Welcome to Epic Guitarists

Playing guitar has been an essential part of my life and a core element of my being for over 30 years.  It has given me so much:  a creative outlet, membership in a passionate community of like-minded musicians, long-lasting friendships, and--most importantly--personal self-confidence.  

 It was 1988 when musical lightning struck--I heard "Far Beyond the Sun" from Yngwie Malmsteen for the first time.  I was 14, and while I had always gravitated towards guitar-oriented rock and heavy metal, it opened my ears and my mind to what an electric guitar could  do.  For those of you who read that last line and thought "WAIT, WHAT ABOUT EDDIE!!"-- I hear you.  While I now have a true appreciation for Eddie's genius and influence, back then I liked Van Halen, and on some rudimentary level, I understood that Eddie Van Halen was the most famous and most important guitarist in the world.  But, listening to Yngwie was different.  It was so exotic, so complex, so FAST.  While I had an early musical background, having played piano and trumpet in school, suddenly those instruments seemed so insignificant and blasé compared to what I heard was possible on the guitar.  It wasn't music anymore... it was magic. And Yngwie was a sorcerer. 

A deep, soul-shifting inspiration took root.  I didn't just want to listen to music, I wanted to make music.  To do that, I needed to learn how to play guitar.  And with that--and a $99 Hondo electric Strat copy--my six-string journey  had  begun.  

And let's be honest--the journey was rocky.  I didn't take naturally to the guitar, and it took a lot of practice--and my best friend at the time kicking me out of my first band for sucking so bad--before things started to click.  Through it all, I kept pushing forward due to the continued influence and inspiration of the groundbreaking guitarists at the time--Yngwie, Eddie, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Marty Friedman and Jason Becker, George Lynch...the list goes on and on.  My sonic palate continued to expand, my fingers and hands started to cooperate, and I eventually got better.

In retrospect, there was no better time to start playing guitar than the 80's. It was a renaissance of technically amazing, guitar-oriented music.  Those musicians, influenced by the prior generation of greats (Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Ace Frehley), begat newer generations of guitarists to carry on their legacy.  Music has changed a lot over the past 30+ years, and not always for the best.  Despite this, the shredders of the 80's have continued to make music and inspire others to be better.   

I wanted to start this blog as a tribute to those Epic Guitarists--those who have pushed the limits of what is musically possible while serving as inspiration for musicians to aspire to.  Think of this as a "Rock Guitar Hall of Fame" of sorts.  Please enjoy and comment--I would love to connect and discuss.