Have you seen Eric Clapton at his best?

Sorry, for instant Greg Koch gratification check out the following youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQQIT4SJHpY

While bluegrass and blues, or rhythm and blues, are different animals, we should also include Jerry Douglas whose mastery of the dobro is worthy of mention. Douglas would have to be included on a list of 'best' guitarists if not on a list of best blues guitarists.

the only time i ever got to see eric clapton was back in 83 or 84,it was the money and cigarettes tour and he was at the civic arena in pittsburgh ,ry cooder opened the show for him

"Clapton Is God" Why? Because if it wasn't for him I, ( a poor dumb white kid) wouldn't have investigated Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Albert King, BB King, Taj Mahal, and Bob Marley, and I wouldn't love all the wonderful vibes I've gotten from their uplifting music!

All these icons said the same thing about Eric Clapton - "The boy feels the blues!"

Eric - Thank You Very Much!

If music is meant to convey and evoke emotion, then I agree Derek Trucks is "the greatest living slide guitarist". Ry Cooder leaves me cold, and always has.
There, I perpetuated the argument!
I once heard BB and Eric do a joint interview, where they went on about the search for the "One Note." In effect, too many notes, too much playing is the opposite of what they both felt was the pinnacle of playing an instrument. Technical mastery does not fit into that line of thinking. It's about emotion. I have heard Carlos Santana speak of the same thing.
You could argue of course, that technical mastery is a means to that end, but simply displaying that mastery will not make you a guitar god - for long anyway, until the next technical wizard shows up!