100 Greatest Country Music Guitarists

Criteria: These are the 100 greatest guitarists who have very clear roots in country and bluegrass. They were picked for their overall skill level, influence, and importance to country and bluegrass guitar.
Country Music Guitarists
  1. Chet Atkins
  2. Merle Travis
  3. Joe Maphis
  4. Roy Clark
  5. Speedy West
  6. Albert Lee
  7. Maybelle Carter
  8. Buddy Emmons
  9. Noel Boggs
10. Jerry Bryd
11. Tony Rice
12. Doc Watson
13. Norman Blake
14. Ricky Skaggs
15. Danny Gatton
16. Ray Flacke
17. Red Rhodes
18. Lester Flatt
19. Hank Garland
20. Leon McAuliffe
21. Roy Nichols
22. Clarence White
23. Doyle Dykes
24. Charlie McCoy
25. Jimmy Bryant
26. Paul Franklin
27. Little Roy Wiggins
28. Joaquin Murphy
29. Pete Drake
30. Jerry Reed
31. Curly Chalker
32. Grady Martin
33. Jerry Douglas
34. Junior Brown
35. Sonny Garish
36. Billy Grammer
37. Dan Dugmore
38. Charles Sawtelle
39. Lee Roy Parnell
40. John Jorgensen
41. Sam McGee
42. Carl Perkins
43. Eddie Alkire
44. James Burton
45. Vince Gill
46. Keith Urban
47. David Grier
48. Glenn Campbell
49. Scotty Moore
50. Brad Paisley
51. Johnny Hiland
52. Jimmy Day
53. Jerry Donahue
54. Herb Remington
55. Don Rich
56. Ralph Mooney
57. Dan Crary
58. Don Helms
59. Joe Carr
60. Bud Isaacs
61. Lloyd Green
62. Bob White
63. Bill Emerson
64. Bill Kirchen
65. Zane Beck
66. Brent Rowan
67. Eddie Taylor
68. Bobby Garrett
69. John Jennings
70. Bob Dunn
71. Dickey Betts
72. Tom Morrell
73. Brent Mason
74. Hal Rugg
75. John Hughey
76. Russ Barenberg
77. Jimmie Crawford
78. James Allen Shelton
79. Jaydee Maness
80. Rusty Young
81. Weldon Myrick
82. B. J. Cole
83. Johnny Sibert
84. Bryan Sutton
85. Buddy Charleton
86. Doug Jernigan
87. Pee Wee Wightwing
88. Tom Brumley
89. Jeff Newman
90. Roy Smeck
91. Eldon Shamblin
92. Sean Watkins
93. Ry Cooder
94. Harold Bradly
95. Eric Weissberg
96. Peter Rowan
97. Billy Bowman
98. Dan Crary
99. Eddy Shaver
100. Buddy Miller
photo by
Deborah Feingold

Honorable Mentions
Tim Stafford
Vance Terry
Eddie Long
Lloyd Maines
Bruce Bouton
Walter Haynes
Herby Wallace
Dix Bruce
Steve Wariner
Billy Robinson
Tut Taylor
Will Ray
David Rawlings
Al Perkins
Larry Park
Kenny Greenberg
  1. Scotty Moore
  2. Cliff Gallup
  3. Carl Perkins
  4. James Burton
  5. Eddie Cochran
  6. Roland Janes
  7. Al Casey
  8. Paul Burlison
  9. Brian Setzer
10. Danny Cedrone
11. Buddy Holly
12. Larry Collins
13. Eddie Bush
14. Franny Beecher
15. Sonny Curtis
16. Lonnie Mack
17. Sonny Burgess
18. Al Hopson
19. Deke Dickerson
20. Tommy Allsup
21. Bobby Fuller
22. Roy Orbison
23. Jerry Huffman
24. Dave Alvin
25. Johnny Meeks
26. Elvis Presley
27. Ronnie Dawson
28. Dave Edmunds
29. Johnny Burnette
30. Bill Haley

Edited By:
Last Updated: 2006-05-26