"He's a musical genius," Neil Young once said of Stephen Stills, his bandmate and co-lead guitarist in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Stills is one of rock's most underrated guitarists, possibly because of his well-established reputation as a singer-songwriter. Off and on for more than four decades, he has challenged and complemented Young's feral breaks with a Latin-and country-inflected chime, and as his soaring solos at the recent Buffalo Springfield reunion shows have illustrated, Stills has never lost his fervor for adventurous shredding. Such was his pull as a musician that he got both Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix (a close friend of Stills') to make guest appearances on Stills' 1970 self-titled solo debut – the only album in rock history to feature both guitar giants. "I like all of every aspect of performing," Stills has said. "But I really enjoy the hell out of just getting up there and burning on my guitar."

Key Tracks: "Bluebird," "Carry On," "Go Back Home"

Related
• Track by Track: Crosby, Stills & Nash on their Self-Titled Debut
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Enchant London Audience in 1970