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Guitar Greats
by Univideit Gauitin
http://www.guitarsuniverse.com
No two guitar aficionados will be able to agree on the list
of guitar greats, but like so many lists, it can be fun to
try to make. What each considers greatness will vary too -
is it technical ability or some hard-to-define quality like
'soul'?
The blues guitarist Robert Johnson features on many lists.
He has the added attraction of a shadowy legend all his own.
The story goes that he was a pretty average, even bad
guitarist, but in just one year he became phenomenal...
Where had this new talent come from? Nobody wanted to
believe it was just practice and hard work, so the tale
started that Johnson had made a pact with the Devil.
Rumors abound about how he made the deal with the Devil in
the Deep South. Johnson did not do much to dispel this
notion. Instead his songs like Crossroad Blues and Me And
The Devil Blues further stoked suspicion. The legend
strengthened even further by his death in 1938 at the age
of 27. Nothing is known about the cause of death, whether
it was poisoning, stabbing or the Devil claiming his soul.
It is a coincidence that the other great guitarist after
Johnson also had an early death. This great was Jimi
Hendrix, considered by many as the greatest guitarist to
ever grace the Earth and the man who revolutionized the art
of playing guitar. However, he was popular for his other
activities also,which included playing solos behind his back
or with histeeth and famously setting his guitar on fire.
It is believed that he was oblivious of the fact that what a
great musician he was.
Hendrix played in blues, rock and jazz, playing his most
famous live concerts with only a bassist and drummer for
support - he made all that sound! He was from the beginning
an innovator, and as a beginner decided not to learn to play
the conventional way but, since he was naturally left
handed, he re strung his guitar upside down. You can see on
some pictures that the pick guard is the wrong way up on his
Fender Strat!
There are many stories about Hendrix. He acquired fame for
covering other bands songs in his concert. Sometimes he
performed his cover of a track live before the others were
able to do so. His rendering of Beatles 'Sergeant Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band' being a case in point. He was
illiterate in musical notations, but would play any music
after listening to it just once. He was even approved of by
Miles Davis, music's hardest man to please.
The guitar players are not just limited to rock or blue.
Guitar is such a versatile musical instrument that it is
played in all sorts of concerts and shows. Therefore, there
are innumerable guitar greats worldwide. The other great
and popular guitar players are Django Rheinhardt (jazz)
John Williams (classic), Paco de Lucia (flamenco). They
have been immortalized by their inimitable style and
mind-blowing music.
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