Slingin' Axes

A Reverential Rant About 5 Guitarists

Gary Lucas

A few years ago, I asked our fans to list their five favorite living guitarists on the Facebook Culture Catch page. For me, they must still be recording, touring, and challenging themselves on the fretboard today, not yesterday. Our managing editor crushed me for not including Jimmy Page, who I hail as an unparalleled innovator once upon a time. (Hey, Steve, they must be active and playing out right now.) When was the last time Jimmy dropped a cool riff or run of memorable notes in a new song for anyone? I suspect he's undoubtedly still capable.

Here are my five favorite string benders who are currently playing out live in no particular ranking:

NELS CLINE

NY-based Nels slings some serious git-action with Wilco, having recorded and toured with band leader Jeff Tweedy since 2004. His lead guitar on "Impossible Germany" remains one of his finest solos in that band. He also fronts several jazz duos and trios. I was lucky to see him jam with The Allman Brothers Band a few years ago at the Beacon Theater. He and Derek Trucks were telepathically terrific together. He's got that angular tone of Tom Verlaine (RIP) circa Television but the romantic bent of the great jazz guitarists like Jim Hall. His sometimes jazz duo partner, Julian Lage, is absolutely a top 10 guitarist in my book.

DEREK TRUCKS

If you've been a fan of my CultureCatch website, you'll know my reverential appreciation for Mr. Trucks with his genius slide work with the Allman Brothers Band, his genre-defying solo gigs, and his blues-rock juggernaut with his wife Susan, the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Pound for pound, the baddest man roaming the jam band stages of the world!

RYLEY WALKER

I only heard about Mr. Walker a few years ago, but I became an instant fan. His tone, texture, and appreciation of John Fahey and Leo Kottke before him resonate long and clear. His 2017 album, SpiderBeetleBee, with another outstanding acoustic guitarist, Bill MacKay, is sublime. With any luck, this talented Chicago-based musician will surely reach a much-deserved and broader audience. Nick Drake meets Richard Thompson, anyone? And speaking of...

RICHARD THOMPSON

An axe wizard on electric and acoustic guitars, this (now) NJ-based Brit continues to write dazzling music—albums and new music—so much so that I'm still about five albums behind his latest output. His prowess was born in folk-rock band Fairport Convention in the '60s, his duo with his then-wife Linda Thompson cemented his legacy, and his solo work continues to impress.

GARY LUCAS

I've never not been in awe when Mr. Lucas picks up his electric Fender Stratocaster or his vintage Gibson acoustic guitar and shares some of his magic. It was no accident that he got to manage, play, and record in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. And he didn't write and record with Jeff Buckley in their project Gods & Monsters and then on Jeff’s solo album because he didn't have soul. He might be the best guitarist you need to know a whole lot better—he lives in New York City but gigs worldwide. Don’t miss him!

Here’s a Spotify playlist of some of my favorite tracks from these fantastic musicians:

Who are your favorite living guitarists? Please share below.