“(Jesse Ed Davis) is the cream of the crop; he’s better than Clapton and Hendrix put together,” said Gram Parsons. How’s that for an endorsement? Davis, a brilliant guitarist whose playing was loved by millions, was largely unknown outside the business. In this fascinating biography, Miller, a professor of Native American history and former touring musician, digs into Davis’ complicated life, cut short by a heroin overdose in 1988 at 43.

Davis didn’t want to be defined simply as a Native American; his otherworldly playing spoke for him. He worked with Conway Twitty, Taj Mahal, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Bob Dylan. Typically wielding a Telecaster, he ended up on so many L.A. sessions he couldn’t remember them all. That’s his exceptional electric solo on Jackson Browne’s “Doctor My Eyes” and silky acoustic on Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright).”

Davis released three solo albums, barely making a dent despite an astonishing number of A-list guests. He nearly joined the Rolling Stones, but instead landed with Stewart and the Faces. Tales of Jesse Ed Davis’ guitars and playing techniques can be found throughout this bio, which offers remarkable insight on a troubled soul gone too soon.

This article originally appeared in VG’s November 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.