By the time I was Dylan’s age, I had already gone through several heroes – Best, Presley, Nelson, Scott, Cook, Richard the Lionheart. By hero, I mean someone to look up to, to dream of being, to emulate, to inspire. As far as I know, my son has never had one (apart from me).

I was also heavily into music at an early age. I knew all the words to my Englebert Humperdink album when I was 4, was totally in love with Suzi Quatro at 9 and a big fan of Queen for a big chunk of my early life. My son is just now starting to get into music. Led Zep is an early favourite (Finally available on Rhapsody today! Hooray!).

I’d like to try a little parental manipulation and, Dear Readers, I’d like your help. I am going to give my offspring a list of 10-ish guitarists and 3 songs from each and have him rank them. I hope to encourage a little critical thinking and maybe one of them will inspire him to great things with that ax of his.

Here’s what I have so far (in no particular order). Help me out. Who am I missing?

• Mark Knopfler
  • Slow Train
  • Brothers in Arms
  • Private Investigations
• Jimi Hendrix
  • All Along the Watchtower
  • Voodoo Child
  • Hey Joe
  • Purple Haze
• Dave Gilmour
  • Wish You Were Here
  • Another Brick in the Wall (pt2)
  • Shine on your Crazy Diamond (pt1)
• Carlos Santana
  • Smooth
  • Black Magic Woman
  • Maria Maria
• Pete Townsend
  • Pinball Wizard
  • My Generation
  • The Real Me
• Eddie Van Halen
• Axel Rose
• Eric Clapton
  • Layla
  • Crossroads
  • Badge
• Jimmy Page
  • Stairway to Heaven
  • Babe, I’m gonna leave you
  • Battle of Evermore
  • Dazed and Confused
• Keith Richards
  • Honky Tonk Women
  • Brown Sugar
  • Satisfaction
• George Harrison
  • Something
  • Here Comes The Sun
• The Gypsy Kings
  • Djiobi Djioba
  • Baila me
  • Bem, Bem, Maria

I am not necessarily looking for the greatest guitarists or the greatest songs. They don’t even have to be guitarists I like (there are a few on the list already that I don’t like). I want variety more than anything.

When I have a list, I’ll put together a playlist for his mp3 player [you can listen to it here]. I’ll let you know how the rest goes.

Feel free to contribute your own rankings.