Danny Gatton
| Danny Gatton | |
|---|---|
Danny with his "Mother of Toilet Seat" Telecaster.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Daniel Wood Gatton Jr. |
| Born |
September 4, 1945 Washington, D.C. |
| Died | October 4, 1994 (aged 49) Newburg, Maryland |
| Genres | Blues, rockabilly, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1960–1994 |
| Website | dannygatton |
| Notable instruments | |
| Fender Telecaster | |
Daniel Wood Gatton Jr. better known as Danny Gatton, "The Humbler", "The Telemaster", and "The World's Greatest Unknown Guitarist" (September 4, 1945 – October 4, 1994) was an American guitarist who fused blues, rockabilly, jazz, and country to create his own distinctive style called "redneck jazz". When Rolling Stone magazine selected the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time in 2003, senior editor David Fricke ranked Gatton 63rd on his ballot. On May 26, 2010, Gibson.com ranked Gatton as the 27th best guitarist of all time.
Daniel Wood Gatton Jr. was born in Washington, D.C. His father, Daniel W. Gatton Sr., was a rhythm guitarist known for his unique percussive style, who left his musical career to support his family with a more stable profession. The younger Gatton grew up to share his father's passion for the instrument.
Danny Gatton began his career playing in bands while still a teenager. He began to attract wider interest in the 1970s while playing guitar and banjo for the group Liz Meyer & Friends. He made his name as a performer in the Washington, DC, area during the late 1970s and 1980s, both as a solo performer and with his Redneck Jazz Explosion, in which he traded licks with virtuoso pedal steel player Buddy Emmons over a tight bass-drums rhythm that drew from blues, country, bebop, and rockabilly influences. He also backed rockabilly singer Robert Gordon and country music star Roger Miller. He contributed a cover of Apricot Brandy, a song by Elektra Records-supergroup Rhinoceros, to the 1990 compilation album Rubáiyát.
Gatton's playing combined musical styles such as blues, rockabilly, jazz, and country in an innovative fashion, called "redneck jazz" which earned him the nickname The Telemaster. He was also called The World's Greatest Unknown Guitarist and The Humbler, based on his ability to out-play any guitarist brave enough to compete against him in "head-cutting" jam sessions.Amos Garrett, guitar player for singer Maria Muldaur, gave Gatton his "Humbler" nickname. A photo published in the October 2007 issue of Guitar Player magazine shows Gatton playing in front of a neon sign that says "Victims Wanted."
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Wikipedia