OG Shredders

[metropolis_4]

I'm on this '50s kick right now and reconnecting with some of the electric guitar players from that era.

Taking a look at some of the OG electric guitar shredders from the days before distortion and effects.

Joe Maphis:




Jimmy Bryant:




Danny Cedrone:




Les Paul:




Tal Farlow:




Who are some others?

 

[metropolis_4]

One more Jimmy Bryant just because I love the stuff he and Speedy West did together

 

[metropolis_4]

Technically this recording was later ('70s) but still he was around in the '50s (even if he was more worried about getting high and chasing girls than playing guitar at the time) so I feel like he deserves honorary mention

 

[Alex Kenivel]

 

[Stone]

a little later on

 

[la szum]

Super cool thread.

 

[Fireproof]

You can’t have an OG Shredders thread without Roy Clark!!!

Check him out:

 

[TSJMajesty]

You beat me to posting that same clip of Roy Clark. He could've been a metal shredder with that right hand!

Glen Campbell is another. And of course Chet Adkins was a monster player, but in a different way.

And if you guys have never checked out Terry Kath, do yourself a favor. Jimi Hendrix said something to the effect of he thought he was better than he was.

 

[Fireproof]

You beat me to posting that same clip of Roy Clark. He could've been a metal shredder with that right hand!

Glen Campbell is another. And of course Chet Adkins was a monster player, but in a different way.

And if you guys have never checked out Terry Kath, do yourself a favor. Jimi Hendrix said something to the effect of he thought he was better than he was.

Ahh yes - Glen Campbell also came to mind. Those guys are just legends.

In fact - it was those early Hee Haw days that got John5 interested in guitar in the first place, I believe. Fun to go back and watch those guys.

Speaking of Terry Kath - his lead playing on 25 or 6 to 4 is one of my all time favorites. Man he just rips and it’s perfect for the song in every way.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Ahh yes - Glen Campbell also came to mind. Those guys are just legends.

In fact - it was those early Hee Haw days that got John5 interested in guitar in the first place, I believe. Fun to go back and watch those guys.

Yep! It wasn't until I got a bit older that I came to appreciate more than just the musicians on that show. Hehe

Speaking of Terry Kath - his lead playing on 25 or 6 to 4 is one of my all time favorites. Man he just rips and it’s perfect for the song in every way.

Mine too!! I can play some eyebrow-raising stuff of my own, but that's one of those solos that I just gave up on trying to learn. I cannot hammer-on/pull-off nearly as fast as he does, and his note choices are so

 

[TSJMajesty]

Live version. Just imagine if he had some distortion! haha

 

[metropolis_4]

You can’t have an OG Shredders thread without Roy Clark!!!

Check him out:

Love Roy Clark! I wanted to add this one to the OP but I hit the media limit:



Worth watching to where they go into double time

Live version. Just imagine if he had some distortion! haha

I believe that is Franny Beecher

 

[hippietim]

The octaves in this...

 

[hippietim]

Danny and Buddy were unreal

 

[Fireproof]

Danny Gatton!

 

[JiveTurkey]

You can’t have an OG Shredders thread without Roy Clark!!!

Check him out:

If we're going this route; how about the greatest ACL clip there ever was. Barring SRV but I like this better

 

[hippietim]

 

[tekbow]

Uli, doing 80's neo classical super shredding before the 80's.

 

[metropolis_4]

To pull us out of the 70s-80s and back towards the 50s:

These guys may not have been the most amazing guitarists of their day, but they definitely had the stage moves down

 

[metropolis_4]

Or if we want to just lean into the 70s thing Holdsworth must be mentioned