I can't just pick one solo from these favs...Stevie Ray Vaughan
Carlos Santana
and Jim Hendrix's National Anthem...and I will throw Prince in there...oops, that is four...pffft on me.

Only 3?Hmmm. Definitely Eruption by Eddie Van Halen, Crazy Train (Randy Rhodes from Ozzy) and Stevie Ray's Pride and Joy. I also love Prince's solo at the end of Let's Go Crazy and the solo at the end of We Will Rock You by Queen.And Joe Satriani, Surfing with the Alien.Oh, and Slash in GnRs November Rain!Too many to list! lol

Ok now that is an impossible challenge, for there is a guitar solo for all moods and styles of music. Now to dissect a solo, void of its context, or solo with context of the song makes a difference....hmmm? I will say Stevie Ray Vaughan's version of Little Wing, #1. I call the whole song a solo, since it is instrumental.Although short, but highly effective...Mark Knopfler in Sultans of Swing...technical and tasteful.I would have to agree Eddie Van Halen would have to be in the top 3....Although I have to go with the whole song thing again and say "Eruption" as it essential EVH and set in stone everything he was.Now to leave out guitar work of guys like, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Duanne Allman, Slash, is a hard thing to do

See now, we are all listing in the Rock/Blues genre....there are many country pickers and old timers out there, that are unfairly left out of the top 3....I now have a challenge....stay tuned Trax...

Although emotion is a major element to me, a solo needs to have at least the minimum amount of technical skill.With that said, don't forget the shredders, like Yngwie Malmsteen and even our local guitar hero, Rusty Cooley. (Woodlands)

I would say Prince's solo on Purple Rain. Although I'm farrrrrrrr from being a Prince fan.

There really just is too much criteria to really put together a top three.Style, your mood at the time, etc....

I would be remiss if I didn't nominate Alex Lifeson. At the very least he's fun to watch and listen to, especially when he breaks out the 12-string. A nice sampling here:www.youtube.com/watc h?v=v92C7Ubuwtw

@AtascaGuy: I didn't know of Rusty, very cool...how wide is that neck? wow. Saw Malmstein back in the mid 80's at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas.

Too many to choose from. I had to break it into two categories of top 5. You can tell my age by the choices.
Blues:
5) Whipping Post – Allman Brothers
4) Shine on you Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd
3) Texas Flood – Stevie Ray Vaughn
2) Along the Watch Tower – Jimi Hendrix
1) Cross Roads – Eric ClaptonSteel:
5) Crazy Train – Ozzy
4) Free Bird – Lynard Skynard
3) Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
2) Eruption – Van Halen
1) Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds doing #41. Still my very very favorite of all time.

New Kid on the block for Greatest Guitarist …. Joe Bonamassa. Give him a listen well worth the time. Him and Johnny Lang both are worth listening to.
www.youtube.com/watc h?v=xQ1DPykCNjo&list =AL94UKMTqg-9CYsqU_T BfKnLr55h8zpYH0

One of my faves...Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover

My solo air guitar

I have 2 - Randy Rhoads on Mr. CrowleyTerry Kath on 25 or 6 to 4