It was in tune when I bought it...

August 29, 2010 4:52 PM

Danny Gatton, 'the greatest unknown guitarist in the world' has been eulogised here previously, but that was before someone had digitised and uploaded his instructional video and put it on You Tube. Here it is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
posted by mhjb (13 comments total)

The first couple show some moderately easy picking techniques, then he gets more advanced, and then he really starts showing off in parts 7 and 8, by which point you should've been completely charmed into submission.
posted by mhjb at 4:53 PM on August 29, 2010

He's not unknown in guitarist circles... I have a set of Gatton pickups on my Tele!

He was an INCREDIBLE player, one of the best.
posted by weezy at 4:57 PM on August 29, 2010

No way, this is awesome. I love you forever mhjb.
posted by Theloupgarou at 5:17 PM on August 29, 2010

Danny Gatton also mentored my favorite guitar player, Joe Bonamassa at a very young age
posted by jpdoane at 5:27 PM on August 29, 2010

"...it was in tune when I bought it..."
posted by StickyCarpet at 5:28 PM on August 29, 2010

You know I love Danny, because I posted the the first FPP.

Thanks so much for the links. I hadn't seen these and lots of memories came sweeping back as I watched them. I was lucky enough to see Danny play literally hundreds of times. Between his virtuosity and that of the people he played with ( Roy Buchanan, Evan Johns, Bill Kirchen, Jimmy Thackery - the list goes on and on), I was truly blessed to have been in the right place at the right time.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:36 PM on August 29, 2010

I remember some time back in the early 90s (?), my guitar-playing brother called me from Washington, DC and said that he'd seen the most amazing thing at a street fair in the Adams-Morgan district; that thing turned out to be Danny Gatton. A few years ago, another guitar player I was playing with mentioned the The Humbler recording, which is - or was - available on CD. All I can say is, listen to Love My Baby (track 11). I think it'd even make Les Paul's eyes bug out (and a belated . for Les). I was in Berkeley at the time (1981), and had no idea that this was happening...heck I'd even been to the Berkeley Square a number of times around then.

Danny Gatton and Richard Thompson are pretty much my favorite guitarists.
posted by foonly at 8:32 PM on August 29, 2010

Damn if that didn't make me run to the other room and grab my guitar.
posted by Huck500 at 8:33 PM on August 29, 2010

I'm a big fan of this guy and have loved him for a while.

However, I would like to point out that if he didn't have a twang there would be a lot of "omg progressive masturbation bullshit" in this thread.

In other words, Mr. Gatton you are great. Mefi, you are beyond lame, ignorant, and hypocritical.
posted by cucumber at 9:15 PM on August 29, 2010

I end up saying this again when encountering the Gatton hate: Please eschew the studio albums (too sterile) and check out the 1979 live performances released on the album "Redneck Jazz Explosion" with FPP-worth Buddy Emmons on the pedal steel.

A taste here
And another

I find it ironic that he has more heart than Bela Fleck (for whom I can make the case for him being the most technically proficient and slam-jammingest chop-meister Muzak artist ever), yet people act like Bela is the new messiah or something.
posted by sourwookie at 10:00 PM on August 29, 2010

However, I would like to point out that if he didn't have a twang there would be a lot of "omg progressive masturbation bullshit" in this thread.

I think you doth protest too much.


That aside, thanks for the links, OP.
posted by joe lisboa at 11:26 PM on August 29, 2010

Great videos. He's so much fun to watch. Also, I'm glad he's just got his telecaster into a fender amp with a little reverb. Nice simple setup to show off his impossibly articulate playing. Wow.

If you don't know him, another guy who is very Gattonesque these days is Jim Campilongo. Another great champion of the Telecaster.
posted by JBennett at 7:29 AM on August 30, 2010

Hah! I had that on VHS years ago. Got through about 5% of it before I gave up trying and just sat back and watched the playing. What an amazing musician. It's soooo much more than just a lot of fancy notes.
posted by jetsetsc at 1:12 PM on August 30, 2010