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Most underrated guitarist.
- Thread starter A. D. Fairhurst
- Start date
I think Ry Cooder could use a bit more credit.
My new fave guitard is Lu Edmonds, for his work with Public Image Ltd.
My new fave guitard is Lu Edmonds, for his work with Public Image Ltd.
okcrum
in your chest
Now there's one I can agree with. Probably more "underknown" than underrated, but definitely a fabulous player.
Adrian Belew.
His resume reads like a who's who of rock and roll - Zappa, Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson, etc...
His resume reads like a who's who of rock and roll - Zappa, Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson, etc...
Ernie Isley
Ry Cooder (Templar got it)
George Johnson (the "other" Brother)
Mick Taylor (outside of the industry and Stones fans)
Marlon McLain (a.k.a. The Magician - check a track called "Joyous")
Prince (yeah, I said it - definitely underrated... as a guitarist)
and...
Terry Kath - one of the best. After seeing Chicago one night, Hendrix said something like "I'm pretty good, but this cat is better"
Ry Cooder (Templar got it)
George Johnson (the "other" Brother)
Mick Taylor (outside of the industry and Stones fans)
Marlon McLain (a.k.a. The Magician - check a track called "Joyous")
Prince (yeah, I said it - definitely underrated... as a guitarist)
and...
Terry Kath - one of the best. After seeing Chicago one night, Hendrix said something like "I'm pretty good, but this cat is better"
All the usual suspects have been listed at this point but I would throw my hat(s) into the ring with Vince Gil. His chicken pickin' is second to none. I've always thought Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner was a better than average player and certainly could play more than just excellent funk guitar.
I was a student of Linc Chamberland in the mid-70s. He was a brilliant guitarist who could teach -- those two things don't necessarily go together. I can't think of many other guitarists who were equally great at playing jazz and electric blues.
Linc started out playing in R&B bands like The Orchids, with whom he toured for a number of years in the 60s. While on the road, he jammed with the likes of Roy Buchannan and Robbie Robertson -- Buchannan acknowledged him as one of his favorites (there's an interview with Roy on YouTube in which he says so). There are stories about how Roy would face the back of the stage so the other guitarists in the house couldn't cop his licks. When it was Linc's turn to play, he would play back what Roy had just done, just to piss him off. He later had a horn-rock band called Sawbuck, which got signed to a Motown subsidiary and was renamed Gotham. Their one album -- Pass the Butter -- has some incendiary solos by Linc.
Somewhere along the line, Linc started playing jazz. One of his innovations in jazz guitar was applying Coltrane's "sheets of sound" technique. He would cram groupings of 5 or 7 notes to a beat, as had Coltrane. If one was used to listening to a guitarist like Pat Martino, who was very eighth-note oriented, Linc's sound was jarring. When I was in high school, I used go to the Tuesday night sessions at Rapson's Café in Port Chester, NY. Regular players included Linc, Dave Liebman and Frank Vicari (ts), Lyn Christie (b), and Jeff Williams (dr). I still think that was some of the most high-level improvisation I have ever heard. The link that ChefKen posted was from Linc's first jazz album, A Place Within. I attended the rehearsal for that album, at Rapson's in Stamford, CT (the club moved) and recorded it on cassette. I sent the tape to Linc's son, Scott, a few years ago, and I hope that he releases it eventually.
Linc attracted students not just on guitar, but some bassists and other instruments. One of the few criticisms of my experience as Linc's student was that we would smoke pot during the lessons. Linc handled it fine, but I would turn into an idiot. He's been gone for about 30 years, and I think about him and what he taught me every day.
The Goodies! Local band from Atlanta early nineties use to do this and it was great. They also lost one of their guitar players to Nine Inch Nails early in their career. His name is Robin Finck.
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Got to echo some already mentioned:
Nels Cline
Jerry Reed
Roy Buchanan
Dean Ween
Eddie Hazel
Willie
Danny Gatton
Magic Sam
Adrian Belew
Glen Cambell
Also must add:
Steve Hillage
Tom Verlaine - Television
Peter Laughner - Pere Ubu
East bay Ray - DK
Phil Manzanera - Roxy Music
Eric Stewart & Lol Creme - 10cc
Lowell George
Uli Roth
Nels Cline
Jerry Reed
Roy Buchanan
Dean Ween
Eddie Hazel
Willie
Danny Gatton
Magic Sam
Adrian Belew
Glen Cambell
Also must add:
Steve Hillage
Tom Verlaine - Television
Peter Laughner - Pere Ubu
East bay Ray - DK
Phil Manzanera - Roxy Music
Eric Stewart & Lol Creme - 10cc
Lowell George
Uli Roth
Jerry Reed is exactly who I thought of. Sad that the pop country fans of today don't seem to latch on to his stuff more. Awesome entertainer, and a true "Certified Guitar Player".
