The 10 Best Acoustic Guitarists of All Time

From Robert Johnson to Eddie Van Halen, these are the 10 best acoustic guitarists of all time.

Jimi Hendrix

In 1966, Hendrix was asked by Chas Chandler to come to London and join the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK hit singles with “Hey Joe”, “Purple Haze”, and “The Wind Cries Mary” and he had become a true global star. His pioneering technique of combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion created a new musical form.

Eric Clapton

There is no doubting Eric Clapton’s place among the greatest guitarists of all time. A three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, he is the only person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame three times — once as a solo artist and separately as a member of both The Yardbirds and Cream. His playing style has been extremely influential, and he is credited with popularizing such techniques as using a wah-wah pedal and playing with a slide. He has also been very successful as a solo artist, with hits like “Layla” and “Tears in Heaven.”

B.B. King

1. B.B. King – Born in Mississippi in 1925, B.B. King is one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time, and is often referred to as the “King of the Blues”. His unique style of single-string lead guitar playing influenced many other electric blues and rock guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

2. Django Reinhardt – Born in Belgium in 1910, Django Reinhardt was a Gypsy jazz guitarist who is considered one of the greatest musicians of all time, regardless of genre. His innovative style transcended barriers between genres and led to the development of an entirely new genre of music known as “hot club” or “manouche” jazz.

3. Merle Travis – Born in Kentucky in 1917, Travis was a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for his virtuosic fingerstyle guitar playing. He was a major influence on many country guitarists, including Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed.

4. Doc Watson – Born in North Carolina in 1923, Watson was a flatpicking guitarist who blended elements of Appalachian folk music with blues and bluegrass to create his own unique sound. He inspired many other acoustic guitarists, including Norman Blake and Tony Rice.

5. Big Bill Broonzy – Born in Mississippi in 1903, Broonzy was a blues musician who rose to prominence in the Chicago blues scene in the 1920s and 1930s. His strong vocal style and intricate guitar playing influenced many other blues musicians, including Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

6. Vince Gill – Born in Oklahoma in 1957, Gill is a country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is widely considered one of the greatest living acoustic guitarists. He has won 20 Grammy Awards and been nominated for over 50 others during his career

Tony Iommi

Tony Iommi is a legend. He is one of the most influential guitarists of all time, and his work with Black Sabbath defined the sound of heavy metal. Iommi is known for his dark, Yun-gritty riffs, and his signature style of playing has been imitated by countless guitarists. He is also one of the most accomplished soloists in metal, with a unique phrasing that allows him to create complex melodies within the context of heavy riffs.

Slash

Slash is a British-American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Slash has received critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Kurt Cobain

Cobain was one of the most influential guitarists of his generation. He was a member of the grunge group Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands of all time with their album “Nevermind.” Cobain popularized the use of alternate tunings, such as drop D tuning, and was known for his innovative approach to songwriting. He tragically died at the age of 27, but his influence on music continues to this day.

Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page is an English musician, songwriter, and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, and Whole Lotta Love are just a few of the band’s many classic songs. Page also had a successful solo career and collaborated with other artists, such as the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, The Who, Donovan, and Traffic. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and again as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995).

Keith Richards

Keith Richards is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the rock band the Rolling Stones. He has also performed as a solo artist and as a member of the supergroup The Dirty Mac.Richards was born in Dartford, Kent. He began learning guitar at age 15 and is one of the original members of the Rolling Stones, which he co-founded with Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Ian Stewart, and Charlie Watts in 1962. He has been identified as “the human riff” and “the driving force behind the Rolling Stones”.The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964. Richards plays both lead and rhythm guitar parts on many Rolling Stones songs; he is also one of their lyricists and often collaborated with Jagger on songs.

Richards has said that he started using drugs while on tour with the Stones in 1964: “I was 19 when I first tried drugs – marijuana – when we were playing American venues.” As he told NME in 2006: “I used to smoke up to 20 [joints] a day during those years.” By 1967 he was trying heroin for the first time: “A friend said ‘try this,’ so I did and it finished me off for about three years.” He used heroin regularly until 1978, when he entered rehab; he relapsed briefly (1982–83) but has been clean since then.

Angus Young

Angus Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter and one of the longest-serving members of the rock band AC/DC. He is known for his energetic performances, schoolboy-uniform stage attire, and his own version of Chuck Berry’s duckwalk. Young was ranked 24th in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 greatest guitarists of all time list. His older brother, Malcolm Young, founded AC/DC in 1973 with Angus as the group’s lead guitarist.

Pete Townshend

1. Pete Townshend- Though he’s best known as the windmilling, guitar-smashingWho lead guitarist, Pete Townshend is also an excellent acoustic player. He has a unique style that takes elements of traditional fingerpicking and blends them with more aggressive strumming. And while he may not have released a ton of solo acoustic material, the few tracks he has put out are real gems. Check out his solo version of “Pinball Wizard” for proof.

2. Neil Young- A lot of Neil Young’s best work was done on acoustic guitar, including his most famous song “Heart of Gold.” He has a very distinctive fingerpicking style that uses a lot of syncopation and dynamics to create a distinctly different sound than most other guitarists. He’s also not afraid to experiment with alternate tunings and strange chord progressions, which gives his music a unique flavor.

3. Paul Simon- Before he was half of one of the most successful folk-rock duos of all time, Paul Simon was making a name for himself as a solo folk artist in the early 1960s. His fingerpicking style was heavily influenced by the great Leadbelly and his playing is characterized by complex melodic lines and impeccable timing. Simon is also a master of using unconventional chord progressions to create interesting soundscapes. If you want to hear some of his best work, check out his self-titled debut album from 1964.

4. Leo Kottke- A true virtuoso, Leo Kottke is one of the preeminent fingerstyle guitarists of our time. He is known for his complex picking patterns, use of alternate tunings, and ability to make even the simplest songs sound interesting and fresh. If you’re looking for some mind-bending acoustic guitar playing, Kottke is your man. Check out his album 6 & 12 String Guitar for some truly impressive playing.

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