Having sold over 30 million albums worldwide, Chris Rea is another suspect ‘unsung’ entry, but he’s in because so many people associate that raspy voice with Driving Home For Christmas, rather than blues rock and slide guitar.

Our friends at Guitarist magazine caught up with Rea back in 2005 on the eve of his monstrous 11-CD Blue Guitars boxset release: “My favourite slide player of all time is definitely Blind Willie Johnson,” recalled Rea. “Somebody said that I play his kind of notes as opposed to the Robert Johnson kind.”

Your votes

“What about Chris Rea? He's had that battered pink Strat for years...”(Thanks, ross4973)

“+1 on Chris Rea.” (Thanks, guitargeek62)

“Also forgot to mention Chris Rea. You cant forget him!!” (Thanks, bbcoz)

Next: Adrian Belew