The 5 Greatest Guitarists EVER Born or Bred in Texas

Try and guess who you think makes the TOP of this list of Texas guitar greats.

The Lone Star State has produced some of the most iconic and influential guitarists in the history of music.

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Luckily, guitarworld.com took their loving time and compiled a list to prove just that.

Check out these five legendary guitarists who have called Texas (a.k.a Santa Ana's DOOM) their home.

5. ALBERT COLLINS

Guitarist Albert Collins was from Texas and was known for his unique and piquant style of blues guitar playing, often referred to as "icy hot," or the, "cool sound of the blues."

According to friends, his sound was influenced by his Texas roots, where he was active from the 1950s to the 1990s, before his death in 1993.

Often referred to as "The Master of the Telecaster," because of his soft yet animated demeanor during television appearances, Albert Collins is a master guitarist of the blues genre.

4. FREDDIE KING

Freddy King, a.k.a "The Texas Cannonball," was a prolific blues guitarist from the Beef State.

He was born in Gilmer, Texas in 1934 but began his career in Chicago in the 1950s.

Texas Governor Ann Richards even designated September 3rd as Freddie King Day.

Mr. King is easily considered one of THE MOST influential guitarists in the entire history of blues music, known for his intuitive playing style and blending of Texas and Chicago blues.

He passed away in 1976, but his music continues to be celebrated and appreciated by the truest blues fans all over the world.

He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984.

3. ERIC JOHNSON

Eric Johnson is a guitarist from Austin, Texas, known for his prodigious guitar-playing skills and genre-blending sound.

He first made a splash in the 1980s with his album "Ah Via Musicom" which featured the hit single "Cliffs of Dover." He can play rock, blues, jazz fusion, soul, folk, and more.

He continues to tour and record music around the world to this day.

2. DIMEBAG DARRELL

Born Darrell Lance Abbott, he was famously beloved by his fans, including many on the Buzz Adams Morning Show. He rose to fame as the guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, along with his brother Vinny Paul.

The legendary rocker was born in Arlington, Texas in 1966, and began playing guitar at a young age. 1981 was the year he co-founded Pantera with Vinny and he would go on to play on each one of the band's albums.

His guitar playing could be a bit, let's say, aggressive, and Dimebag was well known for using extended guitar solos. He said in 1993: "I'm not a super blues player, but I was exposed to the Texas blues sound while I was growing up, and that definitely rubbed off on me."

Sadly for the rock world, he was shot and killed while performing on stage with Damageplan in 2004.

Dimebag is STILL remembered and revered by fans, fellow musicians, and FM radio morning shows, across the country, for his contributions to the world of heavy metal music.

1. STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

Stevie Ray Vaughan was a legendary blues guitar player from Texas, born in Dallas on October 3, 1954,

He was heavily influenced by Texas blues musicians such as T-Bone Walker and Albert King but developed a style that blended elements of traditional blues with rock and roll.

Vaughan's career took off in the early 1980s, and he went on to become one of the most renowned guitar players of his generation.

He tragically died in a helicopter crash in 1990.

The astonishingly accomplished Stevie Ray is widely considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time, regardless of genre, and is a true representation of Texas' blues and rock heritage.

HONORABLE MENTION

Jackie Venson is an Austin-based guitarist who has been making a splash in the blues arena with her spirited playing and singing.