Albert Lee Shows Technique Through His Influences | Reverb Interview

Legions of players have been inspired by Albert Lee, but Reverb was lucky enough to sit down and hear all about Albert's own influences and the evolution of his playing style. From Buddy Holly and Cliff Gallup to Jimmy Bryant, Albert shows some of his favorite licks and how they shaped his sound.
Read more about Albert Lee at bit.ly/2od7vYI.

[@mousearebec]

So soft spoken and humble. Gives credit to those he learned from. Mr Lee is one to "learn" from.

[@phenixreturns]

the best guitarists are humble, nice, spending time playing guitar, writing songs, playing in some concerts, helping the others

[@arekristoffersenfromaasgaard]

King Albert!! I met him once in a bar in Sweden, and he is the most humble and nicest man you'll ever meet. He signed my guitar, though he don't normally do that, and a couple off records, but being able to talk to him in person was absolutly amazing.

[@quintinpace2627]

Albert is amazing. Criminally unknown, because once you know about him, you can't underrate him.

[@sdushdiu]

Absolutely!

[@fishheadlemonsnack824]

My entire life is full of people telling me to 'check him out.' What a wonder human being!

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Albert Lee was the first call electric guitar player in Nashville for years. Until Brent Mason came along, no one logged as many hours doing sessions as he did. Before him, only someone like the great Reggie Young could compare in terms of his impact and the number of sessions he did. Albert Lee drove a Ferrari in those days; he was always paid double/tripe scale for his session work. When he wasn't cutting sessions with big-name stars, he was touring with them. Albert Lee taught Ricky Skaggs a great deal about how to play electric guitar when Lee toured with Ricky; Skaggs having made his mark acoustically up to that time. The public at large may not know Lee, but the biggest stars and session players in Nashville, they certainly do - he's a legend. About a decade ago, some friends and I got a chance to see Albert with his band, along with special guest James Burton. Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill dropped in unannounced so it was an amazing show. Very memorable experience.

[@StuartSeaton]

You don't say! I was talking to this guy in a quiet pub 3 years ago. He was checking the weather forecast on his phone because he was up visiting to go surfing, he said. I said I didn't think he seemed like the kind of guy who went surfing. He said, "I suppose I don't look like a blues guitarist either". I said I thought he looked exactly like a blues guitarist. Always wondered who he was, if was he was a famous guitarist? Now I know who he was. It was Albert Lee! I only realised when he recently booked a gig in my local town..

[@stevenrogersfineart4224]

It just shows how many brilliant people are out there that could be the ones serving you coffee or picking up your trash. Fame is no more a sign of talent than a PhD is a sign of intellect :P

[@WillyPDX94]

I saw Albert last year in Portland at the tiny Alberta Rose Theater. He was incredible, not only for his incendiary guitar work, but for his beautiful vocals. I had no idea he was such a great singer. If he hadn't made his name as one of the world's best guitarists, he could have been a notable vocalist. An amazing talent and a gentleman through and through. If you have a chance to see him, don't miss out. His skills are still at the highest level and you'll be thrilled.

[@jlindell6532]

true

[@realgoodmind]

Most underrated and under appreciated guitarist on earth. There seriously isn't anyone else that can claim his greatness without a level of everyday notoriety

[@fostexfan160]

He is NOT underrated and NOT under appreciated

[@peroduanippa]

@@fostexfan160 Underrated is the most overrated adjective on youtube.

[@sion_wilson]

Seen Albert 4 times, the first when I was 10. Met him after every gig too, one of the nicest guys out there! He even gave me his pick the first time I saw him! I'm 17 now and I still consider him my favourite guitarist :)

[@Guitar387]

One of the greatest guitarists and musicians of all time , I’ve met him several times , lovely man.

[@rdwwdr3520]

Every time I see Albert Lee I come away with 2 take-aways: he's a monster player and he's one hell of a gentleman; humble dignity belying his guitar super powers. Very interesting to hear about his listening to Jimmy Bryant! And I'm not surprised.

[@wgb01001]

Love this guy. He may look like a bank teller, but he's a country boy at heart.

[@GrahamMcHugh]

LOL! Nice! :)

[@kitano0]

I see what you did there...

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

@ipmala when the whole internet is laughing at your stupidity......

[@banjopete]

SNORKYMEDIA , it is , even in New Zealand! Just proves you don’t know what you don’t know.

[@Theweeze100]

I went to a clinic that Albert did about 20 years ago. He was such a gentleman, and a very kind soul. His self-deprecating humor and effortless conversation were both encouraging and delightful to listen to. The stories he shared of playing with the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris and Eric Clapton we're insightful to say the least. Obviously watching him play was like seeing a magic show. It's no wonder that he is such a legend.

[@toastoftowne1076]

An absolute treasure to the guitar world, nothing but love for this dude.

[@roygonzalez4367]

Albert is a True English Gentlemen , Plays All the Different Styles of Music Very Well and Has Been Involved With the American Rock Scene For Yrs , Knows More About Music and Experienced More Than Most People , Been Onstage With Eric , Jeff Beck , Vince Gill and Many County Guitarist , Quite and unasumming until you Hear Him Play and I Considered Him One of the BEST , EVER , " GO ALBERT LEE "

[@madeleinehague3247]

First time I saw Albert, my jaw dropped. He is fabulous. And, he's a really nice person.

[@jazz4randall]

Saw him at the baked potato.. so good, so refreshing. I really love his playing. A very humble man as well. I have seen some of the best.. he's right there with the rest of them.

[@keithcarter9396]

A brilliant and very humble player. Too late for me to learn his stuff so I just give him much respect. That's all I can do.

[@markmortham4967]

It’s never to late to learn Keith!

[@riceflatpicking4954]

Bullshit man. You can learn. Take one of his songs that you like and practice it one part at a time until you get it no matter how long it takes how many days or weeks once you get a few of those under your belt doors will start to open for you I believe that you can do it.

[@erikvaldur3334]

Such an unassuming, soft spoken man. Then the curtain rolls back and the Beast is set free. Absolutel monster on the guitar 🎸 I'll never forget seeing him at MI in the early 90s. Free concert with him and one of my teachers there Steve Travato. Steve put some songs up here on YT. The two are good friends and amazing players. That was my introduction to Mr. King and he's been one of my favorites since. What a gentleman too.

[@gerryporter1041]

A true gentleman and guitar genius who does not try to be noticed. Genial genius comes to mind. The list of people he has played with is incredible. I took a guitar class to a small venue where he was playing years ago when he toured with hogans heroes and we were 3 feet from him and the stage. He graciously met with us all afterwards and spent time talking and encouraging us. The class were totally inspired and blown away! The world needs him, music needs him!

[@vwharman]

Man. The guy just breathes and beautiful stuff comes out. What a legend. Also, his Ernie ball model is a dream guitar to me. Awesome looking instrument!

[@waxhead63]

One of the most humble of guitarists around

[@Genesis817]

Man, you gotta love Albert.

[@nazariotompong7748]

I like this guy he's so talented he is so underrated

[@danielparsonsmusic]

Albert Lee is incredible! I love his playing.

[@marctrainor5595]

Albert, your not just a great guitar player, playing the kind of licks that I love to hear, but your such a personable guy. I actually went to a little seminar years ago down in El Cajon, CA. where I live, at Jim Soley's music store and your were the same way there. I've been a huge fan of your since the first time I heard you. Thank you for all that you've given to us over the years. Marc Trainor.

[@derekstocker6661]

Just listening to Albert talking about guitar technique and showing his and others style is so very entertaining. Thank you.

[@jenniferbennet7053]

Albert, you are excellent musician, I just love to hear and watch you playing. X

[@johnnorris9066]

What a an amazing player and such a great guy. Legend

[@jeffdawson2786]

I’m on an Albert binge. Amazing.

[@gioigeniale6711]

I saw Albert Lee with Clapton in Zurich, Switzerland. With Alberts song "Sweet Little Lisa" he topped the whole concert. At the final songs "Further up on the road" Albert played only in the mid registers of his guitar. Has this been orderd from Eric, who flew up in his high registers? We`ll never know. Albert made a big impression to me. And at the bass Donald Duck Dunn. In the 80ies I played only bass. From Donald Duck Dunn I learned so much. But at the concert I couldn`t hear the bass, even I saw, what he played. In the mix he was way back. So it was. Thank you Albert for your big inspiration. Thank you, and also Donald Duck Dunn! You teached me so much.

[@bertiebuckley8035]

Albert played in the quays bar Galway years ago had every body memorised with his guitar playing & singing

[@serenaleaghgrace5023]

I LOVE HIM, WHAT AN ARTIST , BEAUTIFUL MAN

[@cooghoublaga7555]

Amazing guitarist my only regret being that he fell and broke his arm when he was scheduled for the new morning in Paris some time ago, so never got to see him live, shit what a bummer would have loved that, he's one of the best ever !

[@kilterkaos1]

I was definitely blown away by him when I first saw him on Crossroads. Still am.

[@ggus8512]

One of my Favorite players. Thank you Reverb, and Albert Lee.

[@tramlad2]

Albert superb guitarist, even better human being, so so humble, if he only knew how many guitar players who hang on his every word, what a man what a guitar player, played with anyone who mattered. genius

[@uncleremus5046]

What a Humble Giant of Guitar!

[@raydoucette4802]

Great stuff, thanks for posting! My dad was a big Jimmy Bryant fan, it still remember thinking, how does he play so fast? Love Albert Lee, he's such a classic.

[@stevieoconnor2674]

Beautiful player and agree he is seriously underrated in the mainstream. Very highly thought of amongst the usual suspects. Best clean player I have ever witnessed.

[@jasonkeith9317]

Albert is definitely a musician's musician whatever that means!

[@paulcannon5065]

It means a lot (I think)

[@mejsjalv]

Pretty much all his stuff is pretty advanced. Learning at least one of the pieces will definitely open up the instrument for you.

[@pauljordan4452]

Albert Lee reminds me a lot of an old high school music teacher who has played the guitar for 53 years.

[@PlanetRockJesus]

Albert Lee. One of the best. One of my absolute favorites. I love this video, and I totally understand his rejection of the thumb pick. Nothing wrong with it; it's just not for me (or Alvin).

[@rhondamilbrandt8435]

He was at the surf ballroom In clear lake Iowa , tonite and he rocked it he can play anything and it was his 80th birthday we all sang to him and have him cake

[@BOOMNERD51]

Love his playing, great camerawork!♡

[@midnightrider7648]

I had a live clapton album years ago. Albert lee was one of the musicians in clapton's band, and i really felt that albert was the better guitarist.

[@epipick]

There's a KZbin clip showing Clapton' s jaw drop at Albert's picking prowess.

[@kitano0]

If I'm not mistaken, Greg Koch said that album was one of his earliest influences

[@epipick]

I've met Albert a couple of times and he's just so modest and unassuming. Just as you'd expect him to be.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Back in the 1980s, Albert Lee and Ry Cooder toured with Eric Clapton and his band in support of the LP "Money and Cigarettes." At the time, Clapton's band had Roger Hawkins on drums, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Barry Beckett on keyboards, if memory serves. Clapton always plays better when he has someone good pushing him, trying to cut him, so the show was great - all three greats played extremely well together and blended well. You can always tell Lee's playing when he lets it rip on his Tele (he played a Telecaster at that time, not a Music Man guitar), sounded like a string of fire-crackers going off. A year or two later, I saw Lee touring with the Everly Brothers. I wondered what was up with that, so bought a ticket. Albery played very understated rhythm guitar on acoustic during the Everlys' vocals, but they gave him a showpiece for some instrumentals during the intermission for the vocals, and Lee and his guys tore it up.

[@britvox95z]

@@GeorgiaBoy1961 You're absolutely right about Clapton - he's really quite a lazy player who will happily do just enough to keep his audience happy unless he's playing with somebody who can kick his butt, in which case he''ll up his game in order to compete with them.

[@pawelpap9]

Great interview! He is definitely right about one thing, every wannabe musician should have at least some command of piano. It truly expands horizons, as he explains. It also helps thinking in more abstract, spacious terms.

[@stefanhall3219]

COOL Video! I really enjoyed Albert! Hopefully there will be more. I could listen to Albert talk and pick all day!

[@raymondvaughan6262]

What a player albert is been around years up with the best by far if not better 👏

[@troydante]

Albert is so good! I was lucky to see him once backing the Everly Brothers ...

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

Awesome 😷👍🏿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@robertpamler5372]

Brilliant bloke Albert Lee..

[@justingarcia7722]

Had the pleasure see Albert recently, really killer. Everyone should check out Jimmy Bryant, still freaks me out what that guy was doing then

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Jimmy Bryant, according to jazz guitar legend Herb Ellis, I believe it was - said Bryant has the fastest and cleanest right-handing picking technique ever, bar none. Bryant made his living playing country and country-swing tunes, that sort of thing, but he was fully-capable of playing straight-ahead jazz standards and bebop tunes. Superb fiddle player, too.

[@thomaaz]

what a great man.

[@Dario199420]

The best live sound I ever heard!

[@malexder0082]

Clapton puts Lee on his list of guitarists he admires most.

[@pabloperez4063]

In 1st place

[@jdexposure]

I'll never forget the second solo on the live version of "Cocaine". Clapton is Clapton, but there ain't nobody like Albert Lee...

[@jamesryan5436]

That's a fact . 👍🏻

[@JohnBoulding]

clapton said Albert was the best guitarists he knew

[@reachblowsdick7222]

The first time I heard and saw Albert Lee play I was shocked with my jaw open standing like a deer in the headlights, just like when I first saw Paul Gilbert, Malmsteen, Jason Becker and SRV. Albert Lee is on those Galactic God like level of guitar skills.

[@stephenhill8991]

Wonderful guitar player and modest man... was blown away by 'Country Boy' when it came out on the rather excellent 'Hiding' album (STILL blown away by it!) I've been fortunate enough to see him play a couple of times as well.

[@josephevans859]

It actually came out in 1970 in the Heads Hands & feet double album. It was a revolution in guitar playing.

[@dustydean56]

Albert is my hero, one of the best !

[@KUM0]

Legend

[@johndaugherty4127]

Thanks Reverb, that was a great interview.

[@wayne-brock7515]

Albert Lee is one of the most fantastic player around. He sure is getting pretty old though. Him and my Dad are both same age, going to be turning 76.

[@curtrod]

sounds great, a master

[@kinghootchie863]

Have so enjoyed Albert's playing since I first heard him with Emmylou. Such playing, that you'd go get the album cover and look to see who was playing lead guitar- that kind of good. As an early rocker, the name seemed familiar, and I wondered if there was any relation. To whom? Why, Alvin Lee of Ten Years After! of course. Well, thus began the respect for all of the Lee guitarists. Me, it's acoustic for fun and games with Martin D-35.

[@matthewwesterfield4888]

thanks for the awesome videos!!!

[@tomtenant9255]

A great musician.

[@drherb280]

Everything said below is true and then some. His performances with Emmy Lou Harris' Hot Band are legendary, and not seeing them when I had the chance = Epic Fail! But I have seen Albert twice in recent years at The Tin Pan (cap. 160) in Richmond, Va, and while his vocals are very good now, his playing has never been better nor cleaner. He tells a story that he's the only guy to be hired/fired by Eric Clapton 3 times LOL! It's a shame he's playing these little venues but it is a chance to go see him for less than EC charges hahaha, and I'd highly recommend doing so.

[@barabbabill548]

Conosciuto!!Bellissima persona , grande artista....

[@brianmi40]

Albert is part of that old school of guitarists, using a quite flexible pick. Today, guitarists have move to stiffer picks and the more angular attack on the strings they require. It enables more precise pick strokes and therefore speed. But nothing "wrong" here and of course creates a slightly different sound.

[@markl.2299]

Delightful man

[@josecardenas4013]

Awesome...

[@rordrom3234]

Nice playing from a good man.

[@roberttreppleton8979]

Mickey Gee ! As good as any if not better ! Another Welsh Legend !

[@bobbys4327]

man, he's got a wild picking technique

[@Ravenscaller]

I play cowboy chords and a lick or two but just could never make my fingers work like that. Sigh. Lee is one of the best of the best.

[@crlguitar1]

Nice to hear that I wasn't the only guy who tried a thumb pick and didn't really enjoy it! I marvel at those who do use one though....I guess that I'm just too lazy to keep working with one. Keeps cutting off circulation to my big fat thumb though....

[@gilfaver362]

Terrific.

[@donald-parker]

It looks like he uses a very thin pick and seems to have a lot of it sticking out. Quite different from most modern players. But he certainly can make it work!

[@randallbarnes207]

Mr Lee is an amazing guitar player.

[@brianmoylan1671]

James Burton and Albert Lee are the Gold Standard . Nothing more to add.

[@MrPaolo101]

The real deal!...

[@phenixreturns]

very cool

[@paulco4145]

He is so clean...

[@JackTheSkunk]

Albert and James Burton influenced countless younger country guitarists. I think Albert is the only player I've seen that cites the amazing Jimmy Bryant as an influence.

[@summertea545]

Don't fret over playing Albert....your cool.

[@barrywhitley2535]

Ah, my hero.

[@jamescolekreecanyon]

Dude !

[@maxwellfan55]

Love the pick n finger sound, it's not easy but definitely contains more chicken than thumb..

[@jumpfortyfour9965]

wot a nice man

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

Toured with Clapton a lot to bail Clapton out when he was "suitably refreshed"

[@cahg3871]

I like how he relies on technique,not distortion to get his point across.

[@geraldwest3428]

Super cool cat...thanks!

[@nickefgen9219]

cool video thank you

[@tommyliljeqvist3090]

me and my friend saw you in Gothenburg site Lorensberg have listened a lot, always a red guitar playing on and a very humble appearance Plays actually own but .... not so good when I get stuck I listen to you o your fine friends thank you see Tommy L

[@johntrik]

American Music Shop 1993 ....Lee/Gatton/Gill .

[@belle9438]

I love to watch his fingers.

[@imannonymous7707]

Give that man a tele !

[@RC-Heli835]

3:04 Love it!

[@kentbeery4697]

A REAL Guitar player

[@rayerscarpensael2300]

Watch his 80ties tutorials, master of virtuosity way ahead of the competition. Seems he has cooled down here a lot.

[@theageoftheawakening4806]

Roy Clarke is serious business

[@evalex71]

A guitar player's guitar player

[@nightshiftblues]

The best there is.