Danny Gatton - Unknown but Not Unnoticed

[@guppybill]

The best part of this piece of content is no A.I. narrator! Nice work, human.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Haha thank you so much! So many of those AI generated videos out now, it's pretty annoying. I'm glad you noticed and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here's to humankind 🤘🤘

[@erod4489]

No kiddin

[@sandeman1776]

Amen

[@dingoduster]

Agreed

[@wavemotiongun12]

Amen.

[@AndyThomas_mrblitz]

they say his guitar instructor told his parents not to bother with lessons for him, because Danny could instantly play back anything he heard. what an amazing player he was.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That is a great little tidbit right there Andy! Danny was such a natural - it's cool that his instructors were honest about it. Such a great player!

[@smedleybutler8787]

Glen Campbell perfect pitch

[@danielelise7348]

Steven Seagal look out!!😆😆

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

@@smedleybutler8787Glenn had a great voice, was a competent actor, and one of my all time favorite country guitarists-part of that golden era with Jerry Reed, Atkins, Roy Clark, Grady Martin and a few others. Gatton was one of very few, truly elite guitarists, and a shame listmakers don’t see him at the top

[@Rahilda]

"They say" lol No one is beyond being taught something. Even the greats.

[@captnorm4727]

I was a bouncer at the Wax Museum in D.C. and had the privilege to see him many times. He was a legend for sure.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That is pretty cool! I wish he would have gotten more credit when he was still around. Total beast of a player!

[@ishko108]

Lucky.

[@nelsonx5326]

I was confused but then figured the Wax Museum must be a bar.

[@elihyland4781]

🏆🙌

[@danielcombs3207]

Did Roy Buchanan happen to play the Wax Museum too? I know that he was from that area as well if I’m not mistaken. I wish I had the opportunity to see both of those gentleman live. I t must have been so amazing to see them in an intimate club. That is the perfect venue to see those kind of great musicians.

[@fredflintstone8048]

He was never unknown amongst guitar players, in fact he's a world renown player to us.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Absolutely right --like Alan Holdsworth and others, he was kind of more of a best kept secret to guitar players in the know.

[@Okraknife]

I agree.

[@fredskolnick1183]

Amen!

[@jimmydriveway]

Always been a guitar God to me.

[@thomasd9237]

Epic Telemaster 👍👍

[@DougMunro]

Terrific portrait of one of the best guitarists ever. Jimmy, your tribute was informative, respectful and heartfelt.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thanks Doug! Danny was a beast!

[@DjangoThunders]

I was crushed when Danny died. It seemed like all of my favorite players died in quick succession, Stevie, Roy and Danny were my guitar heroes. Each had such a unique style and were so good, they could touch any music fan. There is just no replacing such talent. I was going through tough times when this all happened, drugs and booze and women and the rock lifestyle. It was a hard time in my life. But I still listen to and cherish their music. 61 years old now, changed my life around. Never got to see Danny live and do I regret it! But I hope to see him in the afterlife, such a good soul is surely in heaven. Thanks for this video, it touched my heart.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much for sharing that. So much excess back then, the sad part about Stevie is that he was able to break away from all of that. He was really on track to securing his place to probably the biggest player ever. Had Danny and Roy stuck around, I'm sure they're legend would have grown and eventually they would have enjoyed some of the fruits of their labor. I never got to catch any of them either, so I know how you feel. Nevertheless I'm hoping through a media outlet like KZbin the word can continuously be spread on these players. A lot of people are starting to dig into them now - and I'm glad to see it. Danny was such a beast. It's really such a shame that he went too soon. I really appreciate you sharing your tag on this Thank you so much!

[@lamper2]

you regret women?

[@RackemDawg]

Yeah dude that was a great share. Thank you. We lose ourselves from time to time, but it’s truly the music that brings me back to center.

[@mbass718]

​​@@guitarmeetsscience So true about Stevie. It took him years to get clean and when he did it was like his playing got to a whole other level. His death was by far one of the hardest to hit me out of all the musicians I loved growing up who lost their lives too soon. SRV is particularly tragic seeing how revitalized he was when he got clean. At the height of his playing there's no other Gtr players who could have touched his intensity. Besides Danny and Roy and guys like Buddy Guy. I got to see Danny once at a free outdoor show here in NY at the south st seaport. It wasn't very crowded but he pulled out all the stops and was a total monster Gtr player. I was into Roy before him but sadly never saw him. I did get to see Stevie 4x here in NY. Twice at the old pier 84 shows when he first started getting big. That was great cause all the seats at pier 84 were GA so as long as you got there early you were guaranteed to get great up close seats. Everyone would be running to secure seats the minute they opened the doors. Those two shows were like going to church it felt like such a holy experience. Seeing him do Voodoo Chile (Slight return) into Third stone from the sun and back into Voodoo Chile was seriously otherworldly. He made them his own but it was easily the closest you could possibly get to seeing Hendrix he was that great. Also saw the Carnegie hall show that they released as a live album. And finally the last time seeing him was at Madison Square garden with Jeff Beck opening. Seeing him rise from clubs to 5-10k people sheds. And than to a sold out MSG was amazing. He literally tore the roof down at MSG. I still clearly remember him being so psyched playing the Garden and him proclaiming.. "So this is MSG... I Like It". I've seen alot of shows at MSG and Stevie ranks as one of the best I've ever seen there. To this day his encore consisted of him and Beck going to town on on the song Goin' Down! It still stands as the best Gtr duel I've ever seen. They were thrilled to be playing together and it showed during the encore. I was a huge Beck fan growing up and besides the Arms concert at MSG when I was 17 that featured Clapton opening, Jeff Beck second and Jimmy Page closing before they all came out to play together during the encore. That was also one of the best shows I've ever seen there. Loads of guests too like Steve Winwood, Joe Cocker, Ron Wood, Bill Wyman and more. Beck was definitely the best out of the 3 Gtr players. He busted out a load of all the great fusion songs he recorded in the 70s. Same when he opened for Stevie. I'd have to say Beck was one of the few Gtr players who could hold his own going toe to toe with Stevie. Talk about seeing a dream combo! Damn do I wish SRV was still here. He single handedly saved the blues and in turn always gave props to all the old bluesmen that deserved to be heard and seen. And no one else could have proclaimed to be Albert Kings' white son.. As Albert said about him. 0:08

[@kiezersosay49]

Roy Clark was a monster...

[@KeithKeihsaBrock]

Danny Gatton deserves to be recognized and should be inducted into the Hall of Fame ❤

[@stroker93]

The "Hall of Fame" isn't 6:52 based on talent....its a joke...voted in based on the masses' votes ... It's more of a popularity contest for dumb...the hall is missing many great talents....music is such crap these days and people are so simple that when you don't fall into categories of popular you're cast aside....

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Agreed 100%!

[@gwilson420]

Which one? Rock & Roll

[@shanghunter7697]

@@gwilson420 I hope not !! r&r h.o.f. inducted madonna ???

[@eliotmccann2589]

My all time favourite guitarist.

[@fivestring65ify]

I can't believe so many people haven't heard of Gatton. He's legendary.

[@v2vroth]

Got to see him play many times in the D.C. area. I Had a friend who played with Danny . He was Truly the humbler but always took the time to listen and chat with anyone. 😎🎸🎶🎶

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That must've been awesome to see him live and meet him. By all accounts he was a cool dude. Thanks for sharing that!

[@jbrethel]

Glad you mentioned Tom Principato. Another Master of the Telecaster. Bought his "Smokin'" album out of the trunk of his car during a break between sets up in Boston back in 1986. Blazing Telecasters is an amazing live blues album featuring Tom and Danny Gatton.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah - Danny and Tom made a great team together. Absolutely burning album through and through!

[@kenren110]

Danny was truly one of a kind and a capital dude. He was more welcoming than anyone might guess when I ambushed him for an autograph on my guitar strap! I saw him 3 times and spoke with him twice. Whenever he is mentioned in conversation everyone seems to have smiles and favorite memories. I sure wish he hadn't suffered so, he was as good as anyone I have heard. RIP friend

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you for sharing that experience! By all accounts he was a great guy, and of course a wicked player. It's a shame he went through so much. RIP Danny

[@JAWS-7675]

Never knew this man until now! Thank you for bringing these obscure players to the light. Please continue to showcase these amazing players from the past to present.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much - I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I definitely will 🤘🤘

[@anthonyj.lobreto5544]

I have heard the name but couldn't put music to it until now

[@JAWS-7675]

@@guitarmeetsscience can you maybe showcase Roy Clark or Ricky Scaggs?

[@brynjones7371]

Absolutely genius on guitar, the best I've ever heard. If he could sing he would have been a superstar. Sadly missed.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

You said it perfectly - and I agree, how do you have had the vocal part he probably would have become a lot more well-known. Such a shame!

[@tombstoneharrystudios584]

@@guitarmeetsscienceI’m a huge fan of Danny & I agree…if he’d had a decent voice and the songwriting skills, he could have become a household name He was hard to pigeonhole as he could play blues, rock and jazz with ease But a Jack-of-all-trades is hard to market to the public Danny's trick bag seemed to be bottomless. I was recently listening to his extraordinary live version of Sleepwalk and thought this And yet, when I switch off the guitar-player side of my mind, I can't help but think this is quite a jittery, and sometimes unfocused version of this song I HATE myself for saying this, but as much as the last 2 minutes are technically astonishing, at times it sounds like random scrambling. If Danny had lived it would have been wonderful to see where his gift would have taken him

[@guitarmeetsscience]

@tombstoneharrystudios584 great breakdown in explanation of his version of sleepwalk. It was definitely more of a dazzling display of where Danny was at improvisation wise. Had he have gotten together with a really good producer and engineer and focused his chops - I have no doubt he would have hit similarly to the way SRV did it. Danny was a bit too wild for that though I think. It'd be like trying to can lightning.

[@tulsatoolfool]

Thanks for honoring this Guitar Giant with a beautifully thorough tribute!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much - it's kind words like yours that make doing these all worth it. I appreciate it!

[@epicexploration]

Danny's guitar playing is absolutely amazing and thanks for keeping him in memory here and I enjoyed all the incredible history and information you shared about his life!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

You said it perfectly! Danny was a legend and in some ways I don't even think he knew it. Really glad you enjoyed it Thank you for the kind words!

[@noctisambulo7408]

Thank you for not wasting a second. Got right into it with no nonsense.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you! I was never a fan of long winded introductions. I appreciate you noticing and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@noctisambulo7408]

@@guitarmeetsscience As of yesterday, I had never heard of Danny Gatton, but man, He is great! I'm discovering in my encroaching middle-age, that the 70's was an "iceberg" of innovative and fascinating music. There was Bee Gees/Abba, Sex Pistols/Ramones, Black Sabbath/Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd/the classic rocks bands named after geographic locations - and that was all well and good. But there was sooo much more under the surface musically. Thank you for this video!

[@anthonypate8657]

A monster player. My all time favorite. His hot licks videos made me pick up a telecaster and loved ever minute. A once in a lifetime talent. A better player may never come again. Great video.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much! A grade 100% - those hot licks videos he did really provided some good insight. Got to love the tele!!! 🤘🤘

[@coppulor6500]

saw him in DC at the Grog and Tankard where he played often. I was a noob and saw him playing with a tiny little pick so I went up to him at a set break and axed him why he played such a small pick (fender jazz pick), he said: "it makes me play more accurately". then he gave me his autograph. he was a very cool dude. Naturally, I instantly switched to those picks and played those for the next few decades before moving up to a slightly larger jazz III sized pick. Playing with a regular pick has felt like playing with an album cover lol. I will never forget meeting him. his playing blew me away.

[@TheWerequat]

The old Drug and Drunkard, I knew it well.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Damn what a cool story! Haha I can also relate with your analogy about playing with a record album cover. Changing pic sizes even slightly can be drastic lol. Thank you for sharing that - must have been an awesome experience!

[@coppulor6500]

​@@guitarmeetsscienceit was. And very impactful, obviously. I ended up going to JMU and joining a band and then played professionally during and after college. Good times. Not very lucrative, but a great experience lol 😊

[@guitarmeetsscience]

@coppulor6500 very cool! I know that grind you speak of haha. But I'm sure any of us who have been through it would all agree that it was probably pretty fun lol

[@EdMaguire1]

The "flog and bang 'er"

[@GlennSnell]

Of all of the guitarist I've seen. He is the best I've ever seen. Hands down!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He was an absolute beast on the guitar!

[@peteytwofinger]

the most underrated considering his prowess

[@quinnrollen]

Thank you so much for making this incredible and highly needed video. From a guitarist standpoint, his recognition is long overdue. Even sadder is the fact that his suicide was overshadowed by another famous musician's death that same year.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you I appreciate that! Danny never really got his due, and it is such a shame how his life imploded. He had so much to offer to the world of guitar. RIP

[@biorythmicshifter]

Truly phenomenal. Everyone should be terrified of following him on a stage…

[@gordiannot77]

A master of his craft and BEYOND♥️..

[@johndrx165]

Growing up in the DC area, I took for granted I could go and see him or Roy anytime, but I missed both. I was planning to go see Danny when I heard he died. Love them both.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah, to see either of those guys live would have been a hell of an experience. I never had the chance of course I wasn't from the area either. They both put on a hell of a show in their own way.

[@Trex100]

awesome. I'm 55 and I've never heard of him. Killer player.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Danny was awesome! He really flew under the radar unfortunately so not a lot of people have been exposed to him. I'm trying to do my part to change that. He wasn't a household name by any means, but with that skill I think he should have been!

[@crockmans1386]

Danny and Roy ....... sweet dreams, the ballad. Two heros. Most amazing tone.

[@fredskolnick1183]

Yes Sir....Roy Buchanan was one of the best Tele Players around!

[@naturaIIydifferent]

I remember from his instructional VHS, "if you break your Echoplex, just double pick everything.". He was already double picking everything so he then quadruple picked everything to create an echo effect.... 14 year old me realized I would never be as good as Danny Gatton. I hope his soul found peace.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh man you pointed out one of the most fascinating things I found about his technique. when he would break into that double picking and mimic a necroplex perfectly. Guy was just totally from another planet! It really is such a shame he had to go that way. By all accounts he was an awesome guy too.

[@maxwellfan55]

A fine tribute to one of America's of greatest guitar players, but another story a musician who cut his life short. For anyone who's lost one like Danny you'll know this hurts. We can only imagine what this musical master was suffering. Thanks for doing this tribute.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you! I really wish he got his due. People are starting to notice him now though, Danny was definitely ahead of his time. I appreciate it and I'm glad you enjoyed this!

[@maxwellfan55]

@@guitarmeetsscience ❤

[@victotronics]

I only knew the Elmira St album. Need to explore more of his catalog. Thanks for the great tribute.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you kindly! Oh yeah, from his first album to the last - They are all really really good!

[@dalecornell5689]

Buy everything you can get your hands on. Redneck Jazz & the Humbler releases are f'n' great

[@WeFindSimpleSolutions]

Growing up here in southern Maryland, and being a young person in a band/recording studios in the early 90s, Danny’s name was brought up all the time as being the best

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah - people in the know obviously picked up on the fact that that guy could play! He just went for it!

[@fuzzybutkus8970]

Far and away the best channel for bio’s well done. Thanks Y/T for the 16 year old rap sensations but a truly talented musician takes 12 years to get to me.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Wow that totally makes my day! Thank you so much!

[@fuzzybutkus8970]

@@guitarmeetsscience thank you.

[@paule1983]

A True Master of their Ax....Danny RIP.......Roy RIP..

[@AlamoCityCello]

Great documentary! Thank you for turning me onto this magnificent artist

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much - I appreciate your kind words! I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and glad you could get into some of Danny's playing. He's a real blast to listen to.

[@johnnydc7]

Great video. Never heard of this guy before but now I'm a fan.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much! I'm glad I was able to spread the word about Danny a bit more. He was so darn good - I wish he had gotten more respect when he was alive. Thank you again that really makes my day!

[@garrettlowell7637]

I saw Danny play many times-he was so interactive with the crowd and a fun show with amazing chops.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That had to be so awesome to see him live! Even though he was shy like he was saying on stage, it never came across - the guy always put on one hell of a show!

[@garrettlowell7637]

@@guitarmeetsscience the most fun show I saw was in Falls Church in a small local bar probably in 1992. No stage, just a spot on the floor, no barriers or anything. Danny grabbed a beer bottle out of a guy’s hand and used it as a slide during a solo.

[@wattage2007]

You can tell from his demeanour that Gatton was a thoroughly decent and honest, good guy. RIP Danny, the world is a poorer place without you.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

A lot of people say Danny was quite a cool and humble guy. Such a great player yet such a sad story.

[@pendulumdistinction2494]

Magnificent!

[@MatthewMartinGuitar]

Really cool video! Great reference clips and super informative! Thanks for putting it together!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you Matthew - I really really appreciate it! I'm also glad to see that some of these folks are coming in who just discovered Danny for the first time. I'm hoping Danny finds a bigger audience - he was just so darn good on that guitar!

[@knudsandbknielsen1612]

You have opened my ears to a whole lot of music! Thank you very much! Danny Gatton is truly a legend, and he was one of the greatest guitarists ever. This I say just from hearing the short sound bites that this video contains!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That is awesome! Thank you so much, I'm glad to hear that. I'm hoping more people get to find out about Danny - he was really just amazing!

[@hearpalhere]

Hi Jimmy, well done! I really enjoyed this tribute to Danny Gatton. It's great to see there is still interest and new people discovering his immense talent. He really was something special, I have the feeling that there's really nothing that can be done on a guitar that Danny couldn't play. A true genius but also played stuff that is still listenable and grabs you.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Hey Pal Thank you! Danny was one of a kind - and I'm glad to see more and more people are taking notice of him and some other players of his caliber who never really got their due when they were around. So much fun exploring these guys and getting to know them. I appreciate you stopping in and checking it out!

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Very good. Not just a portrait of a person but of the specifics of a legacy and contribution to music history and to the development of the instrumental styles.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much! I really do appreciate it.

[@UlyKansas]

Can’t believe this is the first time I’m hearing this guy & already he’s my number one favorite guitar player now.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Right on that is awesome to hear! Danny was something else - I really hope more people get to check out his playing. So much fun just to listen to!

[@wingchun-simplekungfu7584]

Another true guitar genius . Thank you for this video.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He really was quite a player and by all accounts a great guy as well. Thank you so much I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[@Michael_Butler]

Danny was a little early. He would be killing it with independent music release and YT today. Thank you for this video. I'm just getting into guitar and I had never heard of Danny until this video.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

I agree 100% - he is really out of his time. Thank you so much - I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevestruble2142]

He was an amazing guitar player.

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

Wonder why he didn't reverse the control plate for better access to get volume/tone sweels since he was always experimenting.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Good question - I think Roy did that if I'm not mistaken

[@joopvanzeir3330]

Thank you for this, his music keeps on inspiring me to play guitar. I also really enjoyed the Zappa one. There is one player that terrified Danny in terms of playing and that was Scotty Anderson. If you like Danny's stuff check him out as well you will not be disappointed.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much! And for checking out the Zappa one - sadly that one has not been viewed as much, and honestly I worked harder on that than on any of the others. I will definitely have to check out Scotty Anderson - thank you for that recommendation. If he impressed Danny he had to have been amazing!

[@joopvanzeir3330]

Yeah you worked really hard on that one, I have been a fan of Zappa since i was a young teen and you showed stuff I had not seen or heard of before. My personal favorite of scotty is the gig he did with Bob Saxton (another unsung hero of the guitar) it is on his KZbin channel. He is still alive btw but still goes unnoticed by most people.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

@joopvanzeir3330 I will definitely have to check him out. I'm always looking for cool undiscovered guitar players. Sadly there are a lot of them that people just do not know about. I still have nightmares about the Zappa one lol. God that one took a long time haha

[@joopvanzeir3330]

@@guitarmeetsscience yeah it is somewhat of a hobby of mine to discover those players haha, take a look at the country-jazz world in general, you will find a lot of these in there that will interest you. Scotty being one of them but guys like Jimmy Bryant, Roy Lanham, Leon Rhodes, the list goes on. All unique and incredibly talented. It's a fusion of music that seems to breed incredible players.

[@dalecornell5689]

Jimmy Bryant - Country Cabin Jazz. Phenomenal player

[@thomasd9237]

Thank you for posting this & remembering a unique & special guitarist that is sadly missed ☹️

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much -I'm hoping more people get to know the amazing talent that we had there for a while. Danny was incredible

[@thomasd9237]

I bought my first copy of his Hot Licks video the day after it was released. I wore out 3 of those VHS tapes & I still can't play his style correctly. Danny & Arlen Roth, early Telemasters to be sure ☺️ 👍👍

[@HocusPocus6969]

I bought 88 Elmira St. when it came out. Needless to say, I was completely blown away. Unbelievably unique technique and incredible musicality. His entire catalog is astounding.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Couldn't agree more! That is a great album!

[@CurCam713]

That was the one I bought. I don't remember what happened with the cassette. I don't listen to music as much as I used to and had forgotten about him. And then I saw this video in the list below a video of Aerosmith Adam's Apple. And that brought it back. So I shall soon have the CD of that album soon enough.

[@seanw4951]

88 was the first DG album I bought too. Same reaction exactly, totally amazed by his talent and ability. I also love the album he did with Joey DeFrancesco, “Relentless”. An exhibition of not just one, but two incredibly gifted musicians.

[@robertfoster1339]

He has guitar licks that nobody will ever be able to duplicate live on stage.. I have a lot of his CD’s that I have listened to over and over He is greatly missed by many

[@guitarmeetsscience]

You said it perfectly!!

[@thomasprete-w5i]

I saw Danny Gatton at the Bottom Line in NYC open up for Al Kooper (another underrated genius) sometime in the early 90's. Yeah, he kept his back to the audience the entire set, but Oh Boy! What came out of that guitar was awe inspiring. I thought Jeff Beck, and Roy Buchanan were master technicians, but Danny Gatton put on a clinic. What a shame, he never realized how gifted and admired he was. All because of poor record sales. It was our loss..

[@guitarmeetsscience]

You said it - Danny really did not know just how admired he actually was. It is such a shame because it would have been interesting to see how he would have continued to evolve as a player. He always dug deep into that guitar

[@thomasprete-w5i]

@@guitarmeetsscience I can't tell you how many times I tried to implore my Tin Eared friends to listen to instrumental music, and all these gifted guitar players that were not on the BillBoard Top 100. My gain,their loss.

[@prazpradhan]

This is the most information video that i have watched in 2 years. Thank you for contribution such a knowledge of a legend to a Nepali music fan. a big respect and love from Nepal.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much - I really appreciate your kind words and I'm really glad that you enjoyed it. Greetings from the US 🤘🤘

[@CynHicks]

It took me way too long to discover this dude! It was like 2019. I couldn't believe I missed him for all of these years. When I heard of him I was like yeah sure. Then I saw him. 😮 The dude is genuinely in the top best players I've ever heard. I didn't follow Country though had respect for the known greats like Atkins. I grew up playing metal shred style then got into Jazz ect... metal being my base and lifelong genre essentially. That's how I missed him but it's still crazy that I did. He was too good to go unnoticed. Even Holdsworth made it into the mainstream magazines right and he's kinda the model for obscure guitarists.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Excellent point - holds worth was still revered in the guitar circles, Danny didn't quite get that attention and yet more and more people are discovering him even today. I love the way he was able to blend country and jazz, those two styles go together so well!

[@johnB11ify]

You know the one good thing about you tube and technology, I'm a professional guitarist but never heard of this player. I will be digging into his recordings thanks very much for this video

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much! I am definitely glad to have a medium like this to be able to spread the word about players like Danny. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[@jfmax2000]

Oh Yess... Mr Gatton.... Absolutely Incredible Guitarist 😎👊💯💯

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He really was - the guy was a beast!

[@tunafang]

14:08 "The thing about Danny was that he could play some of the most complex stuff, and make it friendly to the ear of any listener". Well stated!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much - I appreciate you catching that line. It's just the vibe I picked up when I was going over all of his material. I wish more people had the chance to get into his work!

Danny was one of the few true virtuosos out there. Every genre he touched-he played like he had been playing it his whole life. That folks is extremely rare. Nobody was better than Danny-nobody.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Danny was a legend in every sense!

[@reidwhitton6248]

I had the good fortune to attend two Danny Gatton shows. The first one is a now famous gig in Oswego, NY in 1989 when 12 year old Joe Bonamassa sat in with the band. There's some footage on KZbin. I know Joe thinks his playing is crap, but hey, he was just a kid reeling with adrenaline. And playing Danny's Telecaster.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That had to be awesome to see those! Especially young Joe just getting his start. I did check out some of the footage, and I thought Joe did great especially at that age! Thank you for sharing that - I can only imagine how cool that was!

[@reidwhitton6248]

@@guitarmeetsscience Great fun! And Danny blew everyone away with his playing.

[@cotton7960]

I've somehow never heard of him until now, probably due to me being English, but I'm always interested on clicking on videos about music I'm not aware of. I now feel like I have discovered one of my new favourite guitarists. Thanks!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much for checking it out! I hope folks get to know more of Danny and his work, the guy was just incredible!

[@grimmertwin2148]

Love Roy Buchanan. When a guitar plays the blues Miss you Mark

[@paulbuxton1326]

Roy was great Danny’s Awsome 🎼

[@kevinkendrick9063]

I saw Danny at Psychedelly on Cordell Avenue in Bethesda in 1985. Magnificent.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

I'll bet that was one awesome show!

[@ikigai47]

I kept seeing this in my recommendations but ignored it and it was persistent. It kept showing up every day. So I finally clicked it and man I'm ashamed I never heard of this guy. Or if I did I forgot his name. What a shame at how things ended up for him, he deserved so much more. And what kind of idiot critics said his talent was in that leslie box he had mounted on his guitar. Could they know any less about talent?

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Well thank you so much! I can't say this platform has loved me since 2007 lol, so I'm glad they're at least trying to spread the word a bit - or the algorithm is at least. As for the critics - they are the worst of all. I would have liked to see more of that magic dingus box in action. Nevertheless Danny proved that it was all in his fingers. Thanks so much for your comment that makes my day!

[@ikigai47]

@@guitarmeetsscience - Yeah I was only reluctant to click because it said it was about chicken pickin and every time I watch high level chicken pickin it makes me feel untalented. But I said "hmm, I guess I'm really meant to see this it's not going away" Oh algorithm, you know me better than I know myself sometimes 😅

[@guitarmeetsscience]

@ikigai47 hahahahah got to love the algorithm 🤘😆🤘

[@vincenzoa2929]

Has that documentary about Danny come out yet? What a talent he was. Definitely in the top 5 guitarists ever.

[@user-qr7ee2cp4y]

There are so many different guys out there doing so many different things that it's fruitless to try and argue about one greatest guitarist. Danny is phenomenal at what he does.

[@EdMaguire1]

Saw him many times in DC - at the Club Soda, Cellar Door, Gallaghers... truly a legendary talent RIP

[@EdMaguire1]

Apparently Roy Buchanan was pretty insecure about Danny's talent. He'd show up in disguise and lurk in the back at some of Danny's gigs

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Wow! I did not know that - pretty cool fun fact right there.

[@youngmike8645]

I’m a 7-8 string down tuned metal shred type, though love the classics. Never heard of Danny and I’m blown away how I haven’t in the last 20 + years I’ve played talking to other guitars about who is the best never heard his name come up.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That is awesome to hear! Down tuned metal shred is an art in and of itself. I'm glad people from all styles can come together. That to me is what music is all about. Thank you for that - brought a little cheer to the day!

[@youngmike8645]

@@guitarmeetssciencehow about this one. You may have never heard of a somewhat obscure Polish boutique guitar and bass company by the name of Mayones, but in less than 48 hours I will be receiving a bucket list dream instrument. It’s a Mayones Regius core classic 7 in trans black. It is an absolutely incredible instrument I’m not even sure I’m worthy of owning because this makes my Gibson les Paul’s seem like beginner starter kit instruments. I am of Polish heritage so this satisfies a whole multitude of dreams come true. I own a Laboga Mr Hector and matching Camo 2x12 cab along with Laboga speaker cables and an EXAR OD2 (everything listed is all made or formerly made in Poland) and this will be one of the coolest moments in my musical journey yet since my Polish side grandfather used to play polka on this old accordion but that is what got me into music and the business of operating heavy equipment for a living. Would give anything including this dream guitar to have that man walk the earth alongside me even if only for 1 day. I miss you Pops❤️ thank you for everything and everyone’s life you have touched. You will always live on through me your grandson.

[@youngmike8645]

All in all grandparents should always be loved and treasured if you have the privilege to do so and Laboga makes a brutal amputation and Mayones an insane instrument. Thanks for reading.

[@youngmike8645]

My whole other message didn’t post 😞

[@erwinroman4217]

Gaston fan all the way. Got a great surprise 20 years ago when I bought a used Goldtop Les Paul. Underneath the electronics cover is the message by Jay Monterose, Danny's guitar tech, stating he had installed the Fralin pickups and Alessandro pots, signed and dated by JM.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Wow what a find!

[@TheWerequat]

I was playing the DC area at the same time Danny was, I knew him and his band mates and saw him many times. Amazing person and performer. To those asking for more performances, search his name here on KZbin and keep an eye out for the documentary "The Humbler"

[@jimf6427]

Had multiple copies of his early albums as they came in different colors. Got to see him once, in Chicago, I think it was '92 or '93. Showed up early, saw the sound check and had a short talk with him. Nice guy and fabulous guitarist. Still missed and still listening to his music.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That is really cool - so many of us out there wish we had the chance to see him live let alone meet him as well. Had to be a great experience I'm sure!

[@tristanavakian]

Well done. Deserves far more views, as DG did.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much that makes my day! I agree about Danny - I'm hoping videos like this will get him more viewership. He was amazing!

[@Bill123058]

was lucky enough to have seen him many times. he was a fantastic player, and he played through a leslie that gave him that really cool sound.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh that must have been cool live!

[@HocusPocus6969]

You do a great job with your videos. Thanks.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much I really appreciate that!

[@gregoriyefimovichrasputin4931]

Danny Gatton was the Best!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Agreed!

[@brynjones7371]

So true.

[@drpepperr]

I love Danny gatton's style!

[@jizzymacg2440]

The first time I heard of him. Unbelievable guitar playing, what a legend 👏

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He really was simply amazing! It's a shame he never really got his due, but I'm glad folks like yourself are finding him now. Totally ahead of his time.

[@jizzymacg2440]

Thanks to mate

[@TemplarGuitar]

I remember buying the Hellecasters album on CD many years ago... (when it was first released) -and so i began to really appreciate the immense skill and musicality these "Country" guitarists possessed. Some time later, I saw a clip of Danny being introduced by the Hellecasters (they opened for Danny at a show), and he gets up, and very humbly said "now how the hell am i supposed to follow that??" (I mean, we're talking Jerry Donohue, Will Ray, and John Jorgenson.. and they killed it)... Needless to say, Danny elevated even further an already incredible night of music that the Hellecasters had presented... I thought to myself... There arent many, (if any?) Guitarists that could take the stage after the hellecasters and keep the audience engaged and roaring for more.... Danny was one of the few who could. He is up there as one of the best to ever do it. Tragic how he left us. The despair he must have been feeling... cannot even imagine. RIP Danny, we will never forget you.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Absolutely one hell of a story - thank you for that comment! I could imagine being there at a show like that. Must have been just freaking incredible!

[@dalecornell5689]

Love the Hellecasters. Never saw them. Fortunate to have seen Gatton a few times

[@shawnbruce6934]

This Guy Was Amazing!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He really was!

[@ganzyjam7828]

Danny Gatton always reminded me of Roy Bucannen and Roy always reminded me of Danny Gatton

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah - they are often mentioned together especially since they both played the tele. Of course the similarities pretty much stopped there, very different styles of playing. Both great in their own right.

[@LawrenceKennard]

Thank you for teaching me so much

[@guitarmeetsscience]

🙏 Thank you I am glad you enjoyed it!

[@philturner6642]

Absolutely one of the greatest to touch the instrument

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Absolutely right

[@modelcitizen1977]

One of the best to ever do it. RIP

[@brucehutchins]

Relentless is such a great album! So hot!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah agreed! Danny was hitting some new territory with that one. It would have been interesting to see where he would have gone had he have stuck around.

[@seanw4951]

Totally agree! Joey D was beyond amazing too!

[@kmwa2]

The 60's thru the 90's (and beyond)... Blues, Rock, Funk and GoGo, Washington DC area is Gem of Fantastic Musicians and Bands That Will Live Forever.

[@davewestner]

nice work with this one. Thanks

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thanks so much! I appreciate it!

[@HBSuccess]

Danny was a huge influence on my playing back in the ‘70s.. the whole hybrid picking/double stop style… as soon as heard/saw that I was all- in! . Luckily I was in Ithaca NY, a town with a very active community of guitar players then (and now), a bunch of great players many of whom actually had worked with Danny or knew him personally so accurate information was not hard to come by. RIP Danny, another unsung guitar hero who influenced a million other pickers.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you for sharing that! I did not know that about Ithaca New York, very cool! So I know where to go if I ever get out that way. I really wish Danny would have gotten his due, but the least I could do is spread the word. Thank you again - I really appreciated your take!

[@Nicholask85]

One of my top 3!!!!!

[@thecentralscrutinizerr]

"Danny Gatton? He'll eat your lunch ... You better come prepared." ~ Les Paul

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Awesome quote haha!

[@nashrust]

I probably know the bouncer from the wax museum! Anyway Danny used to play at Mr Days in downtown DC. It was my band's regular wednesday gig if we were in town, it was also my local bar at that time. I saw Danny do the beer bottle slide where he plays slide. sips the beer, plays slide sips the beer etc. until the beer is gone. He would then flip the beer in the air and keep playing. The last time I saw him he was doing that the beer bottle landed upside down and stayed there standing on it's mouth. A monster player. I have memories of the Fat Boys, Danny playing with Evan Johns. Incredible!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Damn - how cool was that! To see him do that would have been awesome!

[@RedCloudServices]

Saw him and met him after a gig he was stunning live

[@guitarmeetsscience]

That must have been one awesome experience!

[@RedCloudServices]

@@guitarmeetsscience yeah it was a weeknight in NYC I had just moved there and grew up not far from him. I went in there on a whim, he floored me and I had to shake his hand and thank him. we chatted as he was wrapping up his own gear. “You from Maryland too huh?” Humble man but you could tell he was

[@crockmans1386]

Fast fingers is great...... Amazing tone, just heavenly, Danny G Roy B Jimi H Rory G

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Absolutely right!

[@mathumphreys]

Great documentary.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much I'm glad you liked it!

[@2112CO]

The world's greatest unknown guitar player. Lucky enough to see him at Hermans Hideaway right before his untimely death. He played a duel Telecaster man could he play!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

He was able to play all the way up to the end - some say his health issues were getting to him, hard to say for sure but he had chops for days

[@otaku1524]

Danny Gatton was so one of a kind talent-wise, I hear touches of different axe-slingers in his repetoire: Johnny Winters, Mike Bloomfield, Roy Buchanan, Lowell George, Jerry Reed, Scotty Moore, Link Wray, Gaye Delorme (the 'Earache My Eye' player), . . . the list could keep going. When you got lots of fellow guitar player as fans, bro, he was THAT good. But he was also more grounded and more responsible. Wasn't a ego-driven guy. Very humble, down-to-earth dude.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Very well said - and that list of players, all top notch! Danny was a regular guy first, and his playing just flowed. Didn't have to think about it one bit - just totally flowed.

[@JacobDFerguson]

Really good video!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Thank you so much!

[@dantheman348]

Hardly unknown but good video

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Definitely not unknown, but considered the best unknown guitar player.... I will say he wasn't known enough. Thank you kindly I appreciate that!

[@fretmajik777]

I remember catching that guitar with the beer poured on it and then using the solo and a towel to clean it up. It was on the show Austin City Limits. Me and my friend didn't who it was but needless to say we were impressed.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Oh yeah - where he came up with the idea to do that I will never know, especially the fact that he could play with the towel afterwards. Just insane!

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

I'm not into the "best guitarist" debate. The only thing that matters to me is the smile on my face... And no other guitarist comes close to putting that smile on my face as DG.

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Well said Tony!

[@blakelycreative3171]

"magic dingus box"..love it!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Haha - agreed! When I first caught the name it just had me rolling. 😆

[@michaelhartman5485]

I would like to apologize to Joe Bonamassa...I was listening to his sound check one day in San Diego when I heard him tear through what sounded like a Danny Gatton double stop infused chicken pickin lick. I was walking by the stage and yelled out "Danny Gatton would be proud of that one!" Bonamassa did not look amused and responded "I think he would be proud of the whole GD show" I was taken back a bit by his comment and just kept walking. I learned later on about his relationship with Gatton, who was a mentor to the young Bonamassa. My bad...Danny Gatton was my guitar hero too and he left us much much too soon. Thank you Danny for all that you gave us!!!

[@guitarmeetsscience]

Great story! Wow! Don't worry we've all done that from time to time. I can see Joe reacting like that!