It appears the Rolling Stones are gearing up to leave their mark on yet another decade. Together since 1962, the unrepentant British rockers have weathered trends, tragedies and even a brief spell where Mick Jagger insisted on wearing shoulder pads and white spandex tights. But their biggest accomplishment might be managing to get through it all with a minimum number of lineup changes. Let’s take a look at the band’s elite group of guitarists, starting with one of the most famous in the world.
Keith Richards (1962-present)
To kids, he might be best known as the inspiration behind Captain Jack Sparrow – hey, it’s been a while since the Rolling Stones put out a new album – but to the rest of us Richards is the very essence of rock and roll. He’s the man responsible for some of the most explosive riffs ever: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Street Fighting Man.” They’re songs he can still play with unrivaled fervor, making them sound brand new every time he strikes the strings. Talking to VH1 a few years back about his instrument of choice he said, “You’d think by now you’d know it all, but you never find it out. There’s mysteries in here, you see. You can never be bored with one of these machines.” And anyone who has witnessed his swift, effective method of dealing with stage invaders knows that pretend pirates have nothing on the real-life Keith.
Watch: Rolling Stones “Jumpin' Jack Flash”
Brian Jones (1962-1969)
Although his official duties extended to backing vocals, keyboards, dulcimer, percussion and sitar, his guitar contributions – especially his ability to blur rhythm and lead – helped shape the band in its early years. That’s him playing the lead on “The Last Time,” and slide on classics like “Little Red Rooster” and the epic “No Expectations.” The lifestyle eventually got the best of him, though, and he started missing rehearsals, sinking into substance abuse and getting sidelined by drug convictions. He died just a month after he was cut loose from the band.
Watch: Rolling Stones “Little Red Rooster (1964)”
Mick Taylor (1969-1974)
Already a seasoned guitarist when he was named as Jones’ replacement on guitar, Taylor had been playing blues guitar with John Mayall since he was 17, reportedly doing two shows a night, seven days a week. In the Stones, he gladly shared the spotlight with Richards. "I didn't think of myself as a lead player, especially when we did live shows, because me and Keith used to switch around all the time,” Taylor said. “He'd take a lead, I'd play rhythm. I'd take a lead. He'd play rhythm. Sometimes even within one song.” But in the studio he did take the lead on at least two Sticky Fingers classics, "Sway" and "Moonlight Mile.” The guitarist ultimately felt ill-suited for life with one of the world’s biggest rock bands, especially when he started clashing with Richards in the studio. But it was a dispute over songwriting credits that ultimately drove him out. “I guess I just felt like I had enough,” Taylor said in an interview with Gary James.
Watch: Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Woman (Live in Hyde Park 1969)”
Ronnie Wood (1976 – present)
Having played with the Jeff Beck Group and Faces, Wood was a natural fit for the band. His musical and personal chemistry with Richards is undeniable, even though he missed out on the group’s most prolific years. He has mainly stuck with slide and pedal steel guitars but that hasn’t stopped him from being a major presence among the Stones lineup. He’s even snagged a couple of songwriting credits for mid-period tunes like “Dance,” “Black Limousine” and “One Hit (To The Body).” Wood has also managed to maintain a solo career on the side – not to mention a very exciting romantic life.
Watch: Rolling Stones “One Hit (To The Body) Toronto 1989”