Jimmy Capps

Not a lot of guitar heroes in country music but does Tommy Emmanuel count?



Also, the sweedish guitarist that tours with Sturgill Simpson is probably the best in the biz.

Agree about Sam Hunt, would also add Jake Owen, Brian Kelley, and Tyler Hubbard.

I had the pleasure of seeing Laur Jomets play with Sturgill Simpson on his first tour and it wasn't the best country guitarist I've ever seen, it was flat out the best guitar player I've ever seen in my life. If y'all have a chance, look him up, dude is an absolute assassin

I have to admit Vince Gill is pretty good.

John Inmon.

Reggie Young. His discography is amazing, played on everything from "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink" and "That's The Way Love Goes" to Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" and "In The Ghetto". A couple of other notables he played on (although you could list hundreds) were Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man" and Dobie Gray's "Drift Away".





Going farther back, Hank Garland was pretty legendary. His career was cut short by a bad automobile accident. In addition to playing on a ton of country records (like Patsy Cline), he was also a brilliant jazz guitarist.

aggiebonzo said:

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Not a lot of guitar heroes in country music but does Tommy Emmanuel count?


Also, the sweedish guitarist that tours with Sturgill Simpson is probably the best in the biz.

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Only to the uneducated.

Tommy Emmanuel is ridiculous.

TresPuertas said:

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I had the pleasure of seeing Laur Jomets play with Sturgill Simpson on his first tour and it wasn't the best country guitarist I've ever seen, it was flat out the best guitar player I've ever seen in my life. If y'all have a chance, look him up, dude is an absolute assassin

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He is amazing. Sturgill announced a while back that Laur is leaving to pursue his own thing so Sturgill is going to be playing more lead moving forward.

The second one even shows of a bit of Sturgill's chops.

Cody Canada can shred a guitar, his voice was less nasally during Ragweed.

Macarthur said:

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TresPuertas said:

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I had the pleasure of seeing Laur Jomets play with Sturgill Simpson on his first tour and it wasn't the best country guitarist I've ever seen, it was flat out the best guitar player I've ever seen in my life. If y'all have a chance, look him up, dude is an absolute assassin

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He is amazing. Sturgill announced a while back that Laur is leaving to pursue his own thing so Sturgill is going to be playing more lead moving forward.

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I watched a video of Sturgill and thought he was lucky to find some unknown guitarist who might be from a small southern town or something. Then I did some research and found out he was basically the Stevie Ray Vaughn of Sweden or Norway or somewhere like that.

OP already mentioned Brad Paisley, but his guitar playing blows my mind.

Thom Bresh

Two pages in and no mention of Waylon Jennings yet

https://web.musicaficionado.com/main.html#!/article/9_bluegrass_shredders_who_will_fry_your_brain_by_genesantoro

Like others said, his recent music stinks but Keith Urban can slang. There is a CMT Cross Roads episode with him and John Mayer that is quality.

In addition to being an insane lyricist, Jason Isbell can play a mean guitar.

Mac MacAnally and Peter Mayer (Jimmy Buffett's guitarists) are pretty good.

Philo B 93 said:

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Macarthur said:

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TresPuertas said:

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I had the pleasure of seeing Laur Jomets play with Sturgill Simpson on his first tour and it wasn't the best country guitarist I've ever seen, it was flat out the best guitar player I've ever seen in my life. If y'all have a chance, look him up, dude is an absolute assassin

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He is amazing. Sturgill announced a while back that Laur is leaving to pursue his own thing so Sturgill is going to be playing more lead moving forward.

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I watched a video of Sturgill and thought he was lucky to find some unknown guitarist who might be from a small southern town or something. Then I did some research and found out he was basically the Stevie Ray Vaughn of Sweden or Norway or somewhere like that.

OP already mentioned Brad Paisley, but his guitar playing blows my mind.

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My long time friends & I are huge Rolling Stones fans. Last US tour, Paisley played with them at the Nashville concert for a song. Jagger even put on on a Paisley tee shirt & asked him over the mic, " How do you like my shirt Brad ?".

Kinda rare for country artist to get on stage w/ The Stones

Verlon Thompson

Wow! You fellas mentioned some amazing pickers, most of whom were on my list when I saw the OP.

I've really got to agree with Human on James Burton -- while Burton was not strictly a country picker, there was a damn good reason Merle Haggard used him on several of his earlier studio recordings, in spite of having Roy Nichols in the studio at the same time!

Speaking of Roy, he'd be on my list too. With steel man Norm Hamlet working with and off him, he formed a big part of the Merle Haggard 'sound'.

Finally, I've got to mention Buck Owens' lead man Don Rich. Owens and his music were never the same after Rich died an untimely death when he was only 32.

2 pages and no mention of Albert Lee?

Glen Campbell was know as the "Best picker in the State of Arkansas" before he left to be a studio musician in SoCal with the famous Wrecking Crew.

Read all this. A few of the picks are in Campbells class. Roy Clark definitely one.

Sadly Glen will be gone soon...

Glen was also a Beach Boy for a short time. Once upon a time he was about the only musician I listened to. Such a talent.

By the way OP, this is an awesome thread.

To hear three of the pickers mentioned in this thread on one single, check out the original studio recording of Haggard's Mama Tried, which turns 50 next year.


James Burton - dobro (that's his intro and playing throughout)

Roy Nichols - electric

Glen Campbell - rhythm