The Greatest Guitarists Of All Time, Ranked

37. John Lee Hooker

A Mississippi native born in 1917, Hooker was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist revered for his hypnotic playing style. Hooker rose in prominence by performing an electric guitar adaption of Delta blues, one of the earliest-known styles of blues music. Not a fan of fancy showboating, Hooker was a straightforward guitarist who was always up for playing “mean, mean licks” as he once explained.

As could be heard in tracks such as “Crawlin’ King Snake”, Hooker was a pro at delivering a rumbling, gutsy groove that pushed the boundaries of blues music. Hooker’s ageless music was an influence on a number of prominent acts such as ZZ Top, while his songs were also covered by the likes of The Doors and Bruce Springsteen.