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Artists
Webb Wilder’s take on “Beautiful Delilah”
“Hillbilly Speedball” sample Since the mid ’80s, Webb Wilder has cranked out consistently fine roots-rock. His latest is “Hillbilly Speedball,” and here he grabs his ’61 Gibson ES-330TD plugged into a narrow-panel Fender Vibrolux to…
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Shawn Purcell’s Jazz from the East (Coast)
Influences Aplenty! A child of the ’80s, Shawn Purcell grew up listening to Stern, Scofield, and Metheny alongside Zeppelin, Van Halen, Yngwie, and Vai. Here, he shares a take on “Gentle Giant,” using his Benedetto Pat Martino signature model with custom finish. It’s plugged into a Tomas Jackson Musical Electronics PrinceTwin. The song is from his…
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Jorge Garcia’s FM Anthems, in Jazz
Fresh takes on revered classics Joge Garcia’s “Still Crossing” is a collection of stellar instrumental performances of familiar tunes like “Kashmir,” “Little Wing,” and a classical spin through Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” Here, though, he shows us the title track, which is the only original tune. His ’87 Fender D’Aquisto is plugged into a…
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Fretprints: Wes Montgomery
Full House: Transcendent Jazz Masterpiece
Wes Montgomery is an iconic guitarist – a titan in the jazz genre. Boasting a style as unique and inimitable as Django Reinhardt or Jimi Hendrix, he burst upon the scene in 1960 and immediately redefined the sound and attitude of modern jazz guitar. Montgomery’s records for the Riverside label inspired countless musicians before he…
Brian May
Thinking Man's Guitarist
Brian May is indubitably one of the most talented and influential musicians of his generation. His songs and guitar riffs carved an important place in rock and roll history. Long…
Bob Bain
The Silent Giant
His name may be unfamiliar to even the most shrewd audiophile and TV/movie buff, but his clean, economic, and tasteful guitar style has filled the ears and hearts of millions.…
Joe Long’s “stack-knob” Fender Jazz Bass
If you’re a fan or aficionado of vintage instruments, odds are that any early-’60s Fender Jazz Bass catches your eye. And “lefty” versions are especially intriguing, given their rarity. The…
Jesse Aycock
Oklahoma’s Finest
Super-sideman Jesse Aycock (Hard Working Americans, Elizabeth Cook) has a new self-titled album highlighting his understated (but mindblowing) guitar, slide, and lap steel. Jesse’s singing voice is also surprising –…
John Scofield and his Trio!
Fusion Legend Offers Sample From Latest Album, “Uncle John’s Band” John Scofield and his trio, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart, jammed this exclusive take on “How Deep,” during…
Joe Stump
… And the Holy Trinity of Euro-Metal Guitar
Metal virtuoso Joe Stump believes Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, and Michael Schenker form the holy trinity of European metal guitar. And he should know. Not only has he built…
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Pop ’N Hiss: Grand Funk’s We’re An American Band
Rockin’ Patriots
Thundering out of Michigan in 1969, Grand Funk Railroad quickly became one of the most popular bands in the world. In just three years, vocalist/guitarist Mark Farner, bassist Mel Schacher, and vocalist/drummer Don Brewer released five studio albums, became a major concert attraction, and scored Top 40 hits with “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home),”…
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The Guitars of Gary Rossington
A Legend’s Legacy
When the time came for Gary Rossington’s family to decide what to do with his guitars and amps after his passing in March of 2023, daughters Mary and Annie along with his wife, Dale, looked for advice from his lifelong friend and bandmate, Rickey Medlocke. The stash was considerable – 71 guitars including his famous…
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Wes Beech
Life in The Plasmatics
From the moment he met Rod Swenson and Wendy O. Williams, things for Wes Beech were never really “normal.” Walking into the basement of their loft for an audition, Beech didn’t know he was about to become part of a stage-storming, car-smashing, guitar-chainsawing artistic statement called the Plasmatics. The product of Swenson’s high-functioning mind (if…
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Fretprints: Led Zeppelin
One of the truly classic rock albums, Led Zeppelin’s IV brought together the band’s towering advances achieved with its first three releases. An extraordinary amalgam of blues-rock, progressive aspirations, heavy-metal antecedents, lingering psychedelic overtones, uncommon acoustic colorations, and imaginative orchestration, it remains iconic. Taking cues from – but surpassing – the second wave of the…
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Pop ’N Hiss: Albert King’s Born Under a Bad Sign and Live Wire/Blues Power
Power, Indeed
In February of 1968, Albert King stepped onto the stage of San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium for the first time. With the Jimi Hendrix Experience headlining, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers featuring 19-year-old Mick Taylor, and King as opener, the evening was an embarrassment of guitar riches. “I’d never heard of him,” says Robben Ford, who was 16…
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D.K. Harrell and His ’76 ES-335
B.B. King of the Blues Award winner plays “Liquor Stores and Legs” Winner of the B.B. King of the Blues Award, here D.K. Harrell and his ’76 Gibson ES-355, Christal, are going straight to his Lab Series L-5 for a stripped-down run through “Liquor Stores and Legs.” If you like uptown shuffles, relatable lyrics, and…
Mick Taylor
Shedding Light on the Genius of Mick Taylor
The mid/late 1960s were a fertile and progressive time for rock guitar, with “Swinging London” serving as the birthplace and…
Mike Campbell
Fat-Free Rock and Roll
On External Combustion, Mike Campbell pours on the boogie, pens spellbinding ditties, and leans into a live sound. With ancestral…
Have Guitar Will Travel 077 – Patrick Davis
For Ep 77 of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with Patrick Davis, from Songwriters in Paradise.…
Richie Kotzen
Evolution
NO matter how good you think you are, you’re no Richie Kotzen. Like a superhero, Kotzen uses his powers for…
Nili Brosh
Bright Horizons
The saying goes, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it.” But don’t ask…
Cliff Goodwin
335 Reunion
Cliff Goodwin was catapulted into the big time on a decade-long stint with Joe Cocker that began in the late…
Mary Osborne
Charlie’s Angel
Jazz guitar pioneer Mary Osborne was the only female guitarist to realize a significant impact on jazz in the 1940s…
Tommy Castro
Amped Up
Fans of Tommy Castro might be shocked with some of the guitar tones on his latest record, The Devil You…
Slash
Still Burning
When a poll by BBC Radio tells you you’ve written the second greatest guitar riff of all time, (Jimmy Page’s…
Earl Slick
Zig Zag Back to the Top
Earl Slick landed his dream gig back in 1974, when a friend referred him for a gig with David Bowie,…
Happy Birthday Paul Gilbert
Birthday congrats to Paul Gilbert, who today hits the big 5-0! Paul and his Trio are on tour in support…
Gary Hoey
Reverence and Feel
On Dust & Bones, Gary Hoey continues his foray into blues using one part guitar virtuosity, one part production skill,…
Mitch Easter
The Let's Active Leader's Solo Debut
Photo courtesy Mitch Easter. When “Southern rock” became synonymous with jangly power-pop instead of Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, Mitch…
Lynyrd Skynyrd
30 Years Strong
Gary Rossington leads the charge against the challenge that has always come with being a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The…
“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Tommie James
“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Tommie James Season 01 Episode 05 In Episode 5 of “Buy That Guitar,”…
Eric Johnson
Epiphanies
Eric Johnson’s new release, Europe Liv, is an impressive offering, but you wouldn’t know it from talking to the man…
Michael Bruce
Eighteen Again
Before there was an Alice Cooper, man and solo artist, there was the band called Alice Cooper. From 1969 to…
Thin Lizzy’s Scott Gorham and Vivian Campbell
Live and Still Dangerous!
Thin Lizzy has cemented its place in history as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Recognizable…
Peter Frampton
Part One: The Humble Pie Years
Formed with two formidable front men in Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton, Humble Pie was one of the earliest “supergroups”…
Shane Speal
King of the CBG
In an era of high-tech musical toys, there’s some irony in the fact that the cigar-box guitar – most primitive…
Greg Howe
Best Of Both Worlds
Greg Howe enjoyed a somewhat overwhelming reception when he appeared in the Carvin booth at the January NAMM show. One…
Fareed Haque
Worldly Jazz Virtuoso
Photo courtesy Fareed Haque. Fareed Haque is a jazz-fusion and classical player who’s known for stunning guitarmanship, yet for one…
Ace Frehley dies at 74
As Kiss reached its apex in the mid/late ’70s, “Space Ace” Frehley became the quintessential guitar hero. Supremely influential to…
Freddie Salem
Outlaw On The Trail
The Outlaws weren’t just a great Southern band, but also one of the most intense guitar experiences in all of…
Sue Foley’s Acoustic Blues
Sue’s Classic(al) jam in E Sue Foley improvises some blues with her flamenco guitar made by Francisco Navarro Garcia, in…
