Who are your top three country guitarists (name more than three if you have more favorites)?

Doc Watson

Merle Travis

Tony Rice

Jerry Reed

Chet Atkins

Merle Travis

David Rawlings

Doc Watson

Steve Earle

Steve Wariner

Vince Gill

Redd Volkaert

Ricky Skaggs

Henry Haynes

Dale Watson

Brad Paisley

Willie Nelson

Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Vince Gill, Duane Eddy, Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Hank Marvin from The Shadows, Nokie Edwards from The Ventures, Mark Knopfler.

Every year there are awards by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association for guitarist of the year. Research this Public information to know some of the greatest.

The ones the public sees are often not the master musicians (guitarist) like Al Bruno who has won 12 years guitarist of the year and John Jorgensen who played on many artists recordings & in concert with Elton John .... plus there are many more professional country guitarist flying under the public radar for years.

Then there are those who are singers or entertainers first and guitarists second and often known before the award winning craftsman.

Remember musicianship is a craft and there are many the public hears but never knows their names...like the man who built the house you live in...do you know his or her name?

Craftsmen vs. Public Persona ... so please be aware there are musicians that play on all recording sessions for Major artists being paid for their craftsmanship that you probably don't know their names.

Top Three often are given awards by their piers which are organizations like the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences membership (Grammy organization) to name just one.

Be a WISE consumer and you'll be giving true talent the respect it deserves.

Brad Paisley

Jerry Reed

Chet Atkins

Redd Volkaert (Merle Haggard, solo artist, etc.)

Merle Travis

Brent Mason (session guitarist)

Albert Lee (session guitarist, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, solo artist, etc.)

James Burton (Elvis, solo artist, etc.)

Vince Gill

Steve Wariner (he either released or is going to release an album in tribute to Chet Atkins...I'll be looking for that one!)

John Jorgenson (The Hellecasters, Desert Rose Band, etc.)

Buster B. Jones

Danny Gatton (also played a lot of blues, jazz, rockabilly, etc.--kinda like what Brad Paisley is capable of)

Johnny Hiland (another Gatton or Paisley-kind of player, who can play many genres...only this guy's blind!)

The sad thing is, there are probably many more that I've forgotten.

Jerry Reed

VInce Gill

Roy Clark

Jerry Douglas (if you are counting dobro)

others

Waylon Jennings

Travis Tritt

Brad Paisley

Dale Watson

Chet Atkins

Ry Cooder

Luther Perkins

Tommy Emmanuel

Don Helms (If you re counting pedal steel)

Leon McAuliffe

Keith Urban

Steve Wariner

Brad Paisley

Vince Gill

Lee Roy Parnell

Merle Travis

Brad Paisley

Leon McCauliffe

thats a very tuff question!

living legends 1.les paul 2. al caiola,3.bob moore 4.mason williams 5.joe paige 6. bb king 7.mac wiseman 8 sonny james 9. doc watson 10.hank garland 11. jerry reed 12 brad paisley 13.steve warner 14 roy clark 15 vince gill 16 arthur smith(93)

others. wes montgomery,lightning hopkins,jimi hendrix,chet atkins,merl travis,joe maphis,charlie collins,sonny mcclarron,hank snow,link wraye,jordan ingman,dwayne eddy,carlos montoya,segovia,dango rienhart,and my cousin ,who played for glenn miller B L JOHNSON!

Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed