Guitar Players have always been my heroes, to me the singers batted zero. That is really true, I love Guitar Music, and Playing the Guitar has been a passion with me for many years.
Chet Atkins was my first Guitar Hero. I saw Chet in Person when I was 14 years old and the impact he had on me was truly amazing. Chet affected me the way that Elvis affected many of the younger people of his day.
After Chet came Barney Kessel. The Man is one of the Greatest of the Be Bop Jazz Guitarists, and he was also a Studio Guitarists out of California. The LP I like the best by Barney Kessel is “To Swing Or Not To Swing.” The LP was made into a CD. You can purchase the CD on the CDNOW web site. Just key in the title of the Album, and the Cdnow will bring it up. Let me tell you there is some great guitar on that CD.
Barney Kessel is the most collectible of all the 50s, 60s, Be Bop Jazz Guitarists. That LP, the original LP, is worth about $300.00 in the Jazz Collectibles Catalog. On the west coast that LP might bring $500.00. You can get the CD for $11.95. The collectors want the original Vinyl LP, not the CD.
Jimmie Bryant was my Next Guitar Hero. He is categorized as a Country, Western Swing, Guitarists. Jimmie Bryant was one of the first well known Telecaster Guitar Players. He got a special tone from the Guitar, which he plays at lighting speed with Speedy West on some great recordings. “Swingin on The Strings” by Jimmie Bryant and Speedy West is a Great CD, I have it. The picture on the CD is taken from the original 45 RPM Extended Play record that came out in the 50s. Some great music on that CD.
Johnny Smith was my next Great Guitar Hero. Johnny Smith plays both Guitar and Trumpet, but he made his name in Guitar Playing and never had a big recording as a Trumpet Player. Johnny Smith wrote the Classic, “Moonlight in Vermont.” The Great Guitar Player worked the Studios of New York and the live Jazz Scene in the Big Apple. In the early 60s Johnny Smith moved to Colorado Springs and opened a music store, this was about the time that Gibson had him design a Guitar for them. The Johnny Smith Guitar is pretty much like the Gibson Super 400, the same size, with some special design that Johnny Smith himself put into the Guitar. A great Guitar to say the least. By the way, Johnny Smith is considered a Be Bop Jazz Guitarist, and one of the Greatest.
I had the pleasure of meeting Johnny Smith at his Colorado Springs Guitar Music Store. I saw him perform in person at Shanners, on 16th Avenue in Denver, saw him three times there. It was a really big thrill to see him in person.
Tal Farlow was my next Great Guitar Hero. Tal Farlow was a musician among musicians. He was so advanced that only those with highly developed taste in music could comprehend what he was doing, and appreciate it. Tal Farlow was so advanced, on Be Bop Jazz Guitar, that I had to listen to his music in phrases at first to be able to comprehend what he was doing in music. After understanding his individual phrases, I could link them together to make it a full song and appreciate the Great Music Artistry of Tal Farlow.
Gibson made a Tal Farlow model Guitar that to me was one of the best Electric Guitars that was ever built, especially for Jazz Guitar. I had the pleasure of playing a Tal Farlow Guitar, I should have purchased the instrument for there were only a few made. I heard a story that someone stole Tal Farlow’s Guitar, and he could not find another Tal Farlow Gibson to buy and use. That is how much in demand the Guitar is.
Wes Montgomery was my next Great Guitar Hero. West Montgomery and his brothers made some great recordings in the 60s. At one time I had about three Wes Montgomery LPs, but I sold all my LPs to a Collectible store.
I have long been into Classical Guitar. Andres Segovia, Julian Bream and John Williams are by far my favorite Classical Guitarists. Andres Segovia is considered the Father of Classical Guitar. Julian Bream advanced the Popularity of the Classical Guitar greatly in the 60s. John Williams is truly one of the Great Classical Guitarists who has done much to popularize the Guitar as a Classical Instrument. I went to Concerts by both Andres Segovia and Julian Bream.
Carlos Montoya has long been my favorite Flamenco Guitarists. I saw Carlos Montoya in person and what a performance. Carlos Montoya is supposed to have been the first solo Flamenco Guitarists. Prior to the solo appearances of Carlos Montoya, the Flamenco Guitar is said to have only been played to provide music for the solo dancers. There can be no doubt that Carlos Montoya is one of the greatest of all Flamenco Guitarists.
Doc Watson is one of my Greatest of Guitar Heroes. Doc Watson is an old time Country Music Player whose Guitar work is near unbelievable. Doc Watson is a great singer also. Doc Watson has been tremendously popular for near 40 years.
Jerry Reed is one of my Great Guitar Heroes. The Guitar Playing of Jerry Reed is original. Jerry Reed copies no one, and no one can completely copy Jerry Reed. Jerry Reed became a popular movie star in the “Smoky and the Bandit Movies.” However, in this time period Jerry Reed is better known as a Guitar Player than he is as a movie star.
Eric Clapton is one of my all time Great Guitar Heroes. The man is a true Genius on Guitar. The fans of Eric Clapton range from the very young, to Senior Citizens. I know of no other Guitar Player who has the wide appeal that Eric Clapton has in our time period.
Kevin Eubanks, the tonight show band leader and Guitarist is a Great Guitar Player and one of my Favorites. Jay Leno does not let him do any Guitar Solos on the show, but Kevin Eubanks has some CDs that are out of this world. He is truly a Great Guitarist.
I’d like to mention one more of my Guitar Heroes: Bobby Ward, a local Guitarist in St. Louis Missouri. Bobby toured, but not as a famous Guitarist. He was known only to the fans and Guitar Players of St. Louis, his home town. Bobby started playing Guitar Professionally when he was 8 years old. By the time he was fourteen he was the Lead Guitar for the most popular Country Music Personality in St. Louis. Bobby Played the Beer Joints of St. Louis and made a good living. His Guitar playing was so advanced that no other Guitar Player in St. Louis could touch him. The Be Bop Jazz that Bobby Ward played was on a level with such Be Bop Jazz Greats as Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith, and Tal Farlow. Bobby Ward was one of the Truly Great Guitar Players of our time.
By Robert Lee Johnson “The Guitar Man”