Your Ultimate Guitar Hero... Who's the best then?

[Farmjazz]

My vote would be Jack Pearson from Nashville.  I started a thread about him a while back.  He can play ripping slide, burn up the fretboard, play jazz like Wes, and then switch it up and Travis pick or play Delta blues on a an old National...all done with impeccable phrasing and taste.

Also one of the nicest guys in the business.

Blooby

Yes, there's a lot to be said about Nashville cats. Like this quote: "You can stand on any street corner in Nashville and swing a pillow case full of door knobs around and knock over three guitarists that are better than you'll ever be!"

I've recently discovered one of these through a McPherson promotional CD - Tom Hemby. He happens to be one of the top studio players in Nashville today and plays guitar more fluently, and in more styles, than I have ever heard before. So, for now, he's my top guy.

Previous favorites, and in this order:

Allan Holdsworth - the grandfather of all shredders, period! Just ask Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen.
Birelli LaGrene - child prodigy turned Gypsy jazz super god.
Scotty Anderson - is this guy from Jupiter or something?
Jorge Strunz and Ardeshir Farah - hard to tell one from the other on their recordings, but jaw-dropping work.
Michael Dowdle - dropped out of sight back in the early nineties, but a master guitarist and songwriter.
Phil Keaggy - more music flows out of this guy's little finger than I'll ever have in a thousand life times.

[Gritter]

Biggest influence on the way I try to play:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fpNKAvvkj0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rrs1xK_lPI

The guy lives and breathes the guitar.

[Speed Demon]

Sounds like he has more than the normal number of fingers. Must have recently played a gig at Fukushima.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rutyA12z3Ok

[chapperz66]

Steve Morse takes some beating in my opinion.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjH118NwQRk

Then again - Al Dimeola


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD2CR1I4IuY

[chapperz66]

And then I think of Steve Vai.  In a different league to most humans.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw74sDWPH7U

[Speed Demon]

Fernando Miyata. An insanely good guitarist.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El2DUntbavE

[Speed Demon]

Young lady guitarist. Very tasty player.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN21lcvIsvM

[ODH]

Chris Buck, the young guitarist here, is pretty good.  [Claim to fame alert] He's my wife's cousin.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phKFaIuccYE

Been signed by former Guns'n'Roses manager
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/southeastwales/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8662000/8662754.stm

[bruno]

I love Steve Lukather, Nuno & Richie Kotzen - and am a child of Blackmore -

but there is only one Eric Johnson - hands down best ever.

B

[Speed Demon]

George Benson.