What guitar player influenced you most?

Mike Delaney · Post by **Mike Delaney** » 8 Jun 2003 5:11 am

Howard Roberts was my greatest influence, but Jimmy Raney needs to be on the list as well, IMHO.

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 8 Jun 2003 6:35 am

Crowbear, I hang my head in shame...
...How the hell did I forget Django?
-andy-

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 8 Jun 2003 6:36 am

Crowbear, I hang my head in shame...
...How the hell did I forget Django?
-andy-
(Ooops, dbl post, sorry...)[This message was edited by Andy Zynda on 08 June 2003 at 07:37 AM.]

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 8 Jun 2003 9:54 am

Well I have been influenced by a lot of guitar players since I played 6-string for 20+ years, but my "Number One" always was and always will be the incomparable John Cipollina with his truly unique style. Micky Jones of the Welsh band Man comes to a close second. One of the greatest and most underrated natural guitar players. Rory Gallagher is also a big favorite of mine, so are Jorma Kaukonen and Harvey Mandel. (Just the guys that I used to steal the most licks from...)

Regards, Joe H.

Keith DeLong · Post by **Keith DeLong** » 8 Jun 2003 11:56 am

Early years (50's): Chet Atkins, Lenny Breau(heard him when he and I were 12), James Burton, Scotty Moore, Carl Perkins.
The 60's: Don Rich, Duane Allman, Johnny Winter.
Later years: James Burton, Greg Galbraith,Brent Mason,Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs,Steve Wariner. I know I'm forgetting somebody but what can you do.

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 8 Jun 2003 5:37 pm

James Burton
Albert Lee
Roy Nichols
Don Rich
Reggie Young
Ray Flacke
Marty Stuart
Larry Carlton
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
Robben Ford!
Jerry Reed
Johnny Hiland
Brent Mason
George Benson
Joe Pass
Eric Johnson
Eric Clapton
Wes Montgomery
Grant Green
Scotty Anderson

Many Many more.....

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Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8 & 9 - Troy Cook Jr Band ~ Stardust Nashville Recording Artist

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 8 Jun 2003 9:23 pm

Gregg Galbreath
Jimmy Capps
Bobby Saxton

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 8 Jun 2003 10:23 pm

To just name one for Steel Guitar would be hard, however; the very first and still most impressive to me today is Jerry Byrd. I'll just leave it there!

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‘Til L8R, “Uh~” ƒƒ< “Big John” wknsg® http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 9 Jun 2003 1:17 am

Just to many to name in too many genres.
Though many strong influneces have been listed above.
The perils of being a studio rat all your life.. to many influences. Did anyone say Al Demiola, Larry Coryell, Charlie Christian, Jerry Douglas, Tut Taylor, Tony Rice, Sol Hoopii, Don Helms?[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 09 June 2003 at 02:19 AM.]

Glenn Pezzillo · Post by **Glenn Pezzillo** » 9 Jun 2003 10:09 am

George Barnes. And also a local Philly guy named Steve Giordano.

Bill Fulbright · Post by **Bill Fulbright** » 9 Jun 2003 12:13 pm

Pedal Steel:
Doug Jernigan ('70, '71 jazz!)
Buddy Charleton (60's w/ET) (Now)
Buddy Emmons ('85-4'85)(Now)
Ralph Mooney
Jeff Newman (Now)
Junior Knight (mid 80's at the Longhorn)
Rusty Young (70's)
Porter Waggoner's steel players in 50's & 60's on TV

Blues:
Robert Johnson
Jimmy Reed
Freddie King
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Mike Bloomfield
Mike Pinera
Robben Ford
Billy Gibbons

Jazz:
Lenny Breau
George Barnes
Herb Ellis
Kenny Burrell
Joe Pass
George Benson
George Van Eps
Ted Greene
Django Reinhardt
Chet Atkins
Bucky Pizzarelli

Rock:
Jimi Hendrix
Jeff Beck
Steve Howe
Carlos Santana

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Bill Fulbright
Mullen D-10 8x7; Gibson ES-165; Peavey Vegas 400;
ICQ# 2251620 My Music Site

Russ Young · Post by **Russ Young** » 9 Jun 2003 12:30 pm

Great list! But I've got to add one name I haven't seen yet: Dick Dale ...

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 9 Jun 2003 4:57 pm

...that reminds me, where's Jim Cohen..I believe one of his would be Rusty Young (mine too)...

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 9 Jun 2003 9:25 pm

My guitar favorites: (in no particular order...)

Roy Nichols
Danny Gatton
Brent Mason
Don Rich
Phil Baugh
Thumbs Carlisle
Gregg Galbraith
Leon Rhodes
Albert Lee
Ray Flacke
Jerry Reed
Chet Atkins
Pat Martino
Scotty Anderson
Les Paul
Spider Wilson
Jimmy Capps
Reggie Young
Redd Volkert
Joe Pass
Tal Farlow
(and even a little bit of Duane Eddy, too!)

I'm sure there's more...

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 10 Jun 2003 11:19 am

I'd have to say that myself and a whole generation of LA area guitar players were influenced by the great AL BRUNO. Man what a wonderful player!! Al played all over the LA area for many years at places like the Aces Club, Imperial Inn, Palomino, and a lot more, plus was the session hoss of the area too. Next time you see JayDee, ask him about Al. They were great buds and did a lot of stuff together. I was first influenced by Merle Travis, Jimmy Bryant, Joe Maphis, and a couple of other west coast guys but when I met Al and got to know him he turned my playing around to a more commercial style and gave me some good licks. I'd say that I supported my family by playing around 22 to 23 years full time in the LA area doing licks I'd stolen off Al. One of the all time underated guitarists who should have been up there with the best of them. I remember when Rusty Draper had that national TV show called "Swingin' Country" in the 60's. Roy Clark was a regular. Al was the staff guitarist. On one show, they did an instrumental of "Sugarfoot Rag". Al blew ol' Roy right off the bandstand. He should really have been better known. THose of you who haven't heard Al play have really missed something........Have a good 'un...JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Jim Ives · Post by **Jim Ives** » 10 Jun 2003 11:32 am

Jerry Garcia (guitar and steel)
Vince Gill (for his ability to play ONLY the essentials)
BB King

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Sho-Bud Pro II D-10
Mullen D-10
Digitech DSP256 XL
Fender Stratocaster
Peavey and Evans

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 10 Jun 2003 2:01 pm

shoot i fergot Wes Montgomery

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 10 Jun 2003 3:11 pm

George Harrison.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 10 Jun 2003 6:48 pm

I grew up musically in the DC area where the Telecaster is king, and the 600lb gorillas were Roy Buchanan and DANNY GATTON. Both had a profound influence on everyone who played any kind of roots music- rock,swing, r&b , country... Danny could play all of the above in a single measure and it would be 'right'... I learned a lot about the maleabilty and recombinant DNA of music from Danny. Even got to pick with him once in an amazing "gig in a park" ... Danny Gatton- "The Humbler"... I miss him.

another DC Favorite of mine is Gantt Kushner who grew up in the same melieu and absorbed a bunch of the same influences.[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 11 June 2003 at 05:32 AM.]

Mike Delaney · Post by **Mike Delaney** » 10 Jun 2003 7:35 pm

Jerry-good point about Al Bruno. He and I shared an apartment together in LA in the early 80's. We first met at GIT. Not only a superb player, but one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.

He plays that Gibson 355 with palm pedals, and can emulate a steel really well with them. What a monster player!

We spoke on the phone at Christmas time, and had many a good laugh. One of the best was that he had just had hernia surgery, and I spent about two weeks going to all of his gigs with him because he couldn't carry his stuff, so I was his roadie. Ended up with a really good steady gig out of it, as they showed up trying to hire Al, he wasn't available and I ended up with the job.

Once again, what a monster player, and the nicest guy I ever met.

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 11 Jun 2003 4:27 am

Dave, you are a VERY lucky man. Danny Gatton was God on a tele.
To have met him would have been great, but to have played with him, well, my heart would have probably stopped.
Never net him and I miss him like hell.
-andy-

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 11 Jun 2003 8:34 am

I noticed a few people cited George Harrison as an influence. George was amazing. I have improvised "licks" and solos to country and rock songs for 35 years now. Most of the time I can come up with something that works well or is acceptable at the least. When it comes to Beatles material you can't fake it. You pretty much have to do it like the record for two reasons.
1. The songs are so well known and the guitar hooks so recognizable that doing it any other way would sound rediculous.
2. I can't come up with anything that improves on the original or even comes close to being as good.
Take a song like Hard Days Night and ask yourself what you would have played when John and Paul says "OK the middle eight is yours - go for it"!

George Harrison is probably not the greatest technician - just a genius, especially in simplicity and effectiveness of guitar playing. Just the exact amount of notes, exact choice of notes, in exactly the right places.

George Harrison probably influenced many of us more than we know.

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Terry Edwards
Fessy D-10; Nash 1000
Martin D-21; Flatiron F-5

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 11 Jun 2003 10:36 am

Wes Montogomery
Gabor Szabo
Bola Sete
Django Reinhardt
Charlie Christian
Joao Gilberto
Amos Garrett
Nic Jones
George Barnes
Danny Gatton
James Burton

Pete Mitchell · Post by **Pete Mitchell** » 19 Jun 2003 9:12 pm

Hey Jerry and Mike, is Al Bruno online, or do you know? He is indeed a dandy, and I'm sure that Al would agree with me that there is a fellow in Toronto whose name is Mickey McGivern who played a whole lot of guitar and influenced a lot of players. Let us also not forget Ed Bickert or Sonny Grenidge. There was also a young, hungry player, Robbie Robertson, who did pretty well for himself.

Dave A. Burley · Post by **Dave A. Burley** » 19 Jun 2003 11:34 pm

Going many years back when I was just starting to play guitar, Frank Rogers father, Frank Sr., was a big influence on my guitar playing.
Later on when I started to produce some things on my own, I believe Jimmy Bryant was the biggest un-influence on me, if there is such a word. When I worked with Jimmy, I started to realize that I wasn't a guitar player at all. He was a winner. Frank Rogers Jr. worked several of our shows and I think that he has already posted about the great Jimmy Bryant.
Others.....The great Ventures, Don Rich, Duane Eddy with his distinctive style, Leon Rhodes, Billy Byrd and then into jazz....Howard Roberts, Tal Farlow, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, Johnny Smith and the list goes on and on and on and on.
Dave Burley