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AlbertKing

David Redfern/Redferns
WhenRollingStonereporterJonLandauaskedAlbertKingin1968whohisguitarinfluenceswere,King
replied,"Nobody.EverythingIdoiswrong."Apioneerofelectricblues,King(whowaslefthanded)
playedarighthanded1959GibsonFlyingVupsidedown,withthebassstringsunconventionallyfacing
thefloor.Heusedanindecipherablesecrettuning,hittingnoteswithhisthumb.Thesixfootfour,300
poundKingwasabletobendnotesfartherandmorepowerfullythanalmostanyotherguitarist,andhis
recordsinfluencedageneration:EricClaptonliftedthe"StrangeBrew"solofromKing,andDuane
AllmanturnedthemelodyofKing's"AstheYearsGoPassingBy"intothemainriffof"Layla."Jimi
HendrixwasstarstruckwhenhisheroopenedforhimattheFillmorein1967."Itaught[Hendrix]a
lessonabouttheblues,"saidKing."Icouldhaveeasilyplayedhissongs,buthecouldn'tplaymine."
KeyTracks:"BornUnderaBadSign,""AstheYearsGoPassingBy"

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DavidGilmour

Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images


Asaproducerandsongwriter,PinkFloyd'sDavidGilmourisdrawntofloating,dreamytextures,but
whenhepicksuphisblackStratocastertoplayasolo,anentirelydifferentsensibilitytakesover:"I
wantedabright,powerfulleadguitartonethatwouldbasicallyripyourfaceoff,"hesays.Hewasafiery,
bluesbasedsoloistinabandthathardlyeverplayedtheblueshissprawling,elegant,relentlessly
melodicsoloswereasbracingawakeupcallasthosealarmclocksonTheDarkSideoftheMoon.But
Gilmourwasalsoadeptatdroningavantgardeimprov,asseeninFloyd'sLiveatPompeiidays,and
couldbeanunexpectedlyfunkyrhythmguitarist,fromtheslinkyriffto"HaveaCigar"totheChiclike
flourisheson"AnotherBrickintheWall,Part2."Hispioneeringuseofechoandothereffectsinitially
inspiredbyoriginalFloydguitaristSydBarrettculminatedwithhisprecisionuseofdelayon"RunLike
Hell,"whichdirectlyanticipatestheEdge'ssignaturesound.
KeyTracks:"ComfortablyNumb,""ShineonYouCrazyDiamond"

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FreddyKing

David Warner Ellis/Redferns


Ina1985interview,EricClaptoncitedFreddyKing's1961Bside"ILovetheWoman"as"thefirsttime
Iheardthatelectricleadguitarstyle,withthebentnotes...[it]startedmeonmypath."Claptonsharedhis
loveofKingwithfellowBritishguitarheroesPeterGreen,JeffBeckandMickTaylor,allofwhomwere
profoundlyinfluencedbyKing'ssharpenedtrebletoneandcurtmelodichooksoniconicsinglessuchas
"TheStumble,""I'mToreDown"and"Someday,AfterAwhile."Nicknamed"TheTexasCannonball"for
hisimposingbuildandincendiaryliveshows,Kinghadauniqueguitarattack."Steelonsteelisan
unforgettablesound,"saysDerekTrucks,referringtoKing'suseofmetalbanjopicks."Butit'sgottabein
therighthands.Thewayheuseditman,youweregoingtohearthatguitar."Truckscanstillhear
King'shugeimpactonClapton."WhenIplayedwithEric,"Truckssaidrecently,"thereweretimeswhen
hewouldtakesolosandIwouldgetthatFreddyvibe."
KeyTracks:"HideAway,""HaveYouEverLovedaWoman,""TheStumble"

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