In the 80s and 90s I saw hundreds of the best guitarists live--Vai, Satriani, Malmsteem, Eric Johnson, Stanley Jordan, EVH, Al dimeola, Shawn Lane, Steve Howe, Andre Segovia... I could go on for hours...and I took lessons from John Petrucci back then. I can say without hesitation that Danny was far and away the greatest player I ever saw, his live shows just don't get captured in the videos, you had to be there 6 feet from the stage. His shows were like a mecca for great musicians who came to see him play. One of a kind, GOAT.
That's saying a lot, because Shawn Lane was probably the most technically proficient and fastest of them all. That guy could play it all from virtuosic diminished shred licks, to jazz, to country, to blues.
@@BluesDeville Yep shawn was the fastest for sure! But all of those greats could pretty much play anything from jazz, blues to classical and Rock. Malmsteen, Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Shawn lane. I think a rarity is the chicken picking and rockabilly ish picking danny could also do with such ease. That stuff is HARD to play. Van Halen will always have a special place in my heart because he was just a genius in everything. Building guitars, building gear, writing music, playing the guitar and the piano. Overall i could never decide between any of them because their abilities were all inhuman and each one has their very special uniqueness. Danny was and always will be one of the greatest to ever do it, thats for sure.
Gatton was the kind of player that would cause the greatest players on the planet to gawk with their chin’s hitting the floor in astonishment at what Gatton could do with a guitar. Check out the video of Gatton playing a show with Vince Gill and Alvin Lee. Gill and Lee are as good as anybody when it comes to the guitar. When Gatton gets his time to shine in that show, both Lee and Gill have that same crazy grin looking at what Gatton could do. I hope he had some inkling of what joy he gave the world. Depression is a horrible disease and it is hard to explain the pain it causes to someone who has never had to battle it. Hopefully, Gatton found some peace and part of the reward for those who get to paradise is that they get to hear Gatton again.
hands down the best to ever pick up a Tele, no competition......unfortunately, genus like this takes it's toll on the brain and at some point you "can't take this shit anymore" ....RIP Danny, hopefully you've ended up in a place that can keep up with you.
For the most part, just guitar, amp, a little echo/delay and he's creating more than any other player in history. He has no peer. This is a genetic genius who discovered his gift.
when his mom norma* wrote to me she said that she thought he was suffering from a brain tumor and took his life to end the pain. i don't think she'd wrapped her head around his depression *the N in NRG Records :)
@@cjv3416 I don't know Danny and I just heard about him unfortunately but in general... Soo many suffer from depression but it seems to take something else to make you want to leave your wife, family and everyone else behind. Seems very selfish or something you've done that you can't live with or an inevitable end you don't want to face any way but your own. It's odd how folks oversimplify everything by just saying "depression".
@@idocare6538 Maybe it was existential angst and a comparison of the "modern world's" values versus what values Danny himself had. Immense musical talent but nobody wanted to record his music. Never wealthy, usually on a shoestring budget. Seemingly couldn't catch a break. Meanwhile, far lesser talents got big money recording deals and widespread public relations boosting campaigns, huge-dollar stadium tours, and multi-level marketing. The "record industry" is a bunch of no-talent vampires who suck the blood of the talented. Danny loved music but music couldn't sustain his household income. Does that seem fair to you? I'd suppose it seemed terribly unfair to Danny. Have you ever tried to support a wife & kids on a car mechanic's income? While also spending your free time trying to play gigs to supplement your meagre wrenching income? Danny wasn't a high-paid Mercedes-Benz or Porsche or Ferrari mechanic -- though doubtless he had the skills for such work. No, he was true to himself. His music tastes, his automobile tastes -- these were individualized and held without regard to what was high-paying or "popular" with the hoi polloi. People who commit suicide are well past the point of thinking about what they leave behind, pain-legacy-wise, for their loved ones. Well past that point. The existential pain takes them beyond what a normal-thinking person would ponder. They just want the pain to stop and that's all they can think about. You can't judge a suicide by the notions of the rational man, and unless you've ever suffered debilitating deep long-term depression, you can't understand what it's like to be unable to see that your loved ones want you staying around.
@@idocare6538 there's been a few versions of events. It is likely he had physical issues..an illness. Not just depression. Shot himself in the face with a two bore....that takes courage
@@matthewsmith5374 only gatton could do it he was an absolute guitar monster player who had no equals except for Scotty Anderson the new tele master out of Cincinnati Ohio
the fact that he,Roy Buchannan Tom Principato and Nils Lofgren all were in the D.C. area was a treat for any guitar enthuz in the area during those years RIP Danny and Roy
There isn’t Danny had no equals he was in a class all by himself worlds best then or now only a handful of guitarists can even come somewhat close they are Roy Buchanan Rory Gallagher Scotty Anderson junior brown from Texas Gary Moore Jeff beck Lenny breau and Alvin lee possibly it’s just an opinion
Thank you so much for sharing this compilation. Danny Gatton was a force of nature on the guitar, and it's a tragedy that he was taken from the world so young.
Danny was gifted beyond reason or comprehension and we just didn’t get it while he was alive, but now after decades of listening to him we get it, but he needed to know that we got it back then!!! It’s toooo late to say we’re sorry, but Danny, we do love you, and wish you were here still. We DO want to hear you blow us away in amazement, but we only have a small clip of your great ability, so Thank You for leaving us even that.!! You are greatly missed and pray that you have found Peace and Love with our Lord Jesus!
I had the privilege of meeting Danny at Bearsville studio during the mixing of my second record Supernatural I knew all about him before he was on the cover of guitar player magazine as the greatest guitarist you have never heard he is in class all his own and can’t be compared to rock guitar players Danny was like Beethoven on guitar he could zip zing zoom effortlessly in and out of music styles dip into a bottomless pit of music cliches and access them as pull a rabbit out of hat I need to stop now because I could go on forever Danny Gatton was not a guitar player he lived and breathed it It was part of his soul and most of all he is was and always will be a once in a lifetime once in a generation musical genius ✌️♾️✌️♾️💜♾️
Wait.. What!!!.. Astounding.. trying to think of something or someone to compare him to.. not even necessarily a musician.. he's basically as dominate as anybody at anything ever
I've got an mp3 of Danny Gatton and Joey DeFrancesco (Relentless) that's nothing short of amazing....talk about two monsters in the same room. Gatton could play any style with anybody and hold his own.
Danny spoke his language eloquently. He was a master of his art. Rather than comparisons between "bests", would it be more valuable, to know how a particular player became what he is? Who were that player's influences? Better yet, what can I learn from this player, and his influences? They are all great players, every one. There is no lack of fantastic models for us all.
Just wait till the documentary comes out on gatton and people finally will see Danny for what he really was a dominant one of a kind player who could anything anytime at any speed he was untouchable hence the name tge humbler he was that good! The master period then or now
There’s a level that true virtuosos reach where they are able to play whatever comes into their mind. It’s rarer than rare. This was a guy who could make his guitar do whatever he imagined on the spot with an accuracy and clarity that are truly awe inspiring. His ability to use so many different approaches and techniques, effortlessly flowing flawlessly, as if he’s just pulling the notes from the ether, with no care for restraints such as ability or feasibility. If he could think it, he could make it happen in real time. I’ve never seen anyone with the ability to improvise such melodically complex ideas in such a immediate and effective manner. Just…fucking wow, man. His improvising skills are like hearing someone make up a note perfect song overtop of a note perfect rendition of another song.
@ Whatsamattayou - The musical world can be a cruel place for someone like Danny Gatton. Popular music is oriented towards vocalists and visual appeal as well as musicianship. Die-hard guitar-geeks may love his music, but your typical fan is gonna yawn and ask when there will be a song with words! Trust me, I've seen it many times. I wish it wasn't that way, but it is most of the time. The other "problem" if you can call it that, is that someone as wide-ranging and versatile in his playing and tastes in music as Danny was - is very tough to promote or get placed on radio. Musician publicists, booking agents, record producers, A&R men, program managers for radio stations.... these folks typically want to slot a performer into an existing genre and go from there. But how do you promote someone whose style encompasses so many genres, styles and forms of music? Danny could play a half dozen genres in a single song, let alone in one concert or performance! In a just-and-fair world, performers wouldn't have to hamstring themselves that way to get noticed and to get before the public, but that's the unfortunate fact of the matter: If you want airplay and exposure, you have to play the game. And we all know that Danny just didn't care to do that - or at least not for long. He'd rather have wrenched on his hot-rods or something. You see it with other genius-level performers of the past and present, too. Wes Montgomery was perhaps the finest jazz guitarist ever to live, but he toiled in relative obscurity until Creed Taylor and some other people finally figured out how to get his immense talent into the lime-light. Namely, with Wes playing easy-listening music with a jazz tinge to it. Today, the amazing Scotty Anderson - who is just as brilliant and unique a player in his own way as Danny was in his - toils in obscurity while far-less-talented people get radio airplay and are rich and famous. It's tough to face for those of us who love hot guitar instrumental work, but if you are a hot guitar slinger, it isn't enough. Learn to sing, write original music or at least how to interpret the songs of others, and learn to lead a band and develop an ear for what the public wants. Becoming a producer isn't a bad move, either. That's what the amazing Pete Anderson did after he left Dwight Yoakam - he started a record label and began producing other artists, as well as doing his own projects. The great Albert Lee - after spending a career making other people's records and concerts sound great - finally formed his own band for which he sings lead as well as plays guitar - and now tours doing shows. They're called "Hogan's Heroes" and they may not be as famous as some bands, but I'll bet Albert and the guys are having a lot of fun. The great Johnnie Hiland provides another happy ending. He's one of the most-brilliant and versatile guitarists alive and one of the people who is carrying on Danny Gatton's legacy for the new generation, but he leads a band, sings, does session work, performs live all over the place, guests on other people's records and you name it. He can play rings around most people, but he's smart-enough to know that hot guitar alone isn't enough to get over.
I was lucky enough to have met him. He actually let me play his guitar for a bit. The guitar was the same one that's on the Crusin' Dueces album cover. I think it was March of '92 in Vancouver Canada at the Town Pump in gastown. He actually signed a jacket I had. I streached the jacket tight on top of a deep freeze in the kitchen section of the club and he signed his name very ornately with a black felt pen. He was quite a shy person and didn't have an attitude at all just a really nice guy!!!
Read an article about the humbler when I first got to the DMV, an insert in the Washington post called the best guitarist you’ve never heard of. It was before his death, and mentioned how he didn’t like to travel, even to play a million dollar gig in Texas. But if you live in the DMV area your in for an unbelievable guitar experience. I also “heard” after his death that his lack of commercial success really weighed on him. His technique came from the banjo, which from the Post article was his first instrument. What a tremendous talent lost too early.
Well, Danny had a problem with heroin. That wasn't going to end well. He was a great guy though, according to the club owners I grew up with who used to have him play at their place regularly...
@@lashlarue7924 I never heard that he had a drug problem. Alot of the guys he was around did(Lenny Breau Roy Buchanan) but I never heard that about Danny. Not saying it's not true but it seems odd to me just judging by his personality
@@jackiewilburn3063 Well, I heard this 20 years ago from the owners of the DC nightclub that was on the circuit that Danny used to play. I trust them completely, although I don't trust my own memory now that it's been so long. I guess I just always believed them because it made sense to me; most people don't go around putting shotguns to their own head without some sort of motive, and heroin is a pretty compelling piece of that puzzle for me. Whenever I think of D.G. I have always filled in the gaps accordingly. It could be wrong, but I'd put the chances at greater than 50/50 that he had a problem with this stuff.
I have to confess that until today I had never heard of Danny Gatton. He was a fabulous guitarist, my God, he was good, I feel perhaps he was too good to find a place in any particular genre, because with his skill and talent he could compete with any of the famous named guitar players that were around at the height of his playing.
There's one clip of him playing beer slide, and then cleaning the neck with a towel while still playing...and he still played the notes clean! I really think he practiced to the point where a mistake was impossible.
For most guitarists. Playing the guitar is a lifelong endevour. To get better and better. But then you have Danny who like Django was so unbelievably gifted thy mastered it fairly easily and could play anything that came into their head instantly. Both of them lost interest in the guitar they knew exactly what it could do. And it was not a challenge to them
While Danny gatton has long been my favorite player there are many others worth mentioning like Roy Buchanan Rory Gallagher Scotty Anderson Alvin lee Wes Montgomery Lenny breau junior brown Johnny hiland joe pass pat metheny Bill frissell Chet Atkins les Paul Jeff beck eric Clapton Larry Carlton bb king Gary Moore srv Eric Johnson frank marino and many others too many to list but Danny is king in my book oh and joe bonamassa deserves mention too
I love Vai for saying that. Vai himself is probably arbitrarily the best *living* guitarist today. Some others come to mind (Sungha Jung, Brad Paisley, too many jazz guys to count), but they distinction is pretty arbitrary. Danny probably had more versatility than most great players.
Brent Mason, the legendary Nashville session guitar player, counts this guy as an inspiration. Along with the other legendary players saying the same, not sure how his status can be disputed. Ever.
In the 80s and 90s I saw hundreds of the best guitarists live--Vai, Satriani, Malmsteem, Eric Johnson, Stanley Jordan, EVH, Al dimeola, Shawn Lane, Steve Howe, Andre Segovia... I could go on for hours...and I took lessons from John Petrucci back then. I can say without hesitation that Danny was far and away the greatest player I ever saw, his live shows just don't get captured in the videos, you had to be there 6 feet from the stage. His shows were like a mecca for great musicians who came to see him play. One of a kind, GOAT.
you say all that but he didn't even look like your typical guitar hero..and those fingers looked just a bit short
That's saying a lot, because Shawn Lane was probably the most technically proficient and fastest of them all. That guy could play it all from virtuosic diminished shred licks, to jazz, to country, to blues.
@@BluesDeville Yep shawn was the fastest for sure! But all of those greats could pretty much play anything from jazz, blues to classical and Rock. Malmsteen, Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Shawn lane. I think a rarity is the chicken picking and rockabilly ish picking danny could also do with such ease. That stuff is HARD to play. Van Halen will always have a special place in my heart because he was just a genius in everything. Building guitars, building gear, writing music, playing the guitar and the piano. Overall i could never decide between any of them because their abilities were all inhuman and each one has their very special uniqueness. Danny was and always will be one of the greatest to ever do it, thats for sure.
Do you like Ace Frehley?
3:25 😊😊 3:28
RIP, greatest guitar player around
The word master is thrown around like candy but Danny was was the real deal.
Danny was the best.
He plays like someone who hears all the possibilities in music and channels it through his guitar
He can sound like a banjo, steel, bottle neck, organ! What a maestro!
Gatton was the kind of player that would cause the greatest players on the planet to gawk with their chin’s hitting the floor in astonishment at what Gatton could do with a guitar. Check out the video of Gatton playing a show with Vince Gill and Alvin Lee. Gill and Lee are as good as anybody when it comes to the guitar. When Gatton gets his time to shine in that show, both Lee and Gill have that same crazy grin looking at what Gatton could do. I hope he had some inkling of what joy he gave the world. Depression is a horrible disease and it is hard to explain the pain it causes to someone who has never had to battle it. Hopefully, Gatton found some peace and part of the reward for those who get to paradise is that they get to hear Gatton again.
There's an old saying... "Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong."
Danny Gatton could never get it wrong.
I’ve heard that’s the difference between and an amateur and a professional. Gatton was pro all the time.
Every time I see a video of Danny playing its just inspiring!
Inspiring me just to stop playing.
LOL
Bravo,quel humour!
There’s a reason they called him “the humbler”.
Imagine being that incredibly talented and still ending your own life. Mental illness is baffling and cruel.
Glad I was Wrong.. I haven't heard All Danny's Sessions.. So Happy!!
hands down the best to ever pick up a Tele, no competition......unfortunately, genus like this takes it's toll on the brain and at some point you "can't take this shit anymore" ....RIP Danny, hopefully you've ended up in a place that can keep up with you.
For the most part, just guitar, amp, a little echo/delay and he's creating more than any other player in history. He has no peer. This is a genetic genius who discovered his gift.
Just jaw dropping ability and musicality. Hard to believe really!
It leaves you feeling cold knowing this talent took his own life. What an incredible player. Our minds are often our own worst enemy.
when his mom norma* wrote to me she said that she thought he was suffering from a brain tumor and took his life to end the pain. i don't think she'd wrapped her head around his depression
*the N in NRG Records :)
@@cjv3416 I don't know Danny and I just heard about him unfortunately but in general... Soo many suffer from depression but it seems to take something else to make you want to leave your wife, family and everyone else behind. Seems very selfish or something you've done that you can't live with or an inevitable end you don't want to face any way but your own. It's odd how folks oversimplify everything by just saying "depression".
You need to see the light in the dark.If you ever feel that way know you cant stay that way. All bad things pass eventually. Never give up
@@idocare6538 Maybe it was existential angst and a comparison of the "modern world's" values versus what values Danny himself had. Immense musical talent but nobody wanted to record his music. Never wealthy, usually on a shoestring budget. Seemingly couldn't catch a break. Meanwhile, far lesser talents got big money recording deals and widespread public relations boosting campaigns, huge-dollar stadium tours, and multi-level marketing. The "record industry" is a bunch of no-talent vampires who suck the blood of the talented. Danny loved music but music couldn't sustain his household income. Does that seem fair to you? I'd suppose it seemed terribly unfair to Danny. Have you ever tried to support a wife & kids on a car mechanic's income? While also spending your free time trying to play gigs to supplement your meagre wrenching income? Danny wasn't a high-paid Mercedes-Benz or Porsche or Ferrari mechanic -- though doubtless he had the skills for such work. No, he was true to himself. His music tastes, his automobile tastes -- these were individualized and held without regard to what was high-paying or "popular" with the hoi polloi.
People who commit suicide are well past the point of thinking about what they leave behind, pain-legacy-wise, for their loved ones. Well past that point. The existential pain takes them beyond what a normal-thinking person would ponder. They just want the pain to stop and that's all they can think about. You can't judge a suicide by the notions of the rational man, and unless you've ever suffered debilitating deep long-term depression, you can't understand what it's like to be unable to see that your loved ones want you staying around.
@@idocare6538 there's been a few versions of events. It is likely he had physical issues..an illness. Not just depression. Shot himself in the face with a two bore....that takes courage
Nothing against Vai/EvH/and others, but this man was just unique and could outplay anyone!
The didn’t call him “The Humbler” for no reason.
I just discovered him I’m blown away! He’s doing Jazz in a country scale. I didn’t know jazz country was a thing.
Smack ur 🥕
"comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived." - Vai
@@matthewsmith5374 only gatton could do it he was an absolute guitar monster player who had no equals except for Scotty Anderson the new tele master out of Cincinnati Ohio
he's badass enough that he can wear a shirt with his own name on it and it's completely justifiable
And sport those sideburns ! Danny is the man !
Completely justifiable!...
yeah...not many people can do that without looking totally pompous....not so with Danny Gatton.
He ain't no ordinary dude
the fact that he,Roy Buchannan Tom Principato and Nils Lofgren all were in the D.C. area was a treat for any guitar enthuz in the area during those years RIP Danny and Roy
Let's not forget Jimmy Thackery.
Roy Buchanan was beyond words AWESOME, he owned that style, whatever style it was, ah hell ,Roy wasn't bound by category OR genre 😮
I’m not sure a better guitar player has ever existed. Stunning.
There isn’t Danny had no equals he was in a class all by himself worlds best then or now only a handful of guitarists can even come somewhat close they are Roy Buchanan Rory Gallagher Scotty Anderson junior brown from Texas Gary Moore Jeff beck Lenny breau and Alvin lee possibly it’s just an opinion
Their is Frank Marino and Rory Gallagher just to name a few
@@danward7306 reading comprehension is clearly not your strong suit. Stick with making French fries 🍟
Scotty Anderson is the only one in that list that can stand with Danny.
Roy Buchanan
Danny was the best,ever!
Well he is known as the greatest unknown guitarist!
His sense of rhythm is wonderful.
Best ever puts the top ten to shame 🎼👌
Superb command of the instrument...my goodness he was fantastic..
Thank you so much for sharing this compilation. Danny Gatton was a force of nature on the guitar, and it's a tragedy that he was taken from the world so young.
WOW ONE OF THE BEST GUITARIST EVER
Amazing amazing amazing!!! And sorely missed
Danny was gifted beyond reason or comprehension and we just didn’t get it while he was alive, but now after decades of listening to him we get it, but he needed to know that we got it back then!!! It’s toooo late to say we’re sorry, but Danny, we do love you, and wish you were here still. We DO want to hear you blow us away in amazement, but we only have a small clip of your great ability, so Thank You for leaving us even that.!! You are greatly missed and pray that you have found Peace and Love with our Lord Jesus!
Danny makes it look so easy.
Danny was a Gold soul,unic the best👏👏👏👏👏
Steve Vai, “Danny Gatton comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived.”
Danny's talent was immeasurable....🎸🎸
WOW! This guy is amazing. Sad he is no longer with us. RIP Danny Gatton.
I had the privilege of meeting Danny at Bearsville studio during the mixing of my second record Supernatural I knew all about him before he was on the cover of guitar player magazine as the greatest guitarist you have never heard he is in class all his own and can’t be compared to rock guitar players Danny was like Beethoven on guitar he could zip zing zoom effortlessly in and out of music styles dip into a bottomless pit of music cliches and access them as pull a rabbit out of hat I need to stop now because I could go on forever Danny Gatton was not a guitar player he lived and breathed it It was part of his soul and most of all he is was and always will be a once in a lifetime once in a generation musical genius ✌️♾️✌️♾️💜♾️
incredible is not adequate to describe this
Just incredible... nobody else is close!
Genius ,and a great loss,always remembered.
Wait.. What!!!.. Astounding.. trying to think of something or someone to compare him to.. not even necessarily a musician.. he's basically as dominate as anybody at anything ever
The Amazing Danny Gatton!!!!!🎸😎
Magic Right Hand!
He and Jeff Beck loved building hot rods, which for a musician sounds ill-advised, but they both had/have such amazing right hands.
And left hand tio!
I've got an mp3 of Danny Gatton and Joey DeFrancesco (Relentless) that's nothing short of amazing....talk about two monsters in the same room. Gatton could play any style with anybody and hold his own.
Joey just passed and Relentless is what I turned on
Joey was pretty young at the time too if I’m not mistaken
Danny on that Les Paul contraption…good Lord!!!🤯🎸🔥🔥🔥😮👏
Excellent! DG has always been such a huge inspiration
Wow! Love the close up of Orange Blossom Special 🎸
Thank you for making this compilation
Best Video I've seen yet on UA-cam !
The best!!! The humbler!!! The legend!!!
Danny spoke his language eloquently.
He was a master of his art.
Rather than comparisons between "bests", would it be more valuable, to know how a particular player became what he is?
Who were that player's influences?
Better yet, what can I learn from this player, and his influences?
They are all great players, every one.
There is no lack of fantastic models for us all.
The King!💪💪💪
Got to be in the top five or maybe even top 3. So musical!
TOP 1
Danny, Steve and Jimi...in any order
This video made me smile... a lot.
Would be such such a privilege to play with this master.
always amazed by him. he made the brilliant seem as effortless as the rest of make breathing seem
RIP Humbler
Just wait till the documentary comes out on gatton and people finally will see Danny for what he really was a dominant one of a kind player who could anything anytime at any speed he was untouchable hence the name tge humbler he was that good! The master period then or now
A new one for me. Thought I'd seen all Danny's Vids.. Glad I was wrong,
There’s a level that true virtuosos reach where they are able to play whatever comes into their mind. It’s rarer than rare.
This was a guy who could make his guitar do whatever he imagined on the spot with an accuracy and clarity that are truly awe inspiring. His ability to use so many different approaches and techniques, effortlessly flowing flawlessly, as if he’s just pulling the notes from the ether, with no care for restraints such as ability or feasibility. If he could think it, he could make it happen in real time.
I’ve never seen anyone with the ability to improvise such melodically complex ideas in such a immediate and effective manner.
Just…fucking wow, man.
His improvising skills are like hearing someone make up a note perfect song overtop of a note perfect rendition of another song.
Danny Gatton was a virtuoso in the truest sense of the word! He was too good just to be a session player or someone's guitarist.
Actually he did some session work /jingles
Toured with Robert Gordon as his guitarist,
@ Whatsamattayou - The musical world can be a cruel place for someone like Danny Gatton. Popular music is oriented towards vocalists and visual appeal as well as musicianship. Die-hard guitar-geeks may love his music, but your typical fan is gonna yawn and ask when there will be a song with words! Trust me, I've seen it many times. I wish it wasn't that way, but it is most of the time. The other "problem" if you can call it that, is that someone as wide-ranging and versatile in his playing and tastes in music as Danny was - is very tough to promote or get placed on radio.
Musician publicists, booking agents, record producers, A&R men, program managers for radio stations.... these folks typically want to slot a performer into an existing genre and go from there. But how do you promote someone whose style encompasses so many genres, styles and forms of music? Danny could play a half dozen genres in a single song, let alone in one concert or performance!
In a just-and-fair world, performers wouldn't have to hamstring themselves that way to get noticed and to get before the public, but that's the unfortunate fact of the matter: If you want airplay and exposure, you have to play the game. And we all know that Danny just didn't care to do that - or at least not for long. He'd rather have wrenched on his hot-rods or something.
You see it with other genius-level performers of the past and present, too. Wes Montgomery was perhaps the finest jazz guitarist ever to live, but he toiled in relative obscurity until Creed Taylor and some other people finally figured out how to get his immense talent into the lime-light. Namely, with Wes playing easy-listening music with a jazz tinge to it. Today, the amazing Scotty Anderson - who is just as brilliant and unique a player in his own way as Danny was in his - toils in obscurity while far-less-talented people get radio airplay and are rich and famous.
It's tough to face for those of us who love hot guitar instrumental work, but if you are a hot guitar slinger, it isn't enough. Learn to sing, write original music or at least how to interpret the songs of others, and learn to lead a band and develop an ear for what the public wants. Becoming a producer isn't a bad move, either. That's what the amazing Pete Anderson did after he left Dwight Yoakam - he started a record label and began producing other artists, as well as doing his own projects. The great Albert Lee - after spending a career making other people's records and concerts sound great - finally formed his own band for which he sings lead as well as plays guitar - and now tours doing shows. They're called "Hogan's Heroes" and they may not be as famous as some bands, but I'll bet Albert and the guys are having a lot of fun.
The great Johnnie Hiland provides another happy ending. He's one of the most-brilliant and versatile guitarists alive and one of the people who is carrying on Danny Gatton's legacy for the new generation, but he leads a band, sings, does session work, performs live all over the place, guests on other people's records and you name it. He can play rings around most people, but he's smart-enough to know that hot guitar alone isn't enough to get over.
Super guitar player !!! I am scotché (we tell it like that in France) ! Thanks for share
My favorite guitar player!!! I’m a A one fan of Eddie and jimi!!
Incredible!!!
He's so good....I'm from DC and I wish I could have met him. I love to meet the guys who hung with him.
Me too man. I can feel Danny's presence stomping around the Potomac.
I was lucky enough to have met him. He actually let me play his guitar for a bit. The guitar was the same one that's on the Crusin' Dueces album cover. I think it was March of '92 in Vancouver Canada at the Town Pump in gastown. He actually signed a jacket I had. I streached the jacket tight on top of a deep freeze in the kitchen section of the club and he signed his name very ornately with a black felt pen. He was quite a shy person and didn't have an attitude at all just a really nice guy!!!
Read an article about the humbler when I first got to the DMV, an insert in the Washington post called the best guitarist you’ve never heard of. It was before his death, and mentioned how he didn’t like to travel, even to play a million dollar gig in Texas. But if you live in the DMV area your in for an unbelievable guitar experience. I also “heard” after his death that his lack of commercial success really weighed on him. His technique came from the banjo, which from the Post article was his first instrument. What a tremendous talent lost too early.
best of the best EVER to bad he didnt get the meds to keep off depression he was a legend
Well, Danny had a problem with heroin. That wasn't going to end well. He was a great guy though, according to the club owners I grew up with who used to have him play at their place regularly...
@@lashlarue7924 I never heard that he had a drug problem. Alot of the guys he was around did(Lenny Breau Roy Buchanan) but I never heard that about Danny. Not saying it's not true but it seems odd to me just judging by his personality
@@jackiewilburn3063 Well, I heard this 20 years ago from the owners of the DC nightclub that was on the circuit that Danny used to play. I trust them completely, although I don't trust my own memory now that it's been so long. I guess I just always believed them because it made sense to me; most people don't go around putting shotguns to their own head without some sort of motive, and heroin is a pretty compelling piece of that puzzle for me. Whenever I think of D.G. I have always filled in the gaps accordingly. It could be wrong, but I'd put the chances at greater than 50/50 that he had a problem with this stuff.
@@lashlarue7924 Its possible. But whether it happened or not I think we can all agree it was such a tragedy
Danny didn’t have a drug problem no way he didn’t touch the stuff although he did drink a few beers all the time !
le plus grand +++ !!
What a obvious genius to get so discouraged as to think the industry is against his talent is just cruel.
The best ever at that.
I have to confess that until today I had never heard of Danny Gatton. He was a fabulous guitarist, my God, he was good, I feel perhaps he was too good to find a place in any particular genre, because with his skill and talent he could compete with any of the famous named guitar players that were around at the height of his playing.
Amazing
TALENT!!!!!
There's one clip of him playing beer slide, and then cleaning the neck with a towel while still playing...and he still played the notes clean! I really think he practiced to the point where a mistake was impossible.
At that level you never practice..
You just play ..
mistakes never get in the way ...
at that point it's more autopilot then anything.
Amazing 😮
Best right hand in Guitar history.
Just heard "walkin' with Danny" Wow.
RIP Danny. Died #otd October 4th '94.
I can dig it..🎸🎶🖤
that second one is like country funk! wonder who was on the drums... anda amazing playing by gatton
That is Dave Elliott on drums. My brother.
Danny Gatton could play anything the other guy could play and play it better!
Les Paul
If Danny is not in your top 5 or 10 ,,, I am SMH ! :)
Mind-a- blowin'
The GOAT
He’s like Roy Clark and Jeff Beck put together
The best 🎶
Excuse me while I remove whatever is left of my brain from the walls and floor.
I’ll be right back.👍🤯🎸
Telecaster is the greatest ever invented
For most guitarists. Playing the guitar is a lifelong endevour. To get better and better. But then you have Danny who like Django was so unbelievably gifted thy mastered it fairly easily and could play anything that came into their head instantly. Both of them lost interest in the guitar they knew exactly what it could do. And it was not a challenge to them
Gatton is better than Django; Django would be jealous if he saw this beast wail !
Thanks for posting this! Always inspirational to see Mr. Gatton at work (or play, I suppose).
Sick skills. Sounds like more than one guitar at times.
This is the guy who got Jack Casado to switch to bass. For that alone he should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame.
Brilliant
He knew how to play anything
There are simply not enough superlatives to properly describe him.
GUITAR GOD comes to mind ,,
While Danny gatton has long been my favorite player there are many others worth mentioning like Roy Buchanan Rory Gallagher Scotty Anderson Alvin lee Wes Montgomery Lenny breau junior brown Johnny hiland joe pass pat metheny Bill frissell Chet Atkins les Paul Jeff beck eric Clapton Larry Carlton bb king Gary Moore srv Eric Johnson frank marino and many others too many to list but Danny is king in my book oh and joe bonamassa deserves mention too
Hi Clayton, not bad I'm proud you've learned !
what a genius !
The great Steve Vai was quoted as saying; Danny was closest to being the Greatest Guitar he ever heard!
Gatton was incredible but no one gives a fuck what Steve Vai says least of all steve Vai .
Vai was right. Kinda like Jow Pass Merle Travis Chet Atkins Johnny Winter Tal Farlow rolled into one total badass
CLOSE! BUT BECK IS THE BEST ALIVE!@@frankrichards3089
I love Vai for saying that. Vai himself is probably arbitrarily the best *living* guitarist today. Some others come to mind (Sungha Jung, Brad Paisley, too many jazz guys to count), but they distinction is pretty arbitrary. Danny probably had more versatility than most great players.
@@jsilence418 Why no love for Vai? He's a great player and a good human being to boot.
Was the Best guitarist of world Danny gatton and Roy buchanan.
GATTON BLOWS AWAY BUCHANAN, Roy can't even beat Jeff Beck.
Brent Mason, the legendary Nashville session guitar player, counts this guy as an inspiration. Along with the other legendary players saying the same, not sure how his status can be disputed. Ever.
He was a genius
Any questions?
The Art Tatum of the guitar.
MICHAEL JORDAN OF GUITAR
The Man.....
Basically there is Danny gatton......then everyone else.
And that's an understatement...