There are blues guitarists who stay so true to tradition, remaining indiscernible from their heroes. There are others who supercharge the genre, propelling it forward with high-octane interpretations of the classics. Then there are those who take the blues and run it through all the genres it inspired, from rock and soul to hip-hop, and …
Maybellene, a crafty song embellished with the springy, clock-like flicks of Chuck Berry’s Gibson ES-350T guitar, is often referred to as the first authentic song in Rock & Roll history. As such, the creator of the tune is regarded as the founding father of the genre. While Elvis, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sonic Youth, Pink …
Carlos Santana is a transcending influential figure in the music industry, and his sound is almost as iconic as the voice of some of the most recognized singers, with a unique culturally groundbreaking style that goes only under his signature. Carlos rose to fame with his Latin-infused rock band Santana in the late 1960s, and …
The 1960s and the 1970s were crucial times for the world of guitar music. In fact, the residue and influence of pioneering bold musicians can be heard to this day, with irreverence pivoting the entry of genre crossbreeding became increasingly appealing to both music enthusiasts and general audiences. However, you can’t have irreverence in Rock …
Tommy Emmanuel’s percussive, expressive style of playing, perfected over decades, has earned him a devoted following. He is frequently cited as one of the greatest living acoustic guitarists, if not one of the best all-time. Unsurprisingly for someone of his virtuosic ability, Tommy’s musical career started at a very young age. Emmanuel, an Australian, was …
A metal superstar who carved his way by laying some of the most solid rhythmic backbones in modern music. Jim Root became a legendary character in the metal scene, known for his powerful, punchy guitar on stage. In addition to being a fantastic rhythm guitarist, Jim is also a principal songwriter for the Grammy-winning band, …
George Harrison and his band, The Beatles, has influenced entire generations of musicians, winning 12 GRAMMY awards, being nominated for 39, won 16 NME awards, earned an Oscar, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), and is ranked 11th on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists list. Although he might have been …
Bruce Springsteen, aka The Boss. Frontman of the E Street band, sleeves rolled up, leading nightly worship at the church of rock and roll. No singer or songwriter before or since has so relentlessly and so wholeheartedly documented the distance between the American dream and American reality. Armed with his Fender Esquire, a book brimming …
Chris Stapleton wasn’t always going to be a musician. Born into a family of coal miners in Kentucky, far from the bright lights of Nashville, Tennessee, he was a high school football player. Stapleton actually enrolled in Vanderbilt University to study engineering, when his prolific songwriting habit led him to leave for Nashville. Upon arriving …
The world of heavy metal has its share of guitar virtuosos, but very few have the ability to stand out like Mick Thomson. Not only does he play with skill and precision, but his unorthodox style has helped influence the sound of modern metal in a rather innovative way. Recognized on stage by his iconic …