Most talented Musician in rock or pop history

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Ok who do you consider to be the most talented musician ever in pop or rock music?


For me it has to be Frank Zappa. An incredible guitar player. He probably has the most albums of any artist I can think of. A great musical composer as well. He can do it all.

Next would be Mc Cartney. Incredible voice. One of the best bass players around. He also can play almost any instrument and was the first guy to make an album were he played everything. Of course his writting talents are second to none.

[Decker]

Eric Clapton and BB King

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Vocals: Freddie Mercury (do I really need to explain?)

Guitar: Clapton/Santana/Hendrix - Three legends. Who can choose?

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Vocals: Freddie Mercury (do I really need to explain?)

Guitar: Clapton/Santana/Hendrix - Three legends. Who can choose?

Maybe Clapton.

Again Im looking for the greatest overall musician . Not just the usual best on some instrument or singer.

Billy Joel also comes to mind. You must write the lyrics, music and play at least one instrument and sing to even start to qualify. So of those you mentioned Clapton certainly is the best according to that criteria.

Another would be Townsend.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

That eliminates Hendrix and Freddie. I'd still say Santana and Clapton are two of those near the top.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Tell me some of Santana"s lyrics. I mean ones he wrote. Also tell me what songs he sings.

[Major Robert Dump]

Wesley Willis

[Gawain of Orkeny]

You gotta be kidding

The dude from MONSTER VOODOO MACHINE ?

[IrishArmenian]

Django Reinhardt.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Hendrix probably.

Favorite political rocker RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Hendrix probably.

Guitar player maybe musician no way. Not a great singer or writer.

Django Reinhardt.

I dont think Jazz qualifies as pop or rock. No lyrics and no singing naturally.
Look again. They have to do it all. Even Mariah Carey at least has three out of four. But then she looks so much better than any of those mentioned so far. That has to count for something

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Yeah I would agree. I don't even like Hendrix's music.

Some of the really heavy goth screamo stuff has some REALLY fast good guitar that I think are pretty unmatched.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Some of the really heavy goth screamo stuff has some REALLY fast good guitar that I think are pretty unmatche

Nothing to do again with the topic.

[naut]

Guitar player maybe musician no way. Not a great singer or writer.

If you're talking about the first two albums sure, but some of the later stuff is awesome and he plays all the instruments bar the drums. Such as 1983..(A Merman I Should Turn To Be).

[Geoffrey S]

I'm somewhat partial to John Cale, but more from his compositional skills.

[InsaneApache]

Now then, Zappa or Cale? Hard choice to make.

Hmmm.....Zappas' weird, but Cale is weirder.

Yup, John Cale for me. Vastly underrated musician.

Also an honourable mention for Brian Eno.

[Stig]

Mercury?
Great voice, wasn't bad behind the piano, and wrote some good songs as well.

[Beirut]

Guitar player maybe musician no way. Not a great singer or writer.

If we're including writers and singers, then we have to include Bob Dylan.

"Dat cat changed da world."

[doc_bean]

Hard to define 'most talented', still, some talented people

Tim Buckley: Amazing voice, interesting music
Hendrix: talented writer, exceptional guitar player (the ebst imo, but that's taste) and decent singer (it fits the music).
Dylan: probably the best songwriter ever.

[Fragony]

Peggy Lee. Sugercoated almond sweetness. Very sexy, a bit taunting. 'Fever' is one of my favorite songs ever.

[Geoffrey S]

Also an honourable mention for Brian Eno.

Seconded.

[Orb]

Fripp

Not a lyricist or singer, but one hell of a composer. Maybe too progressive for some people.

'You must write the lyrics, music and play at least one instrument and sing to even start to qualify. So of those you mentioned Clapton certainly is the best according to that criteria.'

Those are pretty harsh criteria, really. Most talented as a musician doesn't necessarily coincide with being a singer.

[Stig]

Oh, before I forget:
Sting

The Police was good, and one of his last albums where he played medieval music wasn't bad either. Not many can make totally different kinds of music.

[Moros]

For me it has to be Frank Zappa. An incredible guitar player. He probably has the most albums of any artist I can think of. A great musical composer as well. He can do it all.

Preach on bro'!

FZ for the win! He doesn't have the looks of george Micheal but still.

Another great guitarist is Alvin Lee. And ofcourse who says FZ also says Terry bozio and Steve Vai, two other exceptional artist. And ofcourse we can't forget mister Don van Vliet a.k.a. Captain beefheart for making/composing the best album ever!

[Odin]

If we're including writers and singers, then we have to include Bob Dylan.

"Dat cat changed da world."

I'll second that, with a nod to Brian Wilson as a close 2nd

[Strike For The South]

Van Zant RIP

[Strike For The South]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsWz-Q7JYQA

[Alexanderofmacedon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD1cxSE25ck

[Bijo]

Hmmm, most of the ones I thought of are mentioned already. They are: Zappa, Hendrix, McCartney, Joël, etc.

Difficult difficult. I'd have to say Zappa or McCartney at the moment.

[InsaneApache]

Fripp

Not a lyricist or singer, but one hell of a composer. Maybe too progressive for some people.

'You must write the lyrics, music and play at least one instrument and sing to even start to qualify. So of those you mentioned Clapton certainly is the best according to that criteria.'

Those are pretty harsh criteria, really. Most talented as a musician doesn't necessarily coincide with being a singer.

Fripp's good, I had the privilege of seeing him live in the Russell Club in Manchester, I think it was 1979 Anyway, as good as he is, he's more, what you might call a virtuoso. Fantastic action on his strings, more like a bassist action (thumbs down) than a guitarist.

Hell of a gig. I think it was the League of Gentlemen tour.

As a bonus we got a bit of Cale, Crimson and, of course Eno. 'By this river' was Xcellent.