There are many , but Terry Kath of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, was one hell of a guitarist . They made a lot o syrupy songs, but they could rock and he was kick ass . If I knew how to post one, I’d put up a clip of “ I’m a Man “ great stuff and super tight group
Actually, pretty much all of those guitar nerds who very occasionally make a recording for Candyrat are underrated,.....because they never much go outside.
Since they were kids they've just sat crosslegged on their beds and picked guitars.
One of them,.Don Ross,.. eventually started going outside and playing his guitar for people to hear.
Beat me to it. It’s ironic that this thread came up when it did. I’m leaving in the morning after 10 days in Madeira Beach Fla. tonight we were in a local bamboo hut type bar and they had some older guy (my age) playing a bunch of old school rock and he went into a dire straight song. He nailed it. Anyway I’ve always loved their music, cheers.
Bristoe; Good evening to you sir, I trust the day treated you acceptably and this finds you well.
While I'm not sure it's my personal style or not - this chap at Candyrat is playing a guitar built up the valley by my nephew Jed.
I want to say the chap playing is a lawyer from the south somewhere, but I might be incorrect there.
All the best to you as we head into warmer weather Bristoe.
Dwayne
That's very interesting, BC30cal. Your nephew must be a very accomplished guitar builder if one of the Candyrat guitarists select his products to play.
I'm sure there's a lot of them. I'd have to cast a vote for Danny Groah - Alan Jackson's touring guitarist. Guy has monster chops - anyone who can play the stuff Brent Mason (Nashville studio guitarist - does the album work for Alan Jackson, among others) comes up with is top notch, in my books.
Bristoe; Thanks kindly for the reply sir, yes the nephew's guitars were very highly thought by a few folks who knew good instruments.
He isn't currently making them anymore, might go back to it someday I suppose, but is currently gone back to farming and picking wild mushrooms to take up his time.
The knack he seemed to have was picking the right wood to get fantastic tone in the guitars he built.
Anyway back to the topic at hand, if anyone hasn't heard Doyle Dykes play yet, a few of his videos on youtube would be time well spent - in my view anyways.
Thanks again Bristoe and all the best to you folks this weekend.
Bristoe; Thanks kindly for the reply sir, yes the nephew's guitars were very highly thought by a few folks who knew good instruments.
He isn't currently making them anymore, might go back to it someday I suppose, but is currently gone back to farming and picking wild mushrooms to take up his time.
The knack he seemed to have was picking the right wood to get fantastic tone in the guitars he built.
Anyway back to the topic at hand, if anyone hasn't heard Doyle Dykes play yet, a few of his videos on youtube would be time well spent - in my view anyways.
Thanks again Bristoe and all the best to you folks this weekend.
Dwayne
Dwayne. I usually like threads like this.. made it this far down thinking, meh... not really anything for me... hmmm sound like Sam... eh? Thanks for this post. I enjoyed and maybe when I have more time I can google more of Doyle.
There are many , but Terry Kath of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, was one hell of a guitarist . They made a lot o syrupy songs, but they could rock and he was kick ass . If I knew how to post one, I’d put up a clip of “ I’m a Man “ great stuff and super tight group
The first 7 Chicago albums were loaded with amazing guitar music from Terry Kath. He was an amazing songwriter and performer. He didn't have the formal music training that the horns and keyboard guys but he wrote "introduction", the first song on their first album. He had the other guys write the music so they could record it. It was also a one take recording for the album. Chicago as a band was highly underrated but they lost me after Terry Kath died. The music lost it's soul.
Of course SRV was one of my favorite guitarists, but like Jimi, would never fall into the “underrated” category.
I saw someone mention Frucianti (one of my favs), so I’ll throw out the late, great, Jeff Healy. His style was unorthodox, but man, could he tear [bleep] up!
Kingfish aka Christine Ingram. 20ish kid from Mississippi. He started playing guitar around 11. Check out some of his YouTube videos. Keep in mind the date of the videos. In many of them, he had only been playing for 5 or 6 years. He’ll end up as one of the greatest of all time...if he gets his weight under control and doesn’t croak as a young man.
There are many , but Terry Kath of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, was one hell of a guitarist . They made a lot o syrupy songs, but they could rock and he was kick ass . If I knew how to post one, I’d put up a clip of “ I’m a Man “ great stuff and super tight group
The first 7 Chicago albums were loaded with amazing guitar music from Terry Kath. He was an amazing songwriter and performer. He didn't have the formal music training that the horns and keyboard guys but he wrote "introduction", the first song on their first album. He had the other guys write the music so they could record it. It was also a one take recording for the album. Chicago as a band was highly underrated but they lost me after Terry Kath died. The music lost it's soul.
Exactly. Never the same after that . I wish I had taken up playing when I was young, but I have a real appreciation of all kinds of picking. My dad usually played us a few tunes on his 6 string at bed time, I can still hear him play froggy went a courtin’ Or wildwood flower , my older brothers both played and my oldest son plays well. Singed him up for lessons at 13 as soon as he expressed an interest. I found out what girls were for at an early age and that took up too much time to learn it . My brothers were 6 and 7 years older than me and they usually stacked the old console record player with Zepplen albums and that’s how I went to sleep from 10 years old on.
There are many , but Terry Kath of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, was one hell of a guitarist . They made a lot o syrupy songs, but they could rock and he was kick ass . If I knew how to post one, I’d put up a clip of “ I’m a Man “ great stuff and super tight group
The first 7 Chicago albums were loaded with amazing guitar music from Terry Kath. He was an amazing songwriter and performer. He didn't have the formal music training that the horns and keyboard guys but he wrote "introduction", the first song on their first album. He had the other guys write the music so they could record it. It was also a one take recording for the album. Chicago as a band was highly underrated but they lost me after Terry Kath died. The music lost it's soul.
Exactly. Never the same after that . I wish I had taken up playing when I was young, but I have a real appreciation of all kinds of picking. My dad usually played us a few tunes on his 6 string at bed time, I can still hear him play froggy went a courtin’ Or wildwood flower , my older brothers both played and my oldest son plays well. Singed him up for lessons at 13 as soon as he expressed an interest. I found out what girls were for at an early age and that took up too much time to learn it . My brothers were 6 and 7 years older than me and they usually stacked the old console record player with Zepplen albums and that’s how I went to sleep from 10 years old on.
My FIL loved to pick and sing. He was all ear taught but could mimic Chet Akins. He loved tp play and sing old tunes like "Poor Boy" and "Poor Little Robin" and "Family Man" It was really sad when the Parkinsons started taking his playing away. If your son stayed with the guitar he would have pulled the girls he wouldn't have had to work very hard with the girls.
the most under-rated guitarist to me is ZZ Top`s Billy Gibb`s ,he should be rated much higher ,he even played with Hendrix. the greatest 3 person band there ever has or is been !
Terry Kath was the first name came to my mind. There are so many good/great pickers out there, past and present, it's really tough to even think about a "best". "Underrated" is an appropriate moniker for most.
A lot of the folks mentioned would be anything but underrated by this guitar music fan.
Now, Donald Kinsey might fit that description. If you'd not like to listen to the whole song, his licks really start about the 2:08 mark, and again at 4:44 or so.
With Bob and the Wailers, his solo starts about 2:30 in:
What surprises me are all the young high school age kids that can play as good or better than the average leads on groups that had hits when I was a kid. The internet and you tube took a lot of the learning curve out. My son used to sit for hours and play along with a video series that Warren Haynes put out. Haynes is no slouch either
the most under-rated guitarist to me is ZZ Top`s Billy Gibb`s ,he should be rated much higher ,he even played with Hendrix. the greatest 3 person band there ever has or is been !
Yep. That “little ole band from Texas”
Not many three piece bands around that can put out that kind of sound.
They make The Rolling Stones look like rank fuggin amateurs IMO.
Prince. .... Didn't like his music or his look and was surprised once when I saw him play a guitar solo. He was a pretty good guitar player. Hard to beat Knopfler for pure guitar playing.
What surprises me are all the young high school age kids that can play as good or better than the average leads on groups that had hits when I was a kid. The internet and you tube took a lot of the learning curve out. My son used to sit for hours and play along with a video series that Warren Haynes put out. Haynes is no slouch either
I don't think that it's easier to learn so much as you simply get to see them now whereas before they were only heard of locally.
"I'm pretty good man, but this Cat blows me away." - Jimi Hendrix
Played as good or better than Hendrix and a voice like the white Ray Charles. Damn shame.
Terry, you gotta clear the chamber after dropping the mag brother. RIP
This /\
Been a fun thread with a lot that has slipped my mind. Thanks for all the contributions . Now that my kids are all out of the nest I can sit and rock out with my half decent tune system in the man cave. I can do it for hours.
A lot of these players are already well known.. This guy is on the come up, and is for real Gary Clark Jr. This is a cool video, but look him up on youtube if you really want to see how skilled he is..
how about Dickey Betts from the Alman Brothers Band. Heard them live several times and he played the happiest sounding guitar ever. Especially on Blue Skys.
Orianthi not only looks better than any of the fellows mentioned, she can outplay most of them. Danny Gatton played in a whole different universe. He was as good as you will ever hear.
I am sure most of you have heard the story about the fellow who asked Eric Clapton how it felt to be the best guitarist in the world, and how Clapton sourly replied "Why don't you ask Prince?"
I have only seen Prince on video with that crowd including Harrison's son performing George's "How My Guitar Gently Weeps," but he pretty much crushed everyone else there.
I've seen Clapton live a couple of times in Japan, and he is no slouch, but the best work I've seen live has been Brad Paisley in Albuquerque a couple of years ago.
Underrated? No, but highly deserving of mention. Simply awesome.
I posted a new one above. Out of all the old guitar players Lindsey Buckingham, Roy Clark, even Glen Campbell are known as great players, but I still think they are underrated. They are not mentioned in the same breath as a Clapton, or Hendricks, Paige etc., but I would bet money they could hang with the very very best. I wont go to Wikipedia, but I think Glen Campbell has been on more Top 10 records than any other musician in history, as a session player, and his own career. Not simply good, but GREAT players
If you want to see great guitar playing get Claptons Crossroads DVDs. There's four of them, the first being in the early 2000s, then 2007, 2010, and 2013. I like 2013 the best, but they as all superb.
According to Clapton..........The greatest guitarist ever was Prince. Due to the lack of his mention on this tread he was definitely underrated. YouTube his ass.
According to Clapton..........The greatest guitarist ever was Prince. Due to the lack of his mention on this tread he was definitely underrated. YouTube his ass.
According to Clapton..........The greatest guitarist ever was Prince. Due to the lack of his mention on this tread he was definitely underrated. YouTube his ass.
According to Clapton..........The greatest guitarist ever was Prince. Due to the lack of his mention on this tread he was definitely underrated. YouTube his ass.
Yep. This proves it.
Prince was one of the biggest "sleepers" of all time on the guitar, but that performance has much more to do with the backing band, the energy in the room and Prince's abilities as a showman. He flat SOLD that schit!!! One of the greatest performances on youtube but FAR from the best guitar solos.
I'm a huge Prince fan, but there is absolutely nothing special about that solo. His performance was amazing though.
Writing listenable songs AND playing skilled, energetic, emotional guitar really is a rare gift. There are quite a few that can play the notes, very few that can do that and write that music too
I've heard a lot of great guitarists and performed with some, but i's not possible to cite the "underrated" unless one sees the rating list for openers.
Writing listenable songs AND playing skilled, energetic, emotional guitar really is a rare gift. There are quite a few that can play the notes, very few that can do that and write that music too
Yeah,...that's why Don Ross is so impressive. He composes everything he plays and it's *complex* stuff. I can't imagine being able to keep all of that music in my head. And then you consider the technical ability that he has to have to play it.
I don't believe that he's consciously thinking about what he's doing when he plays his guitar. He just picks it up and turns his fingers loose on it.
Joe Holmes, the most underrated guitarist Ozzy ever had. He was an actual student of Randy Rhoads and therefore the closest in style to Randy of any of the guitarists that came after Randy. Unfortunately, he never recorded with Oz but I saw them live in '96 and he was phenomenal. Ozzy has said that when Joe played with him, he felt like Randy was right there with him again.
According to Clapton..........The greatest guitarist ever was Prince. Due to the lack of his mention on this tread he was definitely underrated. YouTube his ass.
Yep. This proves it.
Watch Dhani Harrison, who smirks as he knows what's coming!
Never had a hit, plays a mean guitar and knows who his audience is.
He can play it up to his audience, make a bunch of money and have a long career.
Even has a "Greatest Hits" album.
Never been played on the radio or had a "Hit".
Kinda funny really, when you realize what exactly he is selling.
I don't have an extensive collection of Shawn Lane's work, but I do have a bit of Jonas Hellborg's stuff including "Time is the Enemy." These live recordings show Lane's virtuosity and ability to control his guitar. Some really flaming licks on that recording. It gives me the feeling the guy could play whatever he could imagine, and it's flat out amazing to ponder an imagination like he had.
"Underrated" is kind of a squishy term, really...take a guy like Allan Holdsworth. He was not underrated by other serious guitarists---they recognized him for what he was, which was one of the very greatest who ever played the instrument (IMO, THE very best). Ask the typical rocker, though, and about 97% have never even heard of him. Most won't listen to anything that doesn't follow the 1-4-5 format anyway. I'd say Holdsworth qualifies as underrated, and certainly by the public at large.
Of course SRV was one of my favorite guitarists, but like Jimi, would never fall into the “underrated” category.
I saw someone mention Frucianti (one of my favs), so I’ll throw out the late, great, Jeff Healy. His style was unorthodox, but man, could he tear [bleep] up!
Absolutely. Never got the full credit he deserved. I saw him a few times in concert. Once at an outdoor venue in Brooklyn somewhere, and his better performance at the Fillmore East. Both times with Ten Years After. IMHO one of the better Gibson guitarists I have ever heard.
As a rock drummer who played in a few groups from the old Woodstock era, I can only say RIP Alvin.
I like him. He had a bit part in Billy Bob Thornton’s Movie, “ Slingblade”
He was one of the band members in Dwight Yoakum’s terrible band in that movie. He really had to work at it to play as bad as he did in the movie. 😬. He’s actually very good, as is Dwight Yoakum. 🤠
He also use to do one of those “Don’t Mess With Texas” commercials.
Absolutely. Never got the full credit he deserved. I saw him a few times in concert. Once at an outdoor venue in Brooklyn somewhere, and his better performance at the Fillmore East. Both times with Ten Years After. IMHO one of the better Gibson guitarists I have ever heard.
As a rock drummer who played in a few groups from the old Woodstock era, I can only say RIP Alvin.
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