Poll: Which Guitarist Do You Most Wish Were Still Alive and Creating Music?

Nothing is quite as disheartening for music fans as learning of the loss of great talent. One feels cheated when robbed not just of an artist's presence on earth, but also his or her potential to create more music to enrich our lives.

This March will mark the 30th anniversary of Randy Rhoads' death. The pioneering heavy metal guitarist was only 25 when he died in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida. Rhoads' tragic demise wasn't only a devastating loss for guitar (Rhoads was planning on studying classical music at UCLA, and one can only imagine what kind of music he'd have created) but a reminder of the sadly not-so-exclusive club of musicians who have left us far too early.

No doubt, the world would only benefit from the continued presence of any (and all) of the artists listed in the poll below. But everyone has their own sentiments and feelings toward the departed players who affected their lives. So we ask you: Which guitarist do you most wish were still alive and creating music?