The Best Country Music Guitarists

A list of the best country music guitarists wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of greats like Keith Urban and Brad Paisley.

The Early Years

Many of the best country music guitarists came to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s, when the genre was first beginning to take shape. Artists like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Doc Watson helped to create the distinctive sound of country music, with their intricate guitar work and catchy melodies. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best country guitarists of all time, both from the classic era and from more recent years.

The Carter Family

The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded between 1927 and 1956. The group was composed of Alvin Pleasant “A.P.” Delaney Carter (1891–1960), his wife Sara Dougherty Carter (1898–1979), and their sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter (1909–1978). The Carters are often considered the first family of country music.

Hank Williams

Hank Williams is considered by many to be one of the greatest country music guitarists of all time. He was born in Mount Olive, Alabama, in 1923 and began playing guitar at an early age. Williams was influenced by a variety of music, including gospel and blues. He rose to popularity in the 1940s, playing on the Grand Ole Opry and recording a string of hits including “I Saw the Light” and “Jambalaya.” Williams died at the age of 29, but his music continues to influence country artists today.

The rise of country music

The early years of country music were dominated by the fiddle and banjo, both of which had long been popular folk instruments in the U.S. In the early 20th century, however, guitars began to gain popularity as well, thanks in part to their versatility and portability. The first notable country music guitarist was Emmett Miller, who helped to popularize the instrument in the 1920s with his unique style that blended country and jazz. Other important early country guitarists include Les Paul, Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins, who would go on to become one of the most influential guitarists of all time.

The Golden Age

I was born in the early 80s, so I grew up in the golden age of country music guitarists. Guys like Hank Williams Jr., Ricky Skaggs, and George Strait were at the top of the charts. And, of course, there were the greats like Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. I was lucky enough to see all of these guys in concert. They were all amazing guitarists.

The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until late 1967) being the sole consistent member. Although they only managed to attain the huge commercial success of contemporaries like the Beach Boys and the Beatles for a couple of years, the Byrds were likewise influential on their generation of aspiring musicians.

The original five-piece lineup of the Byrds consisted of Jim McGuinn (lead guitar, vocals), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar, vocals), Chris Hillman (bass guitar, vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums). However, this version of the band only lasted for two albums – their self-titled debut and its follow-up, Turn! Turn! Turn! – before Clark left to pursue a solo career. He was replaced by Grammy Award-winning country guitarist Gram Parsons for their third album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter. She has released many popular albums and singles over the course of her career. Her work has influenced a wide range of artists, including Gram Parsons, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, and REM. Emmylou is a 12-time Grammy Award winner.

Gram Parsons

Gram Parsons was born in 1946 in Winter Haven, Florida and died in 1973 at the age of 26. He is considered one of the most influential musicians in country music history and was a founding member of both the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. He is also credited with helping to create the genre of country rock. Parsons played both guitar and piano and his vocals were often compared to those of Bob Dylan.

The Outlaw Movement

In the 1970s, a group of country music guitarists decided to rebel against the genre’s polished, string-laden sound. This group, which came to be known as the “outlaw movement,” favored a rawer, more country-rock sound. The outlaws were led by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. These three musicians helped to change the sound of country music and make it more popular with a wider audience.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is an American musician, actor, and producer. He was born in Abbott, Texas, on April 29, 1933. Nelson is a country music legend and considered one of the best guitarists of all time. He has been playing music for over 60 years and has released over 200 albums. He is also a prolific songwriter, having written over 600 songs.

Nelson’s career began in the 1950s as a singer and songwriter in the Nashville country music scene. He had his first hit with “Crazy” in 1961. His breakthrough came in 1973 with the release of the album “Red Headed Stranger.” The album was a huge success and made Nelson a star. He has since gone on to release many more successful albums and singles. Nelson is also known for his support of causes such as environmentalism and marijuana legalization.

In addition to his musical career, Nelson has also appeared in several movies, including “The Electric Horseman” (1979) and “Honeysuckle Rose” (1980). He has won several awards, including Grammy Awards, Country Music Association Awards, and Academy of Country Music Awards.

Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings was an influential country music artist who was a driving force in the “outlaw movement” of the 1970s. He was known for his rebellious attitude, unique voice, and eclectic blend of country, rock, folk, and blues. His hits include “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love),” “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” and “Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys).”

Jennings was born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas. He began playing guitar at an early age and was performing on local radio by the age of 12. He joined Buddy Holly’s band as a bass player in 1958 and played on several of Holly’s hit records, including “That’ll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue.”

After Holly’s death in 1959, Jennings embarked on a solo career. He recorded a series of successful duets with Jessi Colter, his wife at the time, including “Storms Never Last,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.”

In the 1970s, Jennings became increasingly frustrated with the restrictions placed on country music by the Nashville establishment. He began working with producer Tompall Glaser to create a more gritty and authentic sound that came to be known as outlaw country. This new sound featured elements of rock and roll, folk music, and blues. It was exemplified by Jennings’ 1975 album Wanted! The Outlaws, which featured other outlaw country artists such as Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser.

Despite his success in the outlaw movement, Jennings struggled with personal demons throughout his life. He battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years before entering rehabilitation in 1984. He continued to perform and record until his death from complications from diabetes in 2002.

Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard was born in 1937 in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. Growing up poor, Haggard was often in trouble with the law. In 1958, he was sent to prison for burglary. It was there that he began to play guitar and write songs. When he was released from prison, he joined a band called the Strangers.

During his time with the Strangers, Haggard became one of the most successful country music singers and songwriters of all time. He released over 70 albums and had 38 number-one hits on the country music charts. His songs often dealt with themes of love, loss, heartbreak, and redemption. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Outlaw Movement in country music, which began in the 1970s as a reaction against the more polished sound of Nashville Music City.

Haggard died in 2016 at the age of 79.

The New Traditionalists

A new generation of country guitarists is emerging, and they’re changing the sound of country music. These “new traditionalists” are blending the old-school sounds of country with modern influences. This new sound is fresh and exciting, and it’s winning over country music fans of all ages. Let’s meet some of the best country guitarists of this new generation.

George Strait

George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. George Strait is known as the “King of Country” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. He is known for his neotraditionalist country style, cowboy look, and being one of the first and main country artists to bring country music back to its roots and away from the pop country sound that had become popular in the 1970s.

Strait’s successful career has spanned more than 30 years. He has recorded 60 number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, the second-most of any artist behind only Conway Twitty. Strait holds the record for having spent the most consecutive years with a No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart: 13 times between 1982’s Strait from the Heart and 2014’s The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium; this is also a record for any artist in any genre on any Billboard chart. He has also surpassed legendary artists such as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr. and Elvis Presley as having the most gold and platinum albums in country music history. Strait was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and received their prestigious Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award in 2008. He was also awarded CMA Entertainer of The Year in 1989 & 1990 & 1996 – making him one of only three men to win this award three times -and ACM Entertainer Of The Year 2013. In 2019 he was awarded The Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime achievement in music

Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson is an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 16 studio albums, three greatest hits albums, two Christmas albums, two gospel albums and several compilations. Jackson has sold over 80 million records worldwide, with more than 50 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country singles chart.

Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks is an American singer and songwriter who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and topped the country charts, while his fusion of country and rock roll found a broad audience.

He has since released seven more albums, all of which have been certified diamond or multi-platinum. He is the only artist in history to have six consecutive albums certified diamond by the RIAA. Brooks has sold more than 170 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

In 2020, Brooks was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2011. His biggest influence is George Strait.

The Modern Era

country music has been around for a long time, and the guitar has always been a integral part of the genre. In the past, country music was mostly about simple melodies and stories about real life. But in recent years, the genre has evolved and the guitarists have become more virtuosic. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best country music guitarists of the modern era.

Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley is one of the most well-known country music guitarists of the modern era. He is known for his virtuoso guitar playing, as well as his catchy and clever songwriting. Paisley has won multiple Grammy Awards and is widely considered to be one of the best country music guitarists of all time.

Keith Urban

Keith Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. In 1991, he released a self-titled debut album and charted four singles in Australia before moving to the United States the following year. He found work as a session guitarist before starting a solo career in 1999 with the release of his self-titled debut album. The album’s fourth single, “You’ll Think of Me”, became his first number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and helped Urban achieve mainstream success in 2002. His fourth album, Be Here, was released that same year and produced three more number one singles on the Hot Country Songs chart. A greatest hits package entitled Greatest Hits: 18 Kids followed in late 2007.

In late 2013, Urban started working on his next studio album and released the single “Sweet Thing” in May 2014. The album, Fuse, was released in September 2014 and produced four more number 1 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart, giving Urban a total of eleven number 1 singles on that chart.

Miranda Lambert

There’s no doubt that Miranda Lambert is one of the most successful country music artists of the modern era. She’s a three-time Grammy winner and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. But what sets her apart from other country music stars is her guitar playing.

Lambert is a self-taught guitarist who first picked up the instrument at the age of 16. Since then, she’s become one of the most talented and respected guitarists in country music. She’s known for her eclectic style, which incorporates elements of blues, rock, and folk. And her skills are on full display on her solo albums, as well as on collaborations with other artists like Ashley Monroe and Pistol Annies.

If you’re a fan of Miranda Lambert or just want to learn more about one of the best country guitarists of the modern era, check out this list of her 10 greatest guitar moments.