5 underrated boomer guitarists who are still active today – Grunge

Boomers invented and perfected the art of rock guitar. So he said this. Whatever your feelings about this generation, loosely defined as those born between the mid-’40s and mid-’60s, there’s no denying that modern rock guitar exists thanks to their years of creativity and dedication. Some of these baby boomer rockers are so dedicated that they’re still active today, in their 60s, 80s, and even older. It’s not just Keith Richards. Many of this generation’s most underrated guitarists are still around, and they’re still making licks to remind everyone that they still have it.

Plenty of classic rock guitarists have displayed glowing, red-hot guitar work that rivals the celestial aura of the so-called gods of the field. There were a dozen other guitarists who, for one reason or another, had little success despite being as talented as any flashy hitmaker. Here, we shine a light on five of classic rock’s underdogs, especially those who refuse to quit and continue to shred today.

Despite his significant contributions to the foundations of progressive rock and classic rock in general, Robert Fripp’s name is one you rarely hear outside of guitar magazines. Part of that is due to Fripp’s longstanding reputation for being particular about what’s good music and what’s not. But a big part of the reason the average Joe and Jane may not know Fripp’s name, and even if they did, they almost certainly don’t hear it often anymore, is because he was always one step ahead (or at least beside) his more commercial colleagues.

Fripp founded King Crimson, arguably the prog band of the classic rock era, in 1968 and has remained its only consistent member ever since. Not only that, but he has always held the final say on the group’s songwriting and production, making it hard to tell Fripp from King Crimson at all. As former bandmate Adrian Belew told Mojo (via Guitar.com), “All decisions went through Robert. If he didn’t like something, he’d tell you.”

Rigorous creation process aside, Fripp and his friends never put their instruments down forever. In 2025, the band’s manager David Singleton fueled rumors about a possible new album. It seems that Fripp’s extraordinary genius is yet to come.

As an exercise, create a word cloud of everything that comes to mind when you think of The Doors. We’d be willing to bet that almost every term or idea has something to do with troubled frontman Jim Morrison, his artistry, and his notorious eccentricities on and off stage. It’s doubtful that guitarist Robbie Krieger will ever show up, despite being one of the band’s most talented songwriters (he wrote “Light My Fire,” among other hits) and being a talented and idiosyncratic guitarist. Overshadowed by Morrison’s mystique and legend, Krieger never truly became famous, but the more than 50 years since his untimely death did not deter Krieger from creating or performing.

After Morrison’s death in 1971, Krieger continued to record and perform regularly, always finding new costumes to perform his signature flamenco-influenced style. In addition to releasing semi-regular solo releases over the years, he has released music from bands of his own design and, of course, reunited with the surviving members of The Doors to tour the group’s most memorable songs. Krieger’s latest album, Robbie Krieger & The Soul Savages, has been actively producing new music and recently toured through April 2026, but Krieger has given no talk of retiring anytime soon.

There’s nothing quite like rock’n’roll like heart. At the heart of the band are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. As the older sibling and lead singer, Ann has always had the bulk of the band’s fame and media attention. But that didn’t stop Nancy from continuing to produce great music, both as a member of Heart and as a solo artist. On Heart, Nancy provided all of the band’s signature guitar riffs and solos, as well as helping write the music behind mega-hits “Crazy on You” and “Barracuda,” among others. She has also released her own albums, contributed to numerous movie soundtracks, and even released a guitar instructional DVD.

Now in 2026, Heart is still touring, and Ann and Nancy continue to lead the group, who, according to Nancy, are as raw and authentic as ever. Speaking to the Lehigh Valley News about the tour (the band’s first in almost 60 years), Nancy proudly claimed, “We’re one of the last true rock bands that’s 100% live performance. It’s all human music. Human music is made for humans, and there’s no pre-recording. There’s some guitar pedal effects, but that’s it.” Nancy also mentioned plans to continue making new music and touring beyond 2026, and as recent Heart performances prove, she’s certainly got it figured out yet.

Robin Trower has always been compared to Jimi Hendrix, and while it’s flattering (and sometimes quite accurate), unfortunately he and his career have remained permanently in the shadow of other artists. More than 50 years after Hendrix’s death, Trower still lacks mainstream success, save for 1974’s Mission Statement Bridge of Sighs and its immediate sequel. Nevertheless, Trower always carried on his signature psychedelic progressive blues-rock style, releasing album after album year after year, all of which show true virtuoso work.

Trower’s discography is longer than most. Notably, he played with the late Cream bass legend Jack Bruce, all the other bands, and 60s psychedelic outfit Procol Harum, best known for “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” However, Trower has released an extensive solo catalogue, and even after more than 50 years, he has rarely gone more than a few years without a new full-length album. As of 2026, Trower is still touring heavily, and recent live recordings like his 2024 “Razor’s Edge” performance show that he can definitely still shred today.

Even if a rock fan has never heard Joe Satriani’s name in their life, they will still be aware of his work. Even if they have never heard his music (as any good hard rock fan should), they will still know of his work, in this case through the art of his many disciples. Satriani was an instructor and mentor to many of rock’s greatest guitarists, including Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and the incomparable virtuoso Steve Vai.

Satriani’s own music is also great. Most of his albums are entirely instrumental, like non-stop fun factories like “Surfing with the Alien,” and taken as a whole, his work is a library of creative and clever hard rock guitar playing. However, Satriani is still out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, hasn’t had a Billboard Top 10 hit, and has yet to win a Grammy (which is criminal considering his total of 15 nominations).

But that didn’t stop Satriani in the slightest. His latest album, The Elephants Of Mars, was just released in 2022, and he has two separate, equally extreme tours planned for 2026. One is with my disciple Vi (about shredding) and the other is with Sammy Hagar and others. If “retirement” is a word in Satriani’s vocabulary, he has no reason to use it yet.