Roy Buchanan (September 23, 1939 - August 14, 1988) was an American guitarist and blues musician, and was considered a soulful master of the electric guitar.
Early career
Roy Buchanan's musical career began in Pixley, California. His father was a farmer and Pentecostal preacher and Buchanan's first musical memories were of racially-mixed revival meetings his family would attend. "Gospel," he recalls, "that's how I first got into black music".
In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's bass player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan split.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing countless gigs as a sideman with nameless rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians as diverse as pop idol Freddy Cannon and country star Merle Kilgore.
Recording career
His groundbreaking 1962 cut with drummer Bobby Gregg , "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan harmonics. In the mid-'60's, exhausted by life on the road, Roy settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own group, The Snakestretchers .
In 1971, already riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included accolades from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan became famous nationally as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show won Roy a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He cut five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing virtually every major rock concert hall and festival. The major labels gave him fame and fortune, but no artistic freedom. Finally, disgusted with the over-production forced on his music, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues , was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio; it was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts with a bullet and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with accolades and plenty of four star reviews.
His second Alligator LP, DANCING ON THE EDGE, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring a generous dose of Buchanan's trademark guitar pyrotechnics and three cuts with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton , won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, HOT WIRES, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest , and seasoned studio greats Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this classic album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and one of Chicago's outstanding female blues belters, Kanika Kress .
Legacy
Buchanan's long-term alcohol problem worsened with time, culminating in a domestic dispute with his wife at their Reston, Virginia home in 1988. She called the police, who arrested Buchanan. Several hours later Buchanan was found hanged in his cell. His cause of death was officially recorded as suicide, a finding disputed by some of Buchanan's friends and family.
Roy's musical career took him from underground club gigs in the sixties and seventies to national television, gold record sales, and worldwide tours in the eighties with the likes of Lonnie Mack , the Allman Brothers, and many other blues/rock guitar icons.
Even posthumously, he commands the ardent respect of his fellow guitarists and a devoted army of fans. The Buchanan sound is totally unique: heartbreaking, searing solos, trademark shimmering tone, and a mixture of snarls, wails and squeals that mark him as a wizard of the instrument. He was a pioneer in the use of controlled harmonics, and although this technique has been used by rock's greatest guitarists, especially Jeff Beck, Robbie Robertson, and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, all acknowledge Buchanan as the master.
Discography
- Buch & The Snakestretchers, 1971, Bioya
- Roy Buchanan and the Snakestretchers, 1972, Bioya
- Roy Buchanan, 1972, Polydor
- Second Album, 1973, Polydor
- That's What I Am Here For, 1974, Polydor
- In the Beginning, 1974, Polydor
- Live Stock, 1975, Polydor
- Rescue Me, 1975, Polydor
- Street Called Straight, 1976, Atlantic
- Loading Zone, 1977, Atlantic
- Live in U.S.A. & Holland 77-85 - Silver Shadow CD 9104
- You're Not Alone, 1978, Atlantic
- Live in Japan - 1977 (Rel 1978) Polydor MPF 1105
- My Babe, 1981, AJK
- When a Guitar Plays the Blues, 1985, Alligator
- Live - Charly Blues Legend vol. 9 85-87 - Charly Schallplatten GMBH - CBL 758*
- Dancing on the Edge, 1986, Alligator
- Hot Wires, 1987, Alligator
- Early Years, 1989, Krazy Kat
- Sweet Dreams: The Anthology, 1992, Polydor
- Guitar on Fire: Atlantic Sessions, 1993, Rhino
Last updated: 08-24-2005 15:20:58
