best guitar player ... if we dare go here

How about "Crossroads?"

 

Layla.

And not that acoustic shit, either.

 

Great song, but does that blow you away when you hear it? I've been more blown away by Jack White riffs.

Layla: Another great song but ...

Personally I'd put Clapton somewhere around Jimmy Page, who I have a lot of respect for. I just don't understand the God status. Hendrix, to me, was easily the greatest and Van Halen is second or third because he's responsible for so many great riffs, despite the bubble gum lyrics.

My favorite of all time is Slash but I'm not going to say he's better than Hendrix was.

 

Jimi
Jimmy
Mike McCready

 

Actually, pretty much anything off "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs."

Speaking of which, let's include Duane Allman in this discussion.

 

Tom Morello, Rage Against The Machine.

 

"Crossroads" never fails to blow me away, though my favorite of his guitar work is on "Bell Bottom Blues." It's not a song where the guitar is fast or showy, but it makes me sad every time I hear it.

 

Personally, Wonderful Tonight, will always be my favorite Clapton song, but that may be more for sentimental reasons.

 

Not the best, but George Thorogood has to be in the team picture.

 

Oh, and Johnny Winter.

 

Trey Anastasio
Mark Knopfler
Doc Watson
Clapton
Hendrix
Stevie Ray
Jerry Garcia
Jorma

 

Before he got ridiculous with all the duets, Santana did some amazing work in an entirely different genre than people were used to.

I'll second Allman, who (along with Dickey Betts) created one of my favorite solos ever...In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.