The six-string guitar is a relatively modern instrument. Whilst acoustic guitars with four or five strings had been used to play classical music for several centuries, the guitar really came to the fore, as the electric guitar, in the early sixties with the advent of the rock/pop group.
Early 20th century users of the guitar were, of course, The Beatles, The Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas and a dozen other Merseybeat groups. Bands from elsewhere in the UK, such as The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, The Dave Clark Five, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Animals and many more, also emerged around the same time.
Across the Atlantic similar developments were taking place with bands such as The Beach Boys, The Eagles, The Loving Spoonful and Buffalo Springfield. These had been preceded by the likes of Bill Haley and the Comets, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Eddie Cochrane and Chuck Berry.
As for drummers, we all know that they are crucial, along with the bass guitarist, for keeping the band together. But, from the sixties onwards, the drum solo caught on and brought drummers more to the attention of music fans. Prior to the sixties boom we had only heard of Buddy Rich.
So, let's explore my personal choice of guitarists and drummers.
I was born in 1950, so I was a teenager in the sixties with my transistor radio, Radio Luxembourg, the pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline and eventually Radio One.
I remember hearing the start-up of Radio One in the VI Form Common Room. I think the first record played was "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas.
The best guitarists?
Andrés Segovia – This Spaniard from Linares became the greatest classical guitar-player of all time. His interpretation of works by Albéniz, Granados, Torroba, Villa-Lobos and others is stunning. Pupils include the Britons Julian Bream and John Williams (qv).
Segovia's contribution to the modern-romantic repertoire included not only commissions but also his own transcriptions of classical or baroque works.
In recognition of his contributions to music and the arts, Segovia was ennobled on 24 June 1981 by King Juan Carlos I, receiving the hereditary title of Marqués de Salobreña. He died in 1987 aged 94.
Andres Segovia: Estudio Sin Luz - Classical Guitar (Francesco Teopini) (youtube.com)
Brian May – Lead guitarist of Queen, his spectacular playing of the National Anthem from the roof of Buckingham Palace in 2002 as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, confirmed this astrophysicist as one of the greatest guitarists ever.
Brian May God Save the Queen - Buckingham Palace 2002 (youtube.com)
Carlos Santana – This Mexican-American is now 77 years old and still performing. As front man of the Latin/Rock band Santana his unique style and consummate playing hooked me when I was a student in the late 60s/early 70s. Definitely in my top five.
Santana IV - Black Magic Woman [2016] (youtube.com)
Eric Clapton – A great guitarist – albeit not my favourite – he has been a disappointment as a human being. From his “dogged pursuit” of Patti Boyd, his friend ex-Beatle George Harrison’s wife, to the mysterious death of his four-year-old son, Conor, I can not forgive him for walking away from Blind Faith, arguably the greatest of the supergroups, after just one album and one tour.
Eric Clapton - Tears In Heaven (Official Video) (youtube.com)
Hank B. Marvin – As lead guitarist of The Shadows, originally Cliff Richard’s backing group, in the early 60s Marvin was the forerunner of great guitar players. Between 1960 and 1963 The Shadows clocked up five number ones in the charts with Apache, Kon Tiki, Wonderful Land, Dance On and Foot Tapper. They also recorded the musical soundtrack of the film "The Deer Hunter" (1978) directed by Michael Cimino and starring Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep.
The Shadows - Apache (1960) 4K (youtube.com)
Jimmy Page – A pupil of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Page left to form Led Zeppelin, who enjoyed huge success, a lot of it down to Page’s fabulous guitar playing. “Whole Lotta Love” was chosen as the theme tune for the long-running BBC chart show Top of the Pops.
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (Official Music Video) (youtube.com)
Joe Walsh – As lead guitarist of the Californian soft-rock band The Eagles he made a massive contribution to their fifth and greatest album Hotel California (1976). Unfortunately, tensions within the group – Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B Schmit and Walsh – caused the band to split in 1980.
Joe Walsh Hotel California solo (youtube.com)
John Williams – A disciple of Andrés Segovia, who famously dubbed Williams 'prince of the guitar' when the 17-year-old boy made his Wigmore Hall debut in 1958. This Australian-born maestro was also greatly influenced by his father Len, who could also play to a high standard. Williams has become the greatest classical guitarist of his generation. Many years ago, I saw him live in a lunchtime concert at the intimate theatre-in-the-round The Royal Exchange in Manchester. Just brilliant. Now 83 years of age, he has retired from touring, but still plays his guitar every day.
John Williams: Isaac Albeniz - Asturias (Leyenda) Part 7/9 (youtube.com)
Peter Green – Yet another guitarist who attended John Mayall’s “finishing school”, he left Mayall to form Fleetwood Mac with Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass guitar. As basically a blues band they had a remarkable series of big hits, including Albatross, Black Magic Woman, Man of the World, Oh Well, and The Green Manalishi, before Green fried his brains on a drug-fuelled weekend in Germany and disappeared for a good decade, languishing in therapy. His attempts at a comeback failed. He died in 2020 aged 73.
Peter Green-Fleetwood Mac- Albatross- (youtube.com)
Best drummer?
Buddy Rich - Bernard "Buddy" Rich (1917 – 1987) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was known as "the world's greatest drummer" and was highly regarded for his virtuoso technique, power, groove, and speed. He was born in New York and died from heart failure in Los Angeles, California, aged 69.
Buddy Rich drum solo 1974 Wolf Trap - West Side Story (youtube.com)
Carl Palmer - From the legendary supergroup ELP, namely Keith Emerson (The Nice), Greg Lake (King Crimson) and Carl Palmer (Atomic Rooster). ELP's tracks were very long and often included a drum solo by Palmer. He is the only surviving member of ELP. Emerson and Lake both died in 2016, aged 72 and 69.
Best Drummer Of All Time! Carl Palmer Drum Solo Live (youtube.com)
Ginge
r Baker - Baker is regarded by many, including himself, as the greatest rock drummer of all time. I can't agree, I'm afraid. Baker played with two supergroups: Cream, with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, and Blind Faith, with Clapton, Stevie Winwood (Spencer Davis Group and Traffic) and Ric Grech (Family).
Blind Faith - Do What You Like (youtube.com)
John Bonham - John Bonham was the drummer with several unsuccessful groups before being recommended by the vocalist Robert Plant for the newly formed Led Zeppelin, alongside himself as singer, guitarist Jimmy Page (qv) and bass guitarist John Paul Jones. Bonham was reckoned at the time to be the hardest hitter of a drum that there was, yet he introduced new ways of playing and is now considered to be amongst the greatest. He died very young from inhaling his own vomit after drinking to excess. He was only 32.
Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick Drum Solo (Madison Square Garden 1973) (youtube.com)
Keith Moon - Keith John Moon (1946 – 1978) was an English musician who was the drummer for the 70s rock band The Who. Regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music, he was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour. He died aged 32, the same age as John Bonham (qv).
Keith Moon Drum Solo (youtube.com)
Mick Fleetwood - I'm not sure if Mick Fleetwood is a great drummer, but he has longevity. Briefly with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, he went on to become the Fleetwood in Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Following Green's disappearance after a bad acid trip, Fleetwood went to America with John McVie and Christine Perfect where they hooked up with Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The addition of this pair gave the band a more pop rock sound and their 1975 album Fleetwood Mac topped the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.
Mick Fleetwood on Drums (youtube.com)
Paul McCartney – When fellow-Beatle John Lennon was asked by an American journalist whether Ringo Starr was the best drummer in the world, Lennon replied: "He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles!" Legend has it that he was referring to Paul McCartney, a drummer before he became a bass guitarist.
After the break-up of The Beatles in 1970, McCartney formed Wings with Denny Laine from the original Moody Blues.
Paul McCartney on Drums (youtube.com)
Ringo Starr - Despite the above anecdote, Ringo was a great drummer. He was poached from Rory Storm and the Hurricanes after The Beatles sacked Pete Best for not being good enough. Starr (real name Richard Starkey) was technically extremely proficient and kept The Beatles “tight”, along with bassist Paul McCartney.
Post-Beatles Ringo married Bond-girl Barbara Bach and moved to California, where he still records and tours, despite being 84 years of age!
Ringo Starr Shows How to play Ticket to Ride, Come Together and Back off Boogaloo - YouTube
© The Culture Vulture
Acknowledgements:
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Classical Guitar Magazine
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