Okay, so who is everyone’s favourite guitarist from the 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll era? I’m sure I’ve missed plenty I know, but nevertheless, these were all greats.FF

this is a difficult question for moi to answer...it was 12 years before i was born.

the great were always good tho.  can't beat ol grumpy chucky.

[laughs]

:willya

:booze

Hey Alex. Where is Bo Diddley on your list? No Bo? Say it ain't so!



Riffy

From the list I'll go w/Scotty but how bout Muddy and Wolf's guitar players, Jimmy Rogers and Hubert Sumlin?  Otis Rush made some good recordings badk then too.

Chuck Berry gets my vote!

James Burton Should win this, C Berry is to easy of a pick. Burton did it all with alot of big names. Plus I got to meet him, great person. It's hard to say that Berry is  second  to anyone, But he did (steal) borrow alot from Johnny Johnson his piano player. Berry's Gone win no doubt but for me at this moment Burton the best. Sorry Chuck. I got to admit that Chuck was the reason I got interested in Rock N Roll. Little Richard and That Johnny B Goode start on the Guitar raised the dead, made a blind man see again, and turn slice bread to toast. Burton put the great touches to Ricky Nelson, later Elvis and than Jerry Lee Lewis. I got to meet him when he was playing with The Killer.
Link Ray  not being In the RNR Hall of Fame is another reason the place  or institution is a sham. :pukey 8-) :warhorse :keithpunky

Riffhard wrote on Apr 30^th, 2008 at 7:21pm:

Hey Alex. Where is Bo Diddley on your list? No Bo? Say it ain't so! Riffy

http://www.youtube.com/v/-GPxkpjCvWI&hl=en

I love Perkins and Berry, but Cochran is my favorite!

Kilroy wrote on Apr 30^th, 2008 at 9:05pm:

James Burton Should win this, C Berry is to easy of a pick. Burton did it all with alot of big names. Plus I got to meet him, great person. It's hard to say that Berry is  second  to anyone, But he did (steal) borrow alot from Johnny Johnson his piano player. Berry's Gone win no doubt but for me at this moment Burton the best. Sorry Chuck. I got to admit that Chuck was the reason I got interested in Rock N Roll. Little Richard and That Johnny B Goode start on the Guitar raised the dead, made a blind man see again, and turn slice bread to toast. Burton put the great touches to Ricky Nelson, later Elvis and than Jerry Lee Lewis. I got to meet him when he was playing with The Killer. Link Ray  not being In the RNR Hall of Fame is another reason the place  or institution is a sham. :pukey 8-) :warhorse :keithpunky

Agreed. James Burton is the best overall guitarist. He played with a LOT of people. Never met him, but a R&R friend of mine worked with him quite a lot {Mark Lindsay, of PR&R fame}. Love Eddie Cochran too---and Carl Perkins. And, of course, Chuck boy. But James is the best of that lot.

If we're talking about 1950s STYLE guitarist, I'd say Setzer, Danny Gatton, or Alvin Lee.

Riffhard wrote on Apr 30^th, 2008 at 7:21pm:

Hey Alex. Where is Bo Diddley on your list? No Bo? Say it ain't so! Riffy

Ah crap. I KNEW there was someone missing!  :youmademecrylikeababy

No Ike Turner either.


Oh well.  I probably would have gone Link Wray anyway.  

Even though I'm well under 50, I've still managed to see 5 of the guitarists in the poll in concert.  While living in St. Louis, I saw Berry 4 times, and since I've moved back to Chicago, I've seen Moore, Burton(lead guitar for the late John Denver, of all people), and the late Wray once, and the late Perkins 3 times.  Going to the Chicago Blues Festival almost every year has meant that I've seen Bo, Jimmy Rogers, Sumlin, Rush, and Ike, close up as well.

I really would like to see D. Eddy, but he hasn't toured the midwest for (decades?).  His ex-wife, Jessi Colter will be at a show I'm seeing this evening at the Park West -- Tom Morello's Nightwatchman tour with special guests Ben Harper, Perry Farrell, Maynard Keenan, Wayne Kramer, and Colter's son, Shooter Jennings.

Honky Tonk Man wrote on May 1^st, 2008 at 2:26am:

Riffhard wrote on Apr 30th, 2008 at 7:21pm: Hey Alex. Where is Bo Diddley on your list? No Bo? Say it ain't so! Riffy Ah crap. I KNEW there was someone missing!  :youmademecrylikeababy

Tsk Tsk Tsk .....Thats what Guiness Stout will do for you....besides messing with your digestive sytem.

impossible!
all these guys were pioneers...
but i picked link wray simply because i believe he's underrated.....
his guitar had a sting to it that didn't really come along until the mid-60s garage bands like the sonics....
his guitar sounded like a demon.

"Rumble, young man, rumble..."

"Rumble, young man, rumble..."


** IMMEDIATE END TO TRANSMISSION !!!!!! **


" Gotta Dump , Ronnie ! "


'kins

Chuck!!!

Hey, fishook...
What night shall you grace your presence?





Petrillo Music Shell

Thursday, June 5, 2008
"Catfish Blues"
6:00-7:00 - Big Time Sarah and the BTS Express
7:10-8:20 - Duke Robillard's Tribute to Louis Jordan featuring Plas Johnson and Red Holloway
8:30-9:30 - Johnny Winter w/James Cotton

Friday, June 6, 2008
"Sweet Home Chicago"
6:00-7:15 - "Blasts From the Past" featuring Ruby Andrews, Cicero Blake, and Sugar Pie DeSanto with Willie Henderson
7:25-8:25 - Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater's West Side Strut with special guests Lonnie Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Otis Clay and Billy Branch
8:35-9:30 - Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine

Saturday, June 7, 2008
"Let the Good Times Roll"
5:00-6:00 - Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials
6:10-7:05 - Barbara Lynn with Lil' Buck and the Buckaroos
7:15-8:25 - Theodis Ealey
8:35-9:30 - Buckwheat Zydeco

Sunday, June 8, 2008
"Everyday I Have the Blues"
5:00-6:10 - Karen Carroll w/ Charlie Love and special guest Lurrie Bell
6:20-7:25 - Bobby Parker
7:35-8:05 - Little Willie Littlefield
8:15-9:30 - B.B. King

fishook wrote on May 1^st, 2008 at 9:50am:

Even though I'm well under 50, I've still managed to see 5 of the guitarists in the poll in concert.  While living in St. Louis, I saw Berry 4 times, and since I've moved back to Chicago, I've seen Moore, Burton(lead guitar for the late John Denver, of all people), and the late Wray once, and the late Perkins 3 times.  Going to the Chicago Blues Festival almost every year has meant that I've seen Bo, Jimmy Rogers, Sumlin, Rush, and Ike, close up as well. I really would like to see D. Eddy, but he hasn't toured the midwest for (decades?).  His ex-wife, Jessi Colter will be at a show I'm seeing this evening at the Park West -- Tom Morello's Nightwatchman tour with special guests Ben Harper, Perry Farrell, Maynard Keenan, Wayne Kramer, and Colter's son, Shooter Jennings.

Nice, one of the best blues shows witnessed was at Buddy's place by the late Jimmy Rogers.  While he really had slowed down at that point, his band was phenomenal.   His Hendrix influenced son really turned it down and played just like Jimmy from the 50s.  Barrelhouse chuck on keys and Ted Harvey on drums, damn...  I've seen Hubert several times over the last few years and he's really slowed down unlike Wolf's other geetarman Jody Williams.

Tell us how the show at the Park West went, really dig Ike Reilly but can't figure out who invited little scooter.

parmeda wrote on May 1^st, 2008 at 9:33pm:

Hey, fishook... What night shall you grace your presence? Petrillo Music Shell 8:30-9:30 - Johnny Winter w/James Cotton

I don't really like the Chicago Blues Festival much these days.  Too much peat and repeat.  And I prefer the afternoon shows to Petrillo at night.  But if we are going at all, it's to see Johnny Winter again.  The last time I saw him was when Chicagofest was at Navy Pier and he was one of the now late Willie Dixon's special guests.

I prefer Lollapalooza and the various street festivals (Belmont-Damen; Wicker Park Festival, Taste of Lincoln Avenue, etc., etc.) to the clusterfvcks that Taste of Chicago and the Chicago Blues Festivals have become.

polkdog wrote on May 1^st, 2008 at 10:56pm:

fishook wrote on May 1st, 2008 at 9:50am: I really would like to see D. Eddy, but he hasn't toured the midwest for (decades?).  His ex-wife, Jessi Colter will be at a show I'm seeing this evening at the Park West -- Tom Morello's Nightwatchman tour with special guests Ben Harper, Perry Farrell, Maynard Keenan, Wayne Kramer, and Colter's son, Shooter Jennings. Tell us how the show at the Park West went, really dig Ike Reilly but can't figure out who invited little scooter.

I posted about it on another message board, and it kind of needs its own thread, because I went to both the lunch time rally and then to the Park West concert.  Maybe I'll dig up my first mention of it.

fishook wrote on May 2^nd, 2008 at 4:00pm:

parmeda wrote on May 1st, 2008 at 9:33pm: Hey, fishook... What night shall you grace your presence? Petrillo Music Shell 8:30-9:30 - Johnny Winter w/James Cotton I don't really like the Chicago Blues Festival much these days.  Too much peat and repeat.  And I prefer the afternoon shows to Petrillo at night.  But if we are going at all, it's to see Johnny Winter again.  The last time I saw him was when Chicagofest was at Navy Pier and he was one of the now late Willie Dixon's special guests. I prefer Lollapalooza and the various street festivals (Belmont-Damen; Wicker Park Festival, Taste of Lincoln Avenue, etc., etc.) to the clusterfvcks that Taste of Chicago and the Chicago Blues Festivals have become.

I have to say I agree with your take on the craziness at Grant Park - and how I sorely miss the days on Navy Pier.   The last time I saw Muddy Waters was on the Pier...

There's no comparison.

Yet, I still like to head down there these days for the Blues Fest.  True, the pickin's are slim as all of the greats have passed.

When you're down there - go to the Chess Studio booth - look for Marie Dixon (Willie's widow).  She's usually there and very approachable.  A wonderful woman, indeed.  

She has the best stories...  Ask her if she's brought any of her photo albums.  You'll be there for 2 hours ...

parmeda wrote on May 2^nd, 2008 at 10:47pm:

I have to say I agree with your take on the craziness at Grant Park - and how I sorely miss the days on Navy Pier.   The last time I saw Muddy Waters was on the Pier... There's no comparison. Yet, I still like to head down there these days for the Blues Fest.  True, the pickin's are slim as all of the greats have passed.

since I was too young to catch Muddy at Chicagofest(did see SRV the last year when it was at Soldier Field tho) I still head down to catch whoever is still around.  Good excuse to take a day off plus it's free.

BTW, Honeyboy Edwards is at the Cultural Center on Tuesday and I've got the day off, woo hoo!!!


Quote:

David "Honeyboy" Edwards & Paul Kaye Tue 5/6, 12:15 PM, Randolph Cafe, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington. 312-744-6630.

Thank you everyone who voted. I knew Chuck would wine by such a margin, yet its good to see others are apreciated here.

For those yet to vote. Come on, keep 'em coming  :) :)

Durn, have I voted yet? Lemme go see.... :-/

Oh yeah. I voted. Forgot. :-[ SO many polls....SO little time... ;)

texile wrote on May 1^st, 2008 at 2:52pm:

impossible! all these guys were pioneers... but i picked link wray simply because i believe he's underrated..... his guitar had a sting to it that didn't really come along until the mid-60s garage bands like the sonics.... his guitar sounded like a demon.

I still don't understand what is happening on the guitar solo on "I'm Branded"

No one else has ever made a guitar sound like that.

Possibly the greatest two CD retrospective ever released by a single artist:

http://www.wraysshack3tracks.com/images/mrguitarcd.gif