Which artists inspired you to play guitar ?

[Lola]

When I saw johnnie and Edgar Winter playing together at Maple leaf Gardens. OMG. But no one can ever replace EVH. They’ll never be another one like him in yours or mine life! I am so grateful that I got to see him twice! RIP EVH!

 

[davesultra]

Ace Frehley was the first guy that made me want to play. Alive II was on heavy rotation in my bedroom.

Exactly the same for me!

 

[Tony M.]

Nobody famous but a guitar hero to me.

I remember it like it happened yesterday.

(cut and paste from an old post)

A long long time ago, (freshman orientation for High School in fact).
All of us strangers packed into an auditorium.
Lights go down. Curtain opens a little bit and there's a guy
standing downstage center with a guitar on.

but...

It's an electric guitar (a Fender Jazzmaster as a matter of fact. I know that now).
Suddenly the room fills with a sound I have never heard before.
It takes my breath away and as I look up I see that the guy is having a ball up there.
I knew right then and there.
"I want to do to people what he just did to me and have the kind of fun he is having doing it".
The curtain opens all the way and the rest of the band comes in.
I am lost in a new world.

Many many years have gone by.

I am still having fun and still doing to others what he did to me.

Thank you Joe C.

I hope you're still with us and still out there having fun.

 

[HANGAR18]

Ted Nugent.
Gary Hoey.

That's just the first two that come to mind. I'm sure there are more.

 

[Zoot Allures]

Jimmy Page, Steve Howe, Frank Zappa, Terry Kath, Carlos Santana

 

[Max Headroom]

Jimmy Page, Steve Howe, Frank Zappa, Terry Kath, Carlos Santana

Love the forum name!

 

[László]

While we all have favorite icons, who was it that started you on this magnificent journey . For me it was on Electric.. Devadip and Garcia . I just couldn't be a drummer anymore after hearing their magic . Way back in 6th grade one of my classmates mother came in and played spanish/flamenco for the class .. I was blown away .. and she was a Latina beauty which didn't hurt my boyhood daydreams. Probably why I started off in that genre . imagine sitting in front of this godess.. my favorite player ever...

Fantastic!

 

[László]

I just wanted to attract girls, or at least get their attention.

I couldn't drag a piano to parties. So I learned guitar.

I never heard someone play the guitar that caused me to say, 'Ooo, I want to play that instrument'. It was a case of dire necessity!

 

[RobRiggs]

It was 1976. I was a snot-nosed 9 year old hanging out with my older cousins in the garage. Hendrix’ version of “All Along The Watchtower “ came on the radio. I’d never heard the song before. I was awestruck. I knew I had to play guitar after that. My parents and a lot of paper route money helped me buy my first guitar in 1980 and I never looked back.

 

[Maertl513]

I deem it was Slash with Guns'N'Roses.
Fun fact: Owning a Gibson LP was never an option (neither an original Strat nor Tele).
Another guitarist, who inspired and still inspires is Michael Hedges. My guitar teacher instroduced me to his album Taproot at that time. Later - thanks amazon - I was able to purchase his discographie.

 

[direwolf08]

I remember the very first time I knew I wanted to play guitar:
I was 10 years old and was at the mall with my Mom. We wandered into a musical instrument store called The Music Loft. There was a guy in there (I think store employee) that had picked up a red Strat and played the opening several bars to the unplugged version of Layla. I was hooked from then on.

Through the years, the players that have influenced me the most, in rough chronological order of when they had their influence:
Clapton
Hendrix
SRV
Page
Mike McCready
Dimebag
Adam Jones
David Gilmour
John Scofield
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
Trey Anastasio
Keller Williams
Jerry
George Harrison
…

 

[Steve's addiction]

Can't say any one individual made me want to play, it was music of the 60s that I just wanted to learn. Then I heard Sweet Leaf by Sabbath and when I heard Tony's riff, well.....

 

[walrus]

The Beatles (of course). But I also would say I was mesmerized and influenced by the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour TV show when I was a kid.

 

[rcsrich]

Alex Lifeson, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton...Alex is probably responsible for my first noticing PRS...

 

[d4rkst4r]

Davey Johnstone, quite some time ago is when I got the bug, but it would be years before I actually acted on it.

 

[Moondog Wily]

The Central Scrutinizer PREVENTED me from playing guitar, even though Zappa's work made me want to play guitar! How ironic, eh? In all seriousness, I could not pick one, but I have been a Zappa fan since I was 8 years old and he is still my musical God! But I worship many great players and plunk along with my cowboy chords having a great time ;~))

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Louie Shelton and Paul Kossoff

 

[TheCraftsman]

first ever acoustic at around 5 years old I got for Christmas with a Proclaimers album

 

[FatFingerBlues]

Chuck Berry
B.B. King
Buddy Holly

Chuck Berry the most
His driving guitar in Johnny B Goode set my soul on fire!

I have to add John Cafferty
from the Movie Eddie & The Cruisers: Eddie Lives
The solo "Garden of Eden" spoke to me
I've watched that stupid movie a hundred times

 

[aphantomvaper]

In order:

Tony Iommi
D. Boon
Jimi Hendrix
Jerry Garcia

Stepping stones of music appreciation in the formative 1980's