best guitar licks in history

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
ok guys, please name the song and artist of your favorite guitar lead of all times. I mean, if you had to pick just one..

There are so many good ones, gee, how can I leave out Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray or...

but my favorite has always been the lead guitar in Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4".
 

bobgoblin

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
56
Reaction score
0
Charlie Christian: Solo Flight

Showed us all how to do it, and whatta tone!
 

Walter Broes

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,892
Reaction score
1,961
Location
Antwerp, Belgium
I think Grady Martin's my favourite player. I love all the rockabilly and country things he did, all the "Honky Tonk Man" sessions with Johnny Horton, the Johnny Burnette Rock and Roll trio classics, his acoustic playing on Marty Robbins' cowboy tunes,.....
If I had to pick one song he plays on, I guess it's Johnny Horton's "I'm comin' home".
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
OK Dred,

I'll take a shot at this one time,. There are so many greats ans so many good licks to pick just one is impossible.

My vote goes to a man named Toy Caldwell with the Marshall Tucker Band for the long, live version of "24 Hours At A Time"

West
 

coastie99

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
8,662
Reaction score
27
Location
Greymouth, West Coast, Newsyland
Such a hard call; every time I think yep, ihat's the one I think of some other damn' thing. I'm very partial to Dave Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" solo on any version he does.
But then I think of Pete and Ry Cooder and Johnny Shines and Blind Willie Johnson..................!!!!

West : I've been meaning for a very long time to check out The Marshall Tucker Band. The South sure has produced some great little ol' bands !!

And then I think of Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter and Gary Davis and Buddy Guy and Robert Nighthawk..............!!!!
 

Jeff

Enlightened Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
5,990
Reaction score
4
Location
seattle
I thought I was the only Ry Cooder fan in the world.

"Get Rythym" & "I Can Tell By The Way You Smell" "Across The Borderline" ; serious stuff.

Hard to describe, certainly some pretty Virile guitar pickin. Whenever, as happens occasionally, my fingers make anything remotely close to that sound I certainly feel virile.
 

john_kidder

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
3,103
Reaction score
6
Location
Ashcroft, BC, Canada
Jeff said:
I thought I was the only Ry Cooder fan in the world

Good heavens, Jeff, Ry Cooder's fans are legion, perhaps numberless.

Can't think off the top of my head of a "best lick", but he'd be right up there.
 

sfIII

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
386
Reaction score
0
Location
Jamestown, KY
Guild Total
59
Is there a best lick?

Just listening to Elizebeth Cotton.. That-70 year old woman could pick.. I hear three parts at some times. But here is another vote for Ry Cooder, and Gary Davis (if I can have a second vote). Jorma if I get a third pick.

and I love the line in that Guy Clark song "and I've heard Doc Watson play the Columbus Stockade Blues"
 

Mr. P ~

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
1,676
Reaction score
0
Location
Huntsville, Alabama
Ry Cooder, Ry Cooder, Ry Cooder, very hard to beat.

Johnny Shines.....I saw him in a small venue at Mississippi State University in front of maybe 100 people in 1972. He sat down on the 8 foot square stage with his acoustic guitar pluged into the Peavy 4X10 columns. He started to tune, and every mouth in the place closed and all attention turned to Johnny. I was sitting 5 feet in front of him and he immediately stopped tunning and stared at the crowd for a second as "big alagator tears" rolled down his face. He slowly leaned forward to the mic and said, "it has been a very long time since anybody came to LISTEN to me play"! Thirty-five years ago and it still brings tears to my eyes. Him and an acoustic guitar entertained us for three and a half hours for a $5.00 ticket!!

Since those are mentioned, I am going to say, "the grove, the 3 solo breaks on Shame the Devil by Robin Trower. Is what I came up with TODAY!
:roll:
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
Yes, Ry Cooder is a bad boy. He does this deal with Clapton that is just unbelievable. There have been so many great guitarist, it's just so hard to nail down one song. And I'm still trying to learn how to strum! By the way, I like Robert Cray too.

Coastie, In the late 70's and early 80's, Marshall Tucker Band was led by 2 brothers. There names were Tommy and Toy Caldwell. Toy had a very unique style of picking with his thumb that gives me goose bumps to this day. Sadly, they are both gone now. Toy went first and then Tommy, but man how they played. If you ever get a chance, pick up a Marshall Tucker CD entitled "Where We All Belong". On that CD is a song called "24 Hours At A Time". You'll see what I mean.

Back to the greatest, I'd have to break it down into catagories:
Rock: Hendrix, Clapton, Santana, Stevie Ray
Blues: BB, love Hendrix' (Red House), Clapton, Stevie Ray
Country: Roy Clark, Ricky Skaggs
Plain Great acoustic: Doyle Dykes
12 string: Leo Kottke
Playing on the computer: West R Lee

West
 

coastie99

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
8,662
Reaction score
27
Location
Greymouth, West Coast, Newsyland
Interesting choice, Mr P. Is Robin Trower widely known in The U.S. ?
I liked James Dewar's vocals when he was R.T.'s bassist and enjoyed R.T.'s work with Jack Bruce.
What album is that track on please ? Looks like I'll have to dig through the vinyl stash.
I am DEEPLY envious of your Johnny Shines experience !!!!!!!
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Alvin Lee & Ten Years After, "Goin Home to See My Baby", live at Woodstock.

Gotta pay some respect to Mr. Jimmy Page too.

Certainly can't forget about Paul Simon. Check out his acoustic solo "Anji", on Sounds of Silence, I believe.

One more category: Bluegrass, Jerry Douglas and David Grier.

Jerry Garcia was in a category all his own.
 

Cypress Knee

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2005
Messages
470
Reaction score
38
Location
Vista, CA
Well, I am going to go with the John Fogerty/Creedence Clearwater Revival number "Born on the Bayou" for the following reasons:

1. I grew up in Louisiana
2. I can play this, which means anyone can.
3. It sounds recognizable and great on either acoustic or electric, normal or distorted.
4. Treble, bass, and double stops in the lead.
5. Here it is: (Tabs copied from various sites with my own interpretations thrown in for good measure.)

Intro/Rhy
---------------
4/4 E7
e-|----|--------------------0-----------0----------0-----0-------0--------||
B-|----|-------------------5-----------5----------5-----5--------5-------||
G-|----|-------------------------7----------7--------7------7-------7 --:||
D-|----|-----------6--------------------|----------------------------------:||
A-|--2 slide 7-|----------------------|------------------------------------||
E-|----|----------------------|----------------------------------------------|| Repeat

Verse1:E7 ad nauseum to

E7 D A E7 D A E7
chasing down a hoodoo there, Chasin' down a hodoo there

Chorus:
E7 D A E7 D A
Born on a bayou Born on a bayou
E7 D A E7
Born on a bayou, Lord Lord.

Guitar Solo:
-----------
E7
e-|--------------|-------------------------|--------------------|
B-|--------------|-------------------------|--------------------|
G-|-2~~~~~~------|-2-p ho 1 p--2-p1--2-p1--2-p1--|--2-p1--2-p1-----1--|
D-|--------------|-------------------------|--------------2-----|
A-|--------------|-------------------------|--------------------|
E-|--------------|-------------------------|--------------------|

e-|-----------------------|--------------0--------------|-----0-------------------|
B-|-----------------------|-----------3----------------|--3---------------------|
G-|--2-p1--2-p1------1--2-|-2-/4------2--1--2-/4-|----------2--1--2-p1--2-p1-|
D-|---------------2-------|----------------------|------------------------|
A-|-----------------------|----------------------|------------------------|
E-|-----------------------|----------------------|------------------------|

e-|---------------------|----------------|
B-|---------------------|----------------|
G-|--2-p1--2-p1---------|----------------|
D-|-----------------2----2-|---(2)------------|
A-|---------------------|----------------|
E-|---------------------|----------------|

Double stops
e-|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|------------7-s--9----9--------7--7---5-----5-|--------------7--|
G-|----------------------- --------------------------|----------------|
D-|-----------7--s--9----9--------7--7---6----6---|-------------7----|
A-|---------------------|----------------|
E-|---------------------|----------------|

e-|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|------------7-s--9----9--------7--7---10---9-|-7----9|
G-|----------------------- -----------------------|----------------|
D-|-----------7--s--9----9--------7--7---11---9-|-7----9|
A-|---------------------|----------------|
E-|---------------------|----------------|

e-|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|------------7-s--9----9--------7--7---5-----5-|--------------7--|
G-|----------------------- --------------------------|----------------|
D-|-----------7--s--9----9--------7--7---6----6---|-------------7----|
A-|---------------------|----------------|
E-|---------------------|----------------|
Chords
D D AA E(hold)
D D AA E(hold)

Bass strings
e-|----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|
B-|---------------------------------------------------]------------------------|
G-|----------------------- --------------------------|------------------------|
D-|-----------2------2---------------------2-------2-2-------2--------------|
A-|---------------4--------0-|---2-h--4-------4----------4--------0--------|
E-|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e-|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
G-|----------------------- --------------------------|----------------|
D-|-----------2------2---------------------2-------2-2-------2--------------|
A-|---------------4--------0-|---2-h--4-------4----------4--------0-----|
E-|---------------------|----------------|

e-|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
G-|----------------------- --------------------------|----------------|
D-|------------------2------2-------------2-|------------2-------2-2-------2--------------|
A-|--0---2-h-4---------4--------0---4-----|---2-h--4-------4----------4--------0-----|
E-|---------------------|----------------|

e-|--------------------------------------------|-----------------|
B-|-------------------------------------------|-----------------|
G-|----------------------- ------------------|----------------|
D-|------------------2------2-------------2-|------------2-------0---0----------------------|
A-|--0---2-h-4---------4--------0---4-----|---2-h--4-------4----------4---4-----0-----|
E-|---------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------|

Back to E7 (c7 shape with root note at 5/7)

Apologies for my lack of skill at tab transcription and/or translation.

CK
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
:) Something like that Coastie. Dred, I had forgotten about Ten Years After......................"I'd Love To Change The World."

West
 

West R Lee

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
17,741
Reaction score
2,663
Location
East Texas
Oh yes Coastie,

When I was around 18 or so Robin Trower was who we listened to when we smoked the peace pipe....and a lot of Pink Floyd. Man, lucky to have survived those days! :shock:

West
 
Top