To truly be a legendary musician, you need to possess a unique combination of talents. Not only do you need a mind that can reconcile both the complex task of performing music, but one that can also infuse it with emotion. The five musicians in this article combine physical mastery with deep reserves of soul to stand above all others.

Glenn Gould
Widely regarded as one of the most versatile and compelling pianists in history, Gould had a unique ability to infuse his personality into everything he played. There were certainly performers who had more technical skills, but none with as much soul.

Jimi Hendrix
You can’t find an electric guitar player on Earth who wasn’t inspired in some way by Hendrix. The Seattle-born axeman was one of the greatest innovators the instrument has ever seen, and few have even come close since.

Buddy Rich
Despite his legendary sour temper, nobody worked the drums like Buddy Rich. The sticksman elevated every ensemble he played with by furious, perfectly-phrased beats. Rich was able to skirt the line of chaos but always come back to perfect timing.

Lester Young
Jazz clarinetist Lester Young came to prominence playing with Count Basie’s orchestra, and he gave the woodwind a tremendous amount of dynamic range and feeling. “Prez,” as he was called, influenced a generation of musicians after him.

John Fahey
The Maryland-born guitarist John Fahey reinvented the acoustic guitar with his seminal recordings, taking an instrument that was commonly used as backup for singers and giving it a unique and powerful voice of its own.