Could Joe Bonamassa be the greatest guitarist alive?

[Moviefreak]

Many don't even know his name, but his popularity is growing. I recall seeing him back in 2004 at a small club and hardly anyone showed up. He tore the roof off the place. So could this guy be one of the best alive today?

With a career opening for BB King at 12 years old, and playing with many top musicians, he has built an awesome career.

Brian Ross: Joe Bonamassa: The Best Living Guitarist You've Never Heard Of...

What do you guys think of his playing?

 

[Crank729]

Solid stuff....I don't know about the "greatest alive".......but's he's up there in my books!

 

[Moviefreak]

Slash tweeted that Joe is a Bad Ass and that he is one of his favorites, lol.

Very talented young guy.

 

[Apollo]

Great but not the Greatest alive imo

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

No...not even close. When he starts influencing other's play style instead of being influenced, then he can be on that list of greats. He is an excellent blues player in the vein of SRV.

 

[Moviefreak]

No...not even close. When he starts influencing other's play style instead of being influenced, then he can be on that list of greats. He is an excellent blues player in the vein of SRV.

Ok, so let's have some fun...
Give your top ten greatest player lists

 

[JD]

No. Absolutely not.

He suffers terribly from lead guitar player's disease - ie, he overplays.

My definition of 'greatest guitar player' alive will also vary considerably just because what I want from a guitar player is substantially different than what you might want.

...and my greatest guitar player alive is James Hetfield.

He's more a rhythm guitar player, but the riffs he writes along with his precision (and his melody, harmony and occasional lead) is just what defines guitar playing to me - it's what I want to hear. But, that's my personal taste.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Ok, so let's have some fun...
Give your top ten greatest player lists

Okay, I'll play along. This is in order from best to tenth.

Eddie Van Halen
Jimi Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Eric Clapton
B.B. King
Jimmy Page
David Gilmour
Les Paul
Prince
Slash

 

[Amish Trooper]

I can't label just 1 as the best. I like so many different styles. If I had to list a few

John Fahey
Josh Homme "Queens of the Stone Age"
Muddy Waters
Pat Smear

 

[nightrider]

Okay, I'll play along. This is in order from best to tenth.

Eddie Van Halen
Jimi Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Eric Clapton
B.B. King
Jimmy Page
David Gilmour
Les Paul
Prince
Slash

A greatest guitarist list without Eric Johnson? Yes, Joe Bonamassa is one of my favorite players ever. Great style, great tone. And as for influencing, he most certainly has influenced the style of many guitar players, myself included.

Chris

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Oh, Eric Johnson is good, but honestly, not anything unheard of.

 

[JD]

I'll never understand what folks see/hear in Slash. The man is sloppy as hell and can't play rhythm to save his life.

He does usually have a great sound and comes up with some astounding riffs (even if he's not much of an overall songwriter).

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

It was a tough choice between him and Satch. I gave Slash the edge BECAUSE he is a dirty player and his sound is excellent. You buy one Satriani album and you have them all.

 

[ihs]

I like Bonamassa, along with a bunch from Qui's list, but I prefer my guitarists unplugged:

Michael Hedges
Don Ross
Doyle Dykes
Leo Kottke

Just a few I could think of here at work.

 

[EyeofSauron]

no love for steve vai or mark knopfler?

 

[Moviefreak]

It is like comparing Vai and VanHalen :lol

Vai is technically more skilled and fundamentally better. He also can read and write music and I believe Eddie just plays by ear.

So both great.... But Eddie changed music when he hit the scene. His style changed Rock guitarists as we know it and influences a whole new breed of guitarist.

And while Steve Vai was around a long time before Eddie hit it big, I think he too was influenced a little by EVH.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

And while Steve Vai was around a long time before Eddie hit it big, I think he too was influenced a little by EVH.

Wait...what? Do you know anything about Eddie or Steve?

Eddie and his brother got started on the scene in the mid-seventies. Signed to WB in 1977. Steve Vai was picked up by Zappa in '80. Vai, as a player, is more technical than Van Halen, but not nearly as ground breaking. Eddie tore open the electric guitar and Vai was just someone else following along in his footsteps.

 

[franz bolo]

Hendrix will always be the best rock guitarist! No one changed the face of guitar playing like he did. Everything since just plays off of what he did.

This guy is solid but he doesn't bring anything new to the table.

FB

 

[Crank729]

Don't grill me for it, but my favourite is joe perry from Aerosmith.....that guy writes some catchy riffs.......

 

[JD]

It was a tough choice between him and Satch. I gave Slash the edge BECAUSE he is a dirty player and his sound is excellent. You buy one Satriani album and you have them all.

Fair enough. I think you're either dismissing or forgetting Satch's work in Chickenfoot... which isn't really my thing, but at the very least it proves Joe's no one trick pony.

Hendrix will always be the best rock guitarist! No one changed the face of guitar playing like he did. Everything since just plays off of what he did.

He's also been dead for 41 years... which if you read the title of the thread doesn't meet the criteria for 'greatest guitarist alive.' :rolleyes