Favorite (and greatest) guitar solo ever? That would be Clapton, with Cream (back in the days when he could actually play), live version of “Crossroads.” Fiery and passionate, compact, impeccably timed, not a note out of place.
Others have come close - Neal Schon on “Toussaint L’Overture,” Mick Taylor wailing on “Love In Vain,” Hendrix on “Voodoo Child,” Page’s inferno on “Communication Breakdown,” Duane Allman on “Statesboro Blues.”
Oh, heck, what’s a list without:
Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Crossfire”
Leslie West, “Theme From An Imaginary Western”
Roy Buchanan, “The Messiah Will Come Again”
Martin Barre, “Aqualung”
Robert Fripp, “21st Century Schizoid Man”
John McLaughlin, “Dream”
Johnny Ramone, “Blitzkreig Bop”
...and too many are still not yet on the list....
I cannot believe it took to post 97 for somebody to list Stevie Ray Vaughn. I've also not seen Steve Morse mentioned. IIRC, he was 10 time guitar player of the year as listed by Guitar Magazine.
Here's one I would suggest for those blues lovers among us: Kenny Neal's Neal and Pray with Ken Johnson (RIP) on drums....those two were magical when they played together.