Guitar Virtuoso

Al Di Meola (born Al Laurence Dimeola July 22, 1954 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an Italian American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist.

Di Meola grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and attended Bergenfield High School.Al Di Meola, Telarc International Corporation. Accessed September 20, 2007. "?In the ?60s, if you didn't play like Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page, you weren't accepted,? he recalls of his high school years in Bergenfield, New Jersey." He is now a resident of Bergen County, New Jersey.The State of Jazz: Meet 40 More Jersey Greats, The Star-Ledger, September 28, 2004.

Stevie Ray Vaughan (born Stephen Ray Vaughan; October 3, 1954 August 27, 1990) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, whose broad appeal made him an influential electric blues guitarist. To date, a total of 18 albums of Vaughan's work have been released.Bluepower.com, Retrieved February 1 2008 In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Stevie Ray Vaughan #7 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and Classic Rock Magazine ranked him #3 in their list of the 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes in 2007.

Andrés Torres Segovia (21 February 1893-2 June 1987) was a Spanish classical guitarist born in Linares, Jaén, Spain. He was given the (hereditary) title of 1. marqués de Salobreña by King Juan Carlos I on 24 Jun 1981 (The title refers to Salobreña in the province of Granada in Andalusia).

He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures of the classical guitar in the beginning and mid 20th century. Segovia's main musical aesthetic preferences were music of the late 19th and early 20th century especially in the Spanish romantic and nationalist style - a style different from flamenco. This spanish romantic-modern style, is one that Segovia helped shape, and it is perhaps best typified by Segovia's interpretation of his own work Estudio sin Luz (The audio sample here is from Fundación Andrés Segovia or Segovia Museum ref.) It is a low quality sample of the work (with only the right track having audio), as recorded by Segovia (in April 1958) as "Study" on the LP album Segovia: Golden Jubilee - the original LP-version has better (and stereo) sound quality: It is available on CD reissue, e.g. from Deutsch Grammophon.. Many works of this and similar style were written especially for him and formed part of his core repertoire: particularly the guitar works of Federico Moreno Torroba (1891-1982), such as the Sonatina, which was first performed by Segovia in Paris (1925) to an invited audience that included Maurice Ravel, who was much impressed by it.

Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez (in Algeciras, Cádiz on December 21, 1947), is a Spanish composer and guitarist. Recognized as a virtuoso flamenco guitarist all over the world, he is a leading proponent of the Modern Flamenco style, and is one of the very few flamenco guitarists who have also successfully crossed over into other genres of music. He enjoys, and has been a successful musician in, many styles such as classical, jazz and world music. He is the winner of the 2004 Prince of Asturias Awards in Arts, and is the uncle of Spanish pop singer Malú.

Joseph "Satch" Satriani (born July 15, 1956 in Westbury, New York) is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as an instrumental rock guitarist, who has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards. Early in his career, Satriani worked as a guitar instructor, and some of his former students have achieved fame with their guitar skills. Satriani has been a driving force behind other musicians throughout his career, as a founder of the ever-changing touring trio, G3, as well as performing in temporary positions with other musicians.

In 1988, Satriani was recruited by the The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger as lead guitarist for the singer's second solo tour.[http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0307satriani0307.html Joe Satriani's G3 rounds up another trio of guitar slingers] Later, in 1994, Satriani was also the lead guitarist for Deep Purple. Satriani has also worked with a wide range of guitarists from many musical genres, including Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Larry LaLonde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brian May, Patrick Rondat, Andy Timmons, Paul Gilbert, Adrian Legg, and Robert Fripp through the annual G3 Jam Concerts.

He is heavily influenced by famous blues-rock guitar icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, possessing, however, his own easily recognizable style. Since 1988, Satriani has been using his own signature guitar, the Ibanez JS Series, which is widely sold in stores. He also has a signature series amplifier, the Peavey JSX, and a signature Vox distortion pedal, the Satchurator. He is currently the lead guitarist for the supergroup Chickenfoot.

John Christopher Williams (born 24 April 1941) is a Grammy Award winning Australian-born British classical guitarist. He is widely regarded as one of finest guitarists of his generation.

Ryland "Ry" Peter Cooder (born 15 March 1947, in Los Angeles, California) is a U.S. guitarist, singer and composer.

He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in the American roots music, and, more recently, for his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries. Cooder was ranked number 8 on Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

Leo Kottke (born 11 September 1945, Athens, Georgia, U.S.) is an acoustic guitarist. He is widely known for his innovative fingerpicking style, which draws on influences from blues, jazz, and folk music, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies. Kottke has overcome a series of personal obstacles including partial loss of hearing and a nearly career-ending bout with tendon damage in his hand to emerge as a widely-recognized master of his instrument.

Focusing primarily on instrumental composition and playing, Kottke has sporadically moved in a vocal direction, singing in an unconventional yet expressive baritone famously self-described as sounding like "geese farts on a muggy day". 1994 James Jensen Interview Leo Kottke. Accessed on April 29, 2008. In concert, Kottke intersperses humorous and often bizarre monologues with vocal and instrumental selections from throughout his career, played solo on his signature 6- and 12-string guitars.