Favorite Musicians (Guitarists, Bassists, etc.) (3,198 views)

[Dark Star]

Guitar
1. Jerry Garcia
2. Keith Richards
3. Prince
4. Alex Lifeson
5. John Mayer
6. Neil Young
7. Tony Iommi
8. Eddie Van Halen
9. Eric Clapton
10. Jimmy Page

Bass
1. Phil Lesh
2. Geddy Lee
3. Jon Entwistle
4. Paul McCartney
5. Carol Kaye
6. Jack Bruce
7. Bootsy Collins
8. Les Claypool
9. Jaco Pastorius
10. John Paul Jones

Drums
1. Neal Peart
2. John Bonham
3. Charlie Watts
4. Nicko McBrain
5. Ringo Starr
6. Clyde Stubblefield
7. Max Weinberg
8. Hal Blaine
9. Stewart Copeland
10. Danny Carey

Piano / Keyboards
1. Elton John
2. Roy Bittan
3. Billy Joel
4. Bruce Hornsby
5. Brent Mydland
6. Nicky Hopkins
7. Al Kooper
8. Leon Russell
9. Benmont Tench
10. Stevie Wonder

[Vels]

Guitars: Roy Crewdson, Mike Pender, Keith Richards, Hank Marvin, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Big Jim Sullivan.
Bass: Bill Wyman, Tony Jackson, Jet Harris, Pete Birrell.
Rhythm Guitar: Derek Quinn, John Lennon, John McNally.
Harp: John Lennon, Keith Relf, Brian Jones, Derek Quinn.
Keys: Ian Stewart, Ray Manzarek, Alan Price.
Drums: Bernie Dwyer, Rick Andridge, Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts.

[Holsety]

Bass
1. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
2. Ken Forssi (Love)
3. Andy Rourke (The Smiths)
4. Mike Mills (R.E.M.)
5. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
6. Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads)
7. James Jamerson
8. Jaco Pastorius
9. Klaus Voorman (Solo Beatles)
10.  Vern Rumsey (Unwound)

Drums
1. Sara Lund (Unwound)
2. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
3. B.J. Wilson (Procol Harum)
4. Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
5. Bill Bruford (Yes/King Crimson)
6. Jaki Liebezeit (Can)
7. Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
8. Bill Berry (R.E.M.)
9. Stewart Copeland (The Police)
10. Ginger Baker (Cream)

There are aspects of both bass and drums that I like that are difficult to represent in lists like these, like how drums can be looped or sampled. But this works.

[roman]

Guitar: Dimebag
Bass: Les Claypool
Drums: Tomas Haake

[Siren]

current favs might be...
Guitars and composing: Luca Turilli, Enrico Paoli
Bass: Eugene Abdukhanov
Drums: Zach Hill
Synths, Electronic: Franck Hueso

[Zedd Squared]

Guitar
1. Steve Vai
2. Joe Satriani
3. Paul Masvidal
4. John Petrucci
5. Tosin Abasi
6. Mattias Eklundh
7. Allan Holdsworth
8. Al Di Meola
9. Kiko Loureiro
10. Michael Romeo

Bass
1. Victor Wooten
2. Geddy Lee
3. Billy Sheehan
4. Steve DiGiorgio
5. Andreas Blomqvist
6. Jaco Pastorius
7. Stanley Clarke
8. Ryan Martinie
9. Stuart Hamm
10. Randy Coven

Drums
1. Brann Dailor
2. Gavin Harrison
3. Carl Palmer
4. Phil Collins
5. Sean Reinert
6. Mark Zonder
7. David Gray
8. Billy Cobham
9. Bobby Jarzombek
10. Bill Ward

Piano / Keyboards
1. Tony Banks
2. Jordan Rudess
3. Chick Corea
4. Keith Emerson
5. Mark Kelly
6. Jon Lord
7. Jens Johansson
8. Josh Silver
9. Jan Hammer
10. Michael Pinnella

Very hard to narrow these down to 10 but this is what I was feelin' today.

[ProgBoi]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Drummers}
1. Billy Cobham/Bill Bruford (I can’t pick between them, they’re just SO good)
2. John Bonham
3. Terry Bozzio
4. Keith Moon
5. Neil Peart
6. Vinnie Colaiuta
7. Carl Palmer
8. Ian Paice
9. Stewart Copeland
10. Simon Phillips
11. Phil Collins
12. Gavin Harrison
13. Elvin Jones
14. Mitch Mitchell
15. Brann Dailor
16. Tim Alexander
17. Danny Carey
18. Tony Williams
19. Virgil Donati
20. Rod Morgenstein
21. Buddy Rich
22. Steve Smith
23. Steve Gadd
24. Pierre Moerlen
25. Nicko McBrain
26. Ian Mosley
27. Carmine Appice
28. Ginger Baker
29. Carter Beauford
30. Mike Portnoy

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{Bassists}
1. John Entwistle
2. Chris Squire
3. Stanley Clarke
4. Jack Bruce
5. Paul McCartney
6. Geddy Lee
7. Les Claypool
8. Flea
9. Steve Harris
10. Geezer Butler
11. Victor Wooten
12. Marcus Miller
13. Jaco Pastorius
14. Tony Levin
15. James Jamerson
16. Billy Sheehan
17. Donald “Duck” Dunn
18. John Paul Jones
19. Bootsy Collins
20. Mike Gordon
21. Larry Graham
22. Dave LaRue
23. Mark King
24. Phil Lesh
25. Thundercat

SPOILER: Click to show

{Guitarists}
1. Jimi Hendrix
2. B.B. King
3. David Gilmour
4. Peter Green
5. Steve Howe
6. Rory Gallagher
7. Tony Iommi
8. Allan Holdsworth
9. Steve Hackett
10. Mike Oldfield
11. Frank Zappa
12. Stevie Ray Vaughan
13. Steve Vai
14. Brian May
15. Alex Lifeson
16. Steve Morse
17. Terry Kath
18. Mark Knopfler
19. Robert Fripp
20. Jan Akkerman
21. Guthrie Govan
22. Steve Rothery
23. Mick Ronson
24. Ollie Halsall
25. Steve Hillage

SPOILER: Click to show

{Keyboardists}
1. Keith Emerson
2. Rick Wakeman
3. Richard Wright
4. Chick Corea
5. Jon Lord
6. Ray Manzarek
7. Tony Banks
8. Herbie Hancock
9. Jan Hammer
10. Brian Eno
11. Steve Winwood
12. Elton John
13. Art Tatum
14. Billy Preston
15. Stevie Wonder
16. Vangelis
17. Jordan Rudess
18. Rod Argent
19. Nicky Hopkins
20. Gregg Rolie
21. Billy Joel
22. Ian Underwood
23. Don Airey
24. Richard Tandy
25. Booker T. Jones

It’s hard to narrow down, but here are my picks. Cheated a bit with the drummers list, lol.

Also, did I totally come back and edit this because I felt bad leaving off some of my favorites? You bet. 

[raysh]

1. Chris Squire
2. Geddy Lee
3. Tony Levin
4. John Wetton
5. Greg Lake

I can't really think of anyone else anyway except for maybe Jaco Pastorius and Staley Clarke and they are both usually considered Jazz and or fusion (I've been writing on their biography in my essay with the guys from www.topwritersreview.com/reviews/grabmyessay/ ). Mike Rutherford isn't bad but I don't think he really stands out much either. Maybe I need to pay closer attention to those early Genesis records.

[Baronessa]

I don't know so much about favourite musicians overall but lately I've been thinking my favourite guitarists at least include Mark Knopfler, Frank Zappa and Guthrie Govan. I think I'd like to be most like them when I'm composing for guitar myself. Their taste and touch on the instrument is just singular in a way I don't hear anywhere else.