Most under-rated guitarist of all time?

[MRubey]

Happy Holidays guys,
I guess underrated implies deep into your career having never achieved appropriate recognition. The first name that came to mind was EJ. Well respected within the guitarist community and knowledgeable audience but not an everyday name for the average person.
When cleaning out under a house in West Austin I found a check made out to him from the musicians union. We had mutual friends so I let him know and he came to pick it up. It was a few hundred bucks. My house mate had a copy of Electomagnets which we placed in a conspicuous spot in view from the front door. Eric showed up and saw that record and laughed saying he didn’t even have one of those.
Other guitarists who are world class but have never been on the radio.
Derick Trucks- arguably the greatest bottleneck slide player who ever lived.
Billy Strings- picking up the mojo from Doc Watson. Phenomenal talent.
Marcus King - watch the duet with Billy Strings doing Summertime, then his tune The Well at Carter Vintage Guitars. A study in contrasts, the greatness is on display.

 

[Mcsnare]

Greg Koch.

Greg Koch (@gregkochmusic) • Instagram profile

101K Followers, 1,806 Following, 2,647 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Greg Koch (@gregkochmusic)

www.instagram.com

 

[mxk116]

Greg Koch.

Under appreciated; anyone who has seen him realizes he's a monster. I see him in Colorado when he's making videos for Wildwood. The studio is down the street from a local restaurant where he eats lunch. Very funny, generous with his time. Hard to believe he is so under the radar outside the guitar community.

 

[Rensselaer]

Don’t know if anyone else mentioned Bonfa and I just missed it, but as a guitar player myself I appreciate his mastery with awe.

 

[es347]

..a late entry…fellow Hoosier and world class guitar player as evidenced by the following video…one Andy Timmons…fasten those seatbelts ladies and gentlemen

 

[Recordsguy]

You could add the names - Curtis Mayfield - Marv Tarplin to the list...in Marv's case because he played mostly for the Miracles that he may not be well known, but he could hold his own.

 

[Pokey77]

Martin Simpson, Bruce Cockburn, ditto George Harrison.

Ditto the first two. Been a Cockburn fan for many decades. Discovered Martin Simpson in the last five years.

 

[facten]

@es347 - Thanks for posting that Andy Simmons video - going to get some of his music

 

[facten]

Ernie Isley of the Isley brothers

 

[mxxer]

Sonny Landreth

 

[BruceD]

Big Jim Sullivan

BD

 

[mudshark1]

Joyce Cooling

 

[facten]

Joyce Cooling

Don't see/hear it from her, but just MTC

 

[mudshark1]

Don't see/hear it from her, but just MTC

I'm sorry, I don't follow.

 

[facten]

I'm sorry, I don't follow

Don't see anything special about her playing, most of her tunes sound the same . There's a number of other contemporary jazz guitarists that outshine her

 

[facten]

I don't know if anyone actually considers Lari Basilio under-rated or not, I simply hadn't heard of her before @PHAA_ posted her Redemption album on the What's Spinning thread. This lady can flat out play, and the music itself is very enjoyable if it's in your genre wheelhouse.

 

[Alrainbow]

Any robin trower fans , bridge of sighs

 

[italia]

Joe Satriani

 

[Another Johnson]

Jack is scheduled to do a show at Third & Lindsley in Nash Vegas on 8/2/25.
He is only rarely playing out these days. His last shows were last year.
If you love guitar performance, this may be the last chance to see him live. He will be 65 next month and his professional career is now at 48 years. He is the most versatile guitarist that I have ever seen. When the Allman Brothers hired him, Dickie Betts said “We should either hire him, or take lessons from him.”
When Gregg played his last show at The Ryman, he invited Jack to play with him. It was a great trip down memory lane.
At his birthday bash show last June, the stars that came to celebrate with him included many well known unadvertised guests (for example LeRoy Parnell, Tommy Emmanuel, just to name two).