Now hear this!

Five tracks that testify to the genius of roy Buchanan.

Sweet DreamS

Roy Buchanan (1972)

This instrumental version of Don Gibson’s country ballad finds Buchanan unloading his entire trick bag of extreme bends, volume and tone control rolling, super-fast blues runs and harmonic squeals. Just mind-blowing. And this from a man who once said: “I never thought that much about my playing. I was adequate.”

roy’S Bluz

Live Stock (1975)

It’s not just a clever title. This is just yer classic slow blues thing, until Roy loses it with a solo that Joe Bonamassa describes as “coming at you like a dagger”. The album, recorded at New York City Town Hall in November ‘74, was a huge influence on Jeff Beck, who dedicated Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers on his ‘75 album Blow By Blow to Buchanan.

Filthy teDDy Second Album (1973) It’s not so much the tune, a kind of bouncy barroom blues, as what Buchanan does with it. It kicks off with some extreme yet vocal string bending before he and the band settle into a groove. Just when you think you know where he’s going with his lead playing, he darts off somewhere unexpected.

i’m a loneSome Fugitive

Roy Buchanan (1972)

Buchanan’s faux pedal-steel playing on this old Merle Haggard classic is just awesome. The string bending is precise yet never clinical, and little harmonic squeals and volume swells add to the old-school Bakersfield country vibe. Also check out the Jerry Reed-esque country funk of Cajun from the same album. Dayamm!

Stormy monDay

The Prophet (2004)

A blistering version of T-Bone Walker’s 1947 classic shows what Buchanan is capable of when having his wicked way with a welltrodden blues tune. Included on his longtime unreleased first album it features his beloved Telecaster Nancy blasting her warm treble through a fuzz box.