1978 Poll Winners - Eddie Van Halen - Best New Talent - 3-Page Guitar Article

Description

1978 Poll Winners - Eddie Van Halen - Best New Talent - 3-Page Guitar Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Guitar Player
Magazine’s
1978 Poll
Winners
OVER 750 ARTISTS’ NAMES were included in Guitar Player Magazine's Ninth
Annual Readership Poll announced in our September issue. Hundreds of you cast
ballots for those you feel are the best—and not necessarily the most popular—guitarist
in each of the 15 categories. The Guitar Player staff hopes you have cast ballots only in
those categories with which you are familiar; decisions are often close, and every vote
counts. When guitarists vote for their fellow guitarists, it means something. It’s a musi-
cian’s way of saying thanks.
Overall Best Guitarist
This year, Yes’s Steve Howe took top
honors as Best Overall Guitarist for the
second year in a row. Jimmy Page
followed in second place, and the next
three runner-ups were Al DiMeoIa,
John McLaughlin, and Carlos Santana,
respectively.
Best Rock Guitarist
Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page won Best
Rock Guitarist for the second year
straight. Carlos Santana took second
honors, and Steve Howe placed third.
Rainbow’s Ritchie Blackmore came in
fourth, and Eric Clapton was close
behind in fifth place.
Best Jazz Guitarist
Last year’s winner did it again—Al
DiMeola took top honors in the Best
Jazz Guitarist category. George Benson
edged out John McLaughlin for second
place, and Joe Pass placed fourth.
Best Bass Guitarist
Stanley Clarke chalked up his fourth
victory in this category, with Chris
Squire placing second again this year.
Jaco Pastorius took third-place honors,
and Paul McCartney came in fourth.
Best New Talent
Eddie Van Halen walked away with
this one. Pat Travers edged out Boston’s
Tom Scholz in the race for second, and
Grant Geissman and Pat Metheny took
the fourth and fifth places, respectively.
Best Acoustic Blues
Michael Bloomfield won this category,
with Jorma Kaukonen taking second
place. Last year’s winner, Lightnin’
Hopkins, took third, and John Ham-
mond and Brownie McGhee placed
fourth and fifth, respectively.
Best Electric Blues
Last year’s winner. Johnny Winter,
took first place again. Albert King and
Bonnie Raitt took the second and third
places, respectively. Muddy Waters
took fourth, followed by Michael
Bloomfield.
Best Steel Guitarist
Buddy Emmons was voted Best Steel
Guitarist this year, with Sneaky Pete
Kleinow taking second. Jeff Newman
won the third-place honors, and Pete
Drake and Al Perkins tied for fourth.
Best Folk Guitarist
With his fifth victory in this category in
as many years, Leo Kottke has attained
a place in GP's Gallery Of The Greats.
Gordon Lightfoot took second place
again this year, and Leon Redbone
came in third, with Ry Cooder (fourth
place) and Doc Watson following
closely.
Best Guitar Album
Al DiMeola’s Casino [Columbia, JC-
35277] won top honors in this year’s
poll; last year Al won in this category
with his Elegant Gypsy [Columbia,
PC-34461]. Casino was followed closely
by John McLaughlin’s Electric Guitar-
ist [Columbia, JC-35326]. Van Halen’s
debut Van Halen [Warner Bros., K-
3057] easily took third, far ahead of
Ronnie Montrose’s fourth-place winner,
Open Fire\y^x\cx Bros., K-3134],and
Carlos Santana's Moonflower [Colum-
bia, C2-34914],
Best Pop Guitarist
Les Paul took this year’s Best Pop
Guitarist award, with Glen Campbell
taking a strong second place. Dan
Fogelberg came in third, followed
closely by Paul Simon, then James
Taylor.
Best Studio Guitarist
Lee Ritenour won his second victory in
this category, which honors the many
guitarists who contribute substantially
to the music of others, yet sometimes
go unrecognized. Larry Carlton placed
second, with Tommy Tedesco coming
in third. David Lindley and Joe Beck
took fourth and fifth, respectively.
Best Classical Guitarist
For the fourth year straight Julian
Bream won, and by a good margin.
Second- and third-place honors went
to John Williams and Christopher
Parkening, respectively. Michael Lori-
mer placed fourth.
Best Flamenco Guitarist
Paco de Lucia was voted this year’s
Best Flamenco Guitarist—his second
win in as many years. He was followed
by Sabicas, and Manilas de Plata took
third. Carlos Ramos took the fourth-
place award.
Best Country Guitarist
Roy Clark won an overwhelming vic-
tory for the fourth year in a row, placing
far ahead of second-place winner Willie
Nelson. In third place was Jerry Reed;
Norman Blake was close behind.
Gallery Of The Greats
Welcomes Leo Kottke
As a five-time winner in his category, Leo Kottke
joins other five-time winners Chet Atkins, Jose
Feliciano. B.B. King, Carlos Montoya, Andres
Segovia, and Rusty Young in Guitar Player Maga-
zine's Gallery Of The Greats. Like the other Gallery
members, Leo Kottke will no longer be eligible for
future polls. He is now a member of the select group
of guitarists who have proved their distinction.
Congratulations, Leo!
Carlos Montoya
Jose Feliciano
Andres Segovia
Chet Atkins
11889-7812-11