Texans find a place on list of guitar greats
These aren’t great days for the Rolling Stone brand. Even though co-founder Jann Wenner has no role in the current publication, his recent New York Times interview proved a messy one as far as RS’S reputation.
This week brings the publication of one of Rolling Stone’s lists that invites discussion and argument. To its credit, Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 greatest guitarists of all time is a more varied endeavor than previous rankings, with more women (even if none of them qualify as “philosophers of rock & roll” as Wenner said) and more guitarists who hail from places other than the United States and England.
In the 12 years since it originated, the list has grown from 100 to 250. Naturally, the inclination is to see how local, regional and personal favorites fared.
Among guitar greats from Texas, blues guitarist Freddie King rated the best at No. 19, followed immediately by Austin icon Stevie Ray Vaughan at No. 20.
The remaining Texas guitarists on the list cover jazz, country, blues, metal and art rock. In ascending order, they are Barbara Lynn at No. 229, Gary Clark Jr. at No. 209, Eric Johnson at No. 205, Houston mainstay Lightnin’ Hopkins at No. 190, Johnny Walker at No. 166, Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell Abbott at No. 131, Albert Collins at No. 117, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top at No. 102, Charlie Christian at No. 78, Willie Nelson at No. 77, T-bone Walker at No. 65 and St. Vincent at No. 26.
But lists will be lists, which means readers will be grouchy.
Guitar great Vernon Reid voiced his displeasure at the exclusion of Allan Holdsworth. I was puzzled by the absence of Mickey Baker, though I’ll admit a personal favorite of mine, Amos Garrett, may be too far on the periphery to draw RS’S notice.
More egregious for Texans is the absence of Houston native and blues/funk square peg Johnny “Guitar” Watson and the Galveston jazz fusion legend Larry Coryell.