RAG MusicBlues
Lovely Blues

Roundup of Famous Overseas Blues Guitarists

Have you ever come across a song, or a part of a song, being described as “bluesy” while listening to rock or pop? There are many forms of the blues, which is said to be the origin of jazz and rock, and its style can’t be summed up in a single phrase.

Still, those plaintive phrases that evoke the sorrowful historical backdrop in which the blues was born feel distinctly “bluesy,” don’t they? This time, we’re spotlighting legendary guitarists who represent the blues—icons every beginner should know first, along with guitarists who’ve been gaining attention in recent years.

The soulful playing of these blues guitarists might just change your outlook on life!

Playlist

Roundup of Famous Overseas Blues Guitarists
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastRollin’ StoneMuddy Waters
Rollin' StoneMuddy Watersplay_arrow
A classic blues guitar piece depicting the struggles of the working class
2eastBlues PowerAlbert King
Blues PowerAlbert Kingplay_arrow
Albert King's powerful blues classic
3eastHow Blue Can You GetB.B. King
How Blue Can You GetB.B. Kingplay_arrow
B.B. King is a giant of the blues who has influenced many people.
4eastScuttle Buttin’Stevie Ray Vaughan
Scuttle Buttin'Stevie Ray Vaughanplay_arrow
Stevie Ray Vaughan, a masterpiece of blues guitar
5eastBright LightsGary Clark Jr.
Bright LightsGary Clark Jr.play_arrow
Gary Clark Jr.'s blues song
6eastFeels Like RainBuddy Guy
Feels Like RainBuddy Guyplay_arrow
Buddy Guy is a legendary guitarist in the blues world.
7eastIn This PlaceROBIN TROWER
In This PlaceROBIN TROWERplay_arrow
A Jimi Hendrix–style blues guitarist
8eastMy Woman Has A Black Cat BoneAlbert Collins
My Woman Has A Black Cat BoneAlbert Collinsplay_arrow
The Blues Guitarist of Iceman
9eastRoadhouse BluesJeff Healey
Roadhouse BluesJeff Healeyplay_arrow
Totally blind guitarist thrives with a unique playing style
10eastFrankensteinJohnny Winter
FrankensteinJohnny Winterplay_arrow
Johnny Winter's blues guitar is moving.
11eastCrossroadRobert Johnson
CrossroadRobert Johnsonplay_arrow
The Soulful Cry of Robert Johnson
12eastDidn’t It Rain?Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Didn't It Rain?Sister Rosetta Tharpeplay_arrow
Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s guitar pioneering
13eastHave You Ever Loved A WomanFreddie King
Have You Ever Loved A WomanFreddie Kingplay_arrow
The Blues Spirit of Freddie King
14eastBad PennyRory Gallagher
Bad PennyRory Gallagherplay_arrow
Rory Gallagher’s blues guitar
15eastBaby, Please Don’t GoLightnin’ Hopkins
Baby, Please Don't GoLightnin' Hopkinsplay_arrow
The Achievements and Masterpieces of Lightnin’ Hopkins
16eastAll Your Love & Magic Same’s BoogieMagic Sam
All Your Love & Magic Same's BoogieMagic Samplay_arrow
Magic Sam died at 32.
17eastI’ll Take Care of YouJoe Bonamassa
I'll Take Care of YouJoe Bonamassaplay_arrow
Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Guitar Techniques and Allure
18eastBoom BoomJohn Lee Hooker
Boom BoomJohn Lee Hookerplay_arrow
A classic blues masterpiece, the stirring resonance of the soul
19eastMotorheadJimmie Vaughan
MotorheadJimmie Vaughanplay_arrow
Jimmie Vaughan is top-notch as a blues guitarist.
20eastCrossroadsEric Clapton
CrossroadsEric Claptonplay_arrow
Eric Clapton’s signature song “Crossroads”
21eastGone For GoodSamantha Fish
Gone For GoodSamantha Fishplay_arrow
Samantha draws attention and thrives with her guitar
22eastDrinking WineMike Bloomfield
Drinking WineMike Bloomfieldplay_arrow
Mike Bloomfield's Chicago electric blues
23eastHey HeyBig Bill Broonzy
Hey HeyBig Bill Broonzyplay_arrow
Gently and warmly present intense phrases
24eastLove In VainMick Taylor
Love In VainMick Taylorplay_arrow
The Stones explore the blues with Mick Taylor
25eastTIME HAS COMEJoanne Shaw Taylor
TIME HAS COMEJoanne Shaw Taylorplay_arrow
A genius girl guitarist born in the UK
26eastGoin’ to ChicagoT-Bone Walker
Goin' to ChicagoT-Bone Walkerplay_arrow
The difference in blues volume is proof that it's genuine
27eastGoing Down The Road Feeling BadJohn Mayer
Going Down The Road Feeling BadJohn Mayerplay_arrow
John Mayer's blues technique
28eastFeel So BadLittle Milton
Feel So BadLittle Miltonplay_arrow
Little Milton's fusion of blues and R&B
29eastBig BlockJeff Beck
Big BlockJeff Beckplay_arrow
Jeff Beck's blues guitar
30eastWild About You BabyHound Dog Taylor
Wild About You BabyHound Dog Taylorplay_arrow
Hound Dog Taylor’s explosive slide guitar
31eastRed HouseGary Moore
Red HouseGary Mooreplay_arrow
Verification of Gary Moore's prowess in pursuing the blues
32eastDouble TroubleOtis Rush
Double TroubleOtis Rushplay_arrow
Pioneering Chicago blues guitarist
33eastAberystwythPhilip Sayce
AberystwythPhilip Sayceplay_arrow
Rock blues guitarist from Wales
34eastLoan Me A DimeAlbert Castiglia
Loan Me A DimeAlbert Castigliaplay_arrow
The blues guitarist who gave birth to Woodstock
35eastKilling FloorJimi Hendrix
Killing FloorJimi Hendrixplay_arrow
Jimi Hendrix is a rock guitarist with a blues soul
36eastMister MagicJohnny ”Guitar” Watson
Mister MagicJohnny ”Guitar” Watsonplay_arrow
Johnny "Guitar" Watson's multi-genre career
37eastLie To MeJonny Lang
Lie To MeJonny Langplay_arrow
Jonny Lang: Genius Blues Guitarist
38eastTroubleKeith Richards
TroubleKeith Richardsplay_arrow
Guitarist who formed the Rolling Stones
39eastDouble TroubleMonster Mike Welch
Double TroubleMonster Mike Welchplay_arrow
The advanced technique of a guitarist from Boston
40eastWatcha gonna do ?Peter Green
Watcha gonna do ?Peter Greenplay_arrow
Fleetwood Mac founder
41eastSmoking GunRobert Cray
Smoking GunRobert Crayplay_arrow
Robert Cray’s biggest debut hit
42eastZydeco ShuffleSonny Landreth
Zydeco ShuffleSonny Landrethplay_arrow
Performance by Landress, a master of slide guitar
43eastGet What You DeserveDerek Trucks
Get What You DeserveDerek Trucksplay_arrow
A young blues guitarist known for slide guitar technique
44eastInternational Blues Jam (Stevie’s Blues)Tommy Emmanuel
International Blues Jam (Stevie's Blues)Tommy Emmanuelplay_arrow
Tommy's roots are in the blues.
45eastParisienne WalkwaysGary Moore
Parisienne WalkwaysGary Mooreplay_arrow
Gary Moore's versatile musicality and legendary guitar
46eastsnailJune Yamagishi
snailJune Yamagishiplay_arrow
Guitarist from Mie Prefecture, active in New Orleans
47eastLost In LoveAlvin Lee
Lost In LoveAlvin Leeplay_arrow
Guitarist from Nottingham
48eastMonaBo Diddley
MonaBo Diddleyplay_arrow
A pioneer who fused blues music across racial lines
49eastDon’t Fear The ReaperEric Gales
Don't Fear The ReaperEric Galesplay_arrow
A master guitarist with a unique playing style, left-handed
50eastSo Many RoadsJohn Mayall
So Many RoadsJohn Mayallplay_arrow
Blues guitarist from Cheshire
51eastJukeLittle Walter
JukeLittle Walterplay_arrow
Their blues harp performance is among the very best in the industry.
52eastIs it because I’m BlackLucky Peterson
Is it because I'm BlackLucky Petersonplay_arrow
A guitarist and keyboard player, born in New York
53eastOpen RoadOli Brown
Open RoadOli Brownplay_arrow
British blues guitarist active in forming a band
54eastLife Is A BeatdownPopa Chubby
Life Is A BeatdownPopa Chubbyplay_arrow
Popa Chubby's delicate yet overwhelming guitar
55eastPhenomenal WomanRuthie Foster
Phenomenal WomanRuthie Fosterplay_arrow
Singer-songwriter born in Texas
56eastBlues For MAna Popović
Blues For MAna Popovićplay_arrow
A female blues guitarist from Serbia. After moving to Memphis, she formed a band.
57eastDust My BroomElmore James
Dust My BroomElmore Jamesplay_arrow
An innovative song that rocked the blues industry
58eastOne More MileThe James Cotton Band
One More MileThe James Cotton Bandplay_arrow
A genius musician of soul and blues
59eastAin’t That A ShameFats Domino
Ain't That A ShameFats Dominoplay_arrow
The art of resonating souls through piano and song
60eastGet Off My CloudAlexis Korner
Get Off My CloudAlexis Kornerplay_arrow
A musician from Paris, the father of British blues
61eastFresh Out Of LoveDennis Jones
Fresh Out Of LoveDennis Jonesplay_arrow
The life and musical career of George Jones