Roy Buchanan

Roy Buchanan (actually Leroy Buchanan, * October 22, 1936 or September 23, 1939 in Ozark, Arkansas; † August 14, 1988 in Fairfax, Virginia ), a major blues-rock guitarist who has influenced numerous guitarists was.

Life

As Buchanan was two years old, his family moved to Pixley in California, where his father had found work on a farm. With nine he got from his parents, his first guitar. Despite several years of teaching Buchanan never learned to read music, but played by ear. "His " guitar was the Fender Telecaster.

At the age of twelve years, Buchanan got his first engagement in a local band, the Waw Keen Valley Boys. At 16 he moved in with his older brothers and sisters to Los Angeles, where he played with the Heartbeats, along with Spencer Dryden, the Jefferson Airplane and The New Riders of the Purple Sage was a drummer later. The highlight of the Heartbeats was the appearance in the film Pretty Baby rock. His next band was in Tulsa Oklahoma Bandstand before he played three years with Dale Hawkins, who in 1958 had a hit with " My Babe " .. After that he worked for, among others, Ronnie Hawkins, The Coasters, Frankie Avalon and Eddie Cochran.

1961 Buchanan married Judy Owens and lived with her ​​first near Washington, DC In the following years, Buchanan has not been active in the music business. In 1969 he entered again into smaller clubs in the Greater Philadelphia / Washington. In 1970 he found in various newspapers and finally in Rolling Stone magazine mention, not least because he allegedly acted in 1969 as the successor musicians for the Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones - an offer he declined, however. 1971 made ​​him a television program entitled "Introducing Roy Buchanan " more widely known.

In the 1970s there appeared a series of albums, some of which were quite successful, but he could only convince as a guitarist, not a singer. He was regarded by some as the "best unknown blues guitarist ". It was followed by numerous tours and concerts, to Buchanan retired from the plate business in the second half of the 1970s. In 1981 he came back, could be heard as a drummer Danny Brubeck, son of Dave Brubeck on the album My Babe. In 1985 appeared a new album, "When a Guitar Plays the Blues", the 13 weeks remained on the Billboard charts and was nominated for a Grammy.

He frequently came into conflict with the law and had alcohol problems. On August 14, 1988 Roy Buchanan was arrested after a serious fight with his wife because of drunkenness. He was later found dead in his cell - hanged according to the official report with your own shirt.

Discography

In the 1960s, Buchanan was involved as a studio musician, among others, Freddy Cannon and Leiber / Stoller at over 100 plates.

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