Hi Dan,

I have always gravitated to the electric guitar players. Al DiMeola was my first experience at hearing what the guitar could do. In fact, although I cannot find it anywhere on Youtube, but he did a television concert like Midnight special where he did that song live. And I saw his fingers crawl up the fretboard like a spider, it blew me away! It was my first exposure to "technique."

From there it goes on to everyone from Santana (who knew enough about playing the guitar to surround himself with the best players that made him sound better) to Stanley Jordan. I don't try to emulate them; just get inspired by them that there is life outside of the "formula".