I haven't been a rocker for some time now, but I could still listen to Yngwei Malmsteen for hours. He soothes my soul....
Crazy, I know... but true.
Richie Havens and Carlos Montoya
As a guitarist I can't really answer this question. It really depends on my mood ad style that matches. At the Moment Leo Kottke
It's a tie between Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler,
how about Kenny wayne shepherd and brad paisley
My favorites are
Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Freddy King
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jeff Beck
Muddy Waters
Robin Trower
Santana
Kim Simmonds
Robert Frip
But... I'm just a blues man
Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Izzy Stradlin, David Gilmour, Tom Petty, Lindsey Buckingham, Slash,
David Gilmore
Jimi Hendrix
Whilst I am alive I like keith Richard and I guess when I am dead I will still like him
Depends on genre. You can't go far wrong with Carlos Santana, but for another variety of guitar entirely I could also happily listen to Joe Bonamassa, Pierre Bonsusan, Kelly Joe Phelps, Nick Drake, John Williams or Andres Segovia.
Wouldn't you rather have a nice cup of tea?
There's a lot of guitarists I admire.
Hendrix, obviously.
Lenny Breau - a virtuoso jazz guitarist from the 60s.
Greg Allman - could play interminable jam songs without being boring.
Thurston Moore & Lee Renaldo (of Sonic Youth) - for expanding the language of guitar music in my generation.
Mary Timony (of Helium) - Her playing has tamed over time, but it used to be quite unique.
Carlos Santana -less flamboyant but more expressive playing than Hendrix.
Don't believe everything that you read.
I just saw David Gilmour Sunday in LA and He was absolutely amazing! I'd seen Floyd a half dozen times before but in this show his guitar work was featured on almost every tune and it really impressed.