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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 841
Location: CA | My heroes and their catagories:
lead solos — David Gilmour
Incredible rhythm — Knopfler
master of the universe — Hendrix
It's not possible made possible — Eddie
Who puts the biggest smile on my face no matter how many times I see a video of him playing: Brian Setzer. I'm sure most of you are aware that he uses both a pick and fingerpicking interchangeably in his playing. When he switches to fingers, he kind of 'palms' the pick like a magician, which he is. Plus he always seems to have such a great time doing what he does. Check out his YouTube videos sometime. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Who read this issue of RS? The cover featured Kirk Hammett, Santana, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, EVH, Jimmy Page, BB King and Omar Something-or-other.
The interviews were interesting, but no Clapton, Keith Richards or Slipkid? And the response I've read has been pretty universal... John Mayer???
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | -Jerry Douglas
-John Campbell
-Lonnie Mack
-Roy Buchanan |
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Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 61
Location: Montréal, québec, Canada | Eric Clapton |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1556
Location: Indiana | This year marks my 39th year with a guitar in my lap... 35 years since I got my first paycheck. Yes, I can list numerous guitarists with "names" that heavily influenced me. But there are far more "no-names" that have blown my doors off and walked me through their licks. Most of those were destined to remain unheralded working musicians, many have been session players known inside music circles, but unknown to the world at large.
Studio musicians could arguably be the most influential "distinctive" guitarists of all time... even when the names are unknown.
Take for instance the infamous "Wrecking Crew" group of LA studio musicians who played on literally thousands of records in the 60's. From Sinatra to the Mamas and the Papas. Nat Cole to the Beach Boys. Elvis to the Ventures. Simon and Garfunkel to Merle Haggard.
The first call guitarists in that elite group, with the exception of Glen Campbell, are still relatively unknown names. Tommy Tedesco, Al Casey, Jerry Cole, James Burton, and Billy Strange. Their distinctive guitar licks were devoured by musicians from my era, never knowing the name of the studio guitarist who actually authored the part. (Musicians were rarely credited back then, so you are to be forgiven if you believe The Monkeys actually played on their records...)
I have to admit, my affinity for the "unknowns" stems from my nearly 30 relationship with Billy Strange. Billy literally took me in when I first moved to Nashville and my education began. At 77, Billy and I are still in business together and it has stopped surprising me to uncover yet another hit that he played on, even after all these years.
There's a great story in one of the Brian Wilson biography's. Brian called Billy and asked him to come over and over-dub an electric 12 string part on a track they'd recently worked on together. Billy told him he didn't own one, so Brian called a local store owner and had a Fender 12 and amp delivered to the studio.
Billy showed up, tuned up, and laid down the classic intro to Sloop John B in short order.
As Billy was leaving, Brian gave him $500 bucks cash, over and above the union card, and gave him the guitar and amp.
I have to be totally honest, since this is the OFC... Billy doesn't care for Ovations. It's been a long running, good natured topic of disagreement between he and I. As a result though, I acquired what I consider to be a pretty special instrument. Billy was playing with both Nancy Sinatra and Elvis in 1968, and since his stage guitar of choice was a 335, Ovation sent him a comp Thunderhead... which he used one night in Vegas with Nancy, then promptly stuck it in his closet. I found it one day 20+ years later, my eyes lit up, and he gave it to me.
I can honestly say my life has been a treasure of distinctive guitarists, most of which you've never heard of. And I'm grateful for every one.
(When Billy comes to my house, he has no choice but to play my Ovation's. He grumbles... but obliges.)
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Johnmark, very cool story. You need to post some picks of your guitars in a gallery and tell us the stories behind them. For example, that classical you're playing in the pic looks very interesting... |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Okay, time for somebody to host a TN jam so I can come and meet this fine young man. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I'm guessing the the guy in the pic is "Billy". |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1556
Location: Indiana | Yeah, that's Billy playing my gut string.
And yes, it has a checkered past.
I bought it new in '78, a stock Classic 1613.
The vine fretboard, headstock and bridge inlay were added in the early '80's... pearl to match the original rosette.
A dry, sub freezing night in the Rockies split the top in '95 and I asked the guys at the factory for a ceder top with the (then new) Folklore rosette.
In hindsight, an inlaid pearl rosette would have been neater, but what the heck. At least she lived to sing another day, and this guitar won't be sold until the post funeral fire sale anyway. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Great post(s) Jonmark Stone. |
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distinctive guitarists
