Obscure Canadian Guitarists, and Some Not-So-Obscure, Part the First

[o_bunny]

This started as a Usenet posting in alt.guitar.amps. After the first three on the list had been mentioned, I started to type names as they came to me. This is an expansion on the names I came up with in that I'm adding more information, not more names.

These are folks who are known as guitar players, as opposed to people who happen to play guitar. My opinions only, o'course, but that's why, for example, Stompin' Tom Connors isn't on this list. I'm also not including bass guitar or steel guitar, as these are whole other kettles of fish.

• Red Shea, played with Gordon Lightfoot
• Terry Clements, also played with Gordon Lightfoot
• Lenny Breau, though he was born in Maine
• Don Ross, who also plays with Men of Steel
• Terry Tufts, who's played with Susan Aglukark, Ian Tamblyn, David Francey, etc., etc., etc.
• Stephen Fearing, who also plays with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
• Bruce Cockburn
• David Essig
• Jeff Healey
• Ralph Cole, of Lighthouse
• Domenic Troiano (though he was apparently born in Italy), who played with Robbie Lane and the Disciples, Mandala, James Gang
• Ed Bickert
• Rik Emmett, formerly of Triumph, although his website doesn't ever mention the name of that band
• Dave MacIsaac
• Alex Houghton
• Alex Lifeson of Rush
• Pat Travers
• Rick Fines
• Robbie Robertson, formerly of The Band
• Randy Bachman of the Guess Who, Brave Belt (remember them?) and Bachman Turner Overdrive
• Colin James
• Joni Mitchell
• Neil Young
• Sue Foley
• Harry Manx
• David Wilcox (no, not that one, the *other* one), used to play with Great Speckled Bird, Ian and Sylvia Tyson's old band (which reminded me of a fellow I forgot)
• Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin' Spoonful
• Frank Marino of Mahogany Rush
• Tony Springer (Wild T)
• Jerry Doucette (warning, dopey Flash-infested site)
• Dave Lauzon of Nero, and a solo guitarist
• Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar
• Norbert Kraft
• Liona Boyd (I guess I have to mention her...)
• Lynn Miles
• David Gogo
• Martin Posen
• Dave Clarke
• Jon Park Wheeler, whose name I misspelled as John, and who doesn't seem to have a web page, but ought to
• Steve Pittico

Sheesh, lookit all them names. I'm sure I'm missing some folks that should be on there, and I'm sure that some folks will disagree with my choices of people as guitarists. Cool! That's what the comments are for. And that's why I called this Part the First; there are TONS more terrific guitarists out there that I either didn't think of off the bat, or that aren't likely to be known by other than a pretty small group of well-educated people.

More on this soon, I expect.

Comments

Ottawa Bluesman

[(Anonymous)]

Very dissapointed that Candian bluesman Tony D wasn't on your list. By far one of the best guitarists I have seen in years.
http://www.tonydband.com//index.jsf
Posted by Ken H. in Ottawa

Re: Ottawa Bluesman

[o-bunny.livejournal.com]

You're of course right, Ken. And I feel really foolish, particularly since I was talking to Tony last week. Duh.

I'll make sure he gets mentioned in the next posting. Anybody else?