Who are your guitar heroes?

By | September 6, 2013
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Guitar Heroes

Come on, admit it – you’ve got ‘em.  We all do.  Guitar Heroes.

My first guitar hero was George Harrison.  I didn’t know a thing about the guitar back then, in fact, I had to use a badminton racket and pretend it was a guitar.  But I sure did love that Gretch guitar he was playing in the Beatles.  I thought it was way cool! And the Beatles were way, way cool!

So George was my first inspiration.  More guitarists followed him, inspiring and (most of the time) intimidating me as I tried to figure out what I was doing with this instrument.

To this day, I can’t hold a conversation with someone if Eric Clapton is playing in the background.  He’s just too commanding a presence on the guitar and demands to be listened too.  From Eric Clapton I was led to Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Mississippi John Hurt.  Finger style guitar with that thumping alternating bass.

As I grew up, I found more guitar heroes:  Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, Chet Atkins.  The chords became more complex, the progressions subtle and interesting.  And I can’t leave out the classical heroes either:  Andres Segovia and John Williams.  I love to play classical guitar – it may be my favorite.

The world lost a great guitarist in Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Had he lived longer, I think he would have been a real force in the music business.  I mean significant, the way Eric Clapton is significant.  A giant.

The New Age came and along came Ottmar Liebert with his Latin beat.  Wow, that really knocked me out for a while.  So much fun, and the rhythms were great to ride my horse to!

So who are your heroes?  Jimmie Hendrix?  Keith Richards?  Jimmie Page?  It doesn’t matter if you can play like them – but it’s fun to try!  My guitar heroes changed the direction of my life.  Can yours?

Gail Lees
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