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guitarist of one of the most celebrated Rock bands in history. Anyone that has ever jammed to "Kashmir", knows him to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

~Stevie Ray Vaughan, though ranked as number seven on the Rolling Stone Magazine's top 100, Stevie Ray's talent is only overshadowed by his untimely death (Helicopter crash) in the early 1990's. His mix of music was said to have "bridged the gap between Rock, and Blues".

~Carlos Santana. What other guitarist has a band that is named after him? That homage, as well as the line of solo artists that align themselves up to perform vocals for him might be enough of a reason that he graces this list. His sound, fusing rock, jazz, blues, soul, Latin idioms, as it is described, has been lingering through the last four decades, and still going full throttle.

~Joe Walsh is the best known guitarist for the 'Eagles', and is better known for his (ahem) alcoholic endeavors both on and off of the stage. Not only is he a guitar genius, he has even tried those accomplished hands at a solo singing career.

The greatest guitarists are expert at their craft for many reasons. Tommy Iommi (Black Sabbath) lost two tips of his fingers in a metal shop machine, and pursued with prosthetics. Brian May (Queen) made a guitar, and still plays it today! Randy Rhoads (whom Ozzy Osbourne claims was his best sidekick, even to this day) would have surpassed many of the rest, had he not died at the tender age of twenty-five. Carl Perkins educated Elvis Presley, and Ike Turner schooled our Rock Queen Tina while Jimi Hendrix could blow the roof off of any stadium, if he were still alive today.

'Pink Floyd' boasted the incredible David Gilmore, 'The Who' gave us Pete Townshend. These, you see are the artists that influenced the few guitarists that we actually enjoy today. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), Angus Young (AC-DC), Lenny Kravitz, and Jack White (The White Stripes) have all been predisposed to the wonders of pulsating rhythms from the past.

Of course, what would this article be if it omitted the inventor of the famed electric guitar, Les Paul, who is also one of the world's most prominent guitarists. Jimi Hendrix needs no explanation, or defense on why he is one of the greats. The scorching licks, and the electricity that races through our veins, causing us to tap our feet, and move our hips in time with the music are reasons that these are some of the greatest guitar players of all time.

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