Guitar virtuosos

Yeah country music is only for nerds, haha just joking, my grandad loved Johnny Cash and all his other country music heroes like Jim Reeves and Loretta Lynn etc etc. I like country music too, but I can't listen to the pure old fahioned style of country for too long, I prefer more contemporary modern-like country music sounds like Neil Young, John Denver, Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers etc etc.
I'm not a hardcore country music person so I don't know who Brad Paisley is, I hope he can play rockabilly plucking guitar like Chet Atkins, I saw Atkins play along side Mark Knopfler in one youtube video. Hes very popular and well knowwn amongst a lot of guitar enthusiasts, a country music guitar giant I would say, amazing guitarist

I saw Rodrigo y Gabriela live! They put on a pretty amazing concert.

Wow! that's an awesome video on Spanish guitar music especially seeing that woman so fluent on her guitar and doing percussion at the same time.
But I can't listen to raw Spanish guitar music for too long because it becomes too repetitive, its the same when I listen to blues guitar it becomes too repetitive and sicking after a while, I like contemporary fusion guitar where theres a variation of styles so I don't become bored with it, just one repetitive style of guitar music can make me irritated after a while, nevertheless, that was an amazing display and sound of Spanish guitar by that couple

I like Christian guitarist Phil Keaggy too, hes got some awesome tunes and ideas.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fQFs0mT9sRk&itct=CBEQpDAYACITCPP6lNaortoCFUgBfwod6IUJRTIHcmVsYXRlZEjW4vfHotGkvB8%3D&hl=en-GB&client=mv-google&gl=NZ

I like Steve Vai too, a very technical and creative guitarist, some of his ideas centre around advanced music structures and innovations especially with his unusual chord/notes structures and arrangements, instead of the same old same old sound you hear from most guitarists

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw74sDWPH7U&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCLjmtvvNrtoCFUsffgod1LwLE1IbdGVuZGVyIHN1cnJlbmRlciwgc3RldmUgdmFp&hl=en-GB&client=mv-google&gl=NZ

Some innovative guitar work and vocals from Vai

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfP-ru9nsU&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCJPZ9s_QrtoCFcbHfgodK1gJTVITYWNvdXN0aWMsIHN0ZXZlIHZhaQ%3D%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

The one who inspired me to learn lead guitar Jimmy Page, apart from his lead guitar work I liked his Mandoloin/acoustic folk Celtic sounds as well, amazing artist

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WUiy_6hI-xU&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCOTChKbirtoCFUrTfgodjrkM2FIUbWFuZG9saW4sIGppbW15IHBhZ2U%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

Some electric blues guitar by Jimmy Page from the song "dazed and confused" which comes from the Led Zepplin movie "The song remains the same." The concert performance clips in this movie are from their 1973 concert at Madison square garden USA.
In my mind, Page was such an agile and creative guitarist during that period, but when you look at later live performances he's not all that good. It amazes me how a lot of guitarists start losing their guitaring agility as they get older, maybe they start developing arthritis or something????

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wIwFbdnA-Gs&itct=CBcQpDAYASITCMruyYfar9oCFQKnfgodUDcJl1IXZ3VpdGFyIHNvbG8sIGppbW15IHBhZ2U%3D&client=mv-google&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ

I love this piece of innovative guitar work from the one and only Jimmy Page using a violin bow on his Les Paul, a great classic piece of rock music in my opinion!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AIHabvURnpk&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCJGVs-32sNoCFcysfgodm0EKEVIWdmlvbGluIGJvdywgamltbXkgcGFnZQ%3D%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

Can't forget the Led Zep anthem "Stairway to heaven" from the Madison square garden in 1973

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xbhCPt6PZIU&itct=CBcQpDAYASITCLqlsJOCsdoCFQnofgod2iUCBVIjc3RhaXJ3YXkgdG8gaGVhdmVuIGxpdmUsIGppbW15IHBhZ2U%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

I have always liked this guy and this song in particular...

Yup very talented guitar player, I got to know him 2yrs ago while scanning youtube for fingerpicking folk guitar. He was a guitar teacher before becoming famous on youtube broadcasting his instrumental songs. He plays the harp-guitar as well.
This is one of my favourite tunes of his too its a happy go lucky tune, "Rylynn" is another good tune of his too.
When I accidently came across McKee I was actually scanning on youtube for fingerpicking guitar similar to Ian Anderson(from the Jethro Tull band) type of Celtic/Gaelic folk guitar which I really enjoy listening too, but he always cuts his guitaring short switching over to vocals. McKee is more contemporary rather than traditional, but he has some brilliant ideas. Mind you, I like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani's acoustic type music too, they sometimes come up with those unusual guitar chords that sound really beautiful and trippy, they have a lot of that advanced classical guitar knowledge to a point where they can literally create their own chords.

Rylynn, by Andy McKee

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JsD6uEZsIsU&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCPnVj6qtstoCFdLWfgod1fYCl1IScnlseW5uLCBhbmR5IG1ja2Vl&hl=en-GB&client=mv-google&gl=NZ

As an amateur lead guitarist I think simplicity is the best approach to lead guitar improvisation unlike flashy complexed lead guitar that sometimes doesn't compliment the song or instrumental. Don't get me wrong, I do like flashy complexed lead guitaring, but only if it compliments the song. I've seen those youtube videos with those amateur guitarists displaying their high speed picking skills, but all they are really doing is displaying scale run exercises, they're not good at applying these guitar techniques to create great music compositions, only the lead guitar experts are good at that. You've got to have a good ear to determine what guitar technique is going to compliment the song, years of practice and a natural gift for music I would think. I like this simple lead guitar improvisation by Terry Williams, simple but highly effective, the Ruby song with Kenny Rogers and the first edition

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4EJGZt3X6uU&itct=CA4QpDAYCiITCIub9KyztNoCFcpIfgod9pYBYVISS2VubnkgUm9nZXJzLCBSdWJ5&client=mv-google&gl=NZ&hl=en-GB

Good example.

Another example of simple but highly effective is the guitar instrumental Apache by English musician/guitarist Jerry Lordan, played by Hank Marvin and the Shadows. I'm only using the word "simple" from my own amateur perspective of course, not from a professional perspective, I can imitate a lot of lead guitar tunes and songs, but I'd rather create my own original material...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y_NOx9Aubw&itct=CBcQpDAYASITCMONmOnbtdoCFWYgfgodr-AEjFITSGFuayBNYXJ2aW4sIGFwYWNoZQ%3D%3D&client=mv-google&gl=NZ&hl=en-GB

Here's another simple but effective tune "always with me always with you" by Joe Satriani with one or two technical guitar complexities. Satriani is well-known for his simple and complexed guitaring prowess with some great classical and rock guitar music compositions, he's acquired some very advanced music ideas n knowledge as a guitar teacher and entertainer, great musician I would say...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=czHYYVyBqCc&itct=CBYQpDAYAiITCLmQpIyJttoCFcgefwod1NoLNlIsYWx3YXlzIHdpdGggbWUgYWx3YXlzIHdpdGggeW91LCBqb2Ugc2F0cmlhbmk%3D&client=mv-google&gl=NZ&hl=en-GB

One of my favourite jazz lead guitarists is George Benson, he's plays a smooth soulful jazz with an amazing voice which he sometimes uses to sing along with his guitar picking, he's the only one I know who can do that, such an amazing musician

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3z-pyZd2E&itct=CBYQpDAYAiITCPjKwcKXttoCFcuwfgodgEYDxFIaYWZmaXJtYXRpb24sIGdlb3JnZSBiZW5zb24%3D&client=mv-google&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ

On broadway, George Benson

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6jdH1T8hc9c&itct=CBUQpDAYAyITCKmjg-aMt9oCFaMbfgodduUMFFIab24gYnJvYWR3YXksIGdlb3JnZSBiZW5zb24%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

I've always loved the style of lead guitar by Carlos Santana, its so simple with a bluesy spanish sound but sometimes even complexed when he uses some jazz techniques. But one thing has always startled me with his guitaring, in the recording studio he's so perfect and agile, then when he plays live he seems to struggle to play perfect and agile guitaring, why is this? Can someone else explain this.Maybe he doesn't like replicating what hes done in the recording studio, and gets agitated in front of live audiences, its such a great pity because hes got such a beautiful sound. There are one or two live performances(or others I haven't seen) where his guitar playing is ok but not as good as his recording studio guitar work. Nevertheless, I love his sound.
Heres a live performance from woodstock that I like called "Soul sacrifice", his other band members are amazing musicians as well

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZceAQSJvc&itct=CBgQpDAYACITCLvI9pviuNoCFY0EfwodeUADNlIXc291bCBzYWNyaWZpY2UsIHNhbnRhbmE%3D&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ&client=mv-google

Carlos Santana is somewhat of a let down when playing live, he usually plays his tunes very different from his studio recordings, and doesn't seem all that good and agile on his guitar, sorry bout the rant, its only my opinion, but I still think he's a great musician nonetheless. But heres a live performance from Joe Satriani, you can always depend on him to play better than his studio recordings

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fw5u8xkbAA&itct=CBcQpDAYASITCNbb_qObudoCFcEWfwodKiwDL1IcbG9yZHMgb2Yga2FybWEsIGpvZSBzYXRyaWFuaQ%3D%3D&client=mv-google&hl=en-GB&gl=NZ