Slide guitar specialists

In terms of real specialists, Freddie Roulette is the man (he is an atmospheric ensemble player on lapslide.)

David Lindley is quite good on lapslide. Freddie was his inspiration. David moves the playing to center stage under the spotlight. Freddie is a sideman who provides truly inspired accents. Freddie comes from a different background and is steeped in the blues, and that's many times the blues -- ensemble playing.

There are a lot of technically proficient rising in the ranks (Roy Rogers, Sonny Landreth. Roy is amazing in terms of precision and chops, Sonny a little more tinged towards rock, at least the music of his I've heard). Yet with all this technique, they don't seem to have a lot to say, but at least they are creative about not saying it (If that isn't too harsh).

I think the key for me is to develop a unique voice and gorgeous tone. The most astounding solos are not solos per se but more like accents and dollops here and there scattered across the tracks of those old scratchy blues records.

Lowell George was pretty good, I think, but he tended to repeat himself. That is, his instrumentation was often used for setting down the mood of the piece, or accent the major statement. And of course he provided the obligatory solo the record companies demanded on every rock record of the time. He showed promise, but put his energy and studies elsewhere (lyrics, arranging the stuff that showed up in jams with the Feat that would end up on records, and not everything develops simultaneously.

Ry is good (I loved him on "Performance" soundtrack and his first couple of records thru Paradise and Lunch ... maybe even Bop til you Drop), then he had to keep talking to himself for all those well-paying movie soundtracks and that kind of takes a toll creatively, I think.

Did you hear the Muddy Waters's piece where he imitates cats in heat? Brilliant, brilliant stuff.

Crazy, I haven't ever heard Ben Harper play!!

Bonnie Raitt

I agree with pretty much everything you've said, and thanks for the input.

By the way, David Lindley is one of the guys Ben Harper credits as one of his major influences, and I think he plays and appears in Harper's "Better Way" from "Both Sides Of The Gun".

It seems that Harper's grandparents opened The Claremont Folk Center (still owned by the family) back in the '50s, and when Ben was a kid he got to meet Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. Later he got to actually play with Brownie, in addition to Lindley, Cooder and Taj Mahal. He definitely comes by his musical roots honestly!

Similarly Derek Trucks uncle is Butch Trucks, founding member, original and current drum player for the Allman Brothers Band. Wow.

Yeah! That Folk Music Center was a wonderful oasis! I used to know Ben's grandparents, their kids, and I met Ben right after he was first born, a baby in a bassinet! He had hot little hands even then ... it's true, magic in those little hands ... That was the last time I saw him, though. Yes, I agree he comes to his music honestly and naturally and assumes his rightful place.

Yowsa, the list rolls on ...

Sonny Rhodes (wild very kindly man who used to wear a turban pre-Osama)

JB Hutto (keeping the flame alive)

Johnny Shines (providing the torch for the flame)

Rory Bloch (completely different trip than Bonnie Raitt [who I will always love dearly and respect probably forever]), in so far as Rory's folks owned a folk music store in Greenwich Village, and she and Stephan Grossman studied at the feet of the greats who came in -- Rev Gary Davis, etc. Rory slides with her hands a little like the rugged blues guy Byther Smith)

Up and coming Corey Harris provides very tasteful accents

Technically, Bob Brozman knows all and loves to impart his wisdom to the large school of thought about slide guitar

And I have heard Elliot Ingbar (not on record) play stuff from out of this world. On slide once. Just a taste (tho not slide) is on Tribute to Little Feat with Merry Clayton (the one who sang on "Performance" soundtrack way back then)

I like talking about slide guitar! I will make an effort to check out Derek & Ben now. Where should I start?

Mississippi Fred McDowell

Rainer Ptacek who died much too soon should not be forgotten here. He was a major influence and good friend of Giant Sand's Howe Gelb who dedicated his magnificent Chore of Enchantment to Rainer.

Wow! You really know alot about this genre, and how amazing is it that you've been to the Folk Center and know Harper's grandparents and parents?! I say again, wow! I'm very envious! I'm also starting to get the feeling that you're a pro? ;)

Ben Harper is quickly becoming my favorite contemporary musician, and I just found out about him last summer. Can't believe he's been around for so long. I was a fairly big Pearl Jam fan back in the early 90's, and Ben played with them more than once (I think) back then. I was pretty perma-wasted back then so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a few things got by me ;)

As far as getting info on he and Derek Trucks, I'm a pretty big fan of Wikipedia, and it has good entries on both:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Harper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Trucks

The most recent issue of Guitar World Acoustic has a great article on Ben (also has good ones for Neko Case and Jack Johnson (who I'm fairly certain has called himself somewhat of a protege of Harper)), and likewise, the most recent issue of Guitar Player has a substantial article/interview with Derek Trucks.

Oh yeah, I failed to mention that Trucks is married to Susan Tedeschi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Tedeschi). They have a couple of kids that I think are still too young to start playing, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fart in perfect pitch!

Thanks for mentioning Fred McDowell. Yes, there are some really premium acoustic slide players who inspired everyone who heard them (think only of Son House and Blind Willie). Louisiana Red is still performing, and he has some of that dirty sound carried over into electric and not swamped by the amplification. Johnny Winter did some good work, too, both on acoustic and electric.

Het, Shorty, I just like guitar and used to play, and as the guitar was my instrument that's what I tend to hear first. That's why I hung around the Center, to buy strings (like everyone else in town). Despite its unassuming presence, the folk music center made a major portion of the glue that held the music scene (and people) together in the little town. It was a very special place, really, that way, and I have fond memories.

Funny, though, Bob Brozman's parents ran a folk music club in Greenwich Village, too, so being immersed in music early on can't but help (unless you want to grow up and do other peoples tax forms for a living). What was so nice about the folk music center was that it was an oasis in the land of professional conformists ... this was back when there was a community, or a notion of community, you see.

I will check out Ben & Derek for sure. For now, what I think is cool are things like Alex's surprising entry, about a person I'd never heard of and who shouldn't be overlooked! What's with this Rainer guy, Alex?

Rainer had a very distinct and emotional way of playing his National guitar. Deeply rooted in the blues esp. from the delta but somehow transcending it. Earthly and human. The kind of music he made was not limited to one style. His last album Alpaca Lips was meditative and could be almost called ambient. The last album I got by him and his band (Rainer & Das Combo), The Texas Tapes is rocking in a ZZ Top way. Here is an article about him with many sound samples. The tribute album The Inner Flame Howe Gelb and others made where they covered Rainer songs to collect money for him after his brain tumor was detected (he didn't have a medica insurance) is absolutely gorgeous. This is his official site.

I could imagine that some people have a problem with his voice. Personally I love it. It's not very tuneful but there is a lot of blues in it. A little bit like Dylan, maybe.

Thanks, Alex! I will check him out for certain once I get to a computer with speakers! I'm curious, how ever did you find him?

Via Giant Sand. As I just read he was even in the first incarnation of the band from the early 80s where they sounded a little like the Gun Club. I had forgotten about that.

Goods ones to be found on Arhoolie, John Littlejohn and Earl Hooker. Some good riffs to ride in there.

Thanks to everyone, you've given me a wealth of slide folks to investigate!

I just started teaching myself to play guitar last summer, and while I enjoy all aspects of it, it's when my my fretting hand and fingers get sore (I'm 38 and have tendonitis from various jobs and sports) that I pull out the slide that I have the most fun. If I continue to improve, someday I may actually get a lap-slide geetar, but for now it's just bottleneck style ;)

of the younger guys besides trucks, luther dickinson can play pretty meaty slide.

Robert Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson
Son House
Jeremy Spencer

...and my favorite, Charley Patton.

George Harrison.

Ben Keith?

Tampa Red

Zoot Horn Rollo!!!

i wanna get a lap steel. or build one! super easy, apparently.

Hound Dog Taylor.
Robert Nighthawk.

Hound Dog once said he wanted this carved on his gravestone: "He couldn't play shit, but he sure made it sound good." Check out the only know video of him here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5qx74u-mNo

Nighthawk's Live on Maxwell Street is one of my favorite blues records of all time -- he was Delta as shit but also had a sophisticated jazzy side.

Warren Haynes is also a really good slide guitar player, although it is not his predominant style like Derek Trucks. Haynes is a bit different than most slide players in that he plays in standard and not an open tuning.

Derek Trucks is a freak, that guy is so good. Trucks lead on "Desdemona" on the last Allman Brothers album is amazing, the guy pulls out a couple of runs on that one that sounded like a Atlantic period Coltrane solo. I've heard a bit of Trucks' bands music on the radio, but I want to check out some of their records.

I have been really suprised by how good the last Allman Brothers album Hittin' the Note, you would think that losing Dickie Betts would be the end, but Trucks and Haynes are really great. All of the studio albums they have made since reforming are pretty good, but I think this last one is the best since the Duane Allman days.

Joe Walsh's slide guitar is featured in some of his biggest hits like "Rocky Mountain Way", "The Confessor" and some of those Eagles songs he played upon.

i'm partial to the works of rev.'s utah smith ("two wings"!) and lonnie farris, who both can be heard on the exceptional document cd "slide guitar gospel," absolutely burning hot shit!

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000000J8A.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Black Ace

Vg