Top 10 Best Acoustic Guitarists
José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945), better known simply as José Feliciano, is a Puerto Rican virtuoso guitarist, singer, and composer. José Feliciano was the first to add nylon string guitar with a personal and incredible blending of classical and flamenco fingerstyle in pop rock music!
His importance in the acoustic guitar and music world was not less than Hendrix in electric hard rock. He was an influence for all. Tommy Emmanuel says José Feliciano was one of his idols. And Tommy is NOT better than José because José can play all: classical, blues, jazz, flamenco, rock, and hard rock!
José is the most versatile guitarist ever! There is nothing he cannot play! He moves me like no other. He can make one guitar sound like an orchestra. Self-taught, passionate, and always entertaining. His voice is also wonderful.
If you only knew José for The Doors' cover of Light My Fire, then think again!
William Thomas "Tommy" Emmanuel is an Australian guitarist, songwriter, and singer, best known for his complex fingerstyle technique, energetic performances, and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. Met Tommy in Victoria at one of his concerts. He is a virtuoso with technique unlike any other. Live is the only way to fully appreciate his showmanship, energy, passion, and musical magic. His live sound is simply unbelievable and intoxicating.
The best part is his kind-hearted, beautiful soul that permeates his performance and presence. In my view, the best player in the world and an even better person. Gotta love the man! He represents the very best in humanity.
Tommy's early work was both electric (mainly using a Telecaster) and acoustic. While I completely agree that Tommy is by far the most advanced acoustic guitarist of all time, I do wish he'd pick up his Telecaster from time to time.
On an electric, he sounds like a blend of Robben Ford, Brad Paisley, and (during his higher gain solos) Jimmy Page. If anyone was ever truly bonded to the guitar, Tommy Emmanuel is the man.
Eric Patrick Clapton is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream. He has also been a member of Derek and the Dominos. Ok, I know he is known for his electric stuff, but everyone knows his "Unplugged" album. Listen and watch. He is also one of the best acoustic guitarists of all time. Any guitar list without him is bogus. Come on, folks, at least top ten. There are Grammys for a reason!
His Unplugged album proves exactly why he is the most versatile guitarist to ever exist. From a Gibson to a Fender to Martin acoustic guitars, playing blues, rock, reggae, and countless other genres, Clapton is a god at them all!
He's a better electric guitar player than acoustic, but that doesn't mean he's not talented at acoustic.
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling artists of all time, and he has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Probably one of the most influential acoustic artists of all time.
James Roger McGuinn known professionally as Roger McGuinn and previously as Jim McGuinn, is an American musician.
I had the joy of working as his sound engineer for a short tour many, many years ago. He is not only the most innovative and improvisational acoustic guitarist I have ever worked with (and I do have a few to my credit), but he is also the nicest man you would ever want to meet.
I had played guitar at the time for about 10 years. He asked me one time, "Do you play guitar?" After watching him play every night, what could I say? "No, Phil, not at all!"
Phil now has 75 albums. My brother has every one. Two other fantastic guitarists are classical master Christopher Parkening and (of course) John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Vastly different, but both world-class musicians.
Phil Keaggy, in my opinion, could keep up with - not better than, not even as good as - but could keep up with both Parkening and Petrucci. That's how good and versatile he is.
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. was a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s.
He is the acoustic counterpoint to Hendrix's lead on the original recording of "All Along the Watchtower." Simply brilliant. Mason has said in interviews that Hendrix was incredibly demanding of perfection during the recording sessions.
Francisco Gustavo Sánchez Gomez, known as Paco de Lucía, was a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer and producer. One of the greatest I have seen. Don't forget about Al Di Meola.
No one is as good as Paco! This guy is a pioneer.
Amazing and so cool. When are you coming to Canada?
The Newcomers
One of the greatest blues guitarists and also a great jazz and swing guitarist. Check out his recordings with fellow jazz guitar legend Eddie Lang.
A very versatile and tasteful player in blues, jazz, and swing styles.
Great country picker and very technical player up and down the neck. He blends swing, jazz, country hillbilly, and Latin styles.
Shows how many of these top ten lists are strictly popularity contests. He should be much higher on the list. A truly unique artist.
None better. Should be number one.
Michael was the best tap, rhythmic guitarist, as well as melodic, combining classical techniques. He shall forever be the best acoustic guitarist in my opinion and the most influential guitarist of our time, as well as a great musician and singer.
Absolutely one of my favorite guitarists. He explored a variety of techniques which have become commonplace. It's hard to hear how unique he was given the rapid spread of his techniques. A number of people on this list use those techniques with extra pizzazz.
Few catch his emotional depth.
Paul Frederic Simon is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Simon's fame, influence, and commercial success began as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, formed in 1964 with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Number one in everything having to do with music. Genius!
Mark Freuder Knopfler is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer and film score composer. He is best known for being the frontman of the British band Dire Straits. Although more known as an electric guitar player, check out "Mark Knopfler showing his magic on acoustic guitar" on YouTube. Probably the most epic ragpicking I've seen.
No words can describe his talents and technique. The complexities are mind-blowing! When musicians hear Jung's rendition of their own songs, they are even awestruck at his style and approach. And the kid is young! Imagine the possibilities!
I think Sungha Jung should be in the top 10 because his guitar sings the lyrics of every song he wants to cover. Listen to his videos so that you'll know what I'm talking about.
Sungha is still so young. That's why he should be in the top ten. He's going to be better than all those guitarists when he grows up.
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, singer and songwriter who was the lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi for 30 years. He is known for his work with Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013. He is a very praised guitarist who played solos for songs like Dry County, Stranger... read more Wanted Dead or Alive has one of the greatest acoustic guitar riffs of all time.
Edward Christopher "Ed" Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He sang songs such as The A team and Shape of You. He was born in Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk. Invented the best-sounding technique ever.
Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician, occasional vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, who along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, among others, created the country music style that came to... read more Chet Atkins was great at everything Americana. He was Mr. Guitar. I never heard him play something I did not like. When he played, everyone sounded better. I did not particularly like country music, but I loved Chet Atkins' music. That is how good I thought he was.
Leo K. was a freak of nature. I put my ax down when he played. Tommy E. is just inspirational, creative, and shares his knowledge. Robert Johnson is the Blues man with few peers. Andrés Segovia is the classical giant. Even though he was a snob, he was great. Django was the Sammy Davis Jr. of guitar - Mr. Cool of Jazz. I can listen to them all night.
I have listened to Chet and Leo all night in the days of cassettes. John Williams, Earl Klugh, and Julian Bream are very good players but not the Pro Bowlers. Dylan is clearly the best writer of everyone in acoustic guitar. Only Paul Simon could write as well, but his singing and guitar playing give me hope, like it did Jimi Hendrix.
Last but not least, there were two: John Fahey, a favorite of mine, and the unforgettable Doc Watson, the white man's Ray Charles - a genius player.
John Martyn, OBE, born as Iain David McGeachy, was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a 40-year career, he released 21 studio albums, working with artists such as Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Phil Collins. John Martyn was a criminally underrated artist. His guitar playing was effortless, innovative, and so far ahead of its time. Eric Clapton once said, "John Martyn was so far ahead of everyone at the time it was almost inconceivable."
His use of an echoplex on live sets needs to be heard to be believed. It sounds like you're listening to two guitars at once. Incredible.
RIP, a legend. Inspired and wrote Solid Air, which has never been bettered.
Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña, known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Spain. Make no mistake, Segovia is the Master! You watch him on video teaching his class to young masters that at any time could convince you they were the best in the world. Then he takes their guitar and breaks their perfect reality with the truth that he has another level of perfection they still need to practice to even be remotely close to his level.
Classical music's purest master in our century, hands down. Those who were his students have something different about them because of their unrivaled teacher.
I'm very sad to see him at 42. He is maybe the most talented guitarist in my opinion. He made the song The Song of the Golden Dragon, which is absolutely beautiful, and his playing technique is enjoyable to watch.
Everyone should listen to The Song of the Golden Dragon.
If you want to see Jesus play as well as Segovia, look no further than Estas Tonne. He can take a three-chord classical progression and play around on it for an hour, never repeat himself, and never look down at his hands.
He just goes on a journey to somewhere we've never been and enchants anyone listening with skill that is almost lost to history but still remains with a few select virtuosos like him and Tommy Emmanuel.
Oh, this guy is here. Can't believe my eyes. There were many reasons why I chose to play guitar, and some of the songs that inspired me were "Poth Chola." Just listen to the acoustic guitar intro of this song. Mind-blowing.
Robert Leroy Johnson was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians... read more Without him, blues wouldn't exist, which means that rock would not exist. This means metal, grunge, hair metal, and rap all would not exist.
The most innovative guitarist of all time. He created a genre that was the foundation of following genres.
John Clayton Mayer is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but disenrolled and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with Clay Cook. Together, they formed a short-lived two-man band called Lo-Fi Masters. His talents are mostly overshadowed by his genre of songs being romantic, bluesy, yet kid-like wonder. His early works were very rhythmic with a hybrid of fingerpicking/plucking style infused with strumming. Eric Clapton was even inspired by it! All very original and difficult, yet fun to play if you can.
His later works would suffer a bit with his original fans because he chose to chase the more soloist complexities that are mostly afforded to the "real electric guitarist." At least, one would think.
What we can all agree on is John is an amazingly talented guitarist regardless. For those who doubt his real depth, I suggest you listen to John's own version of "Wind Cries Mary" and be lost in his own world filled with wonder and ambrosia.