Jimi Hendrix was a multitalented musician whose name has been listed as the greatest and most underrated songwriter as well as the greatest guitarist. Without Jimi, there would not have been many popular songs because Jimi not only was good at writing songs or playing guitar but he was an inspiration to various music artists. In fact, there are several artists who pursued a career in music after listening to Hendrix.
However, although Jimi was one of the greatest songwriters, he was more of a guitar guy and he would amaze the world with his guitar skills. It is really interesting and fun to know one legendary guitar player’s all-time favorite guitarist.
So who did Jimi Hendrix consider the greatest or his favorite guitarist? well, before we continue any further there are several guitarists whom Jimi considered his favorite including Eric Clapton, Otis Rush, BB King, and more, however, today in this handy piece we will be discussing a specific guitarist whom Jimi called the best guitarist.
Who did Jimi Hendrix say is the best guitarist?
Many people believe that Hendrix thought Billy Gibbons of the ZZ Top was the best guitarist in the world. If you are Jimi’s fan then you might know that Hendrix and Gibbons were close and good friends. Gibbons recalls his time with Jimi and he even shared the story of their first meeting. Gibbons talked to Ultimate Classic Rock and said, “I remember wrapping up the set, coming off the stage, there was Jimi in the shadows – off to the side with his arms folded. But he was grinning, and as I passed by, he grabbed me and said, ‘I like you. You’ve got a lot of nerve.”
I don’t know if Hendrix thought Gibbons was the best guitarist but he was right that Billy Gibbons was a really talented and great guitarist, there is no doubt in that because today Billy is said to be one of the most talented guitarists.
Furthermore, Gibbons was once in an interview when the reporter told him Jimi considered him one of his favorite guitarists and after listening to this, Gibbons responded, “I remember that. I’ve heard that for a long time ago. We were good friends. I still got some fond memories of our time together. I hope that someday we can just bring it out and let it come out. It’s still swirling around up there.”
Gibbons also recalled the time when they toured with Jimi and during an interview with Rolling Stone Gibbons said, “He was a real technical wizard. He was inventing things to do with the Stratocaster guitar. I am confident the designers had no clue would unfold in later years. Jimi had the talent to make that work for him. His technique was very peculiar in that he was playing a right-handed guitar in a left-handed style, upside down. To look at it and try to figure out what he was doing was very daunting.”
However, although people think that Jimi said, Billy Gibbons was the greatest guitarist, that is not true at all. Yes, Billy is a really good and talented guitarist but he is certainly not the best or the greatest. And to know the answer let’s go back some years or decades earlier when Jimi appeared on The Mike Douglas Show. On the show, Jimi was asked by Douglas how he feels or what it’s like to be the best rock guitarist in the world. And Jimi humbly as well as wisely answered, “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Rory Gallagher.” And I think now we are clear on who Jimi really considered the world’s best guitarist.
