Peter Green had such dexterity and soul on the guitar that even the legendary Jimi Hendrix was impressed by his playing. So, it’s not surprising to see Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson name Green as his guitar hero while listing his life’s soundtracks during a recent chat with Classic Rock.
“In the early Fleetwood Mac days, Peter Green had a real soulful quality,” Anderson said, recalling the late guitarist’s influence on the band’s early period. “He could make a guitar sing like a human voice. Peter had this wonderful tone, wonderful control. He could play a lot of notes when the music warranted it, otherwise, he seduced you with quality rather than quantity.”
Green’s career with Fleetwood Mac came to a tragic end only after three years, in 1970, as his mental health deteriorated over time. The musician later received a schizophrenia diagnosis. Despite producing only a few solo albums during the period of rehabilitation, Peter Green’s legacy has been appreciated by many artists.
With his prodigious talent, ‘The Green God’ has been listed as the idol and inspiration of many who have also been labeled as a ‘guitar god’ themselves. The master guitarist, who had excelled almost in everything in his approach to the instrument with a unique touch, unfortunately, could not stay on the stage for a long time. However, his legend has grown since his very first step into the music scene in the mid-’60s.
