Okay, so this is going to be a page that gets updated when the mood strikes. A list of great players and recordings that have influenced me in some way – small, large, readily or not readily apparent…
Elliot Smith. We all know who he is right? Great writer, singer, but also fantastic guitarist. His deft and sometimes tricky fingerpicking contain so many choice little lines – perfect slaves to the melody. Faves include Bottle Up and Explode (XO), Angeles and Between the Bars (Either/Or)…etc., etc.
Buddy Miller (w/ Julie Miller) – Out in the Rain. Cool tune. One among many by this fantastic duo. Julie’s got such a cool voice…and Buddy’s playing is spot on with a tasty, chime-y tone that totally compliments the melody. Guess that’s why he gets the call for so many gigs like Emmylou Harris, T-Bone Burnette/Plant & Krauss, etc. When I listen to this man play, it makes me think ‘this is exactly what I wanna do.’
James Honeyman-Scott. Today I was listening to The Pretenders first LP (yes, vinyl) and realized how big and influence this record and this man’s playing was/has been. It’s all great stuff but especially Private Life and the solo from Kid, which I can still bang out note for note – rote. Check this great 1981 Guitar Player article w/ JHS.
Comments 1
i’ve long said that JHS is one of my all time heroes. i learned so, so much about guitar voicing from him (and, similarly, tom verlaine) — moving things up the neck, not duplicating notes from the rhythm guitar… i think he definitely would have claimed a much bigger place in the pantheon-of-greats had he lived a few more years.
Posted 27 Nov 2008 at 4:52 am ¶Post a Comment