Post-Reconstruction South: Delta blues music emerges among African American musicians in the Mississippi Delta.  Guitars become more accessible, often cheap mail-order models from Sears Roebuck catalogs.  Fingerpicking and slide guitar (using knives, bottlenecks, or metal tubes) develop as unique techniques.

Jazz Guitarists 1890–1920

May 25, 1897 – Eddie Lang is born (Philadelphia, PA) – Later called the “Father of Jazz Guitar” (active in early 1920s, key figure post – 1920).

March 29, 1895 Johnny St. Cyr is born (New Orleans, LA) – Banjo/guitarist with Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five/Seven (active as early as 1910s).

April 15, 1894 Laurence “Lonnie” Johnson is born (New Orleans, LA) – Blues/jazz guitarist; began performing professionally by late 1910s. 

1917 – Original Dixieland Jass Band records first jazz record – guitar not yet prominent, but banjo was used.

1919 – Johnny St. Cyr begins playing professionally in New Orleans jazz bands Early rhythm guitar and banjo work in traditional jazz.

Jazz guitar from 1910 to 1920 was mostly rhythm accompaniment on acoustic guitar or banjo.

Electric guitar did not exist yet, amplification came in the 1930s.

Most famous jazz guitarists (Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian) emerged in the 1930s – 40s.

Delta Blues:

1920s – First Recordings and Recognition of Delta Blues music.

1927 – Tommy Johnson and Ishmon Bracey record in Jackson, Mississippi.

1928 – Charley Patton, considered the “Father of the Delta Blues,” records in Chicago – establishing foundational guitar-driven blues.

1930s –  Delta Blues music becomes more popular around the United States. Son House and Skip James develop highly personal slide techniques and spiritual lyricism.

Acoustic Delta blues begins to wane in popularity due to urban electrification.

1931 – Rickenbacker “Frying Pan” – The first electric guitar (lap steel).

1936 – Gibson ES-150 – The first commercially successful hollow-body electric guitar.

Robert Johnson records in 1936 – 1937 – his virtuosic slide and fingerstyle playing influence future generations.

1952 – Gibson Les Paul – Another iconic solid-body electric guitar is launched.

1940s – 1950s – Great Migration brings Delta blues to northern cities.  Muddy Waters electrifies the Delta sound in Chicago, laying groundwork for Chicago blues and rock ‘n’ roll.

1950 – Fender Broadcaster/Telecaster – First mass-produced solid-body electric guitar.

1951 –  Willie Kizart (Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm).  “Rocket 88” recorded March 3, 1951 – widely considered the first rock and roll record.  Kizart’s distorted guitar tone (due to a damaged amp) became legendary.

1954 – Scotty Moore (Elvis Presley). “That’s All Right” recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio in Memphis. Moore’s clean, country-blues picking style influenced generations.

1954 – Chuck Berry, signs with Chess Records in late 1954, begins fusing R&B with country guitar licks.

1955 – Chuck Berry, “Maybellene” recorded May 21, 1955, released in July. His double-stop riffs and showmanship define rock guitar.

1955 – Bo Diddley, “Bo Diddley” recorded March 2, 1955, released in April. Famous for the “Bo Diddley beat” and tremolo-driven guitar.

1956 – Carl Perkins, “Blue Suede Shoes” released January 1, 1956. Perkins blended rockabilly and country picking with rhythmic drive.

1956 – Buddy Holly (with The Crickets), began recording at Norman Petty Studios in 1956. Guitar-driven hits emerge soon after.

1957 – Buddy Holly, “That’ll Be the Day” recorded February 25, 1957, released May. His Fender Stratocaster use popularized the model.

1957 – Duane Eddy – Records early singles like “Movin’ ‘n’ Groovin’” late 1957; introduces deep twang and tremolo.

1958 – Link Wray – “Rumble” released March 1958 — groundbreaking instrumental with aggressive power chords, distortion, and attitude. Banned on some radio stations.

1958 – Eddie Cochran, “Summertime Blues” recorded March 28, 1958, released in July. Played a Gretsch 6120 and was known for multi-tracking guitar parts.

1959 – The Day the Music Died – February 3, 1959.
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper die in a plane crash. Huge loss for early rock guitar and songwriting.

1960s – The Golden Era of Electric Guitars.  Rock and roll, surf rock, and blues dominate. The electric guitar becomes a cultural icon.

1960s – Blues Revival
British and American rock bands (e.g., Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton) draw from Delta blues.

Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, and others are “rediscovered” and perform for new audiences.

The Birth of the Modern Electric Guitar – 1960’s

1960 – Gibson Les Paul Standard (Burst) gains traction after being used by blues/rock pioneers.

1961 – Gibson SG introduced as a lighter, sharper alternative to the Les Paul.

1962 – Fender Jaguar released, aimed at surf guitarists.

1964 – The Beatles popularize the Rickenbacker 360/12 (12-string electric).

1965 – Fender acquires the Vox amplifier brand, helping expand tones.

1967 – Jimi Hendrix performs at Monterey Pop Festival with Fender Stratocaster—launches Strat into stardom.

The Richard Nader Rock & Roll Revival was a pivotal movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s that reintroduced and celebrated the original stars of 1950s rock and roll, sparking a full-fledged revival of the genre and laying the groundwork for modern nostalgia-based tours and oldies culture.

Richard Nader (1940–2009) was a New Jersey-based concert promoter and DJ.

In the 1960s, rock and roll’s pioneers (like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis) had largely been overshadowed by the British Invasion and psychedelic rock.

Nader recognized that fans still longed for the original 1950s rock and roll artists and aimed to bring them back to the spotlight.

October 18, 1969 – First Rock & Roll Revival Concert
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City.  Attendance: 20,000+ (sold out) Line up:  Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, The Platters, Bill Haley & His Comets, Bo Diddley andThe Shirelles. This massive success proved there was still a passionate audience for early rock & roll.

1970–1975 – Nationwide Rock & Roll Revival Tours
Richard Nader organized multiple national tours, each bringing together 1950s and early 1960s icons. Cities across the U.S. hosted these nostalgic concerts, often in arenas and theaters.

1970 – Inspired the concert film “Let the Good Times Roll“, released in 1973, which captured performances and interviews from the Revival tours.

Let the Good Times Roll (1973 Film)
Directed by Sidney Levin & Robert Abel. Featured performance footage from Nader’s revival concerts.  Included in the film are Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, The Shirelles, and more.  Helped document and legitimize the early rock and roll generation as cultural icons.  This helped revived careers of early rockers who were previously sidelined.  Richard Nader preceded and inspired later nostalgia tours and rock & roll hall of fame movements.  Rock and Roll Revival shows establish rock and roll as a respected historical genre, not just a trend. Richard Nader showed that “oldies” could be commercially viable, paving the way for: Sha Na Na, American Graffiti (1973 movie), Happy Days (TV show, 1974–1984), Grease (musical and 1978 film).  Richard Nader is known as “The Father of the Rock & Roll Revival” and is credited with preserving the legacy of the 1950s rock and roll era. Richard Nader continued promoting concerts into the 1980s and 1990s. Richard Nader died in 2009, but his influence lives on in oldies radio, retro tours, and the entire concept of honoring rock’s roots.

1970s – Present – Delta blues influences modern genres—rock, folk, country, and Americana.

Festivals, archival recordings, and museums (like the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS) help preserve the tradition.  Contemporary artists (e.g., Corey Harris, Keb’ Mo’, and R.L. Boyce) carry the Delta blues guitar tradition forward.

Black Sabbath is the Band That Invented Heavy Metal
Birmingham, England 1968.  First album is titled “Black Sabbath” and was released on February 13, 1970  Tony Iommi is the guitarist (the “riff master” and key architect of the heavy metal guitar sound. The music contained ark, heavy riffs rooted in blues, but slower and more ominous. Lyrics about doom, war, evil, and the occult, a stark contrast to hippie-era rock.  Iommi’s detuned, sludgy guitar tone (partly due to finger injury and metal finger endings) defined the heavy sound. “Black Sabbath” (the song) used the tritone, historically dubbed “the Devil’s interval.”  The song alone (recorded in 1969) is often cited as the first true heavy metal track.

Fender Stratocaster & Telecaster – Become common in rock and surf scenes.

Gibson Les Paul – Popularized by legends like Jimmy Page.

Gibson SG – Lightweight, aggressive tone—favored by Angus Young.

Rickenbacker 360/12 – Known for its jangle; used by The Beatles.

Humbucking pickups (Gibson’s PAF).

1970s – Hard Rock & Experimentation.  Rise of hard rock, punk, and metal. More effects and amplification experimentation.  BC Rich Mockingbird (1976) with flashy looks for glam and metal.

Ibanez Lawsuit Era Guitars (1970 to 1977) – High-quality Japanese-made replicas of Gibson/Fender.

Fender Jazzmaster & Jaguar – Became cult classics, especially among punk musicians.

Active electronics  and Alembic basses (1969).

Neck-through-body construction for sustain.

More elaborate effects pedals.

1971 – Gibson launches the Flying V Medallion and Explorer reissues.

1972 – Ibanez enters U.S. market with Les Paul-style guitars.

1975 – BC Rich Mockingbird debuts—flashy, perfect for glam and metal.

1976 – Roland introduces the GR-500 guitar synthesizer.

1979 – Kramer introduces aluminum neck guitars.

1980s –  Shred Era & Superstrats – Hair metal, glam rock, and thrash.  Guitar solos and virtuosity at the forefront.

1980s – Development of digital modeling, MIDI guitars, and extended range guitars (7-, 8-, 9-string), with continuing innovation in materials and electronics.

1981 – Floyd Rose tremolo system becomes mainstream, used by Eddie Van Halen.

1983 – Ibanez JEM (Steve Vai signature) development begins.

1984 – Kramer becomes top-selling guitar brand in the U.S.

1987 – Ibanez releases JEM 777 and RG550, defining the “superstrat.”

1989 – Boss ME-5, one of the first all-in-one digital guitar processors.

Kramer Guitars –  Eddie Van Halen.

Ibanez RG & JEM (Steve Vai signature) – Designed for shredding, which means playing fast.

Charvel & Jackson Guitars – Popular with metal bands.

Floyd Rose Tremolo – A Tremelo that influenced “dive-bombs” and creative whammy bar action.

Superstrat body style (Strat-inspired but hotter pickups and faster necks).

Active EMG pickups for metal tones.

Digital rack effects.

1990s – The downfall of Glam Metal and the rise of Grunge & Alternative bands.  Grunge, alt-rock, and nu-metal.

Backlash against the 80s Glam Metal.  Drop D tuning and lower tuning becomes more of the norm.

Fender Jaguar, Mustang, Jazzmaster – Re-embraced by grunge players like Kurt Cobain.

PRS (Paul Reed Smith) – Gained popularity for combining vintage tone with modern build. (1990’s)

Ibanez 7-string (Universe, with Steve Vai) – 1990, used in metal and nu-metal.

1991 – Nirvana’s Nevermind boosts Fender Mustang, Jaguar, and Univox Mosrite.

1993 – PRS Custom 24 gains popularity as a modern alternative to Gibson/Fender.

1994 – Parker Fly: lightweight composite guitar with active electronics.

1997 – Line 6 POD released: portable amp modeling revolution.

Line 6 POD – 1998 – Early digital amp modeling revolution.

2000s – Boutique Boom & Digital Revolution

2001 – Taylor Guitar introduces Expression System, advanced onboard electronics.

2002 – Line 6 Variax released—modeling guitar that simulates over 20 instruments.

2005 – Axe-Fx (Fractal Audio) launches: high-end amp modeler.

2007 – Gibson Robot Guitar: self-tuning technology debut.

2009 – PRS SE line brings quality to mid-price range.

Digital gear rises; tone modeling becomes viable.

Fender Acoustasonic – Hybrid acoustic-electric modeling.

Neural DSP Quad Cortex – Advanced amp modeler.

Strandberg Guitars – Ergonomic, headless designs for modern players.

Relish Guitars (Switzerland) – Magnetic pickup swapping system.

Gibson – Slash, Tom Morello, and Adam Jones signature models.

Rise of DIY and boutique guitar builders.

Line 6 Variax – Modeling guitars that mimic multiple instruments.

Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci models.

Fender Custom Shop & Gibson Custom – Vintage reissues and relic guitars.

Axe-Fx & Kemper Profiler – Studio-grade digital amp profilers.

Proliferation of amp modeling and plugin effects.

Re-emergence of boutique pedals and analog effects.

2010s – Now: Tech Integration & Genre Blending

2011 – Fender American Vintage Reissue series re-launch.

2013 – Strandberg Boden headless guitars popularized by prog and djent artists.

2015 – Gibson Les Paul with G-Force auto-tuning (controversial innovation).

2016 – Positive Grid releases BIAS FX, a major step in virtual rig modeling.

2018 – Neural DSP plugins gain traction with modern metal players.

2019 – Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster: hybrid acoustic-electric guitar.

Genre fluidity – artists blend hip-hop, indie, metal, jazz, eletcronica and blues to create new and innovative music.

2020s – Smart Gear & Digital Everything

MIDI guitars and apps for practice and learning.

Subscription-based effects – ToneCloud and Positive Grid.

Sustainability focus in woods and manufacturing.

Guitar-as-controller for synth and VR instruments.

2020 – Neural DSP Quad Cortex launched: ultra-powerful amp modeler.

2021 – Boss Waza-Air, wireless headphones with 3D amp modeling.

2022 – Gibson releases Adam Jones Les Paul (Tool) and Slash Collection.

2023 – Relish Guitars’ pickup swapping system gains buzz.

2024 – AI-assisted practice platforms (like Yousician AI) become mainstream.

The Future of Guitar

AI-assisted practice and tone shaping.

Expanded use of carbon fiber, alternate materials.

Robot Guitarists that will have Artificial Intelligence, which will be able to Improvise and Solo.  Even create original songs.

Summary

The history of the guitar spans thousands of years, beginning with ancient stringed instruments like the oud (Middle East) and the vihuela (Spain). These early instruments evolved through various cultures, with the guitar’s recognizable shape and tuning emerging in Renaissance-era Spain. By the 18th century, the classical guitar—with six gut strings and a flat body—had taken form, used in both court and folk music across Europe.

In the 19th century, Spanish luthier Antonio de Torres refined the classical guitar’s design, increasing its size, volume, and resonance. His innovations formed the blueprint for modern acoustic guitars. Around the same time, steel-string guitars became popular in the United States, especially in folk and blues traditions.

By the early 20th century, American makers like C.F. Martin and Gibson were building archtop and flat-top guitars, helping shape what would become the backbone of blues, country, and jazz.

The invention of the electric guitar in the 1930s revolutionized the instrument. Early models like the Rickenbacker “Frying Pan” used electromagnetic pickups to amplify sound. By the 1950s, Leo Fender and Les Paul introduced solid-body guitars (like the Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul), enabling louder, distortion-friendly play styles. These guitars became central to the rise of rock and roll, with players like Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton pushing the guitar into mainstream culture.

Through the late 20th century, the guitar diversified across genres—from metal and punk to jazz fusion and pop. Iconic players like Eddie Van Halen, Prince, and Kurt Cobain redefined guitar technique and tone. Simultaneously, acoustic guitars remained key in folk and singer-songwriter traditions, driven by artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor. Technological advances, including digital effects, MIDI integration, and multi-scale designs, expanded the guitar’s expressive potential.

In the 21st century, the guitar remains vital in both mainstream and underground music. Digital modeling, loop stations, and extended-range guitars have transformed how the instrument is used. Players like Tosin Abasi, St. Vincent, and Mateus Asato embody new techniques and aesthetics. Meanwhile, the guitar thrives in bedroom production, YouTube education, and global fusion styles. From its ancient origins to today’s genre-bending innovations, the guitar continues to evolve, yet its six strings still resonate with timeless power.