Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain, Tony Iommi, Iggy Pop and…

Without doubt, Jimi Hendrix was one of the most innovative, creative, determined guitarists of our time. Utilizing blues and jazz as his springboard, Hendrix pushed his instrument to heights his peers could hardly have imagined. While making a name for himself in music's history books, he blazed the way for other young guitarists to form their own style and sound. 
Hendrix died much too young but his music lives on in the style of many if not all of today's young rock musicians.

Judas Priest's Rob Halford once introduced Tony Iommi as the man who invented the heavy metal riff. Not quite off the mark because Iommi is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential guitarists in the heavy metal genre. Iommi was ranked 86th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and, in 2004, number one on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time". [Read more.]
But it was not all smooth sailing for this heavy metal rocker. An accident at a sheet metal factory, when a machine sliced off tips of the fingers on his right hand, nearly ended his career prematurely. Iommi was depressed and figured that his guitar playing days were behind him. However a friend turned him onto gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who was a victim of an accident himself. Reinhardt lost use of two fingers in a Gypsy caravan campfire accident. With Reinhardt as an inspiration, Iommi gave the guitar another go, with soft plastic tips attached to the ends of his fingers. He rose up to be the great performer he is today. A remarkable comeback indeed.

Since no introduction is really necessary for this former Beatle, it's sufficient to say that the left-handed Mccartney is probably the most creative and influential rock bassist of his time, elevating the electric bass from back-row obscurity to prominence, inspiring countless players to take up the instrument. Perhaps it's McCartney's talent in performing live that has made playing the instrument look deceptively easy. McCartney also plays six strings and his acoustic classics "Yesterday" and "Blackbird" remain favorites and essential inspirations for aspiring guitarists.

Beginning his music career as a drummer in high school bands, Iggy Pop rose to become one of the most influential innovator of punk rock, hard rock and other styles of rock music. Born James Newell Osternberg, he began calling himself "Iggy" after his first band in high school, The Iguanas. His best-known songs include "Lust for Life", "Real Wild Child", "Candy" (a duet with Kate Pierson) "China Girl" and "The Passenger".
Pop is very well known for his outrageous and unpredictable stage antics.

Since their debut, Nirvana, with Cobain as songwriter, has sold over 25 million albums in the US alone, and over 50 million worldwide. And nearly lost in the near-universal praise for his songwriting is the fact that Cobain was also a superb guitarist. Enchanted with both pop music and punk rock, Cobain used his instrument to express his love for both those genres. His playing during Nirvana's MTV Unplugged appearance, in particular, showed the finesse that lay just beneath his stormy exterior.

Revered by the likes of Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King was the first major blues guitarist to establish a rapport with R&B and rock audiences. Recording for the Stax label in the '60s, King perfected a blues sound that was spiked with large doses of Memphis soul. In 1968 he became the first blues guitarist to play the legendary Fillmore West venue.
Other greats who were influenced by King's style are Mick Taylor, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Mike Bloomfield and Joe Walsh. Read more

The Car's guitarist Elliot Easton's economical leads and spot-on, song-serving solos is the driving force behind vocalist Rick Ocasek's neurotic pop songs. In an interview with Gibson.com he talked about growing up as a left-handed guitar player.
Quote: "I grew up and I live in a right-handed world, so as a kid anytime a friend would get a cool new guitar, I couldn't really play it or I'd have to flip it over and play it with the strings upside down. There's no real disadvantage technically, but especially when I was younger [it was tough] getting quality instruments."
Gibson honored him with his own signature SG

Robbie Merril, bassist of alternative metal band Godsmack, started playing the bass at the age of 14. Before joining Godsmack, of which he was one of the founding members, he was a self-employed carpenter, sharing the trade with lead guitarist Tony Rombola.
Critics say Merril's playing style is as soulful as it is cutting and gravelly, but with a clear high-end sheen. Some of that clarity comes from a relatively new technique called fingerpicking, that is using fingerpicks on the plucking-hand index and ring fingers.

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Cesar Rosas is a key member of Mexican rock groupLos Lobos, and perhaps the most recognizable with his trademark black sunglasses and slick-back hair. His fiery guitar playing, influenced by guitar great Jimi Hendrix, and gritty vocals act as an important counterweight in the band's sonic blend. Rosas also participates in the Latin supergroup Los Super Seven, along with the members of The Texas Tornados, Calexico, Ozomatli, and other famous musicians. He is among the few who has ordered custom built guitars from Fender Custom Shop.

From 1973 till 1981, Al McKay was the driving instrumental force in the explosive funk sound of Earth, Wind & Fire. Few knew, but McKay had honed his six-string skills years earlier during a lengthy tenure with the Ike and Tina Turner Revue.
He now performs with his band The Al McKay Allstars , performing a show called The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience and tours along the major jazz festivals in the world with this fourteen-piece ensemble. There is also a live-DVD from this project, which is filmed in Eastern-Europe.
His trademark rhythm style also graced albums by such disparate artists as Isaac Hayes, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Jackson Five.