Django
The ten seconds of his playing that I heard when I was 12 haunted me until at age 15 when I finally found out who it was: Django Reinhardt was his name, and I quickly became a Django fanatic.
I still am today.
|
Johnny Smith
I discovered this amazing guitarist in 1959, from one of his great LP records. The man's greatness cannot be underestimated, although he is not widely acclaimed today. His playing was immaculate.
|
B.B. King
I discovered Blues Boy King in 1965 and never got over it. He was my open door to the African-American soul. I searched high and low for his records, only for sail in black communities. I then played them at half speed, to learn his soloing technique.
|
Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack is one of the all-time greats, and he was a huge influence on me. His "Wham of that Memphis Man" Album of 1963 is a masterpiece of blues and gospel both vocal and guitar, and yes - Lonnie is a white man.
|
Albert King
Perhaps the greatest blues guitarist of all time. The expression that he wrenched from his guitar is beyond description
|
Freddie King
The third in the fabulous King Trilogy. Freddie King revolutionized the guitar blues instrumental genre and created some of the finest blues guitar vocal recordings.
|
Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery blew my mind when I discovered him in 1961 when his first (and best) album "The Incredible Guitar of Wes Montgomery" was released. I was in the Navy. Just listen to West Coast Blues and Airegin on that album to find out what this man could do.
|
T-Bone Walker
I didn't know who T-Bone Walker was until one time, somewhere, I read that he had been one of B.B. King's inspirations, from the generation before. I finally found a record album after searching for a long time. I was amazing. He'll always be with us because he started urban electric blues guitar and because of his song Stormy Monday Blues.
|
