Best rhythm guitarist?

walrus

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Crank gave me the idea with part of his post in the "Lead vs. Rhythm" thread:

"Some rhythm guitarists I admire are:

John Doyle who used to be in the Irish band Solas. He drove their whole sound and really opened my eyes and ears to the guitar as a percussion instrument.

Ian Neville, one of the younger generation Neville's who plays strictly rhythm guitar in his band Dumstaphunk. Amazing sense of timing.

Neil Young who also taught me a lot about guitar as percussion - very evident in his soloing as well.

Bob Weir for a different approach to rhythm."


Keeping in mind I'm talking about guitarists who were/are mainly rhythm players throughout their career, I cast my vote for John Lennon...

walrus
 

matsickma

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I had heard a YouTube interview with John Lennon and in the discussion of his guitar playing skills talked of the importance of rythem guitar and why he felt confident in his skills at it and how it had a big influence on driving the song.

Jimi was also an incredibly strong rythem player with his unorthodox chord fingering forms.

M
 

Quantum Strummer

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Pete Townshend and Jimi are my main guys when it comes to rock & roll. Gabriela Quintero (of Rodrigo y Gabriela) is a monster rhythm player. The late Malcolm Young (RIP) was pretty darn good and a fantastic riff crafter too. In the bluegrass world there are too many folks to list here.

-Dave-
 

shihan

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I’m fond of that Keith guy in the Rolling Stones band.
 

Stuball48

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Jimmy Capps--may be playing more lead these days but I see him playing lots of rhythm on Larry's Country Diner--never tries to dominate the song or featured artist. Smooth as a 10 year old slide on elementary school playground.
 

mavuser

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Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts were really, really, good rhythm players, when the other one was soloing, in the Allman Brothers. listen to the live shows from the first half of the 90s. i mean really, really good. Adjustments needed to be made when Derek Trucks joined Dicky. In the end it was Derek and Warren together, but the chemistry between Dicky and Warren, and those endless grooves...man they were good.

also just so many rhythm players, I could spend all day commenting on this.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth come to mind too. My morning music randomizer chose The Sprawl, from the Daydream Nation album, today. :) Also an appropriate song for the deluge of “Black Friday” email in my Inbox.

Come on down the store
You can buy some more more more more


-Dave-
 

adorshki

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I'm tempted to go with Jeff's original nominee John Lennon, until I remembered "that guy from the Wrecking Crew".
:playful:

All of 'em exemplify the idea that the best lead guitarists have a solid foundation in rhythm.
Glenn Campbell, James Burton...
How DO you classify guys like that, who could do it all and all at the same time, to boot?
:shocked:
But I'm nominating those guys for sheer versatility, breadth of style.
 
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