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Chapter 13: Blues Rock: The Infusion of Ol’ Rock ’n’ Roll
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Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd became the next southern supergroup, thanks to the 1974
smash, “Sweet Home Alabama.” Skynyrd had three fine guitarists: Ed King,
Gary Rossington, and Allen Collins. Rossington and Collins can be heard tearing
up the concert favorite “Freebird.”
Skynyrd guitarist Ed King is notable for a squealing, edgy tone (thanks to an
electronic compressor), and for punching up the blues bends dramatically.
King’s solo in this song is inspired, yet controversial, because many claim
that it’s “in the wrong key.” The song (whose first chord is D) is actually in
the key of D. King himself admitted that he approached the solo as if it were
in G, but most people agree the song is in D. Yet the solo seems to work
anyway, and the song and King’s solo both go down in history as one of the
great events for guitar.
Hot Barbecue Blues, Texas Style
Head due west to land smack in the middle of the musical hotbed of Texas. The
Lone Star State has a long history of acclaimed blues artists (T-Bone Walker)
and country-jazzers (Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys). Not surprisingly, there
are also a zillion great rock guitarists from the great state of Texas:
Eric Johnson (“Cliffs of Dover”)
Jimmie Vaughan (heard on the Fabulous Thunderbirds hit “Wrap It Up”
and “Tuff Enuff”)
David Grissom (with John Mellencamp, Joe Ely, Storyville, Dixie Chicks)
But the artists in the next sections have made significant contributions to the
blues through their efforts in the blues rock arena.
Johnny Winter, Texas blues-rock titan
Blues-rock guitarist Johnny Winter exploded out of Texas in 1968 and proceeded
to become one of the top concert draws of the early ’70s. Winter was
a virtuosic soloist who played with a thumbpick, and his speedy leads lit up a
number of gold albums.
TEAM LinG