The Westin hotel in Memphis TN is across the street from the Gibson guitar factory. There is a huge display case in the lobby beside the front desk filled with Gibson guitars and basses, including one of the previous Lucille models. If you are a guest in the hotel you are free to check out any of them while you’re there.
I never had enough time to take real advantage of that, but it was sure a perk of staying there.
That sounds like a great experience. Similarly, I had always wanted to visit the PRS factory. I always thought it would be interesting to build a one-off Private Stock where you select (most) every aspect especially from their wood selection. I read that “Gibson sold the Gibson Guitar Factory building in Downtown Memphis last December to Somera Road, a New York-based investment company.”
Many years ago, Slash was in town and went to a vintage guitar shop and bought a `59 Les Paul. As I recall he paid 60-80k. At the time, I could not imagine why he would spend that much. Then a guy I met on a race car forum bought one for $175k. I slowly began to realize that someone knew a great deal more than I did about guitar investments.
Interesting that you mentioned that. I bought Live at the Fillmore LP when it was first released. I put it on Cr02 cassette in Dolby B. I noted that as Whipping Post trailed off…there seemed to be the opening of “first there was a mountain…”
I bought Eat a Peach and paused my Advent cassette deck and with some care, got the two cuts to connect although the latter part was recorded at high volume. Eventually I got it right. You had to be blown away by such a jam session played so excellently.
The deaths, the drugs, Gregg marrying Cher etc…it just dissolved over the years.
There certainly were some lean years in there, but after Warren Haynes joined the band, I sort thought they righted the ship pretty well - He fit in great - I was a little dubious later after Derek Trucks joined, but that too, turned out ok - I saw them several times between 1980 and 2005 and they were always great. - Nobody could replace Duane, but I thought they certainly were one of the better live touring acts throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s. A couple of good examples of the later years may be:
from the 90’s :
https://i.imgur.com/hc2vKGN.png
from 2000’s:
Like Lynyrd Skynyrd, there were replacement musicians as members died, and I believe that Derek Trucks tired of playing their old set list time after time.
With regard to Blues based music, Gregg Allman’s “Laid Back” was, to my ears, very good, especially “These Days.”
My daughter changed her name to take “Reed” after Memories of Elizabeth Reed.
I like that Gregg Allman album as well - I think Elizabeth Reed was Dickey Betts’ first song he wrote for the band - Great bit about your daughter… pretty cool -
Yes, I had forgotten that Dicky Betts wrote In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. It was a marking on a grave at Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon.
It sparked me, at the time, to come up with my own grave marking so I chose
Tomb It May Concern
I saw Derek Trucks last fall in NYC during the Tedeschi and Trucks “Beacon Theater” multi-day run. What an amazing band. If anyone (well, everyone I assume) likes the Derek and the Dominos, Layla album, do yourself a favor and check out the recent release of “Tedeschi and Trucks” doing the entire album live. A real treat.
edit: Derek Trucks is one of the most amazing guitarists I’ve ever seen live. And I’ve seen (live), Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton. (edit 2, and Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughan)
Thank you for the recommendation. Always bewildered me why he/they have not had the acclaim they deserve. I believe it is due to different times.
‘Nuff said. Listen to Otiel Burbridge on bass, too. Watch Warren Haynes’ smile when he gives it to Otiel. It is all phenomenal.
I think they are pretty popular with certain crowds (and all ages were at this show, old guys like me and 20 somethings). They sold out every night and I think it was a 5 or 6 night run). The venue holds about 3000 people.
Just saw this article come up in my Google news thread, might be of interest to some here
Thank you very much for that.
Unrelated, I note that we do not often reference acoustic blues.
Truly an excellent performance. Thank you for linking to it.
Interesting tribute album - Rodgers showing what a great singer he is, and some very nice guitar playing (although not all of it is “blues”) from the star-studded guest list.
Just come into a large collection of CDs and there seems to be a fair amount of Blues in this collection so I will be expanding my Blues listening even more.
That’s great that you have come into a large collection of CDs. Enjoy your listening and please report back what you hear and like.
Love Albert Collins. Check out the 1985 classic, “Showdown” with Robert Cray, Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, and Albert Collins:
