peter Bernstein
Adam Levy
Guys playing on Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan and late period Johnny Cash albums (I never know who is who)
B.B. King
Barney Kessel
Dan Faenhle
Howard Alden
Gray Sargent
Russell Malone
Freddie Green
Julian Lage
Django R.
Biréli L.
Marc Ducret
Kenny Burrell
João Gilberto
Caetano Veloso
Troy Grady, Mason Stoops, Larry Koonze (the "awesome guys discovered through YouTube" category)
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie Malmsteen
Robert Smith
Will Sergeant (from Echo & the Bunnymen)
Anson Funderburgh
Robert Cray

**Thumpalumpacus** · 02-14-2017, 11:19 AM

Eric Clapton
Alex Lifeson
Raj Rathor
Duane Allman
Eric Johnson

**rob taft** · 02-14-2017, 12:52 PM

In my first playing period prior to 1980 it was:

Duane Allan and Dicky Betts

John McLaughlin

Carlos Santana

George Benson

Pat Martino

Robert Conti (First instructor)

2005 - present

Joe Pass

Martin Taylor

Paco De Lucia

Howard Morgen

Bridget Mermikides (All those great classical arrangements in Guitar Techniques magazine)

**Jx30510** · 02-14-2017, 01:19 PM

David Gilmour
Jimi Hendrix
Wes Montgomery
John Scofield
Larry Coryell

**Alder Statesman** · 02-14-2017, 01:25 PM

1. Segovia
2. Chet Atkins
3. Terry Kath (One of the most underrated guitarists ever)
4. Pete Townshend
5. Maury Muehleisen (Even more underrated than Kath)

**destinytot** · 02-14-2017, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by m_d

Keeping the "5" rule will prove impossible....

Well, in that case...
TBC

**wizard3739** · 02-14-2017, 01:49 PM

No particular order, these are my favorites, there are more than 5

Howard Roberts
George Van Eps
Jimmy Raney
Doug Raney
Ed Bickert5
Howard Alden
Wes Montgomery
Ron Eschete
Joe Diorio
Les Wise
Barney Kessel
Hank Garland
Jim Hall

**pilotony** · 02-14-2017, 02:21 PM

Not in any special order.

Tony Mottola
Gene Bertoncini
Bucky Pizzarelli
Charlie Byrd
Billy Bauer (teacher late 80s to mid 1990s)

Two early teachers (50 + years ago)
Sid Margolies (Brooklyn, NY)
Ernie Bracco (Brooklyn, NY)

**Tomcat** · 02-14-2017, 02:41 PM

nobody mentioned Allan Holdsworth ?

To me he's rare example of unique style and voice and moreover has his own harmonic universe.

The shortlist include also:

Pat Metheny
Joe Pass
Wes
George Benson
Pat Martino
Lee Ritenour

**QAman** · 02-14-2017, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by pilotony

Not in any special order.

Tony Mottola
Gene Bertoncini
Bucky Pizzarelli
Charlie Byrd
Billy Bauer (teacher late 80s to mid 1990s)

Two early teachers (50 + years ago)
Sid Margolies (Brooklyn, NY)
Ernie Bracco (Brooklyn, NY)

Pilotony,
Sid Margolis was my guitar teacher as well. I remember driving to Massapequa for my lessons in my 68 Pontiac Lemans.

So I would have to put Sid on my list as well.

Here are the other 4:

Duane Allman
Martin Taylor
Jack Pearson
Django

**medblues** · 02-14-2017, 02:48 PM

Wes Montgomery
George Benson
Jim Hall
Ralph Towner
Bill Frisell

In the sense that, I would never mix them up with each other in a blind listening test. Unless they intend to fool me deliberately, they could.

**jbromusic** · 02-14-2017, 03:43 PM

pat metheny
john scofield
jim hall
wes montgomery
kurt rosenwinkel

also big influences:
bill frisell
john abercrombie
wolfgang muthspiel
jimmy raney
scott henderson

**339 in june** · 02-14-2017, 04:38 PM

Robert Fripp (Red)
Frank Zappa (Shut up .....)
Mike Stern
Tommy Bolin (Stratus)
John Scofield

and so many more ... Sorry !

**omphalopsychos** · 02-14-2017, 04:53 PM

Derek Bailey
Oscar Moore
Bill Frisell
Jeff Parker
Baden Powell

Runners up:
Taku Sugimoto
Juan Carlos Romero
Grant Green

**silverfoxx** · 02-14-2017, 07:12 PM

Jimmy Raney ( The guv'nor)
Joe Pass
Wes Montgomery
Barney Kessel
Tal Farlow

Back up
Doug Raney
George Benson
Peter Bernstein
Billy Bean
Louis Stewart

Just a few

**rictroll** · 02-14-2017, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Tomcat

nobody mentioned Allan Holdsworth ?

Given Allan's unusual gifts I'd be hard pressed to illustrate exactly how I was influenced by him. LOL

Inspired by him for sure!

**Eric Rowland** · 02-14-2017, 08:22 PM

Jazz -
Wes Montgomery
Pat Metheny
Pat Martino
John McLaughlin
George Benson
Must be noted - Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Allan Holdsworth, John Abercrombie, Jimmy Raney

Rock -
Jimi Hendrix
David Gilmour
Carlos Santana
Donald Roeser
Jeff Beck