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!
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- Metal guitarists of the world
- Recommended UK rock bands. Popular overseas bands.
- Famous jazz musicians. Players who have graced the history of jazz.
Summary of famous overseas blues guitarists (41–50)
Don’t Fear The ReaperEric Gales
He’s someone with the distinction of being voted No.
1 by readers of the renowned magazine Guitar World.
He even took part in a mashup album featuring Eric and Zeppelin.
His playing style is the stuff of legend—known for impromptu sessions with the likes of Muddy and Howlin’—and he’s a lefty grandfather.
Amazingly, he plays a right-handed Stratocaster left-handed, making for a one-of-a-kind style.
Roundup of Famous Overseas Blues Guitarists (51–60)
So Many RoadsJohn Mayall
A blues guitarist from Cheshire who led the British blues rock boom of the 1960s.
He formed the Bluesbreakers in 1962, and Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton—featuring Eric Clapton after he left the Yardbirds—became a landmark album of British blues.
snailJune Yamagishi
Born in Mie Prefecture, Japan.
I am a guitarist based in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Since the early 1970s, I have been active in blues and jazz in the Kansai region of Japan.
I later moved to New Orleans, left my career in Japan behind, and continue to work in the United States.
JukeLittle Walter
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their blues harp playing is unquestionably number one in this field.
The melodies flow as if they were humming a song—absolutely breathtaking.
You’ll be enchanted by their wonderful sense of musicality.
It’s a highly addictive harmonica you could listen to for hours.
Is it because I’m BlackLucky Peterson
A musician who excels at both guitar and keyboard.
Born in New York in 1963.
His real name is Kenneth Peterson.
His father was also a bluesman and ran a live music club, so he grew up with the blues from an early age.
As a child, he recorded a song called “Our Future” by Willie Dixon.
Open RoadOli Brown
A blues guitarist from the United Kingdom.
In his mid-twenties, he embarked on a solo career as a blues guitarist.
In 2014, he formed a band called RAVENEYE.
Their self-produced CD generated buzz, and they went on to serve as a support act for SLASH.
Life Is A BeatdownPopa Chubby
Popa Chubby, often called the heaviest blues guitarist in history.
This video is from 2004, but I hear he’s put on even more weight since then.
He’s a guitarist who shows many sides: some songs showcase overwhelming power that leverages his physique, while others, like this one, feature delicate solos.