Roy Buchanan

Roy Buchanan
Buchanan performing at the Pinecrest Country Club in Shelton, Connecticut, 1978
Background information
Birth name	Leroy Buchanan
Born	(1939-09-23)September 23, 1939 Ozark, Arkansas, US
Died	August 14, 1988(1988-08-14) (aged 48) Fairfax, Virginia, US
Genres	Blues, blues rock, electric blues, rock and roll, rockabilly, country
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, bass, vocals
Years active	1958–1988
Labels	Polydor, Atlantic, Alligator
Associated acts	Robbie Robertson, Danny Gatton, Dale Hawkins, Danny Denver, The Snakestretchers, The British Walkers
Notable instruments
1953 Fender Telecaster "Nancy"

Roy Buchanan (September 23, 1939 – August 14, 1988) was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan worked as both a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still considered a highly influential guitar player.Guitar Player praised him as having one of the "50 Greatest Tones of all Time." He appeared on the PBS music program Austin City Limits in 1977 during Season 2.

Leroy Buchanan was born in Ozark, Arkansas, and was raised there and in Pixley, California, a farming area near Bakersfield. His father was a sharecropper in Arkansas and a farm laborer in California. Buchanan told interviewers that his father was also a Pentecostal preacher, a note repeated in Guitar Player magazine but disputed by his older brother J.D. Buchanan told how his first musical memories were of racially mixed revival meetings he attended with his mother Minnie. "Gospel," he recalled, "that's how I first got into black music." He in fact drew upon many disparate influences while learning to play his instrument (though he later claimed his aptitude derived from being "half-wolf"). He initially showed talent on steel guitar before switching to guitar in the early 50s, and started his professional career at age 15, in Johnny Otis's rhythm and blues revue.

In 1958, Buchanan made his recording debut with Dale Hawkins, including playing the solo on "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Two years later, during a tour through Toronto, Buchanan left Dale Hawkins to play for his cousin Ronnie Hawkins and tutor Ronnie's guitar player, Robbie Robertson. Buchanan plays bass on the Ronnie Hawkins single, "Who Do You Love?". Buchanan soon returned to the U.S. and Ronnie Hawkins' group later gained fame as The Band.