Being a personal friend of Danny's, I can tell you that he thought nothing of his playing. He was the most humble person I've ever known. He would play in slow motion for us trying to teach myself and a couple of friends how to play. "Look...like this" Over 40 years since I first met him, almost 50 years playing and damned if I have it yet. He was born with this talent. Never be another DG. Miss you my friend
Sir, I live in DC, I hear from about him from the old timers all the time. I'd love to meet you. Who is John Privey, bass player(SP?) You seen that video at the Holiday inn on Glebe rd? He is so humble!
Dude, I would love to meet you. I'm a bass player from DC, people don't even know how cool he was. I saw a recording from the Holiday Inn 3 blocks from my house, He always let people solo. I wish I could have met him!
I've been playing guitar nearly my entire life and I'm a pro level player (whatever that means), BUT I'll never scale Mount Danny. He really was the Humbler, even though you say your friend was a humble person. I love the combination of unreal musical talent and totally not being a diva, just someone trying to make his way in this world. God blessed Danny and God bless him!
Famous anecdote. Danny played a series of gigs in NYC at well known club called Tramps. This was back in the mid-80's. I was there all 3 nights along with every other rock-blues-jazz-rockabilly-whatever style guitarist in the City, because we knew a genius was once again relegated to playing a shithole club. There was a who's who of famous NYC guitarists lined up to see him (Robben Ford, Johhny Ramone, John Scofield, Keith Streng from The Fleshtones, Mike Stern, Hiram Bullock, Wayne Krantz and a slew of others). Danny tore it up and we, the fans, were all in ecstasy. One unforgettable image: Robben Ford leaving the club after the show with his head hung to his balls muttering to himself "that's not possible", and realizing that no matter how good he was or would become, he could never be as good as Danny Gatton. True story. Unforgettable 3 nights.
Cool story, except Tramps (in 85 it was still on 15th street, right?) wasn't really a shithole. Small club, but nice enough. Wish I could have seen this. I saw Bobby Radcliff walk on and guest with Otis Rush at some point in this era though (sometime between 84 and 86), whenever it was still on 15th street, before it moved
I heard John Coltrane at the Village Vanguard which was no Carnegie Hall. Monk used to play the Five Spot. Cream, Grateful Dead, Howling Wolf played Café au GoGo which was pretty small. Talking Heads and Ramones played CBGBs which was a shithole. You have to be -- what? -- top 20 commercially to be too big for downstairs clubs. And NYC clubs don't pay much either. You're basically giving the elite a sample.
TheFizz40 I remember that club 'Tramps'. I stumbled upon it one night mid 80s. I believe Buddy Emmons was playing. I was shocked to find him there in the heart of N.Y.C. Thanks for posting this.
Favorites sometimes come and go. Example, I'm loving everything the Black Keys do right now, but, they like so many others will slip from my playlist... eventually. Danny is, was and always will be my favorite. He will never slip from that playlist. I've learned over the years that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Danny is by far the greatest guitar player to ever live, and... well... if you don't agree with me.... well... you're just wrong.
Fair point and I think you are wrong. Then again, I don't feel ire that you love Gatton and for me it's Hendrix and Jef Beck. I am discovering Gatton and love his playing. I am sure Beck admired him too, he's nit normally slow to admits debts. Best wishes. Gary
@mark8395217 you are right sir! If you play you know he’s beyond the “sacred cows” that are considered the “best.” Only people like Lenny Breau and Scotty Anderson are up there with him.
I've heard it said that his '51 Merc was really a space shuttle pod. Every night after a show, Danny would slip into his Merc, turn on the headlights, drop it in gear and slip back to the mother ship for more unbelievable programming. Only to come back to earth and perform yet another amazing show, in front of yet another stunned crowd in an all too small club.
The YT algorithms have blessed me with lots of Danny videos. I just wish I’d known about him when he was alive. He played the Bottom Line in NYC (and other venues, no doubt). Jaw-dropping tone and creativity.
I have every video and record of Danny that I can find. I think that it's an absolute shame that he wasted the rest of his life for whatever reason. Just a total loss to the music world and guitarists in particular. Big Ron
whats great about Danny is he didnt need to have a flashy appearance or "worry about his image", as most vain celebrities tend to do. he knew he was the real deal & didnt need that. most, including me know he's the real deal. in some of his videos, he almost looks like a farmer. most self absorbed artists make up for lack of talent with their "image". obviously Danny didnt worry about that because he was born to play the guitar. as well, he was a master at the banjo and the steel guitar. The most impressive thing is now how many instruments he played, but how many playing styles he perfected. read an article listing all the different styles. He did many covers of famous songs. even the peanuts theme song(charlie brown), which is entertaining. also his cover of sleepwalk. it is impressive & fun to watch. i was sad to learn of his suicide. maybe he was too talented for his own good? maybe getting to famous was not what he wanted. who knows. there might of been several reasons. only he knows. all i know is he showed us what real talent is.
Good God! How many guitarists have begun a guitar solo like Danny at 3'41? A fantastic musical mind at work :-) Many thanks for posting this genius playing!
Excellent Blues Guitarist I heard it for the firts in time in 81 a couple of topics I Saw it's resemblance yo Roy Buchanan's Great teacher guitar Telecaster 🎸🎸🥁🎹
I have have the feeling with this supreme guitarist that he is reining himself in - partly because he doesn't want to blow the other musicians away and partly because- unlike any other guitarist I can think of - he has so many musical ideas that he doesn't want to blow the audience away with a creative overload. What a loss his untimely death was.
Man, this is just amazing! I made a play list of all these videos, there's about 8 I found, each one is pure genius. Can't stop listening to them. Thanks for posting, inspired.
I used to hear Danny every week playing with Liz Meyer at the Childe Herald ,in DC. Emmy Lou Harris- another local before she got famous played there every week too. I saw Danny sit in with her a couple of times.
@johngoo343 Danny wrote and played a blues called "Notcho Blues", which sounded like Roy's...He plays an incredible opening, then plays on the tonic chord for an extended period...but unlike Roy, he finally goes through the blues progression...it is one of my favorite cuts by Danny....
Jimi & page actually wrote catchy songs that people still listen to after all these years and both of them were incredibly gifted musicians. A lot of people dont give a fuck about technical prowess, i happen to enjoy listening to guys who can really play but 9/10 the song is king and what resonates with people.
How could 5 people give this a thumbs down? They must be tone deaf or just plain deaf this guy is the real deal name one person that can outplay Danny? Yup no one period my long time favorite guitarist along with Scotty Anderson Lenny breau Rory gallagher al dimeola joe pass Wes Montgomery Alvin lee Gary Moore of course Roy Buchanan frank marino Alan holdsworth pat metheney pat martino lee ritenour Larry Carlton just a few of my favorite players and last but hardly least the great junior brown and srv
Yes I love After Hours from the second album but no one is in Danny's league. There is one Telecaster guy that could sit on the same stage as Danny and that is Scotty Anderson. Just listen to his 'Triple Stop' album
This is the second part of my comment - RUclips seems to favour the monosyllabic but try as I might I can't seem to dumb down... so cont::: There is just about every category of music in there - rock, bop, swing, country, folk, pop, experimental - with the possible exception of flamenco - although no doubt he could have if he had wanted to.
I have been researching some stuff on youtube and came across such a load of bullshit that \I just had to clear my mind of it by listening to the greatest set of digits ever to grace the guitar. What a talent!
@rockinredneck57 Of course, that should have been Redd with two dd's! I forgot to mention Marty Stuart as well. Seems he and Hank Jr own country music history these days. Plus Marty owns the original B Bender! Along with Marty, we can't leave out Kenny Vaughn. Fabulous Superlative!
@airdancr1 -yea kinda sounds like a wolf. He plucked the string with the skin of his thumb creating a little harmonic , then held the body of the guitar with his pick hand and pushed on the neck bending the neck, releasing string tension.. As he releases the neck, the harmonic grows as the string tightens. I've only heard a similar thing done with a whammy bar- like the screams of Dimebag darrel. I'm sure Danny was the only one to ever originate a bunch of this kind of stuff .
Besides seeing them both in the DC area clubs, I know musicians who knew them both,and many said Danny really emulated Roy ,at least during a certain period, and later downplayed it. Danny played bass in Roy's band for a while, Those that deny he learned anything from Buchanan are mostly surmising based on what they've read.
Forgot about Johnny hiland he deserves mention because he is a incredible guitarist also not in Danny’s league but Johnny loves gattons playing you can hear Danny in Johnny at times
Buchanan played Jazz before Gatton played. There's a vid here on RUclips of Roy playing Jazz standard Misty,w/ Mundell Lowe, who played guitar in Charlie Parker's band saying he'd always wanted to play like Roy. I saw 'em both often in the local clubs in D.C. , knew people who knew both etc. Danny modeled himself on Roy, esp the ability to play all styles,and to have a huge bag, technique wise.
Because you note similarities in their use of the telecaster, you cite Gatton as modeling Roy’s playing, but they approached the instrument differently. Gatton had the Jimmy Bryant/Django Reinhardt aspect and could get up to warp speeds RB never did. Roy was great, but odd, and not at Danny Gattons level.
@@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426exactly! Danny was WAY beyond Roy. Roy knew that…anyone who actually plays knows that. It’s no insult; Roy was great, but no Danny Gatton. Not Hendrix, nor Beck nor Clapton…they were/are not in his league. And they would be the first to say so. Popularity is not virtuosity. Lenny Breau, Scotty Anderson, Brent Mason are in Danny’s league. They have their own league and there are few in it. And most of those in it are unknown to the general public. Too bad…there’s talent the unfortunately seldom gets recognized.
You seem to assume I’m analyzing recordings. My ideas about both of them comes from hearing them live , weekly in the clubs in DC . Where they both lived, I know a number of people who knew them personally . Including drummer Dave Churchill, who mentored me as a young musician, and played in both their bands . Including the time when Gatton played bass behind Buchannan.
Roberston didn't downplay it ,when he and Buchanan were both quoted about that in the Washington Post around '71. Buchanan played for Dale Hawkins,who did Suzie Q ,and was cousin of Roger Hawkins who Robertson and the rest of the Band played for.
Thats cool you saw Danny with Liz Meyer. Did he sound as explosive as he did the rest of the 70's back then? Know anyone with live recordings of Gatton from the Liz Meyer days?
Explosive? I saw Danny with Liz at ... damn what was the name of Bill Hird's party club? not far from the Reading Gaol... oh well..brain freeze.... anyway it was the first time I saw Danny live and my expectations were not high because only a very few Bluegrass tunes ever really got to me, but I'd been told I HAD to witness Danny..My interest was first drawn to the crazy Dobro player who was was damn good (had that extra long shoulder strap and flipped it sideways like lap style standing) and Danny was decent... BUT.!!! then... .. then they launched into some uptempo number and Danny just grew and grew and then suddenly he flipped a switch and I got to hear his slapback echoplex and it seemed to set him on fire and I think someone had to close my jaw with Channel-Lock pliers because he just took off like a supersonic jet aiming for the stratosphere. Sure, I had heard lots of echoplexes before but few live and never how Danny set his that made it sound 30 feet wide. It was a huge sound and he filled every inch of it. My opinion of Bluegrass, at least where Liz and the boys took it, changed that night. I don't even have to close my eyes to see that stage with them on it right now.. I would get to know Danny a bit later on over the years and saw him in many formats in many wildly different clubs but I will never forget that "introduction". Yeah.... it was indeed Explosive, at least to me who didn't even care for most Bluegrass.
I read way way down through the comments and have a few comments of my own.....first of all, I read somewhere years ago that Danny and Roy Buchanan were briefly room-mates or housemates, so if this is accurate then perhaps some learning and perhaps even lick-"stealing" may have taken place. As for which one I would rather listen to, I choose Danny hands down over Roy. Setting aside any live videos or bootlegs, Danny's talents can be easily found on actual record-label releases, "88 Elmira Street" being an absolute work of genius imho, and there is a smattering of good stuff on "Unfinished Business" and "Cruisin Deuces" (though I never could really get into the "redneck jazz" recordings). Buchanan, on the other hand, in my opinion, never made an actual record worth listening to---I once owned a half-dozen or so of Roys records but I found them all to be curiously "flat", uninspired, and emotionally un-involving (I actually gave them away). It seems to me that nobody knew what to do with Buchanan in the recording studio and he himself didn't know what to do either. I guess if you saw him play earlier on his career and caught him on a good night, you might feel differently; an acqaintance of mine in the late 70s told me about seeing Buchanan play an awesome gig, but the second time he went to see Roy play it was so bad that my friend walked out. I did see Roy play just once, in a tiny club in CT, with a pickup band*, just once, a few months before he died; he looked much older than his years (alcoholism will do that to you) and whatever spark of originality he may have once had was nowhere to be found. I get that Roy was a big influence technique-wise on many other pickers but in terms of musicalty and emotional resonance I think Danny comes out way ahead. As for live performances, I had tickets to see Danny play on the tour to promote "Cruisin Deuces" and was ultimately very disappointed that he canceled the tour; he was quoted as saying that he was too damn old to be spending so much time away from his home and family......and then a few months later he was dead. It fills me with profound sadness just to think about it....setting aside the massive talent we all lost, and the musical enjoyment he gave us, even worse by far is that his daughter had to grow up without her father. It does strike me as particularly unjust that the humble quietspoken people like Roy and Danny don't seem to have the inner steel necessary to survive life as a working musician but lesser talents with huge egos (Robbie Robertson) seem to do just fine. *I once saw Hubert Sumlin play with a pickup band----it is a sad thing when famous players stoop, or are forced by economic factors, to travel with just a guitar, renting an amp and renting a different pickup band for every gig. Even Chuck Berry did this for chrissakes !
Good comments mate. no learning done with a life of ease I guess. DG was a superb guitar technician but from what I read he got just as much pleasure from restoring old cars. That ol black dog never really lets go of the bone maybe except when something big happens. Fame make him let go for a while? Incidentally, Chuck Berry showed up here for a bit in the 70's. He sure was a grumpy SOB so even fame might not do it. I feel for DG's little girl tho. I could see from that pic in the car that she just luved her daddy to bits. Brought a tear to my eye...
@bLAStSuCaRTa According to sources, Johnny is not under contract with EBMM. He plays it because he likes it. Maybe Paul wasn't paying him enough, I don't know why he left there. He was getting great exposure and had his own line of PRS. Most guitar slingers would love an opportunity like that. I'm not a fan of Urban, Brad is OK, but Red has the chops. I love his twangbanger stuff with Bill Kirchen. Just a lot of fun with six strings.
I can make the statement becuase I heard him play Jazz live. before any of those LPs were even recorded for some reason I can;t post a link here. Look up Roy Buchanan playing Misty here on youtube
Danny, Roy, their both amazing, its a shame they had to go,and the way they both went,although it was speculated that the arresting officers of Roys public drunkeness beat him about the head then hung him in his cell to cover it up,autopsy showed large bruises and bruising on his head????????????
@McGuitarStar Yep - in fact you've got to be ambidextrous to play the guitar in a way! Whatever your strong hand is doing, the other hand is going to be doing something just as complex.... but different, especially if you play fingerstyle:-) I don't really notice much difference between my two hands when I type or play the piano even though I'm right handed. I put this down to playing the guitar.
Danny gets lumped in with the Nashville style Tele guys, but he didn't play anything like them. Raw tone, no compressors, tons of attitude. The Nashville/modern Tele guys are much more "polished" and I really don't think they're as spontaneous.
Danny played super hot with Liz who was real high energy, but he stuck much closer to style much more than on his own stuff where he liked to really mix it up.
Scotty is probably the world's greatest living guitarist; his technique is so jaw-dropping, it perhaps even surpasses Gatton's super powers - but Danny had the edge when it comes to fire.
Today's Telemaster would have to be Redd Volkaert. Definitely not Vince Gill or Brad Paisley or Keith Urban. Johnny Hiland used to play a Tele but has moved on. But his clips playing one are phenomenal. I'd love to have heard the three of them together. Can't say one is better, but it would be one hell of a show for sure.
You need to check out a dude named Sturgill Simpson. He is a fine talent but he has a telemaster that plays with him now named Laur Joamas I believe that's the correct spelling. He is from Estonia and he is the real thing ! They never have a pedal steel on stage but you would never know that if your eyes are closed ! Serious Musician !
I always wondered whatever happened to DG 😳🙄✝️😭now I know 😢my last name is defrancesco ,I play rock blues metal...anything that moves me😅 my father played country west.rockabilly n knew bill Hailey😳💥🔥🎸⚡iam from Norristown .I was listening to joey Defrancesco n D Patton last night...wonder if iam related to joe n jonhny😂⚡🎸🔥💥😳🙄✝️😎☮️♾️
hate to say anyone is the best, but I have never seen another person who could play like Danny. He used high tech effects like a cord an amp but his tone came from his fingers.
@@aaronsilver294 Thanks - a friend of mine used to use one, but his was pretty much invisible. It was only noticeable by the "slot" up by the strap peg near the neck.
It's where he used to mount his Magic Dingus Box (ask the more technically minded for what it did) which he gave up using because he didn't want to be known for electronic effects.
That’s funny, Gatton talked about it , in an interview where he tried to downplay Buchannans influence . But you know better than him what he did . Ask Jack Cassidy, who first played bass in Gatton’s band
@@sambac2053 please provide a link to that interview. Danny respected Roy and said he got three things from him. Small jazz picks, using telecasters and also an attitude towards playing. THAT you can find in the Unknown Greats Guitar Player magazine that Danny was on the cover of in 1989. Maybe Danny did Roy a favor and played bass in a gig or recording, but I doubt that. That would have been like having Picasso assisting Bob Ross. Roy was great, but in no way comparable to Danny. Danny was in Lenny Breau’s universe. Roy knew this, which is why Roy would sneak into clubs to watch Danny play. Ted Greene said Danny was the best. If you play guitar and are serious you know who Ted Greene was. And if you play and are serious then you know that Roy was great, but Danny was on another level. From everyone. Btw here is the link to Ted’s interview where he says Danny was the ultimate: www.tedgreene.com/images/pdf/My_Interview_with_Ted_Greene_-_By_Robert_C_Jones.pdf
You are right. After Roy became aware of Danny and vice versa, Roy listened to Danny quite a bit. But Roy couldn’t play Danny’s stuff…very few that ever lived could have. Scotty Anderson could, maybe Brent Mason. Not Roy.
imagine soloing that long and keeping it interesting without mudding it up with a ton of effects to make the same passage sound different just a guy, a tele,echo pedal and fender amp done. oh and 1 meg tone pot for the wah sound
Being a personal friend of Danny's, I can tell you that he thought nothing of his playing. He was the most humble person I've ever known. He would play in slow motion for us trying to teach myself and a couple of friends how to play. "Look...like this" Over 40 years since I first met him, almost 50 years playing and damned if I have it yet. He was born with this talent. Never be another DG. Miss you my friend
just bought a tele mon after tom petty passed away last night? I will never be Danny Maybe Gilby Clarke
Sir, I live in DC, I hear from about him from the old timers all the time. I'd love to meet you. Who is John Privey, bass player(SP?) You seen that video at the Holiday inn on Glebe rd? He is so humble!
Dude, I would love to meet you. I'm a bass player from DC, people don't even know how cool he was. I saw a recording from the Holiday Inn 3 blocks from my house, He always let people solo. I wish I could have met him!
I've been playing guitar nearly my entire life and I'm a pro level player (whatever that means), BUT I'll never scale Mount Danny. He really was the Humbler, even though you say your friend was a humble person. I love the combination of unreal musical talent and totally not being a diva, just someone trying to make his way in this world. God blessed Danny and God bless him!
He was the best!
I'm so happy I got to see Danny play live. One of the greatest musical experiences of my life.
Famous anecdote. Danny played a series of gigs in NYC at well known club called Tramps. This was back in the mid-80's. I was there all 3 nights along with every other rock-blues-jazz-rockabilly-whatever style guitarist in the City, because we knew a genius was once again relegated to playing a shithole club. There was a who's who of famous NYC guitarists lined up to see him (Robben Ford, Johhny Ramone, John Scofield, Keith Streng from The Fleshtones, Mike Stern, Hiram Bullock, Wayne Krantz and a slew of others). Danny tore it up and we, the fans, were all in ecstasy. One unforgettable image: Robben Ford leaving the club after the show with his head hung to his balls muttering to himself "that's not possible", and realizing that no matter how good he was or would become, he could never be as good as Danny Gatton. True story. Unforgettable 3 nights.
Cool story, except Tramps (in 85 it was still on 15th street, right?) wasn't really a shithole. Small club, but nice enough. Wish I could have seen this. I saw Bobby Radcliff walk on and guest with Otis Rush at some point in this era though (sometime between 84 and 86), whenever it was still on 15th street, before it moved
hahaha loved the story man, cheers. but robben ford is still great
I heard John Coltrane at the Village Vanguard which was no Carnegie Hall. Monk used to play the Five Spot. Cream, Grateful Dead, Howling Wolf played Café au GoGo which was pretty small. Talking Heads and Ramones played CBGBs which was a shithole. You have to be -- what? -- top 20 commercially to be too big for downstairs clubs. And NYC clubs don't pay much either. You're basically giving the elite a sample.
TheFizz40 I remember that club 'Tramps'. I stumbled upon it one night mid 80s. I believe Buddy Emmons was playing. I was shocked to find him there in the heart of N.Y.C. Thanks for posting this.
Favorites sometimes come and go. Example, I'm loving everything the Black Keys do right now, but, they like so many others will slip from my playlist... eventually. Danny is, was and always will be my favorite. He will never slip from that playlist. I've learned over the years that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Danny is by far the greatest guitar player to ever live, and... well... if you don't agree with me.... well... you're just wrong.
Fair point and I think you are wrong. Then again, I don't feel ire that you love Gatton and for me it's Hendrix and Jef Beck. I am discovering Gatton and love his playing. I am sure Beck admired him too, he's nit normally slow to admits debts. Best wishes. Gary
@mark8395217 you are right sir! If you play you know he’s beyond the “sacred cows” that are considered the “best.” Only people like Lenny Breau and Scotty Anderson are up there with him.
So much talent ! was there nothing this guy couldn't do on a guitar.
I've heard it said that his '51 Merc was really a space shuttle pod. Every night after a show, Danny would slip into his Merc, turn on the headlights, drop it in gear and slip back to the mother ship for more unbelievable programming. Only to come back to earth and perform yet another amazing show, in front of yet another stunned crowd in an all too small club.
This has to be the only logical explanation for what I just watched and heard.
LOL!
The YT algorithms have blessed me with lots of Danny videos. I just wish I’d known about him when he was alive. He played the Bottom Line in NYC (and other venues, no doubt). Jaw-dropping tone and creativity.
that's ALL we could do in many of the clubs Danny played in...just sit there and watch.....Danny was mesmerizing on a guitar RIP
Danny was a alien playing guitar!I love his songs!
One of a kind.
He was a master of the guitar and at the time not everyone could get that. He really wrings some serious notes from that Telecaster.
WOW! I just found an old VHS that a friend gave me of this 20+ years ago! What a hoot!
Anyone who love Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan should check out Jim Campilongo.... This trio is godly on the teles.
One of the best ever
One of the best Danny's videos I've seen on RUclips !
What a sound !!!
Miss him, miss him, miss him...
I have every video and record of Danny that I can find. I think that it's an absolute shame that he wasted the rest of his life for whatever reason. Just a total loss to the music world and guitarists in particular.
Big Ron
whats great about Danny is he didnt need to have a flashy appearance or "worry about his image", as most vain celebrities tend to do. he knew he was the real deal & didnt need that. most, including me know he's the real deal. in some of his videos, he almost looks like a farmer. most self absorbed artists make up for lack of talent with their "image". obviously Danny didnt worry about that because he was born to play the guitar. as well, he was a master at the banjo and the steel guitar. The most impressive thing is now how many instruments he played, but how many playing styles he perfected. read an article listing all the different styles. He did many covers of famous songs. even the peanuts theme song(charlie brown), which is entertaining. also his cover of sleepwalk. it is impressive & fun to watch. i was sad to learn of his suicide. maybe he was too talented for his own good? maybe getting to famous was not what he wanted. who knows. there might of been several reasons. only he knows. all i know is he showed us what real talent is.
Good God! How many guitarists have begun a guitar solo like Danny at 3'41? A fantastic musical mind at work :-) Many thanks for posting this genius playing!
Excellent Blues Guitarist I heard it for the firts in time in 81 a couple of topics I Saw it's resemblance yo Roy Buchanan's Great teacher guitar Telecaster 🎸🎸🥁🎹
I have have the feeling with this supreme guitarist that he is reining himself in - partly because he doesn't want to blow the other musicians away and partly because- unlike any other guitarist I can think of - he has so many musical ideas that he doesn't want to blow the audience away with a creative overload. What a loss his untimely death was.
Man, this is just amazing! I made a play list of all these videos, there's about 8 I found, each one is pure genius. Can't stop listening to them. Thanks for posting, inspired.
everytime i listen to this. danny gatton was crazy sick + in a good way
I used to hear Danny every week playing with Liz Meyer at the Childe Herald ,in DC. Emmy Lou Harris- another local before she got famous played there every week too. I saw Danny sit in with her a couple of times.
Same was there...he used to play the Psyche Deli and My Freinds House in Tacoma/Langley Park every week
More Danny....thanks for posting!
Mmmmm..Danny's phrasing is just exquisite.
Danny Gatton is the MAN!! R.I.P.
Eric Dolphy is the only other musician I can think of whocould negotiate between "musical" and "non-musical" sounds (4:15 ) so effectively.
wow i dont have words for this great music .wow just unreal .unreal .
gj.
@johngoo343 Danny wrote and played a blues called "Notcho Blues", which sounded like Roy's...He plays an incredible opening, then plays on the tonic chord for an extended period...but unlike Roy, he finally goes through the blues progression...it is one of my favorite cuts by Danny....
People rave over hendrix and page but danny has got to be the most gifted electric guitarist ever
Different styles or approach
Jimi & page actually wrote catchy songs that people still listen to after all these years and both of them were incredibly gifted musicians. A lot of people dont give a fuck about technical prowess, i happen to enjoy listening to guys who can really play but 9/10 the song is king and what resonates with people.
You are so right. Danny was beyond, way beyond the “popular” guys.
MAKES ME WANNA SET MY TELE ON FIRE
Do it!
Practice
I was told this by Dave Churchill who was the drummer on gigs w/ Gatton on bass. He also played w/ Roy Clark,another DC area guitarist.
dime a dozen!!!
Superb! I hear some Buchanan in his phrasing a bit.
How could 5 people give this a thumbs down? They must be tone deaf or just plain deaf this guy is the real deal name one person that can outplay Danny? Yup no one period my long time favorite guitarist along with Scotty Anderson Lenny breau Rory gallagher al dimeola joe pass Wes Montgomery Alvin lee Gary Moore of course Roy Buchanan frank marino Alan holdsworth pat metheney pat martino lee ritenour Larry Carlton just a few of my favorite players and last but hardly least the great junior brown and srv
Thank You ! Vielen Dank !
He hold and he play them notes man, Danny Gatton
What's that old saying about all men being created equal? Well, after watching and listening to Danny, all I can say is, not really.
Yes I love After Hours from the second album but no one is in Danny's league. There is one Telecaster guy that could sit on the same stage as Danny and that is Scotty Anderson. Just listen to his 'Triple Stop' album
@zthetha Danny sticks in some flamenco rasgueados at 6.47 :-) Great right hand Danny had - and he was left-handed!
Thanks so much for posting these amazing performances!
just incredible.
Holy Shmokes!! Go Danny go..go.. This is real guitar playing. Real steak, not just sizzle..like these so called shredders. He can play anything!
THE MASTER ❤
This is the second part of my comment - RUclips seems to favour the monosyllabic but try as I might I can't seem to dumb down... so cont::: There is just about every category of music in there - rock, bop, swing, country, folk, pop, experimental - with the possible exception of flamenco - although no doubt he could have if he had wanted to.
I have been researching some stuff on youtube and came across such a load of bullshit that \I just had to clear my mind of it by listening to the greatest set of digits ever to grace the guitar. What a talent!
@rockinredneck57 Of course, that should have been Redd with two dd's! I forgot to mention Marty Stuart as well. Seems he and Hank Jr own country music history these days. Plus Marty owns the original B Bender! Along with Marty, we can't leave out Kenny Vaughn. Fabulous Superlative!
Master of the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Les Paul, SG, Jaguar, FK IT! He is the master of any guitar.
mick taylor mike bloomfield and danny kirwin are better?
I think Mark hit it... He's an Alien
@airdancr1 -yea kinda sounds like a wolf. He plucked the string with the skin of his thumb creating a little harmonic , then held the body of the guitar with his pick hand and pushed on the neck bending the neck, releasing string tension.. As he releases the neck, the harmonic grows as the string tightens. I've only heard a similar thing done with a whammy bar- like the screams of Dimebag darrel. I'm sure Danny was the only one to ever originate a bunch of this kind of stuff .
what a beast
@chrook I read somewhere in an interview where Danny said he learned how to approach a Telecaster from Roy....
Thank you for mentioning jim campilango!!
awwwwwsweet wah wah effect playing with the tone nob! 4:37
mannnnnnnn,,,,he sounds so fuckin good....this guy is untouchable
Besides seeing them both in the DC area clubs, I know musicians who knew them both,and many said Danny really emulated Roy ,at least during a certain period, and later downplayed it. Danny played bass in Roy's band for a while, Those that deny he learned anything from Buchanan are mostly surmising based on what they've read.
Forgot about Johnny hiland he deserves mention because he is a incredible guitarist also not in Danny’s league but Johnny loves gattons playing you can hear Danny in Johnny at times
@37terraplane ... Ahh someone else caught it too ... & Danny's playing it without a slide.
How the hell did he make that noise at 3:52? That's gotta be one of the coolest things I've ever heard!
a master
great ....thanks
Buchanan played Jazz before Gatton played. There's a vid here on RUclips of Roy playing Jazz standard Misty,w/ Mundell Lowe, who played guitar in Charlie Parker's band saying he'd always wanted to play like Roy. I saw 'em both often in the local clubs in D.C. , knew people who knew both etc. Danny modeled himself on Roy, esp the ability to play all styles,and to have a huge bag, technique wise.
Because you note similarities in their use of the telecaster, you cite Gatton as modeling Roy’s playing, but they approached the instrument differently. Gatton had the Jimmy Bryant/Django Reinhardt aspect and could get up to warp speeds RB never did. Roy was great, but odd, and not at Danny Gattons level.
@@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426exactly! Danny was WAY beyond Roy. Roy knew that…anyone who actually plays knows that. It’s no insult; Roy was great, but no Danny Gatton. Not Hendrix, nor Beck nor Clapton…they were/are not in his league. And they would be the first to say so. Popularity is not virtuosity. Lenny Breau, Scotty Anderson, Brent Mason are in Danny’s league. They have their own league and there are few in it. And most of those in it are unknown to the general public. Too bad…there’s talent the unfortunately seldom gets recognized.
You seem to assume I’m analyzing recordings. My ideas about both of them comes from
hearing them live , weekly in the clubs in DC . Where they both lived, I know a number of people who knew them personally . Including drummer Dave Churchill, who mentored me as a young musician, and played in both their bands . Including the time when Gatton played bass behind Buchannan.
Roberston didn't downplay it ,when he and Buchanan were both quoted about that in the Washington Post around '71. Buchanan played for Dale Hawkins,who did Suzie Q ,and was cousin of Roger Hawkins who Robertson and the rest of the Band played for.
Thats cool you saw Danny with Liz Meyer. Did he sound as
explosive as he did the rest of the 70's back then? Know anyone with live
recordings of Gatton from the Liz Meyer days?
Explosive? I saw Danny with Liz at ... damn what was the name of Bill Hird's party club? not far from the Reading Gaol... oh well..brain freeze.... anyway it was the first time I saw Danny live and my expectations were not high because only a very few Bluegrass tunes ever really got to me, but I'd been told I HAD to witness Danny..My interest was first drawn to the crazy Dobro player who was was damn good (had that extra long shoulder strap and flipped it sideways like lap style standing) and Danny was decent... BUT.!!! then...
.. then they launched into some uptempo number and Danny just grew and grew and then suddenly he flipped a switch and I got to hear his slapback echoplex and it seemed to set him on fire and I think someone had to close my jaw with Channel-Lock pliers because he just took off like a supersonic jet aiming for the stratosphere. Sure, I had heard lots of echoplexes before but few live and never how Danny set his that made it sound 30 feet wide. It was a huge sound and he filled every inch of it. My opinion of Bluegrass, at least where Liz and the boys took it, changed that night. I don't even have to close my eyes to see that stage with them on it right now.. I would get to know Danny a bit later on over the years and saw him in many formats in many wildly different clubs but I will never forget that "introduction". Yeah.... it was indeed Explosive, at least to me who didn't even care for most Bluegrass.
buenisimo!!!
I read way way down through the comments and have a few comments of my own.....first of all, I read somewhere years ago that Danny and Roy Buchanan were briefly room-mates or housemates, so if this is accurate then perhaps some learning and perhaps even lick-"stealing" may have taken place. As for which one I would rather listen to, I choose Danny hands down over Roy. Setting aside any live videos or bootlegs, Danny's talents can be easily found on actual record-label releases, "88 Elmira Street" being an absolute work of genius imho, and there is a smattering of good stuff on "Unfinished Business" and "Cruisin Deuces" (though I never could really get into the "redneck jazz" recordings). Buchanan, on the other hand, in my opinion, never made an actual record worth listening to---I once owned a half-dozen or so of Roys records but I found them all to be curiously "flat", uninspired, and emotionally un-involving (I actually gave them away). It seems to me that nobody knew what to do with Buchanan in the recording studio and he himself didn't know what to do either. I guess if you saw him play earlier on his career and caught him on a good night, you might feel differently; an acqaintance of mine in the late 70s told me about seeing Buchanan play an awesome gig, but the second time he went to see Roy play it was so bad that my friend walked out. I did see Roy play just once, in a tiny club in CT, with a pickup band*, just once, a few months before he died; he looked much older than his years (alcoholism will do that to you) and whatever spark of originality he may have once had was nowhere to be found. I get that Roy was a big influence technique-wise on many other pickers but in terms of musicalty and emotional resonance I think Danny comes out way ahead. As for live performances, I had tickets to see Danny play on the tour to promote "Cruisin Deuces" and was ultimately very disappointed that he canceled the tour; he was quoted as saying that he was too damn old to be spending so much time away from his home and family......and then a few months later he was dead. It fills me with profound sadness just to think about it....setting aside the massive talent we all lost, and the musical enjoyment he gave us, even worse by far is that his daughter had to grow up without her father.
It does strike me as particularly unjust that the humble quietspoken people like Roy and Danny don't seem to have the inner steel necessary to survive life as a working musician but lesser talents with huge egos (Robbie Robertson) seem to do just fine.
*I once saw Hubert Sumlin play with a pickup band----it is a sad thing when famous players stoop, or are forced by economic factors, to travel with just a guitar, renting an amp and renting a different pickup band for every gig. Even Chuck Berry did this for chrissakes !
Good comments mate. no learning done with a life of ease I guess.
DG was a superb guitar technician but from what I read he got just as much pleasure from restoring old cars. That ol black dog never really lets go of the bone maybe except when something big happens. Fame make him let go for a while? Incidentally, Chuck Berry showed up here for a bit in the 70's. He sure was a grumpy SOB so even fame might not do it.
I feel for DG's little girl tho. I could see from that pic in the car that she just luved her daddy to bits. Brought a tear to my eye...
Jeff Beck and he share more than just guitar chops, the Surrey man loves cars.
Actually "Relentless" is a great album. Maybe just over your head.
I think Danny played Banjo on He Haw ( Sp?) with Roy and Buck when he was like really young.
The pickup band thing was common practice in Chuck's era.
Dire strait
@bLAStSuCaRTa According to sources, Johnny is not under contract with EBMM. He plays it because he likes it. Maybe Paul wasn't paying him enough, I don't know why he left there. He was getting great exposure and had his own line of PRS. Most guitar slingers would love an opportunity like that. I'm not a fan of Urban, Brad is OK, but Red has the chops. I love his twangbanger stuff with Bill Kirchen. Just a lot of fun with six strings.
I can make the statement becuase I heard him play Jazz live. before any of those LPs were even recorded
for some reason I can;t post a link here. Look up Roy Buchanan playing Misty here on youtube
Stormy Monday is the song title, I think.
Danny, Roy, their both amazing, its a shame they had to go,and the way they both went,although it was speculated that the arresting officers of Roys public drunkeness beat him about the head then hung him in his cell to cover it up,autopsy showed large bruises and bruising on his head????????????
true story
omg this is so buchanan. crazy
we all get licks from somebody even by accident sometimes
@McGuitarStar Yep - in fact you've got to be ambidextrous to play the guitar in a way! Whatever your strong hand is doing, the other hand is going to be doing something just as complex.... but different, especially if you play fingerstyle:-) I don't really notice much difference between my two hands when I type or play the piano even though I'm right handed. I put this down to playing the guitar.
Why was the sax player not shown? Was it Bill Holloman? Cameraman was probably so stunned by Danny's playin he just zoned out. You're fired dude !
I knew Danny very well. He never played bass for Roy. Amazing the bs that gets thrown around
Banjo?
Chuck Berry's "Deep Feeling"!
@chrook I don't think so...Danny at first played a Les Paul...Roy gave him a Tele like his...they were friends...Danny never looked back...
Danny gets lumped in with the Nashville style Tele guys, but he didn't play anything like them. Raw tone, no compressors, tons of attitude. The Nashville/modern Tele guys are much more "polished" and I really don't think they're as spontaneous.
Danny played super hot with Liz who was real high energy, but he stuck much closer to style much more than on his own stuff where he liked to really mix it up.
After hearing Scotty Anderson Danny said Scotty was the best guitar player he ever heard in his life
Scotty is probably the world's greatest living guitarist; his technique is so jaw-dropping, it perhaps even surpasses Gatton's super powers - but Danny had the edge when it comes to fire.
he is just a fast show off? not as good as tom petty?
Today's Telemaster would have to be Redd Volkaert. Definitely not Vince Gill or Brad Paisley or Keith Urban. Johnny Hiland used to play a Tele but has moved on. But his clips playing one are phenomenal. I'd love to have heard the three of them together. Can't say one is better, but it would be one hell of a show for sure.
Dude-- how dare you you knock vince, brad or keith. all can rip and sing!
You need to check out a dude named Sturgill Simpson. He is a fine talent but he has a telemaster that plays with him now named Laur Joamas I believe that's the correct spelling. He is from Estonia and he is the real thing ! They never have a pedal steel on stage but you would never know that if your eyes are closed ! Serious Musician !
Nice style...Triplet isn't it?
This is rarely heard from artists.
Walton Rottos also play this Triple sound style...
Advance, fresh...
I always wondered whatever happened to DG 😳🙄✝️😭now I know 😢my last name is defrancesco ,I play rock blues metal...anything that moves me😅 my father played country west.rockabilly n knew bill Hailey😳💥🔥🎸⚡iam from Norristown .I was listening to joey Defrancesco n D Patton last night...wonder if iam related to joe n jonhny😂⚡🎸🔥💥😳🙄✝️😎☮️♾️
Ego now deflated !
Yours? Good now practice
hate to say anyone is the best, but I have never seen another person who could play like Danny.
He used high tech effects like a cord an amp but his tone came from his fingers.
Youch!
He sounds like a country Jeff Beck here.
it’s the other way around
What year? Early 80's?
what is that silvery shiny plate behind the bridge on his telecaster?
It's a b-bender
@@aaronsilver294 Thanks - a friend of mine used to use one, but his was pretty much invisible. It was only noticeable by the "slot" up by the strap peg near the neck.
It's where he used to mount his Magic Dingus Box (ask the more technically minded for what it did) which he gave up using because he didn't want to be known for electronic effects.
Holy shit.
Did you know Danny played bass in Roy's band for a while?
Uh...no....actually NO ONE ever knew that until you mentioned it here.
Not true.
That’s funny, Gatton talked about it , in an interview where he tried to downplay Buchannans influence . But you know better than him what he did . Ask Jack Cassidy, who first played bass in Gatton’s band
@@sambac2053 please provide a link to that interview
@@sambac2053 please provide a link to that interview. Danny respected Roy and said he got three things from him. Small jazz picks, using telecasters and also an attitude towards playing. THAT you can find in the Unknown Greats Guitar Player magazine that Danny was on the cover of in 1989. Maybe Danny did Roy a favor and played bass in a gig or recording, but I doubt that. That would have been like having Picasso assisting Bob Ross. Roy was great, but in no way comparable to Danny. Danny was in Lenny Breau’s universe. Roy knew this, which is why Roy would sneak into clubs to watch Danny play. Ted Greene said Danny was the best. If you play guitar and are serious you know who Ted Greene was. And if you play and are serious then you know that Roy was great, but Danny was on another level. From everyone. Btw here is the link to Ted’s interview where he says Danny was the ultimate:
www.tedgreene.com/images/pdf/My_Interview_with_Ted_Greene_-_By_Robert_C_Jones.pdf
How did he do that one thing?
Roy Buchanan must have listened to Danny Gatton a lot ... but never quite got it.
Actually Roy came first, and Danny owned Roy’s telecaster at one point.
You are right. After Roy became aware of Danny and vice versa, Roy listened to Danny quite a bit. But Roy couldn’t play Danny’s stuff…very few that ever lived could have. Scotty Anderson could, maybe Brent Mason. Not Roy.
Man id give anything to be even half as good as he was
pm me... I have what you are after...meet me at The Cross Roads...
something about the tele player
imagine soloing that long and keeping it interesting without mudding it up with a ton of effects to make the same passage sound different just a guy, a tele,echo pedal and fender amp done. oh and 1 meg tone pot for the wah sound
Doctors have Med school, guitarists have Danny Gatton.
Buchanan got it from Gatton, not the other way around
also the notion that Roy played no rockabilly is just not accurate. He was the guitar player in Dale Hawkins' band in the 50s
So less IS more....
The other guitar is out of tune and the chord progression seems disjointed during the sax solo but Danny is Danny.