The Influence of The Guitar on Popular Music during the Last Hundred Years

Introduction.

My name is Andy Hall, and I started learning the guitar at 14 years old~ I'm 70 next year. I've wanted to write about the guitar for a while, so here goes. I think this will be a weekly blog, spread over 6 weeks, we'll see how it goes. Each week there will be different topics, namely 1~ The development of the guitar through time 2~ How the guitar grew in importance in popular music 3~ The different types of guitar, and how musicians have used them 4~The influence of great guitar players 5~ The difference the guitar has made to many rock and pop songs especially 6~ The influence and effect the guitar has had in my life.

1~ The development of the guitar through time.

When I was a lot younger, I remember a T.V programme about how the guitar was used in dance bands and jazz groups in the early 20th century, mainly to provide a rhythm backing. At first, these guitars were acoustic, with no amplification, therefore they were difficult to hear. There were also the blues players, often just one man and his acoustic guitar~ easily carried around, especially for the hobos hitching a free ride on the long trains travelling across America. A lot of these blues players migrated to the cities for work, especially Chicago and New Orleans, so the sound of the blues became more urban~ the development of amplification and the electric guitar was crucial during this time~ the guitar became a ''front line'' instrument in dance bands and jazz groups. Of course, Rock and Roll took off in the early 50's in America, and became hugely popular. Rock and Roll is basically speeded up 12 bar blues, which is relatively easy to play, once you understand the chord structure, so there was a sudden explosion of guitar, bass and drums groups playing this new music.

Already, the guitar had come a long way, from classical, flamenco, backing rhythm, and acoustic blues, to Rock and Roll solos. For example, the guitar solo on Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" is still brilliant to this day, but I will be looking at that topic in more depth later. Meanwhile, companies like Gibson and Fender started producing electric guitars like the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster, and the Dobro company put a steel drum in the acoustic guitar—the Resonator guitar was born. A Dobro Resonator guitar is featured on the cover of the Dire Straits album "Brothers In Arms."

2- How the guitar grew in importance in popular music. Of course, Rock and Roll came to Britain, at first it was the records brought over from America- still relatively rare in Britain, but these records started selling in this country, and inspired a generation of mostly young men who wanted to play Rock and Roll.

Liverpool, being a port, was at the forefront of this music in the early 60's- as in America, there was an explosion of guitar, bass and drums groups who went on to make brilliant records- we all know about the Beatles etc.Touching on the Beatles, Goerge Harrison played some great guitar riffs on songs like Day Tripper and I Feel Fine, and a lovely acoustic solo on And I Love Her, but I will be talking more about that topic later.

At the same time in the 60's there was an increase of interest in folk style acoustic music and songs in America and Britain. We all know about Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel. In Britain, Donovan was promoted as the British Bob Dylan, then there were artists like Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills Nash and Young. There was a big acoustic guitar sound in the early days of the Eagles. Many songs from the great Singer/ Songwriters during the 60's and 70's are still sung today by musicians playing acoustic guitars at Open Mike nights in pubs all across Britain, in American bars, and all over the world.

As amplification became more and more powerful, rock music really took off too, we all know about bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and of course Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Great electric players like Peter Green, Eric Capton, Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Page and more recentlly Brian May from Queen were dubbed guitar heroes by the music press especially- in my opinion, many rock groups would never have been as successful without a great guitar player in the band.

I'm stating the obvious here, but a guitar, especially an acoustic guitar, is quite easy to carry around for music nights, as Paul Simon sings in the song '' Homeward Bound''- ''my suitcase and guitar in hand.'' A guitar can be played anywhere, with minimum extra equipment such as a capo and plectrums, and in the right hands it can be a complete instrument for singing along to, like a piano, which is obviously harder to carry around!

3- The Different Types of Guitar and How Musicians Have Used Them.

There are obviously many different types of guitar now available, used in all genres of music.

The nylon 6- string acoustic guitar is mostly used in Spanish flamenco music and for playing classical pieces- John Williams for example is a brilliant classical player- I've heard him play on the song ''The Streets Of London '' with Ralph Mc Tell, and it's really beautiful.

The steel 6-string acoustic guitar is great for accompanying any song, especially songs that were written on guitar, and for playing blues and instrumentals finger style.

The steel 12 string acoustic guitar is also great for accompanying songs- it has a much bigger, rich sound, great for strumming chords, although finger style sounds good too. John

Denver was an excellent 12 string player, especially on the song ''Rocky Mountain High''.

The Dobro, or Resonator acoustic guitar has a different sound again. Its great for blues and slide playing, because of the sound. Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits plays a resonator guitar on the song''Romeo and Juliet''. I bought a resonator so I could play that song too, trouble is I can't sing it, even though it sounds simple! There is also the pedal steel guitar, commonly used in country music. It is usually played with a slide. Many musicians have produced some beautiful sounds with a pedal steel guitar. Then there is the steel 6- string electric guitar, which has been used in all genres of music over the years- jazz, country, blues and rock, punk and heavy metal. There have been many great electric guitar players over the years, which I will talk about more in the next section.

4- The Influence Of Great Guitar PLayers.

As I said before, there have been many great guitar players over the years, in all genres of music. Many of them were dubbed ''Guitar Heroes'' by the press. Because there are so many, I decided to talk about the players who had the most influence on me

The first one was Bert Weedon, who I remember seeing on television back in the early 60's. I initially learnt to play guitar with his ''Play in a Day'' guitar tutor book, although it took me a lot longer than a day! He played a Gibson electric guitar. The next player I remember was Hank Marvin, who played some great tunes on his Fender Stratocaster. I think it's fair to say the Shadows would never have happened without him.

John Lennon was an excellent rhythm guitar player- he actually played the banjo first, and then carried on playing banjo chords on the guitar. His rhythm playing probably came from playing the banjo. George Harrison was a very underrated player in my opinion, a lot of the Beatles songs wouldn't have been the same without him. I still love his acoustic playing on ''Here Comes The Sun'', and his solo on ''Something''.

I loved Peter Green's playing when he was in Fleetwood Mac, in my opinion, ''Albatross'' is the greatest instrumental ever written, and ''Man of the World'' is another great track.

Eric Clapton is another big influence, especially his later playing. ''Layla'' is still brilliant, and also''My Father's Eyes''. His acoustic playing on his ''Unplugged'' album is superb.

Don Felder is another player I admire, especially when he was in the Eagles. He wrote the guitar parts for ''Hotel California''- the acoustic version on the ''Hell Freezes Over '' album is brilliant. Mark Knopfler was the first person I saw play fingerstyle on an electric guitar, this makes his playing distinctive and very fluid. Like Hank Marvin before him, its fair to say that Dire Straits would never have happened without him.

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5- The Difference The Guitar has made to to Rock and Pop Songs.

How many times does it happen, when you hear a guitar playing a distinctive opening riff for a song, and you know what the title is, even before the vocals start? Again, it goes back to Hank Marvin and The Shadows- their instrumental tunes were brilliant, and stayed in your head, ''Layla'' by Eric Clapton is the same_ it's the guitar part I remember, can't remember any lyrics. The first time I heard ''Wonderful Tonight'' it was the lead guitar that stayed in my head.

The acoustic guitar part played by Jimmy Page as the introduction to''Stairway to Heaven '' also stays in the memory- mind you, so does his electric guitar solo!

The introduction to the Eagles classic song ''Hotel California'' is also very distinctive, deceptively simple, but a grest sound. 2 electric guitars play the solo, and finish the solo playing in harmony. Joe Walsh and Don Felder do a similar thing on the acoustic version of ''Hotel California on the '' Hell Freezes Over '' album.

''Money for Nothing'' by Dire Straits is all about the brilliant guitar riff that everyone recognises. Sting sings backing vocals on that song, and picked up a good royalty cheque for improvising at the end of the song!

I could talk about many more songs in the same way, but I think it's fair to say that a lot of popular and well known songs would never have existed without somebody somewhere sitting down with their guitar and making up a distinctive phrase, or riff or two.

6- The Influence and Effect the Guitar has had on my Life.

As I said at the beginning, I was given my first guitar for my 14th birthday- apparently it cost £6,00. I now have a small collection of 6 guitars, a banjo, ukelele and a mandolin.

The record that got me started was '' My Sweet Lord'' by George Harrison, back in 1971, I think. I wanted to make the same sound as the acoustic guitars in the background, not the lead guitar part.

My younger brother also learnt the guitar- eventually we formed an acoustic group with my sister and my sister's boyfriend at the time- we played in pubs in the local area, and only stopped when I got a job further afield.

I eventually got married, and have now got 3 grown up daughters and 2 grandsons- the younger grandson is learning to play the keyboard.

My wife passed away 2 years ago now, but in that time I've taken up playing and performing again- I'm part of a musical duo and we perform in the local area at Open Mike nights etc. just for fun.

There are other regular musicians who come along to the music nights and Open Mike nights too, and it's great meeting up with each other- it's the same at the regular ukelele group I go to- it's a cliche, but it's great having music in common. I have also started a small guitar class for beginners at my home.

As I said before, I'm 70 next year, but have no plans to stop playing and teaching the guitar. I've really enjoyed writing this blog, I hope you have enjoyed reading it.

Many thanks, Andy Hall.