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View Full Version : A list of our favorite unsung Guitar Heros



DavidF
05-30-2015, 05:17 PM
Recently on XM Classic Vinyl I was listening to a snippet of conversation with guitarist Martin Barre. He was mentioning how his band members came together on various riffs that became a song Cross-Eyed Mary. Later in the night I pulled out some old vinyl and revisited some of the band's old tunes. The group was always a bit of an ensemble effort that weaved through different music styles but when it came to a rock-solid Rock & Roll riff Martin was as good as they came. He simply powered an entire album with songs like Aqualung, Crossed-Eyed Mary, Wind-Up and one of my favorites Locomotive Breath.

How Martin Barre never made the top what-ever lists is curious. He did stand out for his solo break in Aqualung, however, but featured in many other lists.

Glad to hear of any others out there.

http://www.last.fm/music/Jethro+Tull/_/Locomotive+Breath

BMWCCA
05-30-2015, 08:03 PM
Joe Beck?
Jim Hall?

loach71
05-31-2015, 09:21 AM
John McLaughlin

BMWCCA
05-31-2015, 02:56 PM
I figured "un-sung" meant those you don't hear about?

LowPhreak
05-31-2015, 06:52 PM
I'd put Martin Barre on that list. Also guys like Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, several blues cats like Son Seals, Otis Rush, and Eric Gale, some of the prog cats that maybe didn't get noticed enough like Steve Hackett, Adrian Belew, and Peter Green, and then in jazz too and newer or lesser known bands. There are just so many that go some or a lot under the main radar.

Ducatista47
05-31-2015, 11:59 PM
Baden Powell, Sonny Chillingworth, Richard Thompson, Emily Remler, James Honeyman Scott, Danny Gatton, Tony Rice, Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Ralph Towner, Lenny Breau, Joyce Cooling, Carrie Brownstein, Stewart Adamson, Earl Klugh, James Mankey, Harvey Mandel, John Renbourn, Orianthi Panagaris, Robbie Robertson, Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore, The Edge, Neal Alger... It's endless, really. There have been so many at least as accomplished as the famous guitarists, and many more that are known but overlooked as "heroes" because they are solid but not flashy. The last category is like with drummers. The flashy ones are no better than the supportive ones, they just get all the attention. Rhythm players, even when World class, are always overlooked. Sometimes a guitarist's vocal contributions dominate the collective memory fans have of them. Ever hear Peter Frampton's guitar work with Humble Pie?

Then there are the famous but still undervalued. Peter Green, Rory Gallagher and David Gilmour are three who should be in the Pantheon.

Shamefully, some (four) on this list are overlooked because in this hugely macho category they are women.

Everyone I mentioned is a true hero to me.

hsosdrum
06-01-2015, 11:49 AM
Steve Tibbetts. Listen to his album "Yr" and be amazed. (Even more so considering that it's a basement recording, originally released on his own label and later re-released on ECM when he was picked up by that label.)

BMWCCA
06-01-2015, 04:02 PM
. . . Emily Remler . . .
I just purchased my first vinyl record (for myself) in years. It was Emily's "Transitions". An original CD goes for crazy money. I had ripped a WAV file and burned a CD from a friend's LP but I found a deal on my own and had to buy it. It helps that she's accompanied by a local musician, but the album stands on its own. So sad when the good die young!

Don't know if Jimmy Bruno flies quite as much under the radar as the others but I'm liking his work. Peter Green to me is an icon and in the Rock and Roll hall of fame, so it's hard to consider him "unsung". Great, just not un-sung.

DavidF
06-02-2015, 07:57 AM
I look forward to learning more on some of the names mentioned. It's hard to avoid some amount of generational bias in considering some of the notable names. For me Jim Hall is one of the seminal names in Jazz though not likely known in the pop world. I didn't know him from squat when I as 17 in 1973. I did know about Peter Frampton, John McLaughlin, as well as some of the Prog and English Folk people listed. Peter Green was widely known, perhaps more to the Blues enthusiast and the UK public.

There are plenty of guitarists who were easily associated with their band. Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc. Some artists like Carlos Santana just made sure everyone knew his name within the band. On the other hand, folks tend to forget that Jimi Hendrix's band had a name.

In the less popular genre there were many names, many mentioned above. Like John Renbourn from Pentangle and later solo efforts. Much like band mate Bert Jansch, not so well known in the public mind but very well respected in their circle of fellow musicians. Ditto Leo Kottke.

Then there are the session guitarists that seem to be everywhere but unnoticed. James Burton in the 50's and 60's, Waddy Wachtel in the 70's, Adrian Belew mentioned, or Marc Ribot today.

I guess the point is which guitarist seem to have the talent and creative input that gets unnoticed, uncredited, or just generally swallowed up in the mix of talent within a group setting. If someone asked me who was the guitarist in Black Sabbath, I could come up with Tony Iommi, with a little time. But ask who the prime guitarist was for Jethro Tull and it's hard to think of anyone but that crazy looking flute player in the long coat.

I can add both an L.A.-based band and its guitarist, both with huge talent that seemed to flash a bit but never in a big way, never appeared on Band Stand or made the arena circuit or haa a top 10 song on AM radio. A teaser, the guitarist's real name was Randy Wolfe. In 1966 he played with Hendrix for some summer gigs but since there were two Randys in this pick up group, Hendrix tagged each with last names based on their home states. This Randy held onto that name as a stage name. Sadly, he died at age 45 while saving his son from a rip current near a family home in Hawaii.

BMWCCA
06-02-2015, 08:08 AM
This Randy held onto that name as a stage name. Sadly, he died at age 45 while saving his son from a rip current near a family home in Hawaii.
California.

Ducatista47
06-02-2015, 01:08 PM
I believe Randy California was with/from Spirit, a family band. All my hippie friends had their albums. I also recall he had a Kaptain Kopter - or some such - appellation.

SEAWOLF97
06-02-2015, 02:52 PM
One who was under appreciated for his talent level (does that equal unsung ??)
is Robert Cray ... I have lots of him and Stephen Stills on my Nano (no, PM ..I wouldn't
call SS unsung.)
I had never heard of Paco DeLuca , but damn that guy can play. I will surely second
that James Burton nomination too.

BMWCCA
06-02-2015, 05:04 PM
I've sung Robert Cray's praise for years. Does that mean he's "sung"? Or just that I appreciate him? Hard to separate the Great Unsung Heroes from those you're familiar with but others may never have heard of.

Case in point: Jim Hall and Jimmy Bruno may not be very well known by the general public but they're famous enough among the Jazz cognoscenti that Roger Sadowsky put their names on some beautiful guitars. Does that make them "sung"?

DavidF
06-03-2015, 04:16 PM
" ...Case in point: Jim Hall and Jimmy Bruno may not be very well known by the general public but they're famous enough among the Jazz cognoscenti that Roger Sadowsky put their names on some beautiful guitars. Does that make them "sung"?


:) I think it makes them "sung" if they are well recognized by those who buy their recordings or would be part of their audience.

I always find it interesting to watch performances and find a new (to me) talent. Not just guitarists. You likely know all about the headliner but he/she brings with them someone you can't stop watching on stage.

Lee in Montreal
07-16-2015, 07:52 PM
Unsung guitar heroes. Hmm..

I am thinking Robin Trower (the white Jimmy Hendrix). He was with Procol Harum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYIwk4rHIpM&list=RDEYIwk4rHIpM#t=45

Then also Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic. He died young at 42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOKn33-q4Ao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqDGTT2OtsQ

svollmer
07-17-2015, 04:19 AM
Unsung guitar heroes. Hmm..

I am thinking Robin Trower (the white Jimmy Hendrix). He was with Procol Harum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYIwk4rHIpM&list=RDEYIwk4rHIpM#t=45

Then also Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic. He died young at 42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOKn33-q4Ao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqDGTT2OtsQ

LOVE me some Robin Trower. And James Dewar's vocals were awesome too!

From the hard rock side, I'll submit Michael Schenker. Loved his days with UFO.

grumpy
07-17-2015, 07:55 AM
Oh, ok... now you've hit "Rock Bottom"... :D

memories of teenage guitar lick mimicking.

opimax
07-17-2015, 10:06 AM
I went to a Richard Thompson concert acoustic, almost feel asleep, didn't do anything to impress me. I have heard a few times how good he was , i just didnt see it :confused:

hsosdrum
07-17-2015, 12:57 PM
Forgot about acoustic: The one-and-only John Fahey.

I saw him perform live at McCabe's Guitar Shop (Santa Monica, CA) in 1970. He walked onstage carrying his guitar, a 16-oz bottle of Coke and a small tortoise. He set the tortoise on the floor next to his stool, sat down, opened the Coke, drank the entire bottle in one swig, picked up his guitar, tuned-up and for the next 90 minutes proceeded to make the most beautiful, magical, wonderful music I've ever heard played on an acoustic guitar. Absolutely breathtaking. When he was finished he simply waved thanks, picked-up the tortoise (which hadn't moved the entire time he was playing) and walked off.

Unforgettable.

P.S. Lucky tortoise (and probably still alive to share its recollections with its friends).

svollmer
07-20-2015, 05:52 AM
Oh, ok... now you've hit "Rock Bottom"... :D

memories of teenage guitar lick mimicking.

I'm 52 and still air-guitar to UFO (and others....). :-)

grumpy
07-20-2015, 08:01 AM
No angry face needed..when I said mimic, I meant emulate on a real guitar.
I can (usually) hit the notes, but ... it ain't the same :o:

Mostly I'm in air-guitar mode any more, and my son (my in-family
unsung guitar hero) kindly points out "improvements" to my rare real-guitar
attempts as necessary :)

:rockon1:

LowPhreak
07-20-2015, 10:57 AM
I play "steering wheel" drums while bored at red lights & traffic jams. Had a Paiste 4" Accent cymbal hanging from the rear-view until it was stolen.

DILLIGAF what other drivers think? Nupe! :rockon2:

hsosdrum
07-20-2015, 11:49 AM
I play "steering wheel" drums while bored at red lights & traffic jams. Had a Paiste 4" Accent cymbal hanging from the rear-view until it was stolen.

DILLIGAF what other drivers think? Nupe! :rockon2:

When I was a kid and it was too late to practice on my drums I would air-drum to everybody from Ringo to Ginger Baker to Gene Krupa to Buddy Rich. It absolutely improved my coordination at the drumset (not to mention feeding my rockstar fantasies until I could get myself out on the road and in front of audiences).

P.S. Not once did I ever fool myself into thinking I could actually play 99% of the things Buddy played; Ginger and Gene? Sure, but not Buddy.

LowPhreak
07-20-2015, 12:43 PM
How To Play Like Buddy:


1. Play fast, all over the kit.

2. Make it look "wild".

3. Have ego the size of China.


Blasphemy, I know, but I never could stand the cat. Yeah one of the greats but, man, that attitude...

SEAWOLF97
07-20-2015, 05:02 PM
Unsung guitar heroes. Hmm..

I am thinking Robin Trower (the white Jimmy Hendrix). [/url]

Trower unsung ? really ? not in my universe ....

Bridge of Sighs was huge.