by Shawna Blake

Created on: February 10, 2008

Guitar heroes hardly exist in this generation, those that do are mere duplicates from a well preserved mold of previous musical geniuses. Stand and listen, as the guitar strums through your body, touches your soul, and transports you from time and place. The sound will send electrical jolts through your body as Jimi Hendrix blasts out with his very skilled fingers the most haunting rendition of America's 'Star Spangled Banner' ever to be caught on vinyl. Closing your eyes while listening may result in your imagining the slight flutter of the breeze flow through your hair as if you are back at Woodstock. It is certainly true the greatest guitar players vary upon opinion, but if not for some of these guys, we may never have heard of Slash (Saul Hudson, Guns and Roses).

~B.B. King is the King of Blues, and has been making the blues moody for us since the 1940's. He and his guitar Lucille (each guitar holds this name, incidentally) have been and influence on many of our heroes in genre, but not limited to the blues. He even has his own blues club on Beale street! still touring today, B.B. is one of the most well known blues men of our time.

~Muddy Waters, born in 1915 in Mississippi, he was perhaps the very first influential blues guitarists. He paved the way for such legend as BB King, and Buddy Guy, just to name a few. With hits like "Hoochie Coochie Man" and "Louisiana Blues", there is little wonder why McKinley Morganfield is a solid contender for one of the greatest players.

~Eric Clapton is a mix of bluesy rock and roll and soulful acoustics. Boasting his very own autobiography, his book is sure to be worth the read, because it will be covering his forty year career. A Rock and Roll Hall of famer over three times, Eric has headed several rock bands including 'Cream', and 'Derek and the Dominoes'. His most noted songs, "Layla", and "Tears in Heaven", rumored to be written after the accidental death of his son, Conor.

~Buddy Guy, Louisiana born in 1936, George 'Buddy' Guy is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and a hard core blues player. Influential to many aspiring artists, he was a favorite with Clapton, and been hailed by Eric as his muse, "He was for me what Elvis was probably like for other people. My course was set, and he was my pilot". Pretty powerful words from someone as idolized as he.

~Jimmy Page, was one of the founders of Led Zepplin. If that wasn't enough to ensure his place in rock history, he can also boast about being producer, composer and

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