Top Ten Best Female Guitarists

The Top Ten
1 Sister Rosetta Tharpe
2 Joan Jett Joan Marie Larkin known professionally by her stage name Joan Jett, is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and occasional actress, best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, preceded by success with The Runaways, including their hit song "Cherry Bomb".

The rowdiest, raunchiest (in a good way) rawest rock guitar player in the studio and on stage. Her chops and chord approach were probably what helped the big boys in thrash metal gain some confidence in their early playing. All attitude and loud guitar - that's Joan Jett!

Two words... Pure EPICNESS
Joan jett is a major influence on young woman in the music business

She's also one of the top punk guitarists.

3 Maybelle Carter
4 Nancy Wilson Nancy Lamoureaux Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and composer. She rose to fame alongside her older sister, singer Ann Wilson, as a guitarist and backing vocalist in the rock band Heart, which she joined in 1974.

When Nancy Wilson picks up her guitar... You know you're going to be blown away by her dynamic aggressive acoustic playing or her raunchy rock rhythms on the electric or her amazing picking styles. She's a dynamic persona on stage the ultimate guitar queen. Her song writing and magical voice make her a complete artist. She's been rocking and creating music for a good 40 years. If Nancy Wilson had been male she would have made "God" status by now. Respect to guitar goddess Nancy Wilson

The beauty plays like a beast - not limited to one presentation, she personifies electricity as she moves like a wild cheer leader. Yet she does nothing but homage to the guitar, electric or acoustical. Thank you for all you've done for music. Love you kid!

5 Orianthi

Only 4% votes? She's literally the only singer on this list that plays her guitar in every one of her songs and videos. Plus, she was actually going to be Michael Jackson's guitarist for his This Is It tour and she's currently Alice Cooper's guitarist!

She is my most favourite Queen of Guitarist. Hope I can bring her to KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia... For a concert... To honour her amazing skills... She is awesome with lots of experience and confidence when on stage. She really rocks...

If you listen just once you have to put up at the top or close to it! I don't know how she is left off any top 10 list?

6 Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter, musician, and activist. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of roots-influenced albums that incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country.

The one and only woman on slide blues guitar is Bonnie Raitt. She's got the sound that many women try to capture and emulate. Many of blues men have hailed her as one of the finest voices and guitar players out there. She always gives us something to talk about.

One of the best guitarists, period.

7 Lita Ford Lita Rossana Ford is an English-born American rock guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways in the late 1970s, an all-female rock band formed by Joan Jett and Sandy West. In the 1980s Lita Ford embarked on a solo career.

Hi there Lita, I love three things about you 1) Your great microphone skills 2) Your singing especially Close My Eyes Forever and 3) Your great guitar skills and it only goes to show you're a Rockin' Darling, I Love You.
Its Joeysworld

Listen to "Close My Eyes Forever" and get back to me. P.S. I don't think Swift qualifies.

8 Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell, professionally known as Joni Mitchell, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Drawing from folk, pop, rock, and jazz, Mitchell's songs often reflect social and environmental ideals as well as her feelings about romance, confusion, disillusionment, and joy.

Something is really wrong with y'all if you let Joni Mitchell lose against Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift.

Joni's tuning and technique of playing was ground breaking.

9 Elizabeth Cotten
10 Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American-British musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alongside drummer Martin Chambers. She is the only continuous... read more

Probably one of the biggest influences for any female guitarist starting out in the 80's- 90's. She is raw, real and what you see is what you get. On stage her guitar is as much a part of her as is the lyrics she sings. The Pretenders paved a wider freeway for women to travel.

And an excellent, engaging vocalist and performer.

The Contenders
11 Memphis Minnie
12 Emily Remler
13 Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian–French singer-songwriter and actress. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more than $2 million.
14 Liona Boyd
15 St. Vincent Anne Erin "Annie" Clark, better known by her stage name St. Vincent, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
16 Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist whose contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest or social justice.
17 Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Swift is best known for writing personal songs and has won 13 Grammy Awards... read more
18 Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist. Her self-titled debut album Melissa Etheridge was released in 1988 and became an underground success.

She came onto the scene and quickly was heard all over the radio. Another woman who can take the guitar to another level. Who else have you heard or seen make the guitar practically scream aggression. Then Melissa can take you to a slow 2 miles per hour when she picks her strings from her heart.
Sometimes I think she is the equivalent to the 12 string as Charlie Daniels is to the fiddle. Yet another woman on the list who not only plays guitar- she sings as well.

19 Peggy Jones
20 Kaki King
21 Nita Strauss

She really rocks. Control chaos look forward to new stuff. Hope to see her again soon solo uk tour or with Alice Cooper

This girl can really shred! Should be in the top ten.

22 Shania Twain Shania Twain is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and among the best-selling music artists of all time.
23 Jennifer Batten

Astonishing technique! See "Flight of the bumble bee".

The angel and the legend of all time on earth she should b number one she is the creator of bumble bee... Godess of rock of all time queen of rock vote for Jennifer...

24 Poison Ivy - The Cramps

One of the most underrated guitarist ever! And not just because she's a female. Great guitarist period!

Should be top ten. Also the sexiest guitarist ever.

25 Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian, known primarily for her work in country music.
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