Our readers’ all-time favorite guitar solos are by Jeff Beck, Jim Hendrix, Prince and many more – San Diego Union-Tribune

Editor’s note: More readers’ letters about their favorite guitar solos will be published on Sunday, Sept. 13.

What are your favorite guitar solos?

That is the question I posed to readers in my Aug. 9 article: “What are the greatest guitar solos of all time? Here are some of our picks. What are yours?”

What are the greatest guitar solos of all time? Here are some of our picks. What are yours?

Dozens of you shared your selections, which cover a broad array of players and styles. Responses came from across San Diego County and as far afield as Connecticut, England and Australia. No fewer than three readers chose guitarist Michael Schenker’s bravura solo on “Rock Bottom” from the 1979 double live album, “Strangers in the Night,” by UFO.

Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Prince and Eddie Van Halen also earned multiple endorsements. So did former Tijuana six-string ace Carlos Santana. Only one reader nominated a solo by Ted Nugent.

We received so many responses that more will be published in next week’s Sunday Arts & Entertainment section. The letters have been edited for length and clarity.

Guns N’ Roses

Thanks for expanding my list of favorite guitar solos, songs and genres. I’ve downloaded many from your suggestions.

One of my favorites is Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Slash’s solo makes this song iconic for me and not just a “regular rock song.” He makes his guitar purr and roar.

Thanks for mentioning just a few women guitarists, H.E.R and Bonnie Raitt, who are two of my favorites. You missed Nancy Wilson of Heart, Orianthi, Molly Miller, Lari Basilio and Joan Jett. Maybe a future article could showcase female musicians, not just the singers, since — let’s face it — for years men have had opportunities to dominate the music industry.  It would be enlightening to know some of the women pioneers in blues, rock, jazz.

Thanks for always educating me on new artists past and present.

Mary Pope, San Diego

Deep Purple, Jethro Tull

I enjoyed your article on guitar solos. Two that caught my ear as a teenager were Ritchie Blackmore’s, on the live version of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” from the “Made in Japan” album; and Martin Barre of Jethro Tull’s on “Aqualung.”

As an adult, two others I came to love are “Third Wind” and “To The End of the World,” both by Pat Metheny, who otherwise has too many great solos to list. Thanks for letting me share.

James R. RIffel, El Cajon

Django Reinhardt

My favorite solo is Django Reinhardt’s “Manoir de mes rêves” 1945 recording on Vogue. Not his fastest, but a beautifully constructed, lyrical solo that I wish I could play. Seventy years ago, when I was 13, my guitar teacher gave me names of guitarists to listen to. The first EP I heard in the record shop had this Django track following the furious “Belleville.” It has been my favorite ever since and I have now found it on YouTube. Not to be confused with his many recordings of “Manoir” (“House of Dreams”), this one is the most beautiful.

David Cook, Newmarket, England

UFO’s ‘Rock Bottom’

Thanks again for another fun article.

Top of my list would be Michael Schenker’s extended solo on UFO’s “Rock Bottom” from their “Strangers in the Night” live album. Melody, pacing, tone, dynamic build-up, flashes of speed and a bunch more adjectives if I knew anything about playing guitar. Schenker was reportedly furious with producer Ron Nevison for not letting him correct what he perceived as minor flubs. Thank goodness Nevison stood his ground.

Kirk Crawford, Rancho Santa Fe

Steely Dan

I think one would be remiss to not include Elliott Randall’s solo on Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years.”

Dave Kuhlman, Rancho Penasquitos

Mick Ronson’s “Moonage Daydream,” “Width of a Circle”

Thanks for a great article on guitar solos. Given that I am a fan of pithy 3-minute pop/rock songs (from Beatles to Ramones!), I am definitely not a fount of wisdom or credibility when it comes to guitar solos. As evidence of this, my high school buddies recall me falling asleep at the San Diego Sports Arena, circa 1973, during an extended solo of Whipping Post by the Allman Brothers Band (the same show that Cameron Crowe gives many kudos to in his San Diego-centric memoir, “Uncool”).

That being said, if one ever saw the grainy version of the 1979 film “Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars,” the solos by Mick Ronson on “Moonage Daydream” and “Width of a Circle” are beyond reproach.  So, that is my vote for best guitar solos!

Dale Glaser, Point Loma

Living Colour, Van Halen

Two of my favorite solos are very heavy rock oriented.

How could you forget “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour? Vernon Reid burned so hot on this legendary solo!

Another favorite is “Eruption” by Eddie Van Halen on Van Halen’s debut album. It exploded out of radios everywhere, announcing their arrival.

Thank you.

Mark Gracyk, Lemon Grove

Richard Thompson, Steely Dan

I enjoyed the article on guitar solos and am having fun listening to the few I’m not familiar with. A few of my all-time favorites are “Take Care the Road You Choose” by Richard Thompson, Steely Dan’s “Gold Teeth Number Two,” and Derek and the Dominos’ “Why Does Love Have to Be So Sad” (though this last one may be ruled out on a technicality, as it’s actually a guitar duet). I hope you publish the suggestions from other readers.

I’m also looking forward to investigating some of the new up-and-comers you mentioned, and would like to add one to the list: Jackie Venson, from Austin, who recently performed in Escondido. Great concert.

Flann Maguire, Encinitas

Stevie Ray Vaughan

I think the most glaring omissions from your list are the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Fogerty.

For Stevie, I’d either have to go with “Pride & Joy” (any version) or “Look at Little Sister” from the concert in 1985 at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, N.Y. You could pull any solo from that concert and it should’ve made the top 10. For John, it has to be Creedence Clearwater Revival’s blistering rendition of “I Put a Spell on You,” from their “Greatest Hits” album.

Thanks, I enjoyed reading your good picks, and your obvious mistakes. 🙂

Anita Fabian, New Milford, CT

‘Stranglehold’

Ted Nugent’s solo on “Stranglehold.”

Why? His ability to throw two or three notes in when you don’t expect it, and the variety of sounds he creates.

Cliff Lindroth, Temecula

David Lindley, Robert Cray

Great idea for an article. Hard to argue that the solos on your list aren’t all great, and there’s a lot of truly great guitar work that doesn’t fit here because it’s not really a solo, but a whole track’s worth of work (e.g. Santana’s “Europa,” Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Couldn’t Stand the Weather,” and probably anything by Ry Cooder, including your choice).

But I would add Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption” regardless, as an announcement of a new era in rock; Al Anderson’s beautifully simple and wrenching solo in the live version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry,” which shows shredding is absolutely not necessary; Alvin Lee’s blistering solo on “I’d Love to Change the World” by Ten Years After; which shows that shredding is great and potentially melodic; David Lindley’s overheated, indelible slide solo on Jackson Browne’s “Runnin’ on Empty”; and — my personal favorite — the incredible final 2 minutes and 15 seconds of the title track from Robert Cray’s 1992 album, “I Was Warned.” It starts out impressively tasty and in the groove, then builds to to staggering heights.

Thanks for making me reconnect with some of these.

Jared D’Onofrio, North Park

Derek Trucks

My wife has been duly advised, if I am terminally ill and my time on this earth is coming to an end, to put on my headphones and play a live version of “Midnight in Harlem” by the Tedeschi Trucks Band on a loop until I am gone. The long guitar solo by Derek Trucks with the beautiful vocal lead-in by Susan Tedeschi is methadone to the ears. Like you, I have an endless list of favorites, but that one takes me someplace out of this world.

Thanks for the article and the list of solos to revisit. I look forward to getting more from other readers.

Colin Young, La Jolla

Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck

What a tough assignment you’ve given us today!  It’s like answering the question “which of your kids is your favorite”! No answer to that one. Anyway, here are my picks:

Jimi Hendrix, “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”: I love the reverb and him pushing those strings to the max!

Jeff Beck,  “Going Down”:  Technical skill coupled with great imagination for this great blues staple!

George Benson, “California Dreaming”: Fabulous recording of a super group of jazz musicians!

Robin Trower, “Little bit of Sympathy”: Great sound and great enthusiasm!

Freddie King, “Going Down”: A blues guitar master gone too soon!

Mike Bloomfield, “Mr. Poobah”: Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield à deux!, with great back and forth between them!

Buddy Guy, “T-Bone Shuffle”: Classic Chicago blues. Yeah!!

That is about all for now, but the list is really unending.  There’s not enough ink to complete the task. I love reading your stuff, George. You have got a wealth of knowledge and it’s always a pleasure to see your name attached to any written piece.  A must read.

Bob Defenbaugh, Poway

Jeff Beck

I imagine you stirred up quite a hornet’s nest with your guitar solo article! (I) loved it, especially that you cited Jerry Donahue’s solo on Joan Armatrading’s “Tall in the Saddle” while my wife and I were listening to Ry Cooder’s “Bop Till You Drop,” which is also on your list. I love Jerry’s playing and that solo has a special place in my heart.

I’ve been playing since 1971 and continue to geek out on all things guitar. Great article.

The solo I could listen to on endless repeat is Jeff Beck’s “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers” from his “Blow by Blow” album. The whole song is basically a guitar solo, but it is achingly beautiful and every note is lovingly treated as its own special being; no filler on that track. It knocked me out in the mid ’70s and has continued to be a North Star of all that is good and true about the electric guitar.

Far more obscure but especially brilliant is Jeff Beck’s solo on Stanley Clarke’s “Journey to Love.” The intro from the 15 to 30 second mark is beautiful, but the solo from the 1:01 to 1:46 minute mark is brilliant and only Jeff could have played it. Quirky and full of unexpected turns, it always sounds fresh and stands out in an amazing body of work.

Even more obscure is the guitar intro on Gregg Allman’s “Queen of Hearts” by (I think) Buzz Feiten. I’ve been chasing that tone, phrasing, and soulfulness for over 50 years:

Thanks for a great article. Looking forward to the encore!

Ian Vatet, Poway

The Knack, Prince

The greatest guitar solo of all time is, unquestionably, the solo in the album version (not the 45 RPM single edit) of “My Sharona” by The Knack. Honorable mentions: “Prove it All Night” by Bruce Springsteen and “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man” by Prince.

Pat Puccini, Chula Vista

Stevie Ray Vaughan

I played bass in many bands and started learning guitar 10 years ago.  Completely different animal.  Anyway, almost all Stevie Ray Vaughn solos make me smile, but I think the ultimate guitar solo is his version of “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).”  It is essentially a seven-minute solo that is a master lesson on the pentatonic scale. I could also nominate Larry Carlton’s solo (all of them, plus his fills) on Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne” or Randy Rhodes’ iconic solo on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.”

Cool article.

Kyle Long, Poway

Allman Brothers Band

Great start on that list and there is a plethora of choices. But one of my all time faves, which got me through final exams in high school and college, is “Blue Sky” from the Allman Brothers Band’s “Eat a Peach” album. The solos by Duane Allman and Dickey Betts bring to mind Ringo Starr’s exclamation from The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”: “I’ve got blisters on my fingers!”

Also, the soaring and hard driving guitar intro by Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner to “Sweet Jane” from Lou Reed’s “Rock ‘n Roll Animal” is (expletive) classic!

Thanks for all your hard work and columns throughout the years.

Chris Lafferty, San Diego