Paul Hackett

Eddie Van Halen is second only to Jimi Hendrix when it comes to rock guitar. Starting with “Eruption” in 1978 he rewrote the book on what a guitar could do.

As 2011 comes to a close, we at Guitar Noise are taking a look back at our most popular lessons to find out what interested you, our readers.

It’s ten years since George Harrison, the guitarist and vocalist with the Beatles, passed away. Guitar Noise pays tribute to the legendary British musician.

Easy Songs for Beginners lessons are back! Once again you can learn guitar the way you want to – with officially licensed songs from the music publisher.

Beginners will be surprised to learn how easy it is to play some Neil Young folky-acoustic rock and make it sound good. Learn more about Neil Young here.

Jeff Healey was a remarkable blues-rock artist whose unique style of playing the guitar flat across his lap won him many admirers.

The summer of love was back in 1967 but the musical legacy still resonates today. Let’s take a look at some of the best era’s most lasting songs.

Rock icon and lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia personified his band perhaps even more than Mick Jagger does the Rolling Stones. The Dead disbanded upon his death but the music lives on.

Bob Dylan just turned seventy. After more than fifty years of making music he still manages to blaze an amazing trail around the world, touring and releasing new music.

On April 10, 2011 Bob Dylan and his band played in Vietnam for the first time. They played an excellent show, rolling through an eighteen-song set that offered new arrangements on everything, not just the old songs but the new ones as well.

AC/DC, the thunder from down under, are famous for their simple yet catchy rock songs that have become a staple of modern rock.

Kurt Cobain was the frontman of Nirvana, the multi-platinum grunge band that redefined the sound of the nineties. He took his own life on April 5, 1994.

Eric Clapton is one of rock music’s quintessential guitarists. He’s the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times.

Some of Prince’s weird antics over the years have challenged his most ardent fans. In recent years he’s focused on reclaiming his legacy by doing what he does best, concentrating on the music.

David’s newest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar comes out on October 5 but you can miss the lines by entering to win a free copy today. We’re giving away two free autographed copies every month.

Since our featured artist of the month is John Fogerty I thought it would be fun to write about the best CCR songs for guitar. These songs are relatively easy to play and likely to be recognized, even when played by beginners.

In less than four years CCR had more hit songs that became classics than most guitarists can play. Pretty amazing considering one guy is responsible for it all. John Fogerty is truly one of the legends of rock guitar and rock music.

Since 1976 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have released eleven studio albums, with Mr. Petty releasing three solo albums minus the Heartbreakers. Their latest album “Mojo” was released in June 2010.

Rolling Stone magazine lists B. B. King at #3 on their “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Known as the “King of the Blues,” this Mississippi native has played at over 15,000 concerts worldwide, including Glastonbury in 2011.

You may have noticed already that guitar tabs and lyrics have been removed from most of the song lessons. Let me bring you up to speed on what is happening.