When A Guitar Plays The Blues

Ever grab a 300-pound alley cat by the tail? Imagine that, and then you've got a handle on the unfettered fury of a Roy Buchanan guitar solo. His soul shaking leads, shimmering tone, and a repertoire of snaps, snarls and wails have earned him an undying following among fans and fellow musicians alike. You'd never guess that behind the quiet gaze and pepper-and-salt whiskers lurks one of America's gutsiest and most technically awesome guitarists. Criss Johnson (rhythm guitarist on this album) was amazed by Roy's outward calm after hearing him tear through Chicago Smokeshop. "Yeah, " replied Roy in his slight Southern accent, "but I'm screaming inside."

The emotionally charged Buchanan sound is rooted in the gospel rhythms Roy heard at revival meetings while growing up on a farm in central California. And late at night, he was absorbing the hard-driving blues, R&B and country that were beaming northward on the border radio stations. At the age of seven, Roy was already picking out Hit Parade favorites on a lap-held steel guitar. By 13, he had switched to electric, and two years later he hit the rock 'n roll highway heading for L.A. to seek out R&B kingpin Johnny Otis and the groundbreaking guitarist Jimmy Nolen.