I truly believe that every now and then comes a musician who changes everything in music and he leaves before he reaches his prime.
There was Jimi and a decade after his death came Stevie,
now its been already a decade since Stevie died so be prepared because sooner or later someone will take music to a higher level as Jimi and Stevie did.

I may a be a little dramatic but i believe that and as you can see music now is nothing but a recycled product which companies sell so that can make more money and most important there is no REAL music today (turn on the TV and see the "artists" of our generation and then turn it off... permantely). Music needs a messiah again, and he will come... again.


Blues Shredder

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Peter

I'm only 18, give me a couple of years yet...
lol.

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"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it's just not that widely reported".

well you kinda left a response for a blues based guitarist to fill in the missing link...jimi and srv both were heavily influenced by the blues and a light mix of jazz...eric clapton would be my choice on filling in this link...he studied the master(robert johnson)...
how about a musical artist that changes the way most people play...then there are many choices ...van halen made most guitarist run and buy a strat with a floyd rose and start practising dive bombs and two handed tapping
how about steve vai...i believe he is a living great...he lives and breathes the guitar and its music...he is like the guitar sponge...the guy can play anything...the greatest thing about him is he never cuts anyone...just as srv and jimi...they don't have time to cut other peoples music...they absorb all types of music and make it their own...he makes every guiarist who hears his music slow down and listen to what he is saying...he has no limits...he would have to be MY logical choice for the next link that will be remembered...he knows no boundaries...just like srv and jimi...he plays jazz,classical,rock,country,blues,surf,neo-classical and middle eastern scales blended with his wacky humour and love of life to create beautiful music...i have yet to listen to any of his songs and say"what were you thinking?"i always think..."this guy is awesome"
i had a chance to talk to steve when he was mingling through the crowd at a g3 concert...i asked him a simple question "how do you do it???"...i expected a smart alec answer from a so-called star and he was humbled...he replied "i love playing music" we chatted for about 15 minutes and this guy treated me like i was his best bud...hats off steve...i know you would deny being the next link...he would rhyme off people like hedges or satch or even zappa...

I am.

Ezshuffle the guitarists/musicians you mention are all great but its not one of them. The chosen one hasnt been found yet, and i agree with you that he will change the way people play. I dont believe that there was a link between Jimi and Stevie, like there isnt a link between Stevie and the one who is coming. There MUST be a gap, thats why is so important the appearance of a musician who will change the way everybody thinks and play, like Jimi and Stevie did,
and as i said this musician will be gone before he reaches his prime. Robert Johnson also was one of there rare musicians...

It seems the good die young

Blues Shredder

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Peter

ahh...i did not realize the criteria had to be a dead musician...sorry...how about michael hedges...he was taken from us way too early...or the greatest unknown guitarist...danny gatton...to bad he had to go...everytime i listen to "harlem nocturne" i get goosebumps...the guy was phenomenal...hopefully this fills your gap...i would hate to kill off steve just to make the grade (really just kidding here guys)

No, you took it wrong!
there are no criteria, i am not trying to see who is the best, what every artist is doing shows their importance.
And i am not saying that the very great musician must be dead before he gets old, thats a result of hiw powerful personality, he burns out...

"Its better to burn out
than to fade away"


Blues Shredder

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Peter