Jimmy Bryant - The First Hero Of The Telecaster - Ask Zac 93
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2021
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When Leo Fender released the Broadcaster, he was laughed at by his competitors. His detractors claimed that no serious guitarist would be seen playing Fender's "boat paddle" with strings. But old Leo knew just the guitarist that could give his new plank some respect, Jimmy Bryant. What many are not aware of is that after working all day at the factory, Leo Fender would moonlight as the sound man for the popular Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree show. On a break, Leo anxiously handed his new Broadcaster to Hometown guitarist, Jimmy Bryant, who was by all accounts the hottest picker in L.A. at the time. To his great delight, Bryant loved the fast action, clear tone, lack of unwanted feedback, and the comfort of Leo's new guitar. Soon Jimmy and his sparring partner, Speedy West, had their own recording contract with Capitol Records, and their first LP, with Jimmy proudly holding his Broadcaster, acted as a huge Fender ad in record stores across the United States. The new Fender guitar now was seen as the one to have.
Jimmy was one of the finest guitarists in the history of American Music, and although he is not forgotten, he is often underappreciated. With this episode, I will do my best to rectify that with a healthy dose of his story, and a look at the gear he used to create his decidedly "Fender" tone.
In the video, I spotlight how his use of the Broadcaster, 12-52 pure nickel strings, jazz picks, and an early "woody" Fender Pro influenced his sound. Also, I discuss the blend control, and how Broadcaster wiring was different than what was later used on the Telecaster.
Gear for this video
1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings:
D'Addario Pure Nickle 10-45
Pick:
D'Andrea Medium Heavy
Amp:
1959 Fender Super
No effects
#askzac #guitartech #telecaster 
Видеоклипы
Jimmy was my dad's guitar hero and bought a tele in 1951. I met Jimmy in Nashville and had a good chat with him. I brought my dad back with me and introduced him to his hero. Spent 2 evenings playing, laughing, drinking, just having fun. Will never forget his kindness. He wS great.
I am JimmyBryant's brother JOHN C. BRYANT. Jimmy was wounded in world War 2. He had ptsd and people didn't know that.
Wow. Thank you for chiming in. I don't doubt that he had PTSD, and that affected him the rest of his life. He sacrificed for our country.
I suspected that there could be some war trauma involved, thanks!
Joyful music. Sometimes from pain or despite it the great musicians can bring joy.
That makes him even greater.
He was undoubtedly one of the most influential guitarists that still doesn't get enough credit.
I had the pleasure of playing with Jimmy steadily 5 nights a week in Palm Springs 1973. He was SCARY good and a really nice person. I think I was too young to fully appreciate him, at the time, but over the years my respect has grown and grown. What a treasure!
You just know when Jimmy Bryant plays he's something special
Zac, I’m from about 30 minutes down the road from Jimmy’s hometown of Moultrie and most of my family is from that area. I’ve actually had the opportunity to see and hold one of his first acoustic guitars. His sister, wrote a book about him called Jimmy Bryant Fastest Guitar In The Country that I highly recommend! Thanks for reminding people that one of the best came from little old South Georgia!
Hey Kyle, was about to mention I live 45 miles from Moultrie. My wife is from Moultrie and we still have lots of family there. I need to take a picture of the Jimmy Bryant Hwy. sign. I'm in Leesburg, btw. Thanks again Zac for a great show!
@@kevinolear6717 Wusssssup, Brotha? Nice to see signs of life! Let's get the band back together! :0P
Alot of great musicians come from Georgia and florida too...i dont know what it is but it seems like americans just love guitars and they take to it like fish to water
I’d like the book where can I get it???
I grew up in Vidalia and always read of Jimmy Bryant in Fender lore ... never knew where he was from though, very cool .
My exposure to Jimmy Bryant came around 1985 when Guitar Player magazine put 'Stratosphere Boogie' as their soundpage feature... thanks for the video.
Jimmy was one of the greatest players ever. I almost got to meet him back in 1977-I was playing with a guy who had a booth at Fan Fair in Nashville and I went with him to help man the booth. In the space next to ours was a lady who was setting up Jimmy Bryant’s booth, and she turned out to be his wife Patty, who was also the daughter of Pat Murphy who made Murph guitars in the ‘60s. We had a lot of conversations about Jimmy, who was a big influence on my own playing (not that I can get close to what Jimmy did, but I’ve tried!), and about Murph guitars too. Nice lady. Anyway, Jimmy was supposed to come by the booth any number of times, but the only time he showed up was once when I was away from our booth. Darn! He was having health problems by that time, so I cut him some slack. I sure was looking forward to meeting him, but it never happened, and just a few years later he was gone.
Jimmy Bryant being Julian Lage's fav is what sent me here. Big fan already of the 2 guitars country style. Thanks for the recommendation!
I just love the old fender folklore .you cant make this stuff up. Its amazing how this little factory shaped modern music from such humble beginnings
My grandfather was good friends with Jimmy Bryant and just recently my family found that my grandfather wrote quite few song for him in the 70's as we found a contract for the song "jamming with jimmy" which my grandfather wrote. The best guitar player of all time in my book.
Jimmy's playing was absolutely jaw dropping.
Great video! Thank you! I've been a huge Jimmy Bryant fan for years. Now I've got a list of the recordings and books that I didn't even know about. Thank you.
Great one. I'm a huge Bryant fan and student of his approach. Sorry it took so long to get to this. Worth the wait... I hope more people spread and learn the jazz melodies, harmonies and great rhythms of this important figure in guitar history... he was much more than just some show off shredder... his choices were truly beautiful.
I'm so happy you did this, thank you. Jimmy's solo on Pink Cadillac by Sammy Masters is my all time favourite Western Swing solo. It's a work of style, grace & beauty.
I first heard about Jimmy Bryant from one of your earlier videos Zac. I checked out some of the early material and you are not kidding, it's amazing! Truly a virtuoso indeed and seemed way ahead of his time. Thank you for another great video!
omg, this was brilliant research. Thanks Zac, this was food for the soul.
Thanks for introducing me, I had never heard of Jimmy. I had a quick listen to him and he is killing it! I can hear his influence on later players.
Thank you so much for this. Jimmy is indeed one of my heroes, and he his barely known by guitarists nowadays. Thanks Zack.
Hey Zac,I relly enjoyed all the info. on Jimmy.I have a small music shop in Valdosta ,Ga about 30 miles from Norman Park(Jimmy's hometown)in Colquit co..In 2005 his sister Lorene brought in one his fist guitars for repair.At that time I had barely heard of him,but she told me all about him.The stories were surreal.The guitar was an old green Stella from the 40's with the fake painted flame top.A small student size guitar.It had been on display at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Museum in Macon and gotten damaged.I helped Mrs. Lorene fix it back up and when she came to pick it up she gave me a autographed book she had written about her brother called "Fastest guitar in the Country".It is the definitive book on Jimmy.I will always treasure that moment.She also gave me a few old cassette tapes of Jimmy's music.Priceless!
Zac…a brilliant episode!! Hats off to you…the level of research and work in your reviews never disappoints. Thank you for shedding some light on this master from the early days of electric history
Thank you, Javier!
Ask Zac, your vids are my new favorite on RUclips and I’ve learned so much. Thank you.
Wow, thanks!
This was a great informative vid......I really enjoy listening to your history on Jimmy Bryant. Sad to see so many great musicians passing away from the excessive use of alcohol and smoking. Take care...stay safe ! ! !............BTW, I love my '85 Tele ! ! ! ! ! !
THANK YOU. Jimmy was someone I had to find out about via a big vinyl nut back in the 90's, and the Jimmy and Speedy duo was very classified info in guitar circles in Nor Cal at the time. Like you had to beg for a tape. I LOVED today's history lesson, plus I was drooling while looking at the tweed Super.
I grew up with my father playing "low man on the totem pole" on his Stratocaster whenever family would gather to hear him play. He has an original "2 Guitars Country Style" record album that when I was a kid seemed too corny country for me but I grew to love it as an adult. Some of the most amazing guitar playing you will ever hear. Jimmy was in a league of his own (and Speedy West also) .
I'm such a Jimmy Bryant fan, thanks for featuring him.
Thanks for bringing Jimmy B. into the most recent conversation of Black Guardsmen. This was terrific.
REEEALLLY appreciate the work did in finding out this great info. I had never heard of the guy. And I feel right in love with his music. There is a song on a record I found called Jimmy Bryant and his guitar. And it’s just fantastic! And that TONE . No wonder he wanted to play that broadcaster and that ol woody amp. People spend lots of money on gear to get that lush tone.
Obviously I had too much coffee this morning. Haha. The typos are strong. Glad ya got the point. Also, in searching for the more or less featured record 2 guitars country style, I could only find that on RUclips (to listen to right now) my Apple Music doesn’t have it. However, also on RUclips is a live recording of him, I’m assuming speedy, and an upright bass player along with a snare drum player.. anyways, he looks to be up in years some, he’s playing a big hollow or semi hollow jazz box. Cannot make out the brand as he facing away from the cam.. but the recording is GREAT!
Thank you, Zac. Jimmy was an amazing guitarist and early Telecaster player. Lightning fast, clean as a whistle Hillbilly Jazz picking.
Leo should have given him a signature Tele.
Preservation of nuggets of historic music stories. Thanks for sharing!
I know you've already showed us, but I like your new (to us) space.
I played with some old Jazz cats back in '04, 05 who played with the dude. They had much respect; I'm getting old myself, now. pleasure to hear those licks, again.
As always you are SO interesting! Thank you for this Sir. I shall dig deeper about him :)
Nice bit of history here! Thanks for suggestions of stuff to check out!!! Off to do some listening and learning!!!!
Thank you so much, Bob.
If I was running that factory and Jimmy Bryant walked in there would have been a fridge full of his favorite brand in the V.I.P. lounge!
YES!
The sound in the new office is super clear.Miss the guitars and amps in the background but change is good.Another great and highly informative episode thanks. Love what you do Zac.
Awesome, thank you!
Great video, you filled me in on alot of questions I was wondering about.
Glad to hear it!
Lloyd Green once told me a story about Jimmy. Lloyd was watching the great Hank Garland in Printer's Alley and Jimmy Bryant came in all hot and bothered. He basically challenged Hank to a guitar duel which Hank accepted, and he invited Jimmy to sit in on the next set. Lloyd said no matter what Jimmy played,Hank played it back to him with more taste, tone, and feeling. Jimmy became flustered and began to play fast as he was known to do. Hank blew him off the stage, playing just as fast when tasteful, and remained calm and smiling. Jimmy left in a huff without saying good bye.Everybody in the room knew who won the battle. You might reach out to Lloyd to get the story directly from him.
Great vidio and thanks for sharing.
I definitely knew his playing but never knew much about him.
Great stuff! Watched this at 8:30 on…played till 12:30 am. I was going to go to bed early…now I can’t stop thinking Jimmy Licks!
God Bless Jimmy Bryant! I loved reading about how Paul Bigsby had made Jimmy a guitar but then he endorsed Telecasters so Bigsby cut his name out the guitar, filled in the space and sold it to someone else.
You're absolutely right. I quote from the book "The Story of Paul Bigsby" by Andy Babiuk (2008), page 72: "This Bigsby guitar (the one you mentioned) was completed on October 7, 1949 and is stamped #10749. The guitar was originally built for Jimmy Bryant whose name was inlaid on the top bout of the guitar. Bryant called Bigsby to tell him he no longer wanted the guitar because he just had signed a deal with Fender. Bigsby carved out Bryant's name, and sold it to the next name on his waiting list, Billy Byrd". I'm convinced that Byrd was very happy because the waiting list was a long one. The Bigsby instruments were totally hand built, a slow prosess.
Informative and inspirational as always. Great work Zac.
Much appreciated!
This was a great history lesson Zac!!! Tony was one of my Dads favorite guitarists
Great episode Zac. Too bad that Jimmy’s career ended that way. He was such an amazing player and I loved his tele tone on those early recordings.
Thanks for this insightful video, Zac. 👏
Jimmy Bryant was truly one-of-a-kind. I have been following him since the early 1960s. There are not many players that would be able to keep up with his playing (not only speedwise...), except Scotty Anderson or Brent Mason maybe. Btw: I've seen a photo of Jimmy with a Jazzmaster...
The WWII vet who introduced me to Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West so many decades ago passed away last month. What a great man. That introduction changed the trajectory of my guitar influences.
Bryant was so killer; one of the first star endorsers for Fender. Reported to be using flatwounds and after watching the video completely I have been schooled. Thank you, sir!
I'd been playing flatwounds since graduating from Black Diamonds in the '60s. Then I began liking what my then-new Ric 620 came with (nickel roundwounds, 1-46) a few years ago. I now use those on most everything.
Jimmy Bryant is the best - thank you so much for making this video!
Thanks Zac, great as always. Too bad about the drama but it’s part of the history. A little wish list, any chance of a Scotty Anderson interview? Thanks
These videos of yours are so important.
Check out Little Rock Getaway for some of Jimmy's fastest runs. Incredible clean picking. Thanks for the video, Zac. Always good information, I appreciate you giving us the source data so we can read up on it ourselves. Bryant for sure made the Tele legit.
Thanks, John!
Thank you for this great documentary on Jimmy Bryant! Beato did a heroes of the Telecaster video, and it's beyond my grasp how such a typically well informed guy like Rick Beato neglected to include the original Telecaster hero Jimmy Bryant: the very first player to play a Telecaster (Broadcaster), built in a garage. Roy Buchanan cited Jimmy as an influence in his 1976 Guitar Player Magazine, Danny Gatton mentions him, as did Jeff Beck.
Jimmy is responsible for the Western swing style….country jazz…..his work stands up easily today…just an amazing player in every way
I started on your Nashville Flood episode because I just got flooded from Hurricane Ida (4 ft of water on first floor!).Thought I might find tips on how to salvage gits and amps. My 1965 Tremolux piggy back is toast, but I don't care. I'm alive and we have insurance! Haha! Your story was much more harrowing than mine. Glad you made it through. Then I clicked on yr Jimmy Bryant episode. Holy smokes! This guy RIPS! I'm a rock player, but love the "country, Jesus, hillbilly blues", as ZZ Top sings on "Heard It On The X". So now I'm listening to Country Cabin Jazz (Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West). Btw, you're no slouch on the git, yourself. You got a new subscriber!
Thanks for sub
Glad I found this other channel of your Zac! You are awesome and you have a new subscriber!
THANKS!
Great episode!. Thanks for the back stories.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video Zac 👍🎸Jimmy was a monster player! Best to you man
Thanks for featuring this amazing “master of the telecaster “. I find most of his stuff far too difficult to even contemplate trying to play.
Very interestingly, Jimmy played his early blackguards with the ashtray on. Also: Perhaps it was in one of the old Guitar Player magazine articles but it was noted that Jimmy eventually handed over his original Fender to his children to play with, where it ended up in their sandbox. Astonishing!
Thanks for the entertaining bio on Jimmy Bryant.
I'm from the County (Randolph) Boudleaux Bryant was born in. I meet his son at a festival we had in his honor. I asked if he was related to Jimmy Bryant because both had a connection to Moultrie Georgia. He said they were not related but would claim him because he wrote.... and he began singing Only Daddy that'll Walk the line.
Been to that festival several time!
I'm trying to learn about all these guitar players I've never heard of so thanks for these tall tails. In California some of the stories abound!
Great episode! Always loved Jimmy, ever since I heard him on the Bear box CDs 20 years ago. Yes, he did not use flatwound strings, but in my effort to sound like the old times, I recently switched to Thomastik flatwounds, they sound so sweet. Yea, I don't have an octal tube tone monster to play through and my fingers only do what they can. I'd love to try a Nocturne 39 amp or something that is the real sound of the old.
Thomastik Infeld, my favourite strings
Classic case of a Veteran using alcohol to self medicate PTSD. I see it all the time in my occupation.
What an amazing player…basically a Jazz player to my ears, bringing that into country.
Thanks Zac. Sounds like he was “quite the boy”!
Thanks for the “mission statement”! From here on out, I shall endeavor to “legitimize the boat paddle!!” (New shirts!?!)
As always THANK you for your tireless service to twang!
"Legitimize This" with an arrow.....
This was great fun. Tony Mottola? WWII and French jazz? Good information! Thanks, Zac!
Belgian gypsy Django Rheinhart inspired a lot of guitarists, Chet Atkins being one of them.
I am not a fan of steel guitar, unless player by Curly Chalker or Buddy Emmons but love listening to Jimmy Bryant play. His recording of Stratosphere Boogie is so unique and melodic, nothing has ever come close it. So well recorded.
For fans of West and Bryant, I would highly recommend the Bear Family boxed set of CDs.
Great Zac,my former next door neighbor Hawaiian Lap Steel Guitarist Gene Perry ,played with Jimmy Bryant at the Palomino.
I WAS BORN IN MOULTRIE GEORGIA COLQUITT COUNTY I'M ALSO A MUSICIAN AND A SHARECROPPERS SON.. MY FIRST GUITAR WAS ALSO A STELLA I WAS ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTH of MOULTRIE AROUND BERLIN GA.. LOVED HIS STYLE OF PLAYING....I WAS BORN IN THE EARLY FORTIES... RADIO STATION WMTM OUT OF MOULTRIE WHERE ONE OF THE DJS WAS HOMER SLOANS A COUSIN OF MINE.. I ATE AT A PLACE OUT THERE ON STATE ROUTE 33 CALLED PIG AND CHICK... THOSE WERE THE DAYS.... COULD GO ON AND ON BUT I'LL STOP....
Still love and listen to the recordings Jimmy made with Speedy West- amazing stuff
Speedy’s pedal steel on that album cover is here at the MIM in Phoenix
CORRECTED : it was here. It’s now in the possession of Deke Dickerson who has it on the road with Joel Patterson !
Great episode! Going back to listen to Deep Water again I’m struck by the extent which it sounds almost like a Tony Mottola recording ( hadn’t know about that connection)
Sid and Billy King (Erwin) from Denton Texas bought the first Tele and Stratocaster in Dallas 1953, 1954. They were already signed with Capital. They were headlining when Elvis was at the bottom of the Bill. Sid helped Pat Boone get his first gigs. Pat was a student at NTSU, Denton. His wife Shirley, is Red Foley's daughter.
Hey Zac. Thanks so much for this piece on Jimmy Bryant. I really don't understand why his name doesn't come up literally ALL THE TIME when Tele players talk about their influences. As far as I know, he was the first Tele super picker and IMO has yet to be matched in terms of virtuosity.
Broadcaster/Nocaster, same thing. Gretsch already had Broadcaster drums, so for a while the Fender Broadcaster had to be called Nocaster, until it was re-christened Stratocaster.
Nice. Finally some quality JB content! Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Wow. Great info. I thought he passed much earlier than that. Extremely interesting. Glad you gave us this info. Seems the real innovators get very little, if any credit. Again Thank you.
Hey Zac! I'd love to see you do a video on Hank Garland. Super incredible player. Love all your vids!
Jimmy used to come to my uncle John’s house in Van Nays in the early 60’s with his wife. I had no idea who he was. Later when my uncle moved to Saugus Jimmy came there too and had a Dobro at my uncles home. I even have a couple 45RPM records that he recorded on my uncle John’s small record label. I also have a photo with Jimmy with my aunt and uncle in a club.
Zac!! This is awesome. I just wanted to share that Only Daddy To Walk The Line was written by Jim Alley and Jimmy Bryant played guitar on that Dot session. Jim couldn’t pay him for the session so he offered songwriting credit and publishing on one of the three tunes they recorded. Jimmy picked Only Daddy. He then pitched it to Waylon Jennings. Chet produced that Waylon session and pretty much copied Jim Alley’s arrangement.
Why have I not heard this before? Where did you find this out? Really cool!!!
great video on a great guitar player, thanks
Thank you kindly!
seem to recall a Speedy West / Jimmy Bryant release,,,, 50 years on, never heard it ;)
I get a sense of disappointment when I hear you talk about the behavior of some guitar legends and when they can act like jerks. It's so great when you meet/hear a great wholesome human being who is an amazing musician. I guess many great musicians have their demons and it's always that struggle of loving the music and not the person. Thanks again for the history lesson Zac, and I've loved seeing your channel grow over the last year and change :)
I try to not be tabloid, just tell the story.
It’s part of the human condition that creative artist can be difficult people. Charlie Parker… Jaco Pastorius… Miles Davis are some other recent examples. A lot of the problem emanates from the fact that these people were in the entertainment business which brought them into constant contact with alcohol. There are tons of stories about hard drinking and chain-smoking among country musicians in the “good old days.“ I think there’s a greater standard I’m knowledge nowadays about the dangers of hard living.
I don’t mind hearing about negative aspects of an artists because the information provides context for enjoying their art and humanity.
It's country he played but it's was a rock 'n' roll life he lived before it was recognised as such.
Another wonderful episode Zac, you really are the professor of country, many thanks. 😎🎙🎸✅
Cool, thanks!
He had some success as an actor and ended up in some westerns including the Tales of Wells Fargo.
He appears in a musical number in a 1963 B movie that was later spoofed on Mystery Science Theater 3000 called The Skydivers during his Rickenbacker period.
I really wish you could have met my dad. I have some incredible interviews with dad about Jimmy (junior) Bryant. They were good friends back then. (Cliffie Stone days)
I wish I could have too!
I can't believe it's taken me this long to watch this episode. I first heard the Capitol album in the early 80's, and quickly found as much else as I could. Insanely great player. I've always wondered if his story was the inspiration for that Andy Griffith Show episode where the flashy guitar player gets too big for his britches. Had to be, right?
I discovered Jimmie Rivers around the same time, another hot picker that played a doubleneck 6/12 . Don't know if you've talked about him here before or not. If not you should!
Rivers will be discussed
Great review of Bryant! I’m a big Hank Garland Cat… I dig the live bootleg cd I’ve found of Speedy and Bryant im sure you know it…
I've wondered if that is Jimmy on Merle Haggards "I Can't Get Away"? The solo features volume swells and some sounds that have a jazz or big band feel, yet fit right in the song. During the solo, Merle says "ahh Jimmy".
"I can't get away" is Reggie Young. You may be thinking about "got lonely too early this morning" where he says "Jimmy" right before James (Jimmy) Burton takes a solo.
I just discovered and subscribed to your channel. I just watched the video of Bobby Womack and it's wonderful. By chance, do you happen to know who played guitar for Brooke Benton on Hotel Happiness and Rainy Night in Georgia? Thanks so much for your videos.
Rainy night is Cornell Dupree
Still my favorite!! That Southern California Country swing Kills!! Jimmy and Speedy West! Their licks are still as fresh today as the day they cut those albums! If I only had a time machine, I grew up in the Sacramento Area and my Grandpa had stories of “Wills point” Bob wills infamous dance club in Sac. Western Swing really matured in California I think. The house band for wills point had Tiny Moore and Vance Terry, you ever listen to that shit? So good!!!! Anyway,
Thanks Zac.
Thanks for this.
Great post Zac. If you haven't already could you do one on Clarence White? 🤠
Very nice -- but field coil drivers have the B+ dc voltage -- coil is used as a choke -- and Speedy played non pedal on the early Capitol sides.
Correction has been made in the video concerning DC.
I have that on CD. WooF!
"Boat Pedal"? ... I must've missed something ... What does that mean?
Excellent video! I love learning stuff that's relevant (albeit, indirectly) to my life, craft, and career. Thank you so much for doing what you do!
Boat Paddle = Telecaster
@@AskZac LMF'nAO! I shudda known that one! That's hilarious.
Again, thanks for the cool vid. I appreciate your knowledge.
My dad also had the Stratosphere double nwck made in Arkansas. I believe only 16 were made. I have his tele and my sister has the double neck
Jimmy Bryant: "You can do a lot with a bow."
Also!! Haha.. god sorry if this is annoying Zac but I’ve played one of the Stratosphere guitars which comes with a booklet of several tunings. None of them are what Jimmy used unfortunately. I transcribed stratosphere boogie years ago which was hours of trial and error to find the right tuning but it was combinations of major and minor 6ths. Sounds killer when you get it right. Normal 12 string gauges won’t get you there. You need to put together a custom set. I’ll try to dig it up and send it to you. So fun
Jason! So cool that you chimed in on this. I had heard that the tune was near impossible to play.