Charlie Christian was one of the best who ever lived and many guitarists don't even know who he was. He was the one who brought single-string lead lines and guitar amplification ... to the Benny Goodman Band ... in 1940. Yah, 1940. (Wiki: Charlie Christian)
Note that Christian is not using a flat-picking (i.e. a single pick) technique but rather is finger picking and you can hear the roots of Django Reinhardt and many others in his play. Keep in mind, 1940!
Charlie Christian came down with tuberculosis sometime in about 1941 and they tried to cure it but he wouldn't slow down. As the story went, they tried to get him to stop playing guitar but he wouldn't do it and not so long after that he died. Charlie Christian was twenty-five years old.
My ol' Dad introduced me to Charlie Christian and he admired that he wouldn't stop playing even though it cost him his life. I admire that as well as what would anyone have him do. So he stops playing, then what. Should he become an accountant; write a book; sail a boat to somewhere that doesn't matter at all.
Here's a taste with "Stompin' at the Savoy" (the pics are only stills)
Note that Christian is not using a flat-picking (i.e. a single pick) technique but rather is finger picking and you can hear the roots of Django Reinhardt and many others in his play. Keep in mind, 1940!
Charlie Christian came down with tuberculosis sometime in about 1941 and they tried to cure it but he wouldn't slow down. As the story went, they tried to get him to stop playing guitar but he wouldn't do it and not so long after that he died. Charlie Christian was twenty-five years old.
My ol' Dad introduced me to Charlie Christian and he admired that he wouldn't stop playing even though it cost him his life. I admire that as well as what would anyone have him do. So he stops playing, then what. Should he become an accountant; write a book; sail a boat to somewhere that doesn't matter at all.
Here's a taste with "Stompin' at the Savoy" (the pics are only stills)
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