Blues guitar players didn’t start out flashy. In the early days, they played simple music with simple rhythms (mostly) and a groove that–at the very least–got your toes tapping.

Somewhere along the way, the guitar became a real focal point. So much so, that I find the new breed of blues guitarists are doing way too much. But that’s just me.

Every original guitarist in the genre has their own inimitable style. Even when they are so obviously influenced by someone who came before them. As a perfect example; Stevie Ray Vaughan played T Bone Walker and Albert King licks right throughout his career. But as the late Dr John said on the documentary, Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, “He was just playing somethin’ from T Bones Bag.” 

These days, there are a slew of guitarists chasing the Stevie Ray Vaughn style and tone. Modern blues guitar players have become more inclined to play the entire length of the fretboard. The natural evolution of blues guitarists has put an emphasis on technical skill. But it  didn’t start there.

That’s not to say there wasn’t a high degree of skill involved. There was. But, in my opinion at least, it used to be more about the feel a player put into a performance. Rather than the amount of notes picked out in a lead solo.

There were definitely exceptions to this rule. Players like Eric Clapton played long winding solos over blues progressions. Although, I feel his best ever work was in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers playing in an old school style. 

Johnny Winter could pick out notes at a rapid rate. His performances were feverish. But because he was such a disciple of the genre, when he played blues, he really played the blues.