WAYLON PLUS TELE AND PHASE SHIFTER-- "LONESOME, ON'RY AND MEAN"

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DOCUMENT WATSON

Here's an excerpt from a Japanese website. I'm a big fan of Document Watson's playing, too.


"The following are the top ten countries guitarist to hear in some countries playing skills.

1. Chet Atkins

2. Merle Travis

3. Jerry Reed

4.罗伊克拉克

5. Hank Garland

6. Albert Lee

7. Mei Li Kate 100

8. Document Watson

9.诺曼布莱克

10. Tony Rice

ClassicElectric guitar sound of country music is characterized by the classic single-coil guitar sound pickup, usually the fender or fender telecaster pickups, and the fair has been distorted to enlarge the employment of the most frequent, a fender dual 100-watt amplifier reverberation."
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GLEN CAMPBELL, "LITTLE DOLL"

Here's more early Glen, a cheesy song and a cheesy guitar (Teisco Del Rey), but there's nothing cheesy about his solo.

(I poached this from Marc O'Hara's guitar blog, uniqueguitar.blogspot.com/)
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"HANK'S DREAM" BY THE SMOKIN' 45's

WARNING! THIS AUDIO IS PAINFULLY DISTORTED!

I'm posting it, regardless, because the guitarist (Dusty Ciggaar, from the Netherlands) has copped these Hank Garland licks so well. I suggest turning your speakers down pretty low, and watching his left hand for some clues about how Hank Garland played doublestops and moved around the neck. I haven't checked the original version to see if it's note-for-note, but he's definitely got the flavor. It's one of those Hank things where he seems to be playing rockabilly, hillbilly boogie, and western swing all at the same time. Hank Garland was one of the players who kept reminding us that all these styles are closely related, and it's nice to see that young pickers are still stealing from the master.

note-- the Garland family have been leaving very kind comments on this blog, and they've passed along the link to this clip of the Smokin' 45's. It's a rehearsal, and although the visual of Dusty's playing is not ideal, the sound is a little less distorted than on the live clip.

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GRADY MARTIN, "Y'ALL COME" WITH ARLIE DUFF AND RED FOLEY'S BAND

There's precious little Grady Martin on this clip, unfortunately. We only get a brief glimpse of him standing up to play a hot solo on what appears to be a Bigsby doubleneck, before the camera cuts away to a closeup of Arlie Duff's shoes. (The shoes are pretty striking, it must be said.) Mostly, when we see Grady, he's not soloing, and when he's soloing, we don't see him. Still, any footage of him is essential.
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LEFTY FRIZZELL, "IF YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY" AND "SAGINAW"

I have no idea who the guitar picker is here. It might be two different guys, and it might even be lip-synching-- either way, good guitar playing.
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MERLE AS A BUCKAROO

Here's a little trivia-- I'd heard that Merle Haggard suggested the name "Buckaroos" for Buck Owens's band, but I didn't know there was a story behind it. Thanks to Alvin Blaine on the steel guitar forum, I can pass along the story to you. Merle played bass with Buck for a while, and Buck bought matching outfits for the band. When Merle tried his on, with the fringe cowhide jacket, he said, "What are we, some fuckin' Buckaroos?"
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GRADY MARTIN ON 78, "HOT LIPS"

The guitar playing on this corny arrangement is pretty hot-- but if you can't take tinny sound, and warped vinyl warbling, you might want to move along to the next post.
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JUNE CARTER LEAVES US ALL IN THE DUST

Johnny Cash is great, of course, but watch this clip where June Carter leaves him in the dust. Damn, June-- she really steals this song. I love the line where she's "dancin' on a pony keg." (That can't be easy to do-)
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LLOYD GREEN WITH FARON YOUNG, 1957

Here's another moment for the Lloyd Green disciples listening in. It's interesting to see how Lloyd sounded in an older style than we tend to associate with his mature work. I like how it's very, very musical, sort of a look ahead to the sixties which still fits the fifties vibe.
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