Most Overlooked Rock Guitar Genius

[Lynch]

no clue who Dee Murray is (other than what someone posted). I can't think of a single bass line in any Elton John song that made me say "holy shit, that guy is a genius".

As for the rest, I'm assuming that David Evans = The Edge but I can't think of any good reason someone would use that name over the name he's used on stage for nearly 40 years. It'd be like referring to Elton John as Reginald Dwight, Alice Cooper as Vincent Furnier or Gene Simmons as Chaim Witz.

Anyway, as for the guys listed, I wouldn't consider any of them "genius" so in that aspect, I don't think any were overlooked, although Rory didn't seem to have a very big following in the US, he seemed to be huge in Euro.

I could think of a LOT of other guys that I would call genius on the guitar

 

[GordRocks]

Jesse Ed Davis! A virtually unknown and little remembered guitarist now, he was loved by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and many other major stars in the 70s.

 

[BikerDude]

Jesse Ed Davis! A virtually unknown and little remembered guitarist now, he was loved by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and many other major stars in the 70s.

I'm with that.
His work on the first Taj Mahal album alone.
Steve Tyler Talks about how Aerosmith was so influenced by Jesse.
That first Taj album was hugely influential.

Jesse Solo

 

[OldHippie]

Dick Dale

 

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

Why was Dee Murray on the list? He was Elton's bass player. Davey Johnstone was EJ's guitarist (a good one, too). I think Glen Buxton is overlooked. He was the lead guitarist in the Alice Cooper band.

 

[Big Ears]

I don't know if he was a genius or not, but Ollie Halsall was massively overlooked:

Tony McPhee was overlooked, as were Pete Cruikshank and Clive Brooks:

Pat Thrall was never really known as a lead guitarist in his own right. Here he is on the Yamash'ta, Winwood and Shrieve Go project, with one of the best guitar solos of all time. The album also features one of the fastest guitarists ever in Al Di Meola, and Thrall outplays him.

Luther Grosvenor was an influential player, but tended to fade into obscurity when he should have flourished like Gary Wright:

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[joe]

@Big Ears

I agree that 3 of the 4 were overlooked. Ollie Halsall with Patto and then replacing Alan Holdsworth in Tempest were very good albums but when he teamed up again with Mike Patto to form Boxer, 'Below the Belt' was below average.

Luther Grosvenor was great with Spooky Tooth, especially the first two. He did a pretty good job replacing Mick Ralphs in Mott The Hoople. He really shows off his skills on the second Widowmaker album, 'Too Late Too Cry'.

Tony McPhee. What can I say, I love the 'Hogs.

I had to look up Pat Thrall. I see that he played with Shrieve also on the one and only Automatic Man album. Funky prog.

 

[Big Ears]

Apparently Halsall and Holdsworth were together for a spell in Tempest, which must have amazing.

I like the fiirst Widowmaker album with Steve Ellis. They were very good live with both Grosvenor and Hugh Lloyd Langton on guitar.

All I can say about Tony McPhee (and Robin Trower) is that they should've been famous like Ritchie Blackmore and Tony Iommi.

Pat Thrall made his name with Pat Travers, and released a cult album with Glenn Hughes. The follow-up is thirty five years overdue. He also worked with Jack Bruce and Meat Loaf. Pat Travers said Thrall was too good to be a sideman and would go on to success on his own, but it never really happened. Gary Moore also rated him, but he is now a sort of super-session player. It seems tragic, but he is probably making lots of money.

Everyone should hear the Hughes-Thrall album:

 

[Big Ears]

This is Mick Devonport of Nutz:

Roye Albrighton with Nektar on the Old Grey Whistle Test:

 

[BikerDude]

Well let's get one thing out of the way.
Django Reinhardt did more than 99% of guitarist using only 2 fingers.
But he's not a "rock guitarist".

For rock guitarist I'll throw Robby Robertson into the mix.
He seems right at home hanging with Clapton