Here`s a good, country electric guitar record. Jackie got started as a professional musician in the late 40`s by my estimation. He could play about anything. I have heard recordings with him on 5-string banjo playing "sort of bluegrass" with what I believe to be 2 finger picking. He was also a good lap steel picker. I think I have saw a film clip of him playing lap steel with Lonzo & Oscar before. Probably the best place to look for Jackie early in his career is in the old Gannaway Country Show films from about 1952 -1955-ish where he plays electric lead guitar in some episodes on a pretty strangely shaped guitar. He wasn`t the very best electric guitarist, but in the 50`s was likely in the top 10 in country music. He also done studio session musician work in the 50`s and 60`s, so there`s no telling how many times we may have heard him and didn`t know it was him. He played in Roy Acuff`s Smoky Mountain Boys for most of the 60`s, possibly starting in the late 50`s.
What Jackie is most famous for though was his career on Hee Haw. He temed up with Jimmie Riddle to do the Eeephin` & Hambone act. Hambone is a technique of slapping various body parts with your hand (or hands) to make "music", mostly a rhythm technique. Jackie was the Hambone part of the act. There is some videos on You Tube of them from Hee Haw doing their act.
Enjoy this one!
Click here to download Jackie Phelps - Golden Guitar Classics
I baught this record back when it first came out some great guitar work. one of the best performances I ever seen was Jackie backing Granda Jones. Jackie stood there and played Mere Travis style licks Grandpa played rythum guitar and sang a slow ballad loke only Grandpa could do. Great stuff. Thanks Floyd
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. I think Phelp's two-finger banjo was pretty solidly bluegrass, as demonstrated by this amazing clip:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXkwthWiMFk&feature=related
Thanks for a all the great stuff!
I believe the guitar is a Fender Jaguar. Used frequently for surf music.
ReplyDeleteHello from FRANCE!Hope i'm writing okay!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your efforts ,to keep those artists alive.Your blog's amazing!
Just started a guitar blog with country guitar stuff like buck owens etc..if you play,come check it out.Maybe i could transcribed some of the lp's you post and share that culture even more widely
Take care
This is the kind of stuff us bloggers hope for. I am anxious to hear it, and whether great or not so great, I really appreciate the opportunity to hear classic, hard to find music like this. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI seen Jackie, backing "Stringbean" on the Opry,at the Ryman,about 1970. He was Travis-Style picking a Red electric,Gibson Guitar, like Chuck Berry,plays. Just the two of them. That was my first notice of Jackie,when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteThat would`ve been great to see!
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