Session Stories: Episode 8 - Dann Huff
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- Опубліковано 14 бер 2024
- A big reason why this channel exists and this guitarist (me) behind the channel even picked up the guitar is because of this person.
Dann Huff has played on so many albums throughout his career as one of the most legendary session guitarists, it would be impossible to list every single one. If that wasn't enough, his work in bands like White Heart and later Giant still is picked apart and newly discovered by guitarists of all ages, globally, every day. Oh and he's been a successful producer for multiple decades now as well.
Saying this was an honor to finally have a chance to meet one of the most important figures in my musical life would be an understatement. What a joy this was to record Episode 8 of Session Stories with one of my biggest guitar heroes, Dann Huff.
#dannhuff #sessionsolos #behindthemusic #sessionstories #johntalman
that's my boy right there....
Speaking of interviews, let me know when you’re available sir! Massive fan here 🤘🎸
Amazing to have Uncle Larry comment. I watched the music city bridge designed for Les Paul juniors last night. Great innovation for a long term problem.
Loved it when Dann mentioned you when talking about his Strat. That 200th episode of Homeskoolin’ was so amazing. 😊
I loved Dann before I knew how to play guitar and before I knew it was him that I was loving. His brother is killer and I saw him live with Michael W Smith in 85. David was amazing and such versatile and clearly such a performer - and he was wearing 80's shorts. God, I love them both so much!!!! My journery to Cropper, Paul Jackson and others was via Dann. Thank you Dann! What you have done is way more deep than the music and gear. It is deep. I don't say this lightly: whatever God is, God must love music and God uses you in wider and deeper ways than any 1 little religion can claim to own!
Giant's performance on Arsenio Hall rocked my world. They were on 🔥 that day.
I cant believe people like Dan dont realise their influence on us guitar players, but isnt it great that they are so genuine and self -effacing. These are the people we aspire to. True talent, and no arrogance.
Thank you brother. Thank you Dann for this so so long awaited interview opportunity. Bless you guys 🙏
Huge Dan Huff fan myself, thank you so much for sharing this interview.
Haha. “What’s Combustion?” How humble!? If I made Combustion, I’d show everyone!
And play it for everyone whenever asked (or even when not asked)… 🤣
Fantastic interview. Congratulations on getting Dann given he doesn't do many interviews, but he will probably do more after a great experience with interviews from you and Mason. Your knowledge of Dann's work and guitar history really shines through and greatly assists getting into the insightful stuff. Very well done!
Appreciate the kind words. Dann is a joy to talk to. Amazing person
Dann was talking about the Scuffham Amps S-Gear 3 guitar plugin, which in my opinion is the best guitar amp sim around. It sounds fantastic.
Mr. Dan Huff is a very humble man.
Amazing player BUT also an amazing singer in his day. The complete package as he's a wonderful, devout man and father too. The BEST.
GREAT! Dann is so humble! Thanks for this interview!
Great to see Dann getting some of the credit he is long overdue. Great interview! Dann is a legend,thanks for all the music Dann all the best from Ireland, best of luck for the future ☘️
John, this was an awesome interview! Asked a lot of questions that I would’ve asked. Thanks for what you do. Also, thanks for the kind words about Rich as well. He’s amazing! I’m his friend from his early band days that he mentioned in his interview with you. I’m a guy with Tyler #10. This was a great interview can’t wait to watch the rest of them.
Hey Kurt! How are you? Really appreciate the kind words. Hope to get to meet you someday. Talking to Rich about you guys and the early band days, I feel like I know you already a little bit. Rich is just amazing, one of my favorite people on the planet. Hope you’re having an awesome weekend! Appreciate you listening and so glad you enjoyed the interview!
Dann "The Man" Huff! Top 5 guitar player for me in the likes of Reggie Young, Brent Mason, Steve Lukather, and Mike Landau.... No particular order ! They are all heavyweights!
Bro, thankyou so much for bringing up the MWS stuff and the work that Dann did in the contemporary Christian music scene. His work in that whole scene is just amazing and set a course for me on my musical journey. May not be relevant to your channel, but needs to dig Brown Bannister out of retirement and talk about the work he did in Nashville in the 80s.
Back in the day, when I started seeing Dann's name in the credits over and over again of my favorite contemporary Christian artists, I knew I had a guitarist I wanted to follow. And still do.
Worked as a runner in a major hollywood studio in my early twenties and got to meet and hang with Landua,Thompson Luke and Dan, everyone was great but Dan was the most down to earth...some great memories from late 80's
How cool!
Also when their cartage came to the studio i was able to hear and see their rigs being set up
Talk about amazing memories! Thanks for sharing this, so amazing!
Been a big fan of Dann since his Whiteheart years in the 80s. You, yourself, are a wonderful player too. Definitely an undersubbed channel you have. Liked, Subbed and Sharing for sure!
Appreciate your support so much!
A Legend!!!!
One of the Holy Three of Melodic guitarists in rock history!
The other two....
Neal Schon and of course Steve Lukather!
Congrats for the great interview ✌️
Gary Moore... 🎉
A guitar monster also!!!!!
I was 45 yrs old and it takes me 42 yrs to discover the 3 kings of 80s LA session guitar heroes which is lukather Landau and Huff. 2 of which are not familiar with me (Landau and Huff) but I never thought that those good guitar solos I heard on countless records back in the 80s is their solos. And I begin to rediscovered their sound. I thank Richard watson. His videos introduced me to the genius of lukather Landau and huff
Dann Huff has contributed to so many of my favorite records. Thanks for the interview.
Wow, great interview! Dann, you have been such an influence on many of us. Thanks for all of the great music!
Man I HOPE Dann comes out with his own album!!! PLEEEEASE!
He came to Git in ‘89-90. He said and I quote “I can play faster than you all”. Greetings from New Mexico!
Dann Huff is such a great musician! Wonderful guitar player and a great singer. He is definitely number 1 in my book!!!!
Dann Huff is a living legend 💙🎸🙏🎙🙌
I grew up across the Atlantic ocean and was a Giants fan. Dann Huff's music is an important part of my life 🎙🙏🎸💙🙌
Thank you for this interview 🙏
Luke, Landau, and Huff rule!!!!
That’s so funny he didn’t remember something so many of us hurt our jaws on the floor from. That shows just how much he’s recorded.
So awesome bro! Dann's a giant!!!!
This video made me the happiest guy ever!! Dann is soo humble and im so stoked that he is on more youtube videos! Such a legend!
Great interview...Dan has always been a big influence of mine - guitar & vocals...Stellar!!!
Thanks Steve! Big fan of yours here!!
let's do interview sometime @@sessionsolos
@@SteveBrownROCKS YES! Shoot me an email - john@jtalguitars.com and lets get it set up! 🤘
Great Video, Thankyou ❤❤❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
I would say 75% of music on classic Rick radio comes from 1975-83.
I was 16 in 1975.
It was one album after another. Non stop it seemed.
We didn't know how good we had it.
Poor teens today....
Seeing Dann smile while he was watching combustion was worth the price of admission. I'm a drummer and did not pay attention to liner notes until I bought Matthew Ward's Armed and Dangerous album. I thought who is this guitar player? and the rest is history. Of course then there's the mention of new music...Christmas is coming!
Dude, that’s an amazing record! I’ve been recommending that to all my friends who are Dann Huff fans for years! Very few people know that record. The ending solo on Love is amazing and is the epitome of Dann’s playing!! @sessionsolos. Could you do tabs of that solo?
Remember hearing Giant in the early 90s and being blown away. Had no way of easily finding out who the guitarist was. Then learned about Dan for his work on Shania Twain tunes. When I made the connection to him and Giant…🤯
so many years of answers
And when we were done, I thought of 12 more
I didn’t ask. 🫠🙃
I live in Türkiye. Grew up listening to absolutely fantastic guitar players like Dann. It is mind-boggling how modest he is. Thanks a lot for interviewing him. Those guys are artists and such fine art they have created should be cherished and should be passed on. Dann you friggin Rock \m/
Totally agree with the comments of the fabric of the 80s guitar influencing so many. I am in my late 40s and found Neal Schon, Dan Huff, Lukather early and they imprinted on me. The reason I play to this day. Great interview!
This is great. Dann is such an underrated musician.
Love hearing Dann stories.
I'm putting the pieces together and timeline when I heard him the first time
1986/87/88
🤘
Great job! This was the best interview of Dann that I've heard. I was a huge fan of his lead phrasing in the 80s/90s but I would love to hear more of his isolated guitar parts from his studio work. Christian James Hand did a track by track breakdown of "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and it was amazing to hear all of Dann's isolated guitar parts and how they fit with the rest of the instruments.
Great interview! Thanks for doing this, hugely appreciated! :-)
Thank you, so glad folks are enjoying it. I had an absolute blast!
@@sessionsolos I'll bet you did! :-) I had always hoped that Dann Huff would one day get the attention and acclaim that he so richly deserves. Your channel is really terrific and offers a gold mine for folk like me who have admired his playing for years (and the other session greats) and always wanted to ask the questions that you do. Your website is also terrific with all the solo transcriptions posted up there. I know only too well how long it takes to transcribe and score out all that stuff so you have my great respect for offering your work for all of us to learn from. Thanks! (I've also subscribed!... :-)
Thanks for subscribing and so glad you find the TAB helpful/useful
Man, don't have words to say how thankful I am for posting this , in my watch list right now ❤
When Last of the Runaways was released, the band did an interview with Mark & Brian on KLOS in LA. He was asked how he came to be the lead singer on the album and he said "They hated me most" (meaning the other band members). I was at work listening to it and I fell off my chair laughing. After all these years I remember that because he was just as humble then as he is in this interview. That album, and Dan's playing, has influenced my playing to where I don't even realize when I'm ripping a Dan lick or scale run. Such a unique style & phrasing. Dan is The Man and thanks so much for doing this interview.
Great story! 🤣
I used to play giant has loud as hell in my 1982 Toyota celica gt with mtx speakers and horns it takes two sounded amazing as hell those were the memories in 89 1990
Same but for me it was in a 92 Camaro 🤘
What an amazing guitarist and humble guy. I appreciate this interview so much as I was growing up with Dann ( and his good friend Gordon Kennedy) with WhiteHeart, Giant, and his vast session work.
Thank you for the interview. Dan style is inspirational, I don’t even try to play his solos but I do copy his general melodic approach.
What a good dude. Great player and a nice person.
Great interview and completely agree at the end praising Rich Renkin. Such a great guy.
The best!
What a wonderful interview! Love seeing these new interviews with Dann and even got teased with maybe some hope of new music from him as well. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
Thanks so much for doing this interview. Dann is hands down my favorite…been obessesed since Whiteheart…Listen to Giant on a weekly basis.
You two are in the guitar weeds & I love it!! Dann is a top-class man & musician. He inspires me. Thanks for a great video.
Guilty of getting in guitar weeds quite often 🤓
Dann is my #4 favourite guitarist of all time.
Thanks for this interview. 🤘♥️
He had me at LUKATHER! Love Luke. But as a fan of reading liner notes, no one did as many sessions, even with Christian artists, as Dan Huff and Tim Pierce in the 80s and 90s!
Thank you so much for this John. Like many others I’ve been a massive fan of Dan’s since first hearing him in the 1980’s and your interview with Dan is just great! You covered so many of the aspects of Dan’s playing and career that all us ‘Dan fans’ are really interested in. It was really respectful and lovely that you took the time to point out to Dan how much his work has influenced and means to so many people around the world, including here in the UK.
On a final note of tabbing Dan’s solos, it would be great to see you tab his solo on ‘One reason’ (to believe) on Rick Springfield’s ‘Rock of Life’ album circa1988. It’s a relatively short solo but Dan’s legato playing is just sublime and still blows my mind every time I hear it. I think its an outstanding piece of work by Dan that seems to get overlooked, in fact his playing along with Tim Pierce is fantastic throughout the whole album.
Thank you for the kind words! That means a lot, truly does. I’ll get that solo on the list to tab!
Quality stuff. Love it! This man's contribution to music and ability as a player is otherwordly.
AWESOME!!! Wow what a treat, thanks so much to you both & especially Dann for the inspiration & his gift of music.....
Wonderful interview!! Thank you so much for doing this!!!
We are going to chat soon for an episode, friend!
This is great! Thanks a lot 🔥 Dann is the man!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Man thank you for the interview! IT IS PIECE OF GOLD! Dan is awesome, that is a dream to meet him and shake his hand, really!
You told about these countries, my motherland (Russia) is one of those, I was (and still) a young boy (early 20s) who tried to learn Dann songs together with the guitar teacher :)
Btw, if you have a contact with Dan - maybe you can ask him to do smth and get Giant TIme to Burn back on Spotify...
I'm so jealous! Greetings brother.
This is an amazing interview! Thanks for saying at the end exactly what I would have said. “Dann, you have no idea how much you’ve inspired me and so many of my Gtr friends. Thank you!”
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was absolutely ace dude! It's like me asking my questions. The true heroes are humble guys.........you just need Landau now;-)
One day! (I hope) 😉
awesome interview!!thank you
Absolutely LOVED this interview John.. you're one of the truly great interviewers.. you have a new fan and subscriber. I grew up listening to the SHIT out of "Time To Burn".. wow what a player, songwriter, and singer! Greetings from Down Under...you wouldn't have seen it probably on my YT channel, but I'm the guy that did the whole "Van Halen 1" album in track order for the Melbourne Guitar Show a few years. back. I look forward to your next great interview,. Thank you sir. Best, Simon Hosford
Thank you for the support and kindness, Simon! I’m checking at your channel as I type this! Just awesome 🤘❤️🎸
Wow tremendous interview.
🙏
Time To Burn by Giant is an AOR masterclass, If i had to pick my all time favourite rock/metal albums, it would be in there somewhere, i dig every track on that album, Dan is an amazing talent, fantastic vocals & guitar. Lovely interview brother, thank you, youve made this old boy very happy. The Marc Diglio interview was ace too. Subscribed. Cheers
So glad you enjoyed each interview!! Thanks for subscribing! 🙏🤘🎸
"Wood and wire, painted steel
But in my hands it came alive, you know it felt so real!"
Love that line, love that feel. Thanks, Dann!
Was at a bookstore meet/QandA with MWS back in the early 2000s and came in late, ended up in the back. My young daughter, however, managed to get to the front row and kept raising her hand. Finally, after a dozen questions in, Michael looks at her and says, "Do you have a question for me, sweetie?"
Her response: "No, but my Daddy does."
The crowd erupts in laughter. Michael shades his eyes and scans the room. "Where's your Daddy?"
I raise my hand grinning and throw my question out: "I see Dann Huff's name showing up on your albums. What can you tell me about him?"
"He's an amazing player... " Michael starts out and trails off in thought. "Oh, I'll tell you something. I can be in the studio and watching Dann add his parts, and as soon as he's got a riff or solo down, he looks up and goes, 'How's that? Hang on, I can do that better' or 'I can give you another version' and he does it. Again and again and again. So many amazing choices from a great player."
All these years later, I can still picture that moment.... and still wonder at those 5 last notes on the "Secret Ambition" solo... 24 frets, Dann? Maybe a Harmonic in play there? Lol.
I love this story!! Thanks for sharing this!
I remember an article in GP magazine where Dann said he was appreciating the playing on a song and it and wondered who the guitar player was. His friend looked at the liner and says, " you're not going to believe this, it was you!" LOL
I got into playing guitar because of Dann. Listening to his work on Amy Grant's Lead Me On, I wanted to play guitar like that. I realize now that he probably played anything notable on 90% of what I heard during that period in my life. I think I lost my appreciation for him after my friends trashed him and Giant when CCM came out with a bad review of the new Giant album (92?). Looking back I think all of that was stupid. I'm glad he did what he felt was right.
I'm getting back to my roots now (It's taken awhile, right?) and this interview is amazing! I practically fell out of my chair laughing when you had to explain to him what "Combustion" was from. You did an awesome job, asking great questions, and bringing up relevant details. Dan is a great guy.
Ironically, it was a bad review of that second Giant album that taught me to stop reading reviews about subjective things like music. ❤️
Randomly found this on the back of learning about Dann Huff from the vertex effects interview.
This interview is fantastic ❤
Thank you
Mason’s (Vertex) interview with Dann was awesome! Appreciate you checking my interview out as well!
@@sessionsolosNo worries, I am in the middle of watching the interview.
Btw did Dann ever remember the plug-in name he used for re-creating those 80s tones?
He didn't remember unfortunately
When they were talking about the inception of his 63/64 ish guitar. People online argue that it's not the same guitar that he used throughout his career. Yet Dann just stated that he used that guitar in about 95% of the work that he did. It's gone through at least three different costume changes over the years. If you go look at the back cover of white heart vital signs that is the guitar he is shown in that picture. But at that time there is no mid boost on the guitar at that point. That same guitar later had the mid boost added and can be seen when he's playing with Van Stephenson on American bandstand. You'll notice that the toggle switches for the parallel/series switches were moved closer to the five-way switch. The holes are still there from where they were originally located. One of the holes from the toggle switches is where the mid boost knob was placed.
Also during the white heart era and working with Van Stephenson he was using Seymour Duncan pickups but they were all hot stacks. Not sure when that bridge pickup was switched out for the Duncan JB.
But I've had people ask me are you sure that's the same guitar? And I say yes it is and they still don't believe me. It's not like Dann didn't have other guitars and just walked into the studio with one. But if he used it for 95% of his recording then obviously that's his favorite guitar.
Really good interview. Thanks
What a legend!! Great interview!!
lovely guy
That's the man right there!
🤘🤘🤘
Great interview John, absolutely man!! Only thing would’ve been cool to hear who he’s listening to these days
I’ll ask him! 😉
Discovered Dann because of JC Van Damme. 😆
His guitar work on "Bring me a dream" was amazing !
Fantastic ! Thx
I always comment on this but, Dann was a great singer as well as a great guitar player. He really seems to downplay his vocals a lot.
Dann is way too modest about his singing. His voice was incredible on those Giant albums!
I 100% agree!
Thank You both!! ❤
awesome great interview w dan
Thanks so much!
Giant Story starts at 49:30
Bradshaw systems were straight stereo until 1989 that’s when Bob started doing wet/dry/wet.
I saw Danns system in 1988 he did a session for my father in L.A he was running into 2 12 inch speakers on stands set up in the live room.
You mentioned WhiteHeart, LOL! Chris McHugh, of Keith Urban fame, played with them in the 80s!
Yipeeee! 🤘😀🤘
O. The ending reminded me. Combustion solo!!! How are you getting along? Surely you must have asked Dann to check it out? Great interview brother. Enjoyed every moment 🙏
It’s tabbed! Going to put it on the site this weekend. Then I have to play it somehow for the video 😳
Dann explained he doesn’t read TAB but he’s got the site address in case he gets curious.
@@sessionsolos 😂. Awesome job. Don’t worry brother. I will have this down in no time once I see the tab. Forgive me for being an old lazy fart. I really appreciate what you have achieved here. Cudos brother 🙏 🙏 🙏
Nothing to forgive, happy to do the tab! It may take hours but I do enjoy it. It’s like a puzzle. And I had so much horrible TAB given to me over the last 30-35 years which just solidified playing a song incorrectly, I vowed that I would obsess over each tab I do until it’s as perfect as I can make it for others to learn (the right version).
@@sessionsolos Bless you brother. I can’t wait to see you play this. Dann really took to you. Reading between the lines it seemed to me he wasn’t overly happy with the Mason interview. I know quite a few session players who knew Dann back in the day. I am trying to get them to hook up with you. Shawn Tynan. Tony Gonzales.
I think RJ Ronquillo would be a great interview.
Tommy Dernander. Kristian Larsen would also be Awesome. Have a great weekend brother 🙏
RJ and I are talking here in a week or so!
Dann Huff, what can I say. I have copied every one of his licks I could figure out. As well as, his production style.
Is it True Dann once showed up to a session in Daisy dukes? I heard he came strutting through the door slinging a Stratocaster!😅
Haha what? Can’t say I’ve heard this story 🤣
No way!!!! Hahaha
What a great interview. I’m such a fan!!
I’m a huge fan of yours Andy! Would love to have you as a guest soon! 🙏🙏🙏
@@sessionsolos thanks so much dude, sounds like a plan! Shout at me
Whatever happened to his brother the drummer
David is still doing awesome stuff in music!
Dann needs to wash those dirty headphone cups. He’s going to transfer that grime to his fingerboard and shorten the life of his strings.
😏
More rambling than questions!
Cool thanks! 👍
Put the drink down dude, damn why are you so thirsty
Sorry for drinking my coffee. I’ll drink less next time. ☕️
You talked way too much compared to Dan.
Thanks for the feedback! 👍