Jimmy Hendrix named the greatest guitarist in rock history

NEW YORK (Rolling Stone magazine) - Jimi Hendrix was the greatest guitarist in rock history, according to a list of guitar greats produced by Rolling Stone magazine. Hendrix set his guitars and the rock world alight with his versatile and vigorous performances before his death in 1970 aged 27.
He beat Duane Allman - from the Allman Brothers - to the number one spot on the Rolling Stone list. But only two women were listed in the top 100 - Joni Mitchell at 72 and Joan Jett at 87.

BB King, one of Hendrix's idols, was at number three while Eric Clapton was in fourth place.

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend - himself ranked 50th - wrote in the magazine that Hendrix "made the electric guitar beautiful". One of Hendrix's shows was "so profoundly powerful" that he found himself holding hands with Clapton, Townshend wrote.

'Weeping guitar'

Allman, who died the year after Hendrix, was praised by Rolling Stone for transforming "the poetry of jamming". And King, 77, was included because "his string-bending and vibrato made his famous guitar, Lucille, weep like a woman", the magazine said.

In fifth place was Robert Johnson, who died aged 27 in 1938 and is credited with being one of the most influential blues musicians.

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ry Cooder also made it into the top 10.

'The greatest guitarists in rock history' list (Rolling Stone magazine):
1 Jimmy Hendrix
2 Duane Allman
3 BB King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Jimmy Page
7 keith Richards
8 Chuck Berry
9 Stevie Ray Vaughan
10 Ry Cooder