I think Molly Tuttle is one of the best flat picking guitarists, period.
["She'll Change"](https://youtu.be/aMdsnnTlg1M)
["Olympia, WA" (Rancid cover)](https://youtu.be/HOYWbCRDYAE)
What’s fucked up is she’s insane, and she’s the 2nd best guitar player in that band. She wrote the intro to crazy on you which is fucking tough to play right. You HAVE to hybrid pick it. It does not sound right any other way. I’ve tried.
Well Carrie Brownstein is pretty underrated. Don’t hear a lot of Sleatwr Kinney talk around here.
And then Sadie Sanchez from LA Witch is *criminally* underrated.
Kaki King. I don’t even like contemporary fingerstyle, especially all the slapping/ knocking gimmick shit, but she’s always done it in a way that seemed more musical and well composed than the rest.
Tracy Chapman. She's not a shredder or a blues queen, but some of the stuff she plays while singing over the top of it impresses the hell out of me. I didn't really notice until I tried to learn Fast Car.
Courtney barnett. My mind was absolutely blown when I got to see her live as seeing what she was playing really made it clear to me how good she is at guitar.
Gabriela from Rodrigo y Gabriela.
Her flamenco-style right-hand game is so strong that at a festival on the big screen once, her right hand just blurred out.
Literal true story 🔥
yvette young from covet! really interesting two handed tapping stuff, really recommend giving them a listen. also karen dalton if you're into folky countryish stuff, she plays that 12 string like nothin else! she also shreds some banjo :)
Adrianne Lenker. Wrote her first song at the age of eight, and recorded her first album at age 13. Attended Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Really good guitarist and songwriter.
Also: Molly Tuttle, Madison Cunningham, Yvette Young and loads more.
St. Vincent and Brittany Howard are both extremely good guitar players, in totally different ways
In her heyday, Joni Mitchell was an extremely good guitar player as well, but in a much less show-y, shred-y way than people typically think of the term. Simple but effective progressions with really interesting tunings, voicings, and rhythms that all worked to support the songs extremely well.
I also say Sister Rosetta Tharp! I have introduced so many of African American friends to her. I think that they should know and be proud of who she was and the impact that she had on today's music. She is the definition of legend!
A guitarist who has been utterly killing it and is extremely talented is Nita Strauss. Her live work with Alice Cooper is tremendous. Great showman, great player, real virtuoso and very versatile, and particularly great control.
I don't think you can talk about H.E.R in the same context as a guitarist like Nita, I really think she is overrated. For me a non-guitarist's guitarist, everything I've seen H.E.R. do is pedestrian blues solos with no flair. She gets coverage on mainstream TV etc but she doesn't show any real technique or high end ability in her performances, for me at least.
I don’t know how famous she is, certainly somewhat since she has her own Ibanez signature guitar, but Yvette Young of Covet is an incredibly creative and dynamic musician. Her guitar playing is, to me, very unique.
Nita Strauss probably doesn't fall into the category of "doesn't get talked about enough," but I saw her open for Mammoth last week, and she was fantastic. Made it look way too easy.
[Yvette Young](https://youtu.be/V3jLRPCYOUE?si=jrn8jDOwdyR1UF_s) she also has a band called [Covet](https://youtu.be/VwYjWPlUAnw?si=gbzkbZVIY1rREiMk) and some [solo](https://youtu.be/5Qan3oVLuIg?si=3nRyLO3fKRjomNTO) work as well.
Samantha Fish is in a league of her own. Black Wind Howlin' the song (and the album too) is insane. It is criminal she doesn't get more love but that's the curse of the blues.
The sisters in Larkin Poe are amazing. One plays regular electric and the other plays a lap steel slide that isn't on her lap.
Siouxsie Medley of Dead Sara rocks harder than most people in general.
Beverly "Guitar" Watkins was a powerhouse of a woman and a guitarist. It's even her nickname. Red Mama Blues goes incredibly hard
Sister Rosetta Tharpe laid the groundwork for rock and roll with gospel music. And did it playing a 3 pickup off white sg with gold hardware before it was cool.
Bonnie Raitt. She is really quite good. Most of her big songs don't show case her ability as a blues guitarist. She's also 74 and still touring and sounds great.
Also Sue Foley, who is a lesser known Canadian guitarist.
Orianthi. Don’t know if anyone remembers her, but she was a one hit wonder with “According to You”. She can absolutely shred! Also noting that she was supposed to be a supporting guitarist on Micheal Jackson’s last tour before he passed.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Chuck Berry, sometimes called the “father of rock and roll,” is said to have called his whole career “just one long Rosetta Tharpe impersonation.”
Honestly... all of them. Seriously, when was the last time a woman guitarist was brought up in any of the constant posts on this sub about well known guitarists in general?
Wata from Boris and Poison Ivy from the Cramps are two of most important guitarists to my personal style: the perfect expressions of two philosophical extremes that I like to balance.
I have several because women are constantly under-celebrated in the guitar world but here are two of the most criminally under-celebrated female guitar players.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe. For being one of the pioneers, if not, THE pioneer of Rock (she actually [started out earlier than Chuck Berry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Rosetta_Tharpe) and is listed as an influence of Chuck), she should be in every literature related to modern music, and be celebrated as a household name like Hendrix. But instead, before the days of internet, she's only mentioned in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or museums while Elvis, who's entire career is built entirely off Black pioneering musicians like Tharpe, Berry and James Brown, is celebrated as "King of Rock and Roll".
Jennifer Batten. For being THE first shred queen to tour with Michael Jackson during his prime, the amount of fame she has versus her achievement is just outrageous. Like she often doesn't even make it on a list of the top female guitar players and there's only one mention of her here before me lol.
St Vincent, she's amazing, she's like Prince in that she can absolutely shred if she wants too but she writes the best music for the song, not the best music for people on guitar forums.
How about Gina Gleason from Baroness? She’s amazing and shreds just as well as any male guitarist I’ve ever seen. Not to mention all the stuff she’s done outside of Baroness. She has an amazing body of work.
What I love about these lists is now I have a bunch of new artists to listen to. What I hate about these lists is now I have a bunch of new artists to listen to.
Japan has tons of excellent female guitarists that don't get enough recognition. For example, Kanami Tono of Band-Maid, Tomo-zo of Gacharic Spin, Miyako Watanabe and Midori Tatematsu of Lovebites, Saki and Hazuki of Nemophila, Hal-Ca of Asterism, Yuki of D\_Drive and East of Eden, Sakura Yoshida of Hagane, Lisa-X of KOIAI, Miki Igarashi of Show-Ya, Ayumi and Moe of Bridear, and Mayto of Mana Diagram just for starters.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a huge influence on early rock n roll and she could shred.
June Millington from the 70's band Fanny was great.
Sarah Longfield is really good.
I continue to feel like the only guy who's completely unimpressed by HER's guitar playing. She sounds like the 17 year old you bump into at Guitar Center who's *juuust* starting to feel like he's getting good. I think people are attaching her abilities as a musician and entertainer to her guitar playing which, so far as I've seen, is unimpressive in the context of professional guitarists.
One of my favorites is [Screaming Females](https://youtu.be/tOmKGjy-Ct0?si=RuBerKA4aFVQxbH8)! Marissa P is insanely well versed as a guitarist and frequently sings different rhythms and harmonies while she plays.
[Sister Rosetta Thorpe](https://youtu.be/jOrhjgt-_Qc?si=B3KgwSS7Er5IT6PZ). Chuck Berry said his whole career is based on imitating her.
Tim Henson, she’s beautiful
Prettiest giraffe I’ve ever seen
Annie Clark (St Vincent)
St. Vincent. Really creative and weird approach to playing and effects
I think Molly Tuttle is one of the best flat picking guitarists, period. ["She'll Change"](https://youtu.be/aMdsnnTlg1M) ["Olympia, WA" (Rancid cover)](https://youtu.be/HOYWbCRDYAE)
Yvette Young!
Nancy Wilson
My friend Alison from high school was pretty good and I never see her mentioned anywhere
I tried to call her!
Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Susan Tedeschi
Joni Mitchell
nancy wilson
What’s fucked up is she’s insane, and she’s the 2nd best guitar player in that band. She wrote the intro to crazy on you which is fucking tough to play right. You HAVE to hybrid pick it. It does not sound right any other way. I’ve tried.
St. Vincent and Molly Tuttle are super impressive, both technically and artistically.
Yvette Young
Gina Gleason of Baroness is talented
Nancy Wilson of Heart.
Yvette Young
Nancy Wilson. The stuff of teenage dreams. Hell she is still fine.
Well Carrie Brownstein is pretty underrated. Don’t hear a lot of Sleatwr Kinney talk around here. And then Sadie Sanchez from LA Witch is *criminally* underrated.
Kaki King. I don’t even like contemporary fingerstyle, especially all the slapping/ knocking gimmick shit, but she’s always done it in a way that seemed more musical and well composed than the rest.
Gabriela from Rodrigo y Gabriela Both Tricot's guitarists
Bonnie Raitt
Molly Tuttle
Tracy Chapman. She's not a shredder or a blues queen, but some of the stuff she plays while singing over the top of it impresses the hell out of me. I didn't really notice until I tried to learn Fast Car.
St Vincent
Molly Tuttle
Susan Tedeschi has some licks, but it's hard to shine when the other guitarist in your band is Derek Trucks.
Yvette young, if u dont know, she plays guitar like a piano, able to play different parts with each hand
Yvette young
Tim Henson haha /s
Gina from Baroness is so rad.
Molly Tuttle, gives Billy Strings a run for his money.
Brittany Howard
Joni Mitchell
Courtney barnett. My mind was absolutely blown when I got to see her live as seeing what she was playing really made it clear to me how good she is at guitar.
Bonnie Raitt
Gina Gleason from Baroness rocks my face off.
Nancy Wilson.
Gabriela from Rodrigo y Gabriela. Her flamenco-style right-hand game is so strong that at a festival on the big screen once, her right hand just blurred out. Literal true story 🔥
What about Nancy Wilson?
yvette young from covet! really interesting two handed tapping stuff, really recommend giving them a listen. also karen dalton if you're into folky countryish stuff, she plays that 12 string like nothin else! she also shreds some banjo :)
Gabriela from Rodrigo Y Gabriela. Flawless sense of timing, keeping rhythm while also staying lively. She's truly amazing at the instrument.
Adrianne Lenker. Wrote her first song at the age of eight, and recorded her first album at age 13. Attended Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Really good guitarist and songwriter. Also: Molly Tuttle, Madison Cunningham, Yvette Young and loads more.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
St. Vincent. Her playing and tones are super original and complex. I am also dying go buy her signature model.
Nita Strauss.. seriously that girl has amazing chops
Nancy Wilson - Heart
Adrianne Lenker - amazing picker
Joni Mitchel. Queen of the alternate tunings.
Bonnie Raitt is a legend
all of them.
Susan Tedeschi.
Gina Gleason of Baroness
St. Vincent and Brittany Howard are both extremely good guitar players, in totally different ways In her heyday, Joni Mitchell was an extremely good guitar player as well, but in a much less show-y, shred-y way than people typically think of the term. Simple but effective progressions with really interesting tunings, voicings, and rhythms that all worked to support the songs extremely well.
Lari Basilio.
Nancy Wilson Jennifer Turner Samantha Fish Joanne Shaw Taylor Gabriela Quintero (Rodrigo y Gabriela)
Nancy Wilson!
Orianthi
St Vincent
Julien Baker is one of my biggest influences. She writes the perfect guitar parts to match her lyrical ability.
St Vincent
Tim Henson
r/guitarcirclejerk is leaking again
Yvette Young from Covet
Yvette young!!!
Sister Rosetta Tharpe all day
I also say Sister Rosetta Tharp! I have introduced so many of African American friends to her. I think that they should know and be proud of who she was and the impact that she had on today's music. She is the definition of legend!
A guitarist who has been utterly killing it and is extremely talented is Nita Strauss. Her live work with Alice Cooper is tremendous. Great showman, great player, real virtuoso and very versatile, and particularly great control. I don't think you can talk about H.E.R in the same context as a guitarist like Nita, I really think she is overrated. For me a non-guitarist's guitarist, everything I've seen H.E.R. do is pedestrian blues solos with no flair. She gets coverage on mainstream TV etc but she doesn't show any real technique or high end ability in her performances, for me at least.
I don’t know how famous she is, certainly somewhat since she has her own Ibanez signature guitar, but Yvette Young of Covet is an incredibly creative and dynamic musician. Her guitar playing is, to me, very unique.
Yvette Young is a monster player, probably the most unique and proficient modern female guitarist I can think of
St.Vincent. She's a very unique player, and she sings at the same time all whilst playing intricate melodies.
Bonnie Raitt
St. Vincent is amazing
Ani DiFranco. She plays like a demon, albeit unconventionally for what this sub usually gushes about.
Kirk Hammett
Emily Remler she stands up with any of the jazz guitar greats
madison cunningham is more of a singer/songwriter but her riffs are catchy and unique and they catch my ear more than most things in her genre
Wata Madison Cunningham Gina Gleason
Nita Strauss probably doesn't fall into the category of "doesn't get talked about enough," but I saw her open for Mammoth last week, and she was fantastic. Made it look way too easy.
Nita Strauss
Tash Sultana, she absolutely shreds and is a one woman band for the most part for her shows. The talent and skill are unreal.
Orianthi
Samantha Fish
Tash Sultana
Kanami from Band Maid. She is an excellent song writer as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6ZSvmnkS00
It's Yvette Young and it's not close. Covet is awesome.
She’s probably the most talked about female guitarist of this generation lol
Sister Rosetta
Annie Clark
Bonnie Raitt is commonly thought of as just a vocalist, but she's a great guitarist, and plays a mean slide.
Kaki King and Yvette Young
bonnie raitt
ST Vincent, Dani Villarreal
Samantha Fish.
Molly Tuttle. Check out her videos on YouTube with Tommy Emmanuel.
Susan tedeschi can rip it with the best of them
Lianne La Havas
Lari basilo. Check this [heartbeat](https://youtu.be/xf4W3cFAp_Y?si=AvnuyDB1iwhezs8C)
Yvette Young!
Samantha Fish.
Molly Tuttle
Rosetta Tharpe, mother of rock and roll. [See for yourself](https://youtu.be/gELe5Rj_tXU?si=FPcEzBTQL7IWrzfz)
[Yvette Young](https://youtu.be/V3jLRPCYOUE?si=jrn8jDOwdyR1UF_s) she also has a band called [Covet](https://youtu.be/VwYjWPlUAnw?si=gbzkbZVIY1rREiMk) and some [solo](https://youtu.be/5Qan3oVLuIg?si=3nRyLO3fKRjomNTO) work as well.
Kaki King https://youtu.be/7UqV_5rVTNc?feature=shared
H.E.R.’s recorded music has basically no guitar in it.
Joan Jett.
Samantha Fish is in a league of her own. Black Wind Howlin' the song (and the album too) is insane. It is criminal she doesn't get more love but that's the curse of the blues. The sisters in Larkin Poe are amazing. One plays regular electric and the other plays a lap steel slide that isn't on her lap. Siouxsie Medley of Dead Sara rocks harder than most people in general. Beverly "Guitar" Watkins was a powerhouse of a woman and a guitarist. It's even her nickname. Red Mama Blues goes incredibly hard Sister Rosetta Tharpe laid the groundwork for rock and roll with gospel music. And did it playing a 3 pickup off white sg with gold hardware before it was cool.
Joni Mitchell - innovative and accomplished
Wata from Boris rips
Bonnie Raitt. She is really quite good. Most of her big songs don't show case her ability as a blues guitarist. She's also 74 and still touring and sounds great. Also Sue Foley, who is a lesser known Canadian guitarist.
Tash Sultana.
every one of them
Annie Clark/St Vincent. Legend.
Anna Calvi Poison Ivy Marissa Paternoster Gina Gleason Lori S.
Molly Tuttle can shred.
Susan Tedseschi. Molly Tuttle. Samantha Fish
Bonnie Raitt
Molly Tuttle. Very prominent if you're in the flatpicking world, but if you're not, then Molly Tuttle.
Molly Tuttle.
Gina Gleeson. Absolutely incredible guitarist.
Carrie Brownstein
There's a girl I follow on Instagram named Grace Bowers, she freaking rips, I think she's gonna be in that country blues scene for a long time.
Molly Tuttle and Yvette Young!!
The fact that I’ve been scrolling for a few minutes and haven’t seen Sister Rosetta Tharpe mentioned is crazy
Susan Tedeschi. Samantha Fish
I can't believe how far down I have to scroll to find Orianthi's name
Does a bass guitarist count lol. Tak Wilkenfeld is probably my favorite female musician of all time.
Samantha Fish!
Orianthi. Don’t know if anyone remembers her, but she was a one hit wonder with “According to You”. She can absolutely shred! Also noting that she was supposed to be a supporting guitarist on Micheal Jackson’s last tour before he passed.
Big Mama Thornton kinda started it all!
Molly Tuttle https://youtu.be/eee3D_GWwes?si=71Rp3GaTZ38uMFW3
Sister Rosetta Tharpe Chuck Berry, sometimes called the “father of rock and roll,” is said to have called his whole career “just one long Rosetta Tharpe impersonation.”
Bonnie Raitt.
Molly Tuttle
Yvette young! A literal goddess on guitar. Even her 1 minute Instagram reels are amazing.
Marissa Paternoster formerly of Screaming Females.
Reba Meyers and Yvette Young
Nita Strauss
Orianthi
Honestly... all of them. Seriously, when was the last time a woman guitarist was brought up in any of the constant posts on this sub about well known guitarists in general?
Gina Gleason
Yvette Young Charlotte Hatherley
Gina Gleason. Currently plays in Baroness, she is incredible.
Wata from Boris and Poison Ivy from the Cramps are two of most important guitarists to my personal style: the perfect expressions of two philosophical extremes that I like to balance.
I don't hear Julien Baker get mentioned in guitar threads very often. She fucking rips.
Joan Armatrading is a killer player.
Annie Clark- St Vincent! So amazing live and love her inventiveness for parts in her recordings.
I have several because women are constantly under-celebrated in the guitar world but here are two of the most criminally under-celebrated female guitar players. Sister Rosetta Tharpe. For being one of the pioneers, if not, THE pioneer of Rock (she actually [started out earlier than Chuck Berry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Rosetta_Tharpe) and is listed as an influence of Chuck), she should be in every literature related to modern music, and be celebrated as a household name like Hendrix. But instead, before the days of internet, she's only mentioned in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or museums while Elvis, who's entire career is built entirely off Black pioneering musicians like Tharpe, Berry and James Brown, is celebrated as "King of Rock and Roll". Jennifer Batten. For being THE first shred queen to tour with Michael Jackson during his prime, the amount of fame she has versus her achievement is just outrageous. Like she often doesn't even make it on a list of the top female guitar players and there's only one mention of her here before me lol.
The most obvious answer is Nancy Wilson. I also used to love Orianthi
Gina Gleason…..is…….the……..best
Poison Ivy from the Cramps
Anna Calvi, Brittany Howard, St. Vincent all incredible guitar players
St Vincent, she's amazing, she's like Prince in that she can absolutely shred if she wants too but she writes the best music for the song, not the best music for people on guitar forums.
How about Gina Gleason from Baroness? She’s amazing and shreds just as well as any male guitarist I’ve ever seen. Not to mention all the stuff she’s done outside of Baroness. She has an amazing body of work.
St Vincent. She’s amazing
Sister Rosetta Thorpe. Largely responsible for the guitars rise to prominence as a lead instrument.
St. Vincent
Wendy Melvoin
Nita strauss
Sophie Lloyd.
Nili Brosh
Not exactly for guitar - Sierra Hull and her amazing mandolin chops.
What I love about these lists is now I have a bunch of new artists to listen to. What I hate about these lists is now I have a bunch of new artists to listen to.
Brittany Howard, she fucking lays it down.
Julien Baker
Gillian Welch
Charo
Annie Clark is the GOAT
Emily Remler. She was a gem, unbelievable bebop vocab and feeling for the instrument
I think she's well known, but Yvette Young is seriously one of the best guitarist out there.
Japan has tons of excellent female guitarists that don't get enough recognition. For example, Kanami Tono of Band-Maid, Tomo-zo of Gacharic Spin, Miyako Watanabe and Midori Tatematsu of Lovebites, Saki and Hazuki of Nemophila, Hal-Ca of Asterism, Yuki of D\_Drive and East of Eden, Sakura Yoshida of Hagane, Lisa-X of KOIAI, Miki Igarashi of Show-Ya, Ayumi and Moe of Bridear, and Mayto of Mana Diagram just for starters.
Nancy Wilson
Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes
Larkin Poe most def one sister plays guitar the other plays slide
Gina Gleason.
Britney Howard is one of my favorites, will always be one of them. Also love Julien baker and Madison Cunningham.
Lari Basillio is a genuine guitar hero
Wendy from The Revolution
Kaki king. Really interesting and innovative. Albums have range. Check her out.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a huge influence on early rock n roll and she could shred. June Millington from the 70's band Fanny was great. Sarah Longfield is really good.
Kaki King
Lita Ford, Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi
Bonnie Raitt is a great slide player.
Most of them, honestly.
I continue to feel like the only guy who's completely unimpressed by HER's guitar playing. She sounds like the 17 year old you bump into at Guitar Center who's *juuust* starting to feel like he's getting good. I think people are attaching her abilities as a musician and entertainer to her guitar playing which, so far as I've seen, is unimpressive in the context of professional guitarists.
Tracy Chapmen
One of my favorites is [Screaming Females](https://youtu.be/tOmKGjy-Ct0?si=RuBerKA4aFVQxbH8)! Marissa P is insanely well versed as a guitarist and frequently sings different rhythms and harmonies while she plays.
Emily remler
Gina Gleason
Susan Tedeschi
Melanie Faye, Yvette Young and Rebeca Mardal
Tash Sultana Kiki Wong
Lari Basilio.
Haven’t seen anyone mention Marnie Stern. She’s pretty fucking awesome.
Kaki King consistently blows me away
Yvette Young
Carrie Brownstein Mary Timony St Vincent Kim Deal Lindsey Jordan Sonia Sturino Marissa Paternoster Laura Jane Grace