Jerry was a peerless thumbpicker, but what set him apart from all the other great pickers was PERSONALITY. Lord, that man lit up any room he walked in to, with or without a guitar. Every time I watch one of these old clips, I get very nostalgic for The Alabama Wild Man. There's never been anyone like him. The world became far less fun when he passed in 2008.
Jerry showed us what a love for the guitar and tons of practice could do. We should note that very few guitar pickers got close to Chet Adkins. Jerry was one of the few. I shed tears that both Jerry and Chet are gone, but their music will live on and will be standard for all guitarists. Thanks Jerry. RIP
honkpimpie ,when Jerry hit Nashvegas, Chet was more into record production ,and when he heard Jerry he got him started doing session work,they would jam and Chet recording many of Jerry's guitar instrumentals, the two album's they made together should be in everyone's collection .Two the best at the top of their game ...
I think playing the joklster is part of the tradition with these country players. I guess that's where the idea of picking & grinning is derived. Roy Clark was the same way--a total cornball with crazy guitar chops.
Never hardly see Jerry on a Les Paul, and hes blowing away all the guitar gods in 5mins. Making that Les make sounds ive never heard before. RIP Jerry thanks for the memories and inspiration.
Sad thing is if someone like Jerry showed up today in Nashville and could play like this they wouldn't want them because talent like this isn't what they want today
Sometimes you find footage of someone and you think this is literal footage of their greatest moment on earth. I get goosebumps hearing such beautiful playing. Jerry Reed had more talent than we knew, imagine him doing just instrumental music. It would have been culturally defining. To top it of he starts this off by saying he'd been "doing a lot of praying". God Bless Jerry Reed and thank you for having the passion and courage to bless our nation with such amazing tunes.
March 20, 1937 - Jerry Reed is born in Atlanta, Georgia. He learned to play the guitar at eight years old after his Momma bought him a $2.00 Guitar. And the rest is history! Rest in peace Jerry. You may be gone, but your music and your memory live on in our hearts!
Most underrated guitarist of our time. A true innovator and master of the guitar. Chet Atkins even recorded over 30 Jerry Reed songs. And that's Paul yandell who went on to play with Atkins for 25 years. Great rhythm guitarist in his own right.
You know what I really hate? When somebody uploads a video like this and forgets to name the songs. You didn't forget, and as a result, I discovered Snowbird. Thank you!
I remember being a young boy in the Uk seeing smokey and the bandit,when I found out it was snowman singing eastbound n down,i asked my old man if he could find me some jerry reed records,he did and not long after that I got my first guitar all due to the great mans music and influence.
what iv always enjoyed about this man, is how humble he always was and funny. he always made jokes like i dunno if i can play this but we gonna try, yet he knew he could blinded folded. kids could learn a lot from the old pickers. and im not even a country music fan parse. i dig what i grew up with of course which were some of the great country pickers. but what i hear on the country radio these days is just pop with twang. shrugs.
Classy set when the camera backs out- and you see the industrial floor. And then there’s the fact that you can hear the other guys more than jerry. And lastly, he reminds of a banjo being played under the sea , a happy, carefree sound
Chet Atkins admitted a number of times that Jerry Reed was actually a better picker than he was, with much less time devoted to his craft (so much time spent on goofy movies, etc). Reed was a truly natural prodigy who could play from the moment he picked up the instrument. Glen Campbell was good but not at Jerry's level. Chet Atkins and Roy Clark are the other two premier country guitarists. Roy's 12th street rag and Malaguenia are stellar and can be seen here on You Tube. Chet and Jerry were Travis' style pickers, Roy a straight picker who also won the National Banjo Championship as a teen.
It's hard for me to good there are so many great guitarist in country music you had Willie Nelson Waylon Jennings and Vince Gill and the latest one is Brad Paisley. But my all-time favorite would have to be Jerry Reed. The best lead guitarist for any man was probably Luther Perkins for Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two and then later on it was Johnny Cash and Bob Wooten in the Tennessee three.
I met Jerry with Dolly Parton and Glenn Campel when I was 10 years old. He is one of the reasons I've played giutar for over 40 years. Notice the echoplex he's playing through? Still have the exact model today. And what about Porter Wagner's hair!
I figure Mr. Jerry Reed was underrated as a guitarist because he primarily played country......If he played any other genre, he would be regarded as highly as Vaughn, Hendrix, Lee, Paige......etc...........R.I.P. Mr Jerry.
Brilliant and plus i just hit the jackpot and took the likes thru to 1000! i hope jerry s looking down on us and can see that he s got so many admirers - he certainly leaves me in awe. thx 4 the post.
It looks to like it was a Standard that had full size humbucker in and he put mini humbucker in, I say that because the of the very large plastic rings on the pups.
and before anyone dismisses jerry as just the truck driver in Smokey and The bandit, (which, of course, he was), he was virtually a musical prodigy. No less than Chet Atkins (Jerry's father-in-law, BTW) once said that he never knew anyone that could pick up a lick or melody as quickly Jerry Reed.
I have been periodically going back to this video for 7 yrs now. I realize the sound mix isn't so great. I am Not Gay,but the thing is so good that it makes me cry !
I miss Jerry and the Porter Wagoner show. Jerry was an outstanding guitarist, composer and showman! Those complaining about the sound should keep in mind that the equipment and the mix are probably older than you are and are probably 2nd or 3rd generation recordings off the original video tape. As far as Jerry's guitar, yes it would have been nice to have been louder. I bet on the original tape and on the show it was. As far as tone, that was the typical tone of the guitarists from that era a la Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Bryant etc. Keep in mind this recording is about 45 years old. The tones and styles of country guitar have changed a lot. All that considered I really enjoyed this and it sure brought back memories of my teenage years and learning to play the the guitar. I had a Les Paul Deluxe almost exactly like the one Jerry is playing about this same era. 🎸🎶👍🏻
Ok, Now can you send someone over here to pick my Jaw up off the floor please.. Jerry really was the stuff, I had the privilege to work with him in the 90's, he had his wife on keyboards also,, Great memories of him that day for sure...
thank you very much, jedzxol for posting this medley,please don't ever remove it,this is the wickest guitar picking, you could ever hear,you can't get much better than that..the only guy that could do that kind of picking is glen campbell,but his guitar wouldn't be tuned that way, he had a different way of tuning a guitar that i ever heard.wicket just wicket. thank you again. John B.
Really unique style. I never new a lot of him other than Smokey and the Bandit, and maybe some variety shows in the 70s. But that Jerry Reed could really get down. Very nice.......
@galberke2009 Europe isn't the only place that Reed isn't that well-known. Here in the US, most people know him for his role in the 'Smokey and the Bandit' films instead of for his great guitar work and songwriting! Fortunately, I came across him a few years--about four now, I think. But, yeah--it certainly is a shame that not too many people seem to know about Reed's great music and especially his guitar work.
I gave it my yearly try...using Cool-edit pro, I tried for the umpteenth time to restore Jerry's solos in this video....there is just nothing that can be done. You can't restore something that isn't there. Every year, I get excited thinking "I can do it NOW!" The only thing I can think to do is find the original guitar, the original echoplex and the original amp and have someone like Phil Hunt or Richard Smith recreate some of the parts where Jerry disappears. It might also be cool to get a lower generation video copy as well! Anybody know who owns that guitar?
I have a 1976 Deluxe sunburst just like his.....I bought mine in 1980.....It's worth around $ 3200.....Of course if you could get Jerry's it would be worth a lot more !!!!......He was always one of my favorite pickers, one of the all time best...
Jerry was a peerless thumbpicker, but what set him apart from all the other great pickers was PERSONALITY. Lord, that man lit up any room he walked in to, with or without a guitar. Every time I watch one of these old clips, I get very nostalgic for The Alabama Wild Man. There's never been anyone like him. The world became far less fun when he passed in 2008.
A lot of people have forgotten or just don't know, maybe because of his acting career, but Reed was an excellent guitarist
He also played on some of Elvis's songs in the 70s.
Who can put a smile on a face like Jerry could?😄
Jerry Reed is simply one of the worlds best guitar players ever!!!
What a talent!!!
Jerry showed us what a love for the guitar and tons of practice could do. We should note that very few guitar pickers got close to Chet Adkins. Jerry was one of the few. I shed tears that both Jerry and Chet are gone, but their music will live on and will be standard for all guitarists. Thanks Jerry. RIP
honkpimpie ,when Jerry hit Nashvegas, Chet was more into record production ,and when he heard Jerry he got him started doing session work,they would jam and Chet recording many of Jerry's guitar instrumentals, the two album's they made together should be in everyone's collection .Two the best at the top of their game ...
His guitar was way ahead of it's time...Rip Guitar Man
People who don’t play don’t realize what a genius this guy is, and he plays it off joking and wisecracking, like it ain’t nothing....Right. I hear ya
Jerry and Chet just OOZED taste and musicality, beauty, humility. OHH!!!
Like Roy Clark
I think playing the joklster is part of the tradition with these country players. I guess that's where the idea of picking & grinning is derived. Roy Clark was the same way--a total cornball with crazy guitar chops.
Pick it Son! What a total package Jerry was. Nice to see people still appreciating his talents.
One of the greatest players ever to pick up a guitar. RIP Jerry!
When Jerry, Chet and Roy passed away, a big chunk of America died too.
And Glen
@@garyhiland6013 And oh so many.
Never hardly see Jerry on a Les Paul, and hes blowing away all the guitar gods in 5mins. Making that Les make sounds ive never heard before. RIP Jerry thanks for the memories and inspiration.
Jerry Reed is one of the most unique guitarists of all time. A true master of the instrument.
Jerry was one of the best guitarists country music ever knew.
Also gotta mention that's a beautiful Les Paul he's playing.
Sad thing is if someone like Jerry showed up today in Nashville and could play like this they wouldn't want them because talent like this isn't what they want today
I hate to repeat my comments, but that was amazing... simply blew me away.
Jerry Reed must be one of the guitar greats, ever
He most surely is.
areh
Next to Chet Atkins
C. G. P.
Jerry Reed "Guitar Man"
Jerry is the man.What a marvelous guitar player-composer! And Funny!
History at its best. I wish music had not been forgotten.
Sometimes you find footage of someone and you think this is literal footage of their greatest moment on earth. I get goosebumps hearing such beautiful playing. Jerry Reed had more talent than we knew, imagine him doing just instrumental music. It would have been culturally defining. To top it of he starts this off by saying he'd been "doing a lot of praying". God Bless Jerry Reed and thank you for having the passion and courage to bless our nation with such amazing tunes.
Damn I miss Jerry. Not only he's one of the greatest guitarist but a great all around fun guy. Jerry, I love you man.
March 20, 1937 - Jerry Reed is born in Atlanta, Georgia. He learned to play the guitar at eight years old after his Momma bought him a $2.00 Guitar. And the rest is history! Rest in peace Jerry. You may be gone, but your music and your memory live on in our hearts!
Babybluebbw thank you Mrs. Reed for buying that guitar! :-)
One of the all time under appreciated greats.
What a powerhouse of Talent and Personality!!! I never get tired of his videos.. He's got a new venue now...and what lucky people they are!
Great playing and a GORGEOUS LP.
The greatest country guitar player ever!! and i'd say top 5 over all, ever!!
Shawn Stanley Better than Glen Campbell? I don’t know man...fun discussion though.
An amazing and underrated guitarist. Jerry Reed was always one of my favorites as a kid.
Those Snowbird licks were sick! Can't stop listening to that stuff.
Always have and always will love listening to anything Jerry plays nice player....
WOW just WOW. Such a pure player, so pure.
Wow, can you imagine what all the guitars on that stage are worth now? He is truly one of the greats.
Most underrated guitarist of our time. A true innovator and master of the guitar. Chet Atkins even recorded over 30 Jerry Reed songs. And that's Paul yandell who went on to play with Atkins for 25 years. Great rhythm guitarist in his own right.
You know what I really hate? When somebody uploads a video like this and forgets to name the songs. You didn't forget, and as a result, I discovered Snowbird. Thank you!
Nobody plays like Jerry Reed, he's gotta be the most unique, and probably the greatest guitar player that ever lived.
Too bad the band is covering up many of his songs.
2 words......... Willie Nelson
Look up roy clarke from hee haw
He even played guitar on some of Elvis's recordings in the early 70's
Well, there are a lot of great ones. One guy that Jerry and Chet followed was a guy named Merle Travis. He was awesome, too.
Another great guitarist, many in the music business world praise Jerry as one of the best guitarists, and great sense of humor.
This man was a guitar God.
I remember being a young boy in the Uk seeing smokey and the bandit,when I found out it was snowman singing eastbound n down,i asked my old man if he could find me some jerry reed records,he did and not long after that I got my first guitar all due to the great mans music and influence.
The acoustic player is bloody good too cheers.
I was lucky enough to see him in concert in Hunstville Al.
The absolute most talented picker ever !!
Holy cow! I'm tired and all I did was watch...
Jerry Reed was an incredibly talented guitarist in anyone's measure.
I got work n im drunk as donkey balls..5hrs till start..fukit im yougooglin more jerry n tommy emanual...from aus cobba
Paul Simmons yep Jerry was one of a kind like Earl Scruggs.
what iv always enjoyed about this man, is how humble he always was and funny. he always made jokes like i dunno if i can play this but we gonna try, yet he knew he could blinded folded. kids could learn a lot from the old pickers. and im not even a country music fan parse. i dig what i grew up with of course which were some of the great country pickers. but what i hear on the country radio these days is just pop with twang. shrugs.
Awesome, truely awesome. A master in action. You´ll be missed.
My favorite guitarist, Jerry... your still the man!!!!!!
Classy set when the camera backs out- and you see the industrial floor. And then there’s the fact that you can hear the other guys more than jerry.
And lastly, he reminds of a banjo being played under the sea , a happy, carefree sound
Reed ,and Campbell were hands down ….the best guitarists in country music and then some……...
Chet Atkins admitted a number of times that Jerry Reed was actually a better picker than he was, with much less time devoted to his craft (so much time spent on goofy movies, etc). Reed was a truly natural prodigy who could play from the moment he picked up the instrument. Glen Campbell was good but not at Jerry's level. Chet Atkins and Roy Clark are the other two premier country guitarists. Roy's 12th street rag and Malaguenia are stellar and can be seen here on You Tube. Chet and Jerry were Travis' style pickers, Roy a straight picker who also won the National Banjo Championship as a teen.
Roy is my cousin!
best anywhere. Guys today are astounded by him
It's hard for me to good there are so many great guitarist in country music you had Willie Nelson Waylon Jennings and Vince Gill and the latest one is Brad Paisley. But my all-time favorite would have to be Jerry Reed. The best lead guitarist for any man was probably Luther Perkins for Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two and then later on it was Johnny Cash and Bob Wooten in the Tennessee three.
Dustin Vince Gill is my favorite guitarist.
You gotta love TV then as well as Jerry Reed. Man those were the days!
I met Jerry with Dolly Parton and Glenn Campel when I was 10 years old. He is one of the reasons I've played giutar for over 40 years. Notice the echoplex he's playing through? Still have the exact model today. And what about Porter Wagner's hair!
Jerry really cooks , even when he holds back and tones down to the pop audience .
Jerry.....you are really missed down here.....rest in peace.....your records will never be forgotten.....
I figure Mr. Jerry Reed was underrated as a guitarist because he primarily played country......If he played any other genre, he would be regarded as highly as Vaughn, Hendrix, Lee, Paige......etc...........R.I.P. Mr Jerry.
The Snowman, what an extraordinary talent. It's hard to believe that he's gone.
Sadly, I never knew what a great musician, singer and talented man Jerry Reed was until he died.
Great sense of humor too.
Jerry Reed is hands-down my guitar idol. If I become a mere hundredth the picker Mr. Reed was I'll die a happy man.
R.I.P. Son.
Rest in peace Jerry! Love your music as much as Chet Adkins did!
I like that he's twangin' on a Les Paul. Sweet tone!
so beautiful, especially the transitions, snowbird-sublime
Seeing Porter Waggoner and Jerry Reed interacting before his medley should also be a cool 'moment in time'.
One of the all time greats!
Thank You ,My friend ! I have been begging for someone to post this forever. My prayer has been answered . THANK YOU !!!!!!!!
Jerry Reed was way ahead of his time for sure...
Ferocious player
Brilliant and plus i just hit the jackpot and took the likes thru to 1000! i hope jerry s looking down on us and can see that he s got so many admirers - he certainly leaves me in awe. thx 4 the post.
I love Gibson Les Pauls, but nothing cuts like a Fender Telecaster. Still a treat o see him playing one.
I love the Whole medley, but his Version of Snowbird here, is just exellent!
A true musical fucking genius and a hell of a funny guy RIP Snowman
Awesome picking he takes to a whole new level.
Amen brother!
Jerry playing a 1970's Les Paul Deluxe....With mini humbuckers....And it's a beauty !
That guitar has got me drooling. It's like a deep cherry sunburst. Beauty!
joe shmoe someone else noticed, great guitar
Love that Kalamazoo Gibson Les Paul!
It looks to like it was a Standard that had full size humbucker in and he put mini humbucker in, I say that because the of the very large plastic rings on the pups.
I never looked at a guitar before as i did this one. No lye. That guitar pulls you in to it. Its beutiful!
and before anyone dismisses jerry as just the truck driver in Smokey and The bandit, (which, of course, he was), he was virtually a musical prodigy. No less than Chet Atkins (Jerry's father-in-law, BTW) once said that he never knew anyone that could pick up a lick or melody as quickly Jerry Reed.
Would have been a dream to hear Joe South, Jerry Reed and Ray Stevens playing together back in their early Atlanta beginnings....
Mr Reed was/is a class act.🗽🗽🗽👍👍👍
The one and only!!! There will never be another.
Burt n Jerry fight in Gator, was awesome. Gonna do what they say, can’t be done.
I have been periodically going back to this video for 7 yrs now. I realize the sound mix isn't so great. I am Not Gay,but the thing is so good that it makes me cry !
Waouh !! Thanks a lot !! J'adore Jerry depuis trés longtemps.
I miss Jerry and the Porter Wagoner show. Jerry was an outstanding guitarist, composer and showman! Those complaining about the sound should keep in mind that the equipment and the mix are probably older than you are and are probably 2nd or 3rd generation recordings off the original video tape. As far as Jerry's guitar, yes it would have been nice to have been louder. I bet on the original tape and on the show it was. As far as tone, that was the typical tone of the guitarists from that era a la Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Bryant etc. Keep in mind this recording is about 45 years old. The tones and styles of country guitar have changed a lot. All that considered I really enjoyed this and it sure brought back memories of my teenage years and learning to play the the guitar. I had a Les Paul Deluxe almost exactly like the one Jerry is playing about this same era. 🎸🎶👍🏻
I love music so much.
Pickers are better than pluckers. All guitar is amazing though :D Did anyone else cry listening to this?
this is my favorite performance on youtube
I was so used to seeing him wail on a Tele, I was surprised to see him holding a LP Deluxe; needless to say, he did whatever he wanted with it...
holy carpfish!!! Smooth as silk, cool as ice cream and plays sizzling hot.
amazing! And the presenter is prolly the hippest dood I've seen.
Ok, Now can you send someone over here to pick my Jaw up off the floor please.. Jerry really was the stuff, I had the privilege to work with him in the 90's, he had his wife on keyboards also,, Great memories of him that day for sure...
Remarkable so I’m remarking... thank you for a grand reminder of the old t.v daze!
thank you very much, jedzxol for posting this medley,please don't ever remove it,this is the wickest guitar picking, you could ever hear,you can't get much better than that..the only guy that could do that kind of picking is glen campbell,but his guitar wouldn't be tuned that way, he had a different way of tuning a guitar that i ever heard.wicket just wicket. thank you again. John B.
Really unique style. I never new a lot of him other than Smokey and the Bandit, and maybe some variety shows in the 70s. But that Jerry Reed could really get down. Very nice.......
singingrain the claw ,a hybrid pickung technique he is known for, but i still lived him in waterboy,too
@galberke2009 Europe isn't the only place that Reed isn't that well-known. Here in the US, most people know him for his role in the 'Smokey and the Bandit' films instead of for his great guitar work and songwriting! Fortunately, I came across him a few years--about four now, I think. But, yeah--it certainly is a shame that not too many people seem to know about Reed's great music and especially his guitar work.
Wish there were more people who could play like him today. Too much swearing and hate nowadays. Smh.
I hope you're a Brian Setzer fan! ;^)
Now that is some mighty fine pickin! Campbell, Clark, Chet, Jerry Reed and then everyone else.
I could listen to Jerry reed all day long talking especially
That is a beautiful Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
Amazing guitarist
Wish Jerry's LP was turned up a little more during this performance, but it's still a lot of fun to watch.
Nice LP Jerry, hope you and George and partying away...
Play it, son!
I gave it my yearly try...using Cool-edit pro, I tried for the umpteenth time to restore Jerry's solos in this video....there is just nothing that can be done. You can't restore something that isn't there. Every year, I get excited thinking "I can do it NOW!" The only thing I can think to do is find the original guitar, the original echoplex and the original amp and have someone like Phil Hunt or Richard Smith recreate some of the parts where Jerry disappears. It might also be cool to get a lower generation video copy as well! Anybody know who owns that guitar?
24/7 praying this music cracking wow
Sadly , kids know him best as the mean coach who fired Water Boy
Rose Garden, love that interpretation.
Wow master guitar player !
Jerry and Glenn ought to have had a dual. Maybe toss in some Roy Clark as well.
Wow this is amazing guitar work. It would take me 10000 tries to get that right
I have a 1976 Deluxe sunburst just like his.....I bought mine in 1980.....It's worth around $ 3200.....Of course if you could get Jerry's it would be worth a lot more !!!!......He was always one of my favorite pickers, one of the all time best...
I've got one of his old teles.