Led Zeppelin’s famous guitarist Jimmy Page revolutionized the guitar landscape in rock music by introducing fresh sounds and methods. He was a master of the blues-based riff, and he employed this technique to produce some of the most recognizable guitar riffs in the annals of rock music. Also, Page experimented with brand-new guitar effects including delay and distortion, which contributed to the band’s distinctive sound.
Led Zeppelin’s music acquired a distinctive and ethereal feel because of the usage of the violin bow that he also incorporated into his guitar playing. Since many guitarists continue to be inspired by Page’s inventive playing style, his impact on the guitar world is still felt today.
Being who he is today, he has also talked about his fair share of favorite guitarists. Back in 1975, during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he named 5 American guitarists who were his favorites. Here is the list of them.
Clarence White
Jimmy admired Clarence White for his unique style and exceptional guitar skills. Page was particularly impressed by White’s fingerpicking technique, which he felt was highly innovative and influential. White’s use of the B-string for melody lines, and his ability to play intricate harmonies and rhythms simultaneously, were also highly regarded by Page.
He told, “The other guitarist I started to get into died also, Clarence White. He was absolutely brilliant. Gosh.”
In an interview with Guitar Player in 2023, he said that Gram Parson and Clarence White’s ‘invention’ inspired Led Zeppelin’s album ‘In Through the Out Door’.
He said, “I heard the Byrds’ [1970] Untitled album. It’s a live album and I thought, What the hell is he doing? And it turned out it was Clarence White playing on the Gene Parsons and Clarence White invention, which was his idea to make the string pitch up.”
Like Jimmy Page, he performed in several sessions for other musicians. The Everly Brothers, Joe Cocker, Ricky Nelson, Pat Boone, The Monkees, Randy Newman, and Jackson Browne were a few of the musicians he recorded with. He was sadly killed in 1973 at the age of 29 when he was hit by a drunk driver.
Les Paul
Jimmy Page utilized a variety of guitar types throughout his career with Led Zeppelin and on his own, including the Fender Telecaster, but the two most well-known are Les Paul variations. The Gibson Les Paul DeLuxe and the Double-Neck Gibson EDS-1275 are his most well-known instruments.
He had the chance to meet the American guitarist and inventor. He even gave Page some advice, as he revealed it to GQ in 2021. The guitarist remembers Les Paul’s advice when he mentioned that he would never pursue a commercial career.
Jimmy said, “I think it’s more satisfying to throw down the gauntlet to yourself. Take on the challenge and then come out with something where you’ve really pushed yourself. To actually do something unique and new.”
“Les Paul said to me, ‘You know what you can do? Same picture, different frame.’ So you never lose the main part of your character, that’s recognized. But you adjust the framing of the picture.”
In his interview with Rolling Stone in 1975, he commented, “Les Paul is the one, really. We wouldn’t be anywhere if he hadn’t invented the electric guitar.”
Elliot Randall
Jimmy Page has praised Elliott Randall’s guitar solo on Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years” and cited it as his all-time favorite solo. The fact that the solo is regarded as a masterpiece and is listed among the top guitar solos of all time may explain why Page appreciates Randall’s work.
He commented, “Another one is Elliot Randall, the guy who guested on the first Steely Dan album. He’s great, while talking with Rolling Stone in 1975.
Amos Garrett
Jimmy told Rolling Stone, “On a totally different style—the control, the guy who played on the Maria Muldaur single, ‘Midnight at the Oasis.’ Amos Garrett. He’s Les Paul oriented.”
Although Amos Garrett was referred to by Jimmy Page as an American guitarist, he was really born in Ontario, Canada, and holds dual citizenship. The guitar solo he played in Maria Muldaur’s song “Midnight At The Oasis” is what made him most well-known.
The musician had collaborated with numerous other musicians over his career, including Stevie Wonder, Todd Rundgren, and Bonnie Raitt. More than 150 artists have joined him on recordings. Amos is a writer who has published several books about music in addition to being a musician. “Amos Garrett—Stringbending: A Master Class” is one of them.
Jimi Hendrix
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said, “Well, let’s see, we’ve lost the best guitarist any of us ever had. That was Hendrix.”
Over the years, he maintained to appreciate and admire Jimi Hendrix, praising even the sonic quality of his recordings. When questioned by Guitar World in 1993 about how well crafted the Hendrix albums were from a producer’s perspective, Page responded favorably.
