Essential Rockabilly Guitar Recordings

[jimk]

Here's the scene: Your guitar student has just discovered one or two of James Burton's recordings, let's say "Hello Mary Lou" with Rick Nelson is one of them. Naturally he's just bowled over by that rockabilly twang. And what's more wants to know what other guitar players he should be listening to. Here's your chance to fill in the blanks. Give names and song titles. I'll start

Carl Perkins: (anything, really)

• Blue Suede Shoes,
  Your True Love,
  Honey Don't
  Matchbox
  Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby

Elvis Presley (with Scotty Moore)

• That's All Right Mama
  Mystery Train

Chuck Berry Yeah, I'm going to list him here because to my ears, he was the black guy who crossed over to white audiences, and his playing sounds like a thorough blend of blues, and country, and he grew up in Missouri, a definite cross roads state.

• Roll Over Beethoven,
  Johnny B. Goode,
  Memphis, Tennessee,
  Sweet Little Sixteen
  Maybelene

I left out a bunch of Scotty Moore's recordings with Elvis. And the list is just off the top of my head. I left out Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, and Eddie Cochran. Not because I don't think they belong here. They do. I just got tired of typing. OK, your turn.

JimK

[wmthor]

Jerry Lee Lewis:
Great Balls of Fire
Breathless
High School Confidential

Ray Smith:
Rockin' Bandit
Shake Around

Warren Smith:
Uranium Rock

[wmthor]

Rockabilly Hall of Fame Inductees

First Inductee: Gene Vincent

[sloop_john_b]

Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser
Eddie Cochran - Twenty Flight Rock

[winston]

Add these to your list:

Bill Haley & The Comets
Lonnie Mack
Johnny Cash

[collin]

Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser
Eddie Cochran - Twenty Flight Rock

+1


basically, anything by Duane Eddy or Eddie Cochran is going to be classic top-shelf Rockabilly guitar.



My second vote goes to something much later:

Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Rod Lincoln (it's a cover song of another Rockabilly original)

[paologregorio]

Any Gene Vincent with Cliff Gallup on lead guitar.

Any Johnny Burnette

The first two Stray Cat Import albums, as well as their first two domestic releases: Brian Setzer's playing captures all of the flavor of original Rockabilly twang and builds upon it with his stylistic touches.

[8mileshigher]

Here's a great listing of Rockabilly artists:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ro ... _musicians

[winston]

And another great list...........http://www.rockabillyhall.com/RabHof.html

[analogpackrat]

Buddy Holly!

[kenposurf]

Many to chose from..

[bitzerguy]

The first two Stray Cat Import albums, as well as their first two domestic releases: Brian Setzer's playing captures all of the flavor of original Rockabilly twang and builds upon it with his stylistic touches.

+1000 on Brian Setzer. While he may not be an "old boy" Rockabilly artist, he is certainly one of the very best. In fact one of the best guitarists period, and an amazing showman. Ignition is a great listen for more recent Brian.

[harley]

+1000 on Brian Setzer. While he may not be an "old boy" Rockabilly artist, he is certainly one of the very best. In fact one of the best guitarists period, and an amazing showman. Ignition is a great listen for more recent Brian.

I agree on Setzer AND on Ignition. It also has the song '59, a celebration of all things from that year (which I find particularly gratifying).

I'd also recommend virtually everything you can find from Gene Vincent. I particularly like "Red Blue Jeans And A Pony Tail".