Townshend. I don't believe in the concept of there being a "best" musician so thank you for asking for a favorite instead. "Best at what?" is always my question back to people who want to say Jimi Hendrix or whoever is "the best"? Anyway, I'd rather listen to Townshend punish an acoustic or wail on an electric than just about anyone. Rock on...
Mick Mars
I almost added Danny Gatton, but I had named a bunch already. There are some videos out there of Joe Bonamassa talking about how Danny Gatton mentored him.SRV
Zakk Wylde
Vince Gill
Charlie Starr
Chris Robertson
And a guy that I can't believe no one in this crowd has mentioned yet.
Danny Gatton
Jimmy Page is the only correct answer.
Those 4, plus Hendrix, Clapton and Richards, really wrote the book. I suppose you have to add Duane Allman for the slide players.Guitarist versus how they implemented guitar and arranged songs that became classics? I coudn't tell you if my favorites are really any good but can tell you who I like as it pertains to their songs.
Page, Betts, EVH, Townsend
I got nothing for you on Bonnamassa. He's probably a good guitarist but sounds like he is replicating and not creating. Just my opinion. No soul.
Hugely underrated is Brian May of Queen. He may not be the absolute best but he certainly should be in the conversation. He also has to be the most intelligent guitarist by long shot seeing he is an astrophysicist and was at one time Dean of a university.
Hands down the best.Tommy Emmanuel
He said guitar, not the skin flute.
Saw him twice at the Southgate House here in NKy; a FREAK of nature on guitar.Junior Brown is no slouch, either. On his live albums, he;s always slipping classic rock riffs into his fills and vamps at the ends of songs. Loves Hendrix. Drops some Wind Cries Mary at the end of Sugarfoot Rag, lol.
He was still working his engineer gig at Polaroid when Boston hit #1 on the charts.Doesn't Tom Scholz, Boston, have a masters in mechanical engineering from MIT? I think he invented a pedal that produced that huge Boston guitar sound and built it in his garage. Those two would certainly be in the top .001% of rock and roll guitarists.