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In the 60 years since Rock & Roll emerged as a distinct musical genre, one great player after another has come forth with a recognizable style to expand the scope of what constitutes Rock & Roll. I love rock music and grew up listening to it and recently, due to the departures of several of my favorite performers, I felt compelled to honor the fulfillment I’ve enjoyed listening to their music. I wanted to rediscover tracks that I’d been touched by decades ago, discover iconic songs I’d never heard, and update my catalog with young players making new contributions.

To crystallize that desire, I’ve compiled a playlist featuring rock guitarists.

This is definitely not meant to be a greatest hits list. Such treatments are of little value when tastes vary so much. Instead of “Purple Haze”, “Stairway to Heaven” and “Eruption”, I dug a little deeper: For Jimi Hendrix I chose “If 6 Was 9”, Jimmy Page is represented by “Since I’ve Been Loving You” and Eddie Van Halen by “I’m the One”.

I succeeded at both discovery and rediscovery, and unearthed tracks by Humble Pie, Brian Setzer, King Crimson and Bonnie Raitt which became instant favorites for me. Moreover, I was pleasantly reassured that the envelop is still being pushed by players like Jack White and Joe Bonamassa.

You’ll also note a heavy dose of blues among these tracks. I think that’s natural, as blues is the legacy that rock & roll is founded on and many rock musicians test each other’s chops by jamming blues. I like to think of the evolution of rock as Muddy Waters (b. 1914) begat Chuck Berry (b. 1926) begat Jimmy Page (b. 1944) begat Joe Satriani (b. 1956) begat Joe Bonamassa (b. 1977), thereby completing the circle. Each iteration builds on the last by expanding complexity, inventiveness and composition into new realms, and then somehow begets both Pat Metheny and Jack White.

For sure, this is an unsolvable endeavor. If you like rock music at all, you’ll disagree with many if not most of my selections, not to mention the number of times I’ve changed my own mind. It’s incomplete and it’s wrong, but I’m open, so let’s talk about it!

These are the tracks that, to me, exemplify the talent and variety of great rock guitarists.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

“Rude Mood”, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

Originally Released on Texas Flood, June 13, 1983

Listening to the technically advanced players, I can easily imagine the years of practice and performance that went into their playing. They start with a great talent, then work their asses off for years so they can step out on stage and blow our minds.

Stevie Ray Vaughan is not one of them. Promptly upon emerging from his mother’s womb, he grabbed a Stratocaster and played “Rude Mood”. He was a once-in-a-generation natural.