The #79 Guitarist of the Rock Era: Alex Lifeson

The #79 Guitarist* has longevity on his side.  At 44 years, he's been playing the guitar longer than most in The Top 100*.  He has developed a very unique sound and has a style all his own.  Alex Lifeson of Rush is next:

             

       #79:  Alex Lifeson, Rush
 45 years as an active guitarist

(This is Lifeson's solo in the Rush song "La Villa".)

He was born Alexandar Zivojinovich in Fernie, British Columbia, Canada to Serbian immigrants.  In 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey.  Lifeson has been with the band ever since and you don't see that often.

Lifeson first learned how to play the viola, but he gave that up in favor of the guitar at age 12.  Alex received his first guitar as a Christmas gift, a six-string Kent classical acoustic which was soon upgraded to an electric Japanese model.  Lifeson admired the work of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Steve Hackett.  As Lifeson said recently, "Clapton's solos seemed a little easier and more approachable.  There was nothing I could do with Hendrix."

The Projection was the band formed by Lifeson and Rutsey that soon became Rush with the recruitment of original bassist and vocalist Jeff Jones.  Geddy Lee assumed this role soon after.  Lifeson plays electric and acoustic guitars as well as contributing with strings such as the mandolin, asmandola and bouzouki. 

Lifeson's strengths are his signature riffs, electronic effects and processing and unorthodox chord structures.  He possesses an arsenal of equipment.  Early in his career, Lifeson played a Gibson ES-335, then added a 1974 Gibson Les Paul.  He also owned a Fender Stratocaster with a Bill Lawrence humbucker and Floyd Rose vibrato bridge.  He then began using a Gibson EDS-1275 with Hiwatt amplifiers.  In the 1980's, Lifeson used modified Stratocasters with the Floyd Rose bridge.  By 1987, Lifeson switched to Canadian-made Signature guitars and used PRS guitars in the early 1990's.  In early 2011, Gibson introduced the "Alex Lifeson Axcess". 

Lifeson has won many awards, including named Best Rock Guitarist by Guitar Player Magazine in both 1984 and 2008 and Inducted into the Guitar for the Practicing Musician Hall of Fame in 1991.  Alex and Rush bandmates Geddy Lee and Neil Peart were made Officers of the Order of Canada on May 9, 1996.  They were the first rock band to be honored.

Lifeson has been a steady guitar player for several decades and has developed a unique style with Rush.  There should be no doubt that Alex belongs in our list.  He ranks at #79.