Who's your favorite "blues" guitar player? (dead or alive)

A lot of our Rock Guitar Gods have blues roots. I'm thinking Blackmore, Iommi, Page. Those sorts of guys. They could likely hang with the best of them.

 

Go see Robin Trower while you still can.

 

Man, hard to pick just one. So many great blues pickers, from the early days, Delta, Chicago, Texas...all the way up to the British Invasion rock and roll and more modern players. I'd say the best are the ones with the distinctive sound...who you immediately recognize just from the tone of the guitar, even if you've never heard the song. Three players stand out to me in that regard: Robert Johnson, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can argue whether or not they were the greatest, but hear one note, and you know who it is. That's hard to do.

 

Luther Allison, I especially like his “Live In Chicago”. Next would be Gary Clark Jr.

 

So many great ones, can't pick just one as "best" or "favorite".
Warren Haynes deserves mention, phenomenal player and talented songwriter.

Also check out Watermelon Sim;

 

agreed. He is a phenom. If he lives long enough he will be a “great”

 

Not flashy, not a shredder by any means but just good ol blues guitar....John Hammond. I have been to 7 or 8 of his concerts...Not sure if he is still touring. I saw him at a local blues club on a hot summer's eve probably 15 years ago. The side door was open to increase air flow and they had a 20 something security guy on the door. John Hammond came strolling in through the door and the young guy accosted him by the arm and was about to escort him out. I leaned over from out table, tapped the security on the shoulder and advised him he should let the guy in as he was the headliner for the night and the reason we were all here. He apologized to Mr Hammond and let him pass.

 

I've also seen him several times. He hasn't been to Funkytown for a while, tho.

 

I agree "Kingfish" is very good, hope to hear more from him. I would like to add Michael Burkes "The Ironman" and Coco Montoya, they both are pretty good "string benders".

 

Among those playing these days, I love Derek Trucks's slide sound.

 

Reminds me of the film Ghost World. The scene where the Steve Buscemi character Seymour and the Thora Birch character Enid are at a "blues" bar, as Enid is trying to get Seymour to meet women, while Seymour wants to hear his true bluesman idol playing as the opening act for bombastic delta blues band "Blueshammer".