The more discerning music lover will already be familiar
with Clarence White. As an innovator, his unique finger picking guitar style
was honed from years of playing traditional acoustic country, bluegrass, and
folk music with a number of bands, most notably The Kentucky Colonels, and
working on high profile studio sessions during the mid to late 1960s.
However, it was his move from acoustic to almost wholly electric guitar where
Clarence White makes his greatest impact and the perceived wisdom is that he found
his greatest creativity and freedom playing electric. So, in my humble opinion Clarence White
did much more than introduce breath taking guitar playing to a rock audience,
but he managed to influence and move forward two entire genres of music simultaneously.
Recording-wise Clarence White is probably best known for his
work with The Byrds (Dr Byrd & Mr
Hyde’, 1969 – and the aforementioned studio sessions), who he joined in
1967, and of course The Kentucky Colonels (1961-1965). However, for me any of
his collaborations with Gib Guilbeau and Gene Parsons stand out; the Nashville West sessions (1967) remains on
my list of desert island discs, and one record I recommend you listen to if you
have not already done so.
The Reasons (from left to right): Clarence White, Wayne Moore, Gene Parsons,Gib Guilbeau
Photo courtesy of Alec Palao
CW - Grandma Funderbunk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3tl3APQtyo
Nashville West - Ode To Billie Joe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLTMu6uaqHI
Gosdin Brothers - Tell Me (listen to CW guitar at end)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDUKKaRw9wE
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