Introducing Roy Buchanan - 1971 PBS special (complete)

"Introducing Roy Buchanan" 1971 PBS Special documentary also known as "The Greatest Unknown Guitarist In The World"
WNET 13 Reels with Slate for Broadcast June 26th 1974.
Not perfect A/V but watchable. There are (at least) two different versions available, both missing some short parts. This version was made by combining the two versions mentioned in effort to make a complete film as it originally was viewed.
Featuring:
Roy Buchanan
Jerry Garcia
Bill Graham
Nils Lofgren
Merle Haggard
Johnny Otis
Songs:
I Love You A Thousand Ways (w/Merle Haggard)
Sweet Home Chicago (w/Johnny Otis)
Them Changes
Sweet Dreams
Johnny B. Goode
Down By The River
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Shotgun (w/Nils Lofren)
The Messiah Will Come Again

[@brian_nirvana]

Culturally significant. The future generations will thank you for putting this on KZbin

[@joebloe1401]

Neil's was good but the rest was kind of dry

[@tonyseago3063]

Roy Buchanan is my favorite Guitar player and the Master of the Telecaster. I first saw Roy at Alex Cooley's electric ballroom in Atlanta Georgia,in 1973?, it was filmed and recorded and you can still find it on KZbin. He could make his Telecaster talk.He invented more technical harmonics accidentally than anyone did on purpose. And the best guitar players copied him. I'm a retired guitar teacher in Nashville,Tn. I owned the largest Guitar School in Nashville for many years. When my students reached the highest level it's Roy Buchanan style that I teach. Natural Harmonics.

[@joebloe1401]

Neil's was good but the rest was kind of dry

[@TheUlesifah701]

As a 42 year old , lifetime music lover , guitar player , classic rock nerd etc …. I’m just finally getting into Roy’s music and he’s definitely in the top 5 of all time …. Not because of his technical skill either … I think we can all agree that it’s the feel of the phrasing and style it’s played that makes guys like Roy absolute legends !!

[@gsmarin1]

I still remember Roy playing The Messiah Will Come Again at the Keystone in Palo Alto at 1:00 AM for about 50 people. It was a transcendent almost religious experience..

[@douglasbuck711]

Amen

[@Bill_Woo]

That introduction is not hyperbole. This is one of the greatest.

[@joebloe1401]

Neil's was good but the rest was kind of dry

[@jamesm.3967]

That comb-over is legendary as well.

[@garcdonald]

and he was a barber!

[@dukeford8893]

@@garcdonald I thought he was a hairdresser, lol.

[@martinspencer366]

The tone, the taste, the uniqueness of his phrasing mark him out as a superb musician. No one wrung more out of a Telecaster than Roy. Where others prance and preen around the stage, Roy just stood there and played. Another point is, look where he wore his guitar, up high where he could see everything, a brilliant object lesson for any guitarist.

[@HarryRemer]

"wrung" is right. The best.

[@gumersindoreguera4757]

La verdad es un monstruo de lo mejor que he escuchado como guitarrista..porque nadie lo valora? Ahora bien después de Hendrix hay muchos

[@abakiplas]

Better than Eric Clapton

[@Barnekkid]

The way he played Misty is one of the most unique and memorable versions I've ever heard on guitar. His blending of notes and highly nuanced bends were all in very special places as only Buchanan could do it. I can see where Danny Gatton got a lot of his stuff.

[@stephencarter6392]

Tambourine man wants to break free and send his wrists and neck spinning up and out into space. He's one animated automaton. And his tambourine is just limiting him so, so very much, poor prodigy that he is! He is so very much more talented than the instrument they relegated him to, could possibly indicate, by itself, no matter how much rhythm he nonverbally screams that we notice!!! Therefore, he simply must, must, MUST show us with THE TANTRUMESQUE flopping of his wrists and head. Even if that means he must bear the burden of having to use almost epileptic body language "show up" and grab audience attiontion away from all the other musicians on the stage. He just can't allow himself to be denied!!!! King 👶 baby tambourine man! Let's all be the mommy and daddy he never had and focus on him, rather than Roy or the other musicians, ok? OK! Quick! Someone change king baby's diaper!

[@Wileylikethehawk]

Honestly I keep coming back to this because it’s just so incredible. What a masterclass in perfect guitar playing.

[@samsmith4216]

Imagine going to church and Roy Buchanan is in the band on guitar.

[@peterbartolomeo5542]

Roy stands alone at the top of the mountain. He's beyond anything I've ever heard ...been listening to Rock / Blues / Jazz since the early 60 s and thought I had seen some of the greatest. Roy Buchanan is just astounding. Skill unmatched by ANYONE in the business. So sad to see his life cut short. Didn't start checking him out until about 15 months ago on You Tube. I can't even listen to anyone else .save Jeff Beck . He will be rediscovered and praised now through this medium for many many years to come. Your still with us Big Roy. I rate him head and shoulders over EVERYONE ELSE

[@pjriverdale8461]

Reportedly the MOST requested program in PBS history. For whatever reason, it has never been legitimately released nor properly restored. Buchanan at this point[November ,1971] is not that far removed from his residency at Bladensburg ,Maryland's Crossroads Club. The band seen here is the same one as heard on his self released "Burlap Bag" album which was then virtually rerecorded when he signed with Polydor in the wake of this special, first aired in November "71. For people in The Metro WDC area and particularly PG County at that time, the airing of this show was a localized version of the Beatles 2/9/64 Sullivan Show. Anyone in the area who was into music or had seen Roy was glued to the TV that night. Over forty years on, this broadcast was an important event for many people in the WDC area and is fondly remembered as a defining moment for the area's musicians.

[@DWIGHTSMITH]

Great history coverage of Roy Buchanan. Haunting coverage ~ so good!!!!

[@beyondonethousand]

Very much so.

[@allanmakela3011]

Just one of the best,on a short list,sure miss him,and his Telecasting soul

[@30mouse]

One of a kind, a genius. He sounds like no one else, still fresh today

[@wolftracks9010]

Roy will always rank very high for originality and mostly for pouring out his soul to an audience that had never heard that kind of tonality playing before. The lead he did on Them Changes was one of the best I've ever heard him do but then most of what he did was stellar. I loved the live show he did at the end of the video, which I had never seen. The home videos were an added bonus. He should have been a household name but still he will always be remembered by those who knew him as one of the best of that time period, a true innovator and inspiration to all.

[@gomoistic]

I saw him 3 times- once in a small club- everyone just stopped froze and let those piecing notes go right through us- he prowled the stage just a few feet back and forth but his gaze was like a panther. I can still feel it. When he played messiah and those mournful wail notes hit- people wept and cried out loud.

[@docjeffry]

I've been listening to Roy for over 30 years. Too bad he was already gone when I was turned on to him.

[@boblanigan8533]

Thank you so much for putting this on U Tube. I have been preaching for years Roy as one of the iconic guitarist, not well known. I am going to have to dig some vinyl of his to play for my 30 year old son in law. Also knowing more of his history is amazing. Thank you again ❤️🙏

[@marieannwalsh662]

Great to see this video. I was only introduced to Roy later on by an older family member and managed to get a lot of his records. His version of Down be the River is astonishing. No doubt, one of the best. RIP.

[@Humm17]

One of the best if not the Best, I listened to him Then and Now I know why. Thanks for posting!!! RIP

[@paulcooper-n2v]

He seemed to have a very loving family R.I.P roy you were awsome.

[@thehomeboidrew8570]

So crazy. I grew up in this town long after he was gone. I was born in 94 and I know that exact house his family lived in. It’s a super small 2 bed one bath house only a 780 square ft. So many Mexicans have lived in that house since then lol

[@alanthorne3921]

I have a bootleg VHS of this show in B/W and poor quality so thanks for uploading.😊An older musician friend asked me the other day if I had heard of Roy Buchanan ?Without saying a word I pulled out a guitar case next to me and out came my well played but not as old and worn Fender Telecaster same as Roy’s.His jaw dropped😂

[@russl9029]

Such a great guy! Such a wonderful guitarist. Definitely underrated. So sad he's gone. There can never be another Roy Buchanan. Everyone that is interested in guitar should see this! Totally made my day!Thanks for posting!

[@paulcooper5748]

R.I.P roy you were awesome.🎸🎸

[@markchacon7002]

Nobody even compare he was a real man humble guitarist. even the past main stream players hold Mr.Roy Buchanan as the most amazing guitar players💔🎩🇺🇸🎸

[@Bill_Woo]

5:00 (if I'm not mistaken) you will get a look at Bill Graham, one of the most important forces in the entire history of rock music in the United States. Kids, do yourself a service and read a little about him. And look at a list of concerts at the Fillmore East and Fillmore West. You will rightfully be stunned.

[@chancevonfreund9145]

What a great player a true virtuoso on the guitar 🎸! R.I.P. Roy

[@iplaymytele]

Watching him with Merle Haggard, explains why Roy, does such a killer job of lonesome fugitive........🎵❤️❤️❤️🎶

[@Ricardeco]

Thanks, man!! Thank you very much for making this available!!

[@glennevans5824]

Nice seeing this...I remember when this first came out on pbs ch.13 in NY....I was mesmerized at the harmonics squealing unreal playing and tone of Roy....became a fan after seeing this .saw him live a few times but he was using a 70's stratocaster still got pinch harmonics but nothing to his telecaster named "Nancy".

[@jameslomenzo1139]

my friend I grew up with was Patsy's Cline son, turned me on to Roy's music around 2005, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

[@evansgate]

cool that roy and shuggie otis shared a stage at one point. shuggie did one of my favorite guitar solos ever recorded and roy has a couple of my favorites

[@garcdonald]

Mr. Buchanan had some real patience! Love ya Nils. Saw this tele of his at Norms Rare guitars - for sale. He said he got it from a guy who got it from a family member. Cool stories about him seeing a guy walk past RB's barber shop - when he was giving a haircut - with a tele that RB suddenly intuited he had to have. Story that RB wired Danny Gatton's tele. Just trivia, but one interesting, driven, cat.

[@katough]

It's like he decided he'd have all of his worthwhile conversations through his guitar.

[@josephpely8977]

A man’s journey of leaving his fathers house and going out into the world to make something of himself. Hopefully I can do the same thing for myself and make a name for myself like Roy did.

[@GaryHager]

Imagine letting your boy go out into the world at 15 to chase his dream, his mission in life, & being that boy. Amazing & a different time. Incredible story & an.

[@nikbo40]

Still have the “We Are Not Alone” hand mirror they gave to everyone at his show.

[@rainbowloomoverflow5106]

Pure Genius of a guitar Good Lord my jaws hurt so bad. Damn He’s geeked on that coke.

[@chrismorgan7494]

I know the feeling and it's horrible.

[@benmajao2967]

Only way to crank out the blues 🤣

[@willong1000]

Listening to the man talking about his life and art, I can't help but hear echoes of Townes Van Zandt--I wonder if they ever met and played together?

[@anonymous-er8oc]

Nothing like uncle roy, sharp and clear

[@ericiverson3441]

I remember this from my teenage years.

[@TR-yi8up]

I think it’s Fred McDowell tune with Johnny and Shuggie Otis. Watching how much fun both of them are having listening and playing off of Roy is all I need to see.

[@Winter_-bq9bq]

amazing amazing amazing guitarist. better than most if not all the heroes from that time.

[@stephenbouchelle7706]

I know there is no “best” guitarist. But Roy was the best.

[@peterbartolomeo5542]

BRAVO. HE HAD TALENT ON LOAN FROM THE BIG G

[@jonprosise7162]

He was sooo great

[@DanHolmes-o9b]

He made the walls cry teaes when he played with his emotions

[@mpythonfecchio]

thx so much.

[@まぬけ-g8f]

He was God’s gift to this world.

[@thundergrace]

really beautiful guitar playin"

[@GJP1169]

Saw Roy Buchanan twice in the seventies simply great

[@joedwyer2313]

he bends those strings like no one else

[@danielcombs3207]

A dream concert for me would be Roy , Danny Gatton , James Burton , Albert Lee, Clarence White and Vince Gill for starters. If they were all alive and in their prime. I love the sound of the Telecaster . And I'm sure there are many more I can't think remember sorry about that.

[@raidrfrk]

Rory Gallagher plus Mike Bloomfield

[@danielcombs3207]

@@raidrfrk Good suggestion, Rory always played his beat up Strat. But I am sure he played a Tele too. I loved his early albums,Taste and his early solo music. He was really at his best live.

[@gc8620]

Scotty Anderson. You're welcome😉

[@Elvis-d1975y]

素敵な演奏家でしたよね！今はファイル時代ですが倉庫にはLPが眠ってます。

[@telecasterguy]

Ozark AR - That's his home town.

[@johnd9111]

The number one thing about Roy was he played to impress himself. You can picture him sitting on his couch playing and he's trying a myriad of different techniques just to amuse himself. The personae you see on stage was there to show you what he found out that impressed himself and should also impress you, or not. I don't think he cared. He played to beat himself to the finish line.

[@МихаилЗорин-и3ь]

я восхищен

[@elgraveyard]

roy would phone the bar where gatton was playing and listen in. Got a lot of stuff there.

[@JF-qi6nc]

The best guitarist ever.

[@TweedSuit]

I wonder if any of his kids became musicians.

[@AlexSosaBolivia]

What an embarrassing moment for Nils Lofgren. Suddenly got the idea that it was all about him and couldn't let it go. When Roy starts detuning, well that says it all. Good grief.

[@jamesrusso2523]

ROY

[@jamesebola1250]

Best ever. No question... I just creamed myself.

[@peterbartolomeo5542]

Join the club brother. Listen to him each morning and every night .. calms this savage beast like no one else God he was Something Else!!!

[@marksauce2383]

Roy didn't invent the blues. He just played em' like nobody else can...🫡

[@TroutFink]

Best hired gun on the planet

[@anonymousmeme8458]

Stevie Ray must have gotten a little of this too.

[@mennotimpo8746]

11:38 goodness me... 😎🤠

[@stephencarter6392]

It's still beautiful, though.

[@dukeford8893]

Roy was a great guitar player and one weird dude.

[@richardperusse4299]

the song By The Time I Get To Phoenix ( arrangement ) version is fantastic , is somebody knows the name of the singer guitar player on that, i made a search in the Buchanan career and nothing found, maybe he been there for a short time and not recorded with them ?

[@gustavorodriguez6365]

FIRTS SONG IT´S "AFTER HOURS"

[@SuperOlds88]

I would have kept going to church if Roy would have been playing the hymms.

[@Musicalleyinclinedonline]

s~earching for musician's musicians.

[@mbrand19971]

Many guitar players these days won't be able to hold a candle to him. Roy may had demons he couldn't escape but he simply was a machine on that ax. A true guitarist we'll never see the likes again.

[@FreyByrd]

Sometimes his bends go right over the other side of the neck! crazy

[@cosmicdrifter287]

jeff beck was here.

[@brianhammer5107]

unfortunately, or fortunately if you admire Nils Lofgren/Grin, Nils sort of steals the limelight from Roy when they play together - Nils at that time was a guitarist's guitarist, and had a thousand times more charisma - glad it was made, but afraid some kid might walk away under-appreciating Roy - who was "just" a musician - not a 'star' - if you want to see him in his own element, see the Live at Austin, Texas TV performance from 1976

[@geraldfitzpatrick9123]

Nils tries to steal the limelight, but fails. He hogged the stage trying to look better than Buchanan, but he didn't do it for me. He tried to drown Roy out, but it didn't work. Lofgren didn't better Buchanan during that gig, no way!

[@hottiestub6420]

Nils ,dosnt steal the limelight he says himself he was so nervous,and is embarrassed by the way he played to this day,I love nils playing and more importantly his music ,but this is not his finest moment,but.Roy Buchanan was his hero ,and it's great to have this record of the playing together.

[@paullevine1813]

Nils was so young & already in one of the top rock bands in Grin & in this Roy let him do his thing & Nils didn't try to steal the show as he knew Roy was the best & any guitarist given the chance to cut loose while Roy lets him, well who the hell wouldn't take that gift. What Nils took from this stayed with him to this day & he's learned to be as humble as Roy was & he is one hell of a player after all these years. I grew up not far form where his folks lived in Garret Park & met him & Tommy many times. He never tried to out shine Roy no one could do that & as much as Nils was a showman he pretty much just stands there & he's young so he overplays but all the while he;s learning & when he looks at Roy you see the admiration shine in those eyes. The boy was a star then & he still is.

[@Bill_Woo]

Go to 49:00, and settle in for a long cry.

[@Bill_Woo]

And if you know how the story ends, you will understand.

[@GnabhanJr]

29:57 music name ? before misty.

[@CarloGuitardello]

Gary Moore took a lot from him.

[@douglasdowling9157]

When Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones died....Roy would have been Brians replacement...had he (Roy) had not passed out in a studio's recording board on heroin.

[@CharlesCrane-nk7dp]

If only the other greats could ha was cooked out with Roy.

[@jayroland9481]

If only Roy could have understood how much religion has hurt this world over the ages and will continue to do so until folk wise up and understand there is no great god in the sky.

[@charlespeterson3798]

I don't see why Bill Graham felt a need to lay out a pound of blow for every musician that came down the pike. Roy is so high he is hardly connected to the guitar. Same with The Last Waltz. Pure Bump, Blow and Bull.

[@andrewbowen341]

Lol true,it’s a tad embarrassing I’d say.

[@gangoffour6690]

Charles peterson Oh yeah, much greater guitarists around these days. Roy was one with his guitar. Phenomenal. FUCKING IDIOT ! YOU KNOW SHIT.

[@charlespeterson3798]

Lay off the bump chump.

[@charlespeterson3798]

Dear white. I'm the foul mouthed loser? Have someone read what I wrote, incapable as you are of reading, much less constructing a coherent thought, sentence, fragment or even an effective argument. Roy was a great artist who, along with an entire generation, wasted themselves and their talents, ( put aside his hungry children), on kicking the gong around and swilling booze. Sound familiar? Hung himself out of self pity in a county jail. Sound familiar? Courage white, there will be more like him for you "to know', and your meaningless drool down your chin will show the way forward.

[@whitenationalist6474]

Charles peterson You are a delusional sociopath and don't have the vaguest notion of what you are talking about. I hope you rot in hell for your sins.

[@tomv4408]

Is that Bill Graham introducing Roy?

[@irvinkelso8189]

He could bend three strings with vareing amount

[@megachillin2282]

It's the Amish dude from kingpin!

[@Theloaner43]

Roy hadda take it to the absurd to get Niels to STFU.

[@landesart]

Why he never became famous? Wrong beard, wrong haircut, wrong clothes…it‘s sad, but even in those times of hippie nonconformity these were three „good“ reasons to fail.

[@marieannwalsh662]

He was very popular in Japan. He didn't like the main stream and turned Mick Jagger down to replace Brian Jones.

[@knightfall9394]

he never became famous because he couldn’t sing or write songs worth a damn. It also didnt help that he had his own personal problems and demons he dealt with.

[@teleuser]

Danny Gatton wanna be.

[@dickie538]

Just unreal,,much missed Roy.

[@joebloe1401]

Neil's was good but the rest was kind of dry