Best blues guitarist, Clapton or Green

Mrmom; You've been lucky to see all those Blues cats. I have CDs of all of them and agree that they're all "right at the top". Yes, Luther Allison "smokes". I really agree with all the above posts, and blues is where it's at. Good thread Cody-- hope it keeps going. In the young "up and coming" category, I like Sue Foley, Shannon Curfman, Susan Tedeschi-- none of these are too polished or jaded to be "uninteresting", ie they are fresh, raw, and enthusiastic-- and of course Johnny Lang. Also glad to see women getting more exposure (bad choice of words?) in blues. Joanna Conner plays a "wicked" slide guitar, IMHO. Cheers. Craig.

Not to bash Clapton or Green, they are both great song writers and guitarists.But they are not the genuine article(Clapton realy wishes he was). Any cubs around to catch live? Even some of the little known acts cook. Saw SRV in a small hall, he was the best rock/blues around since Hendrix. You later entries are on the right track, my all time favorite was the late great Albert King. Check out the blues section at your local stores, even vinyl. I found some great blues vidios, tributes with all-star perfomances.I love all kinds of music, but when it comes to blues nothing beats the real thing.

For you folks looking for a great blues-rock guitar player try Walter Trout(Walter Trout and the free Radicals). His latest CD is Live at the 2000 Tampa Bay Blues Festival. It's a double CD for the price of one. Once you listen to it you can't stop listening!! He is rated as the 6th best guitar player in the world, living or dead!!

A little elaboration on my Melvin Taylor post above. Used to spend a bit of time in Chicago before my kids were born and have been fortunate enough to see live: Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Luther Allison and some other big names. Have heard just about everyone mentioned in this post with the exception of Jimmy Thackery-haven't heard his stuff. What I can tell you is that if you polled 50 blues guitarists in Chicago (no disrespect to Texans, but when it comes to blues guitar, I think Chicago is the spot) about who is the best, Melvin would probably be at the top of the list. He has great diversity in style (something I would not say about Buddy Guy), incredible technique and his playing is truly musical (something that cannot be said about many guys that can just play "fast"). His music also packs a real emotional wallop-all in all he's the total guitar package, although not a great singer. CD does not do him total justice; if you're in Chicago check out a live performance at Rosa's on West Armitage close to the United Centre-he's not flashy on stage or showy the way Buddy is, and most of the crowd are musicians watching his hands in total disbelief. His new release that I mentioned above is quite good with guest appearances by Eric Gales and Sugar Blue-I'd be curious to hear what you guys thought of it. In my opinion, Melvin is simply in another league.

Clapton must get his do for using his popularity to help every other blues musician out there except his riding with the king (and what damn fine musician wrote that song?...) co partner. His latest (not recent) straight blues records got alot of clubs to consider the blues, it has happened big time here in Atlanta. Peter Green was the first blues guitarist I liked (back when I only listened to rock....way back......), He did a solo record called The End of the Game or something close that blew me away before it disappeared (those college days...), I have not seen it since but if anyone knows of it please contact me. Buddy Guy went through a period in the early 90's where he played alot of festivals and people knew the name but not the music and he spent most of the show talking to the crowd and strutting around and of course p*ssing me off because I would bring folks and build him up before the show and he would just never play, even Mustang Sally got shortened. Thankfully that stage is over, and his performance at the Muddy Waters tribute (along with that guy who wrote riding with the king) was hot hot, it was on PBS, from the Kennedy Center in D.C., I made a video copy of it if anyone wants it, though it is not perfect. All Danny Gatton stuff is phenomenal, but live was as usual much better... Bobby Radcliffe, Dresses Too Short (1989) every lick in the book in one song, or should I say every song. Dave Hole from Australia, the guy is just too revved up for me (except Going to Chicago) but you cannot fault his playing... as far as bluesrock goes the early Savoy Brown with Kim Simmonds on lead (early 70's) was my favorite by far, and I am prejudiced because I liked him for years before he caught on, but the last two live shows were the best shows I can remember of Joe Louis Walker, and let us not forget Anson Funderburg and the Rockets and I am only about a fifth (no pun intended) of the way through this ramble bye.