The Ultimate Name the Guitarist! Quiz | Bands and Musical Acts

Answer: Pat Metheny

It was Pat Metheny, an innovative guitarist mainly known in the contemporary jazz genre. Steve Vai was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 6, 1960, Neal Schon was born February 27, 1954 in San Mateo, California, and Tommy Shaw was born September 11, 1953 in Montgomery, Alabama.

Answer: Rik Emmitt

It is Rik Emmitt, who initially played in the Canadian progressive rock band Triumph, before pursuing a solo career. Frank Zappa died December 4, 1993, Mick Ronson died April 29, 1993, and Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash on March 19, 1982 while on tour with Ozzy Osbourne in Florida.

Answer: September 18, 1970

James Marshall Hendricks, who was born on November 27, 1942, started playing the guitar at age 10. In 1966, through Chas Chandler (of the group Eric Burden & the Animals), he met Noel Redding & Mitch Mitchell in England and they formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. While he was alive, Jimi Hendrix only made five albums, but since his death hundreds of albums have been cut.

Answer: Brian May

It was Brian May who later joined Roger Taylor, John Deacon & Freddie Mercury to form the band Queen. Freddie Mercury died in November of 1991. Brian May is still a very notable guitarist in any list of great rock guitarists.

Answer: Al DiMeola

The song "Allergies" was the first song on the 1983 Paul Simon album "Hearts and Bones". The album was mostly considered a flop, according to sales results and critics, but the guitar solo by Al on the song is phenomenal and deserves a good listening to by any avid guitarist.

Answer: Dave Gilmour

Robert Fripp (best known for his "Fripp & Eno" projects), played on Bowie's "Heroes" album. Stevie Ray Vaughn played on Bowie's "Let's Dance" album and Peter Frampton joined Bowie's 1987 "Glass Spider" tour.

Answer: Jeff Beck

Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds because he didn't like the direction they were going with mainstream sounding songs such as "For Your Love". He departed in 1965, and Jeff Beck was his replacement.

Answer: Jeff Beck

The group was called the Jeff Beck Group (I had to put two Jeff Beck questions in a row for all you guessers out there). The group disbanded in 1972 due to personal problems, and Rod Stewart and Ron Wood formed a band called the Faces. Soon, however, Mick Jagger lured Ron Wood away to join the Rolling Stones.

Answer: January 26, 1955

Eddie was born on January 26, 1955. His older brother Alex, who was born May 8, 1953, moved to California in 1968. Eddie actually initially started by playing the drums, while Alex attempted the guitar. Sometimes, while Eddie was out delivering newspapers, Alex would practice playing the drums on Eddie's kit.

When Eddie eventually heard how well Alex played, he decided to switch to the guitar, realizing his brother had an obvious gift for percussion.

Answer: Yngwie Malmsteen

Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen had had much success before the accident, but after he awoke from the coma, he was plagued with many unfortunate incidents, including learning of his mother's death, as well as allegations by his girlfriend's parents that he raped their daughter, which was soon proven totally false.

Answer: Billy Idol

Sorry for this question if it seems to not fit with the rest, but like many underrated early '80s "New Wave" guitarists, he is a talent that seems to have been forgotten.

Answer: Eddie Cochran

Eddie frequently referred to himself as "just a guitar picker from Okie" (Oklahoma). He was also referred to as the James Dean of Rock 'n' Roll, due to his death at the age of 21 in a car crash on April 17, 1960.

Answer: Mick Ronson

Mick Ronson along with Rick Wakeman (who played the piano) was originally one of David Bowie's "Spiders from Mars". He and Bowie split after the 1973 "Pin-ups" album. He was reunited with Bowie for "Black Tie White Noise" in 1993, and in that same year he appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with Ian Hunter and Bowie. He died of cancer in April of that year.

Answer: Jesse Cook

Canadian-born Jesse Cook is a very gifted guitarist whose enticing sound has mixed many different ethnic sounds to form a very palatable, eclectic entrée of what is called "New Flamenco" music.

Answer: Phil Keaggy

Phil Keaggy, who has only 9 fingers, and is best known for his Christian rock songs, started seeking the meaning of life after his parents both died in a car accident in the early '70s on the same night that Phil was trying LSD for the first time. The night of course was traumatic for him and he took his music into a different arena from then on.