If I had to pick one single guitarist composer, who could play as well, refined as any other guitarist on the face of earth, it would be no doubt Frank Zappa. Zappa's arrangements were a bit of everything.
Got to see Frank play at UofA Tucson, with a young 21 year old guitarist side kick Frank hired especially for Zappa's Barking Pumpkin Tour....that unknown then guitarist was Stevie Vai...1980. Saw them both again on New Years Party at the Forum, and Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) joined in with Zappa and Vai. Dr. John, and Leon Russell were part of the show.
Frank may not be my single favorite guitarist, because I can't pick just one guitarist, to say I like better than others, yet David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, SRV, Satriani, Ry Cooder, Lowell George, of course Jimmie Page, Clapton, Harrison, Lennon, Pete Townsend, James Burton, Albert Lee, Mick Ronson, early Keith Richards, Leo Kottke, and a ton of others.
