Players Betty Davis's self-titled debut album is essential funk guitar listening This oft-overlooked, and recently-reissued, album sprang from the early '70s Bay Area music scene, which featured some of the best funk ever played by human hands With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic Though he often feels, when called to the stage to start a solo show, “like the executioner has arrived to take me to the gallows,” Ellis's new acoustic album, Naked Truth, finds the veteran guitarist right at home without accompaniment Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised Latest Players How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP Meet Max Light, the jazz guitarist who loves Coltrane, Miles, and Meshuggah in equal measure By Bill Milkowski published 9 May 24 The Brooklyn-based virtuoso is unafraid to challenge himself – see his mind-boggling re-interpretation of Coltrane’s 26-2, and tunes so challenging he could only get through one take in the studio – but is nonetheless a “serial monogamist” when it comes to his beloved Collings Slowly emerging from a hiatus, Sarah Longfield's ever-impressive playing is “more chill now” By Andrew Daly published 9 May 24 Having recently served as an instructor at Vai Academy 7.0, the genre-blending, Strandberg-wielding innovator is set to take her playing in an entirely new direction Ska, reggae guitar king Ernest Ranglin on the origins of the ‘skank’ style, and the early Jamaican scene By Jimmy Leslie published 8 May 24 In a 2014 chat with GP, the pioneering six-stringer discussed his tonal preferences and guitar teaching philosophy, and the most beloved – and enigmatic – guitar in his collection "Like somebody trying to string telephone wire across the Grand Canyon…" Duane Eddy: My Career in Five Songs By Mark McStea last updated 3 May 24 His twangy guitar helped Duane Eddy travel across decades and genres. These are the top cuts from his long-running journey. "I never had a good voice for singing, so I took it out on the guitar." An epic Duane Eddy interview by Bill Nelson By Michael Molenda published 3 May 24 Back in 2012, we brought electric guitar pioneer Duane Eddy and visionary British legend Bill Nelson together for an epic interview. Topics covered include everything from meeting Elvis, swapping tips with Chuck Berry, pioneering a whole new playing style, and the idea of making a dark, ambient album… How Duane Eddy wrote his twanging, game-changing instrumental smash, Rebel Rouser By Mark McStea published 2 May 24 Needing an intro for his shows, Eddy – with the help of an empty 2,000-gallon tank – created one of the most influential guitar instrumentals of all time Peter Frampton reveals the stories behind five of his classic tracks By Joe Bosso published 25 April 24 Well over 50 years into his career, the Les Paul-wielding guitar hero has covered amazing stylistic ground, and worked with the best of the best. Learn how he crafted some of his most timeless tunes How Noel Gallagher and Beck helped bring the Black Keys' latest funky full-length, Ohio Players, to life By Gary Graff published 23 April 24 The Black Keys began life as a bare-bones two-piece, but, as Dan Auerbach tells GP, collaboration and an open musical mind have expanded the duo's sound to thrilling new heights Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit By Elliot Stephen Cohen published 19 April 24 In 2019, the late Dickey Betts sat down with Guitar Player to reflect on the Allman Brothers and his musical career, from his early influences to his last solo live album 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1“Lack of use, plus three bouts of COVID, probably phased out the plectrum for me”: Mark Knopfler on why he’s ditched the pick in favor of fingerpicking 2“A three-in-one tribute to the best of British tone”: Carr Amplifiers' Bel-Ray excels at just about any vintage-voiced intentions a guitarist might have for a compact tube combo in 20243“When I told my father I wanted an acoustic guitar, he was thrilled about getting me an instrument that wouldn’t deafen the family, like my Les Paul and Twin Reverb”: With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic4“That guitar went through a lot of different phases and changes... I kept changing it because I was tired of people copying my guitar”: Eddie Van Halen on Frankenstein, and why he never apologized for modding 5“The only way I could afford my ’66 Strat was to take the ‘66 neck off and sell it to a guy across the street, then go back to Manny’s and buy an ESP neck”: Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his unsung, under-appreciated masterpiece, Field Day
How Guitar Player's Spotlight column made Yngwie Malmsteen a guitar hero overnight By Matt Blackett published 14 May 24 “It wasn’t just the notes in his playing, but the energy and the attitude behind them,” tastemaker and Spotlight author Mike Varney told GP
Meet Max Light, the jazz guitarist who loves Coltrane, Miles, and Meshuggah in equal measure By Bill Milkowski published 9 May 24 The Brooklyn-based virtuoso is unafraid to challenge himself – see his mind-boggling re-interpretation of Coltrane’s 26-2, and tunes so challenging he could only get through one take in the studio – but is nonetheless a “serial monogamist” when it comes to his beloved Collings
Slowly emerging from a hiatus, Sarah Longfield's ever-impressive playing is “more chill now” By Andrew Daly published 9 May 24 Having recently served as an instructor at Vai Academy 7.0, the genre-blending, Strandberg-wielding innovator is set to take her playing in an entirely new direction
Ska, reggae guitar king Ernest Ranglin on the origins of the ‘skank’ style, and the early Jamaican scene By Jimmy Leslie published 8 May 24 In a 2014 chat with GP, the pioneering six-stringer discussed his tonal preferences and guitar teaching philosophy, and the most beloved – and enigmatic – guitar in his collection
"Like somebody trying to string telephone wire across the Grand Canyon…" Duane Eddy: My Career in Five Songs By Mark McStea last updated 3 May 24 His twangy guitar helped Duane Eddy travel across decades and genres. These are the top cuts from his long-running journey.
"I never had a good voice for singing, so I took it out on the guitar." An epic Duane Eddy interview by Bill Nelson By Michael Molenda published 3 May 24 Back in 2012, we brought electric guitar pioneer Duane Eddy and visionary British legend Bill Nelson together for an epic interview. Topics covered include everything from meeting Elvis, swapping tips with Chuck Berry, pioneering a whole new playing style, and the idea of making a dark, ambient album…
How Duane Eddy wrote his twanging, game-changing instrumental smash, Rebel Rouser By Mark McStea published 2 May 24 Needing an intro for his shows, Eddy – with the help of an empty 2,000-gallon tank – created one of the most influential guitar instrumentals of all time
Peter Frampton reveals the stories behind five of his classic tracks By Joe Bosso published 25 April 24 Well over 50 years into his career, the Les Paul-wielding guitar hero has covered amazing stylistic ground, and worked with the best of the best. Learn how he crafted some of his most timeless tunes
How Noel Gallagher and Beck helped bring the Black Keys' latest funky full-length, Ohio Players, to life By Gary Graff published 23 April 24 The Black Keys began life as a bare-bones two-piece, but, as Dan Auerbach tells GP, collaboration and an open musical mind have expanded the duo's sound to thrilling new heights
Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit By Elliot Stephen Cohen published 19 April 24 In 2019, the late Dickey Betts sat down with Guitar Player to reflect on the Allman Brothers and his musical career, from his early influences to his last solo live album