Favorite guitar players not named......

I'd also like to make special mention of Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. While not a lead player he developed a unique style of rhythm guitar playing designed to support the lead work of Garcia. Weir claims he was inspired by listening to McCoy Tyner comp on piano behind John Coltrane.   

@hertzhead 

As a guitar player, I heartily agree. There have been a number of factors inhibiting the public’s appreciation of his playing, including, as you mentioned, the fact that he doesn’t play solos. As a Jazz fan, I think the McCoy Tyner comparison is a bit overblown but his approach to accompaniment is similar to jazz "comping" in that, rather than just monotonously bashing away at barre chords, he weaves together  (often) non root voicings with intervals and single lines to create parts that are musical statements of their own and he’s developed the ability to improvise such parts on the spur of the moment. His approach has been a big influence on my rhythm playing.  

My personal favorite showcase for his playing is the ’72 Europe tour. The album "Europe ’72" is a master class in great  rhythm guitar in Country-Rock, Country, R&B/Blues and spacey improvisational styles. But then, that’s my favorite year for the band, overall. I love not only the material but also the band’s sound, dominated by Garcia’s strat, Weir’s ES345 and Godchaux’s acoustic piano. 

I agree with so many mentioned. I have mentioned Matteo Mancuso many times on these pages. After watching and listening to the band "Darwin", Greg Howe is awesome (watch/listen to "Man Vs. Machine"). 

Walter Rossi (check out "silent I wait" for starters)

Ally Venable