Roy Buchanan - Hey Joe

Cover of the Jimi Hendrix song from the Rockpalast session.

[@1954tele]

I grew up listening to Roy and was fortunate enough to watch him and my father play informally when Roy would cut our hair (another story). In 1976, the Warner Theater in DC Roy walked on stage, Guitar & Schlitz in one hand and Amp in the other. His music was magic to our ears. The last 7 or 8 years of Roys life he began using delay & distortion. I'm at a loss to explain why but something changed with Roy. What hasnt changed is the love & respect I have for Roy & his contribution to music.

[@dicmac1953]

I got into somebody's car around 1975-76 and heard Roy and was gobsmacked. Had to have the album and collected pretty much them all after that at stores and record fairs. Unfettled by global superstardom and often pretty much unheralded an axeman surpassed by none. Gone like other greats before his time.

[@KnightOwl2006]

I shook hands with Roy at the Bottom Line in NYC back in the 80's just before he died. He put on an amazing show. He did a wicked version of Purple Haze. RIP.

[@Skyman46]

Thanks for posting, this is great...the most underrated guitarist, so sad. Roy's version always gives me goosebumps..it's downright scary , so deliberate, passionate.

[@Nickovitch2370]

Roy Buchanan & Danny Gatton! The two greatest!

[@willisgemutlich2608]

yes found danny gatton because he was a friend of roy's, and I couldn't get enough

[@Nickovitch2370]

All of his best tunes were instrumentals anyway. I do agree that he is amazing at putting his heart and soul into his playing. He was truly one of the greatest pickers around.

[@DrewAnti1960]

gotto see him 4 times in the late 70s and early 80s,all the shows were in New haven ct ,at local clubs,they were the great shows man,also SRV played the same clubs,and Johnny winterwiht in 3 years I saw all these guys a dozen times

[@daverlb]

I was fortunate enough to see Roy and his band in Auckland not long before he died. I'll never forget it. Never.

[@urankjj]

I luv Roy, I have seen him quite a few times" Live" back in the day, but never saw him with an itchy ass.... Roy would be laughing along with me. Truly a guitar legend, Thank you roy & RIP...........

[@shaq666uk]

Beautiful haunting solo.

[@marktv3]

I saw Roy at the long gone Starwood in Hollywood, Ca. My brother and I worked our way to the front and I'll never forget Roy looking down at me; as if his eyes were saying, "What is this 14 year old doing here?"

[@xGxNxRx4eva]

i would have been listening to him since the 70s but....i was born in 92 so ya....dont work out but guitarists like roy make me love to play blues on my guitar....not that often a 15 yr old plays blues on his guitar nowadays ya know lol

[@mjerina77]

Buchanan was a straight up g from VA rest in peace my bro

[@12347771]

Never in my life!!! The Right Hand from Heaven!! God Keep Roy

[@joeylodes]

as someone named Joe ... trust me .... i dont care who wrote it ... Jimi OWNS it! and Roy did an amazing version here !

[@FELINEFOOL]

I loved to watch him! Very talented!

[@stratakat]

I've been listening to Roy, since the 70's, he's a HUGE influnce on my playing, but you can't really hear it in my playing... (some times). .. maybe cause i have too many influences... Great vid THANKS strat

[@rotolo]

aww, i love that telecaster sound such a beautiful cover version by roy buchanan..

[@cookieman38111]

Beautiful.

[@nachospl0x]

great solo and style, that part after 3:18 when he starts playing like a bassist

[@arthurkaliel]

God Bless America....thatz your opinion...I have seen them all in my 57 years..and those guys make rings around Jimi..grant you Jimi had style and a GREAT voice...but those guys were better at playing...Jimi was a Commercial God...!!!

[@icatfishman]

I used to see Roy at the Gentlemen Two on M Street and it was guit amazing for a kid guitarist. Never saw him on Rt. 1

[@Kohntarkosz]

I was thinking the same thing. It was written by Billy Roberts and recorded by at least three different people (Love, The Leaves, and The Byrds), before Are You Experienced came out.

[@bluedan82]

roy buchanan rules! i would cut off my left foot to be able to play like him

[@rorythegod]

great, grand, rip roy

[@jeffbeck123]

he is simply shredding and hitting harmonics down the neck

[@artmaniac53]

Roy's Mgic hands...the best rock guitarist ever!!!

[@lwplwp]

ROY WAS GREAT

[@jadslash]

im pretty ayt with the pick in the pinky thing, but its like he just made it appear out of nowhere whadahell!?!?! ~bow~

[@nelsondejesus6886]

Chicken or the egg my friend, can you believe they both knew each other by way of the Stones Roy f'd up by the legend he fell asleep at the board during his audition with the Stones, I wonder who made the hook up Jimi and Roy used each others tricks, either way G-d Bless them all and us too!

[@stephenjimmilee6452]

Listen to his records. See if you can find Livestock or Loading Zone albums (not sure if they are available in CD's). Really wicked guitar solos!!

[@jkoff76]

I know that Jimi said his fav was Billy Gibbons. I know he loved Clarence White and Terry Kath from Chicago as well. So I think that might indicate who he thought was best, other than him of course!!

[@raccomando1992]

i have heard of hendrix and yes he was amazing at what he did but if your judging blues this guy is better other than that hendrix is the greatest at everything else

[@philipwalter87]

awesome

[@RandyRhoadsRules042]

Great song. Roy Buchanan definately gives you a false impression if you base what you expect of him by his appearance. He did a great job.

[@LodoGrdzak]

Then there's Castles Made of Sand; Little Wing; Izabella; Drifting; Angel. Forget it, man. Hendrix was the greatest artist to ever play electric guitar and was probably the greatest guitar player--along with a handful(maybe) of guys like Roy.

[@MyDIRESTRAITS]

COM ESSE CARA AÍ MUDEI SIM,ESSE É O VERDADEIRO REI DO BLUES

[@smotpoker86]

Yeah, you people comparing the two.... just listen to Ramon's Blues by Roy, and then make a judgement...2 diffrent people, and two diffrent styles...BOTH GREAT!!!

[@IronMonkee]

Nothing like a good ass scratch before the performence

[@DrewAnti1960]

Uncle Roy smoked some weed with my friends ,and I,he was a cool Dude man,ha ha LOL

[@NeutralAeroplane]

That's some groovy rhythm geetar.

[@reidhb1]

***** If he is/was better than Hendrix, then he's better than Clapton, and up there with Stevie Ray Vaughn

[@TheAle60]

que bueno!!!!!!!!

[@canabeans08]

i saw Johnny Lang when he was 15 keep jammin

[@lee32uk]

I know the original version wasn't by Hendrix. The reason I put Hendrix in the the title was because his version is the one everyone knows.

[@DrIck2]

This version is only okay. It's nowhere as deliberate and organized as the Austin City Limits version they took down from youtube. The main solo in that version sent chills up and down my spine that popped little yellow bubbles in my brain, and I would put it up against Jimi's any day.

[@larrystarstruck]

That is a good comment. For the record, I like both of them and for different reasons. I will probably be hit hard for saying that but so be it. There is much to like on both guitarist. Both influenced me but again, for different reasons.

[@snakeweirdo]

High Action for sure.

[@raccomando1992]

hes so much better than Hendrix and SRV its amazing i never heard of him before but damn hes amazing wish i could have seen him play

[@OneBigRetard]

@lee32uk Not only that, this is the Hendrix arrangement.

[@LodoGrdzak]

Roys most famous record (Live in Japan) features not (1) but (2) Hendrix covers--Hey Joe and Foxy Lady. Roy also did a smoking version of If 6 was 9 while recording for Atlantic. People get so excited defending their favorite musicians that they feel they have to tear others down in order to build their guys up. Its so stupid. And taking jabs at Hendrix is the dumbest thing of all. 40 years since he's passed and still everyone refers to him.

[@Samrockon]

basically that's song was not a hendrix song he covered it from biilly robert,and i think thats its not even his own that song i likes a myth..... :O

[@Kohntarkosz]

The Leaves, I believe, did the first known recording.

[@JAADRock]

Cover of the Billy Roberts song from the Rockpalast session.

[@TheWiegos]

Thanks! I'll check your supposition.

[@BenCulture]

A friend just recommended I check out Mr. Buchanan (probably to explain why he plays a Tele!) I just listened to a live version of "Sweet Dreams", which I loved (those volume swells!) I guess this "Hey Joe" cover sounds a little lackluster, but it's still evident that the man was an exceedingly good guitarist. I agree that the tone of the solo is a little "too much" of something or other, maybe too trebly. What Roy Buchanan clip should I listen to next?

[@timwit28]

or Hey baby, electric ladyland, house burning down, astroman, villanova junction, earth blues, 1983 a merman i'll turn to be...

[@lee32uk]

@wazejames No this is not the only live version. There is a much better version from the Austin city limits concert. Unfortunately the one i uploaded was removed by youtube due to a copyright claim.

[@Rick5150]

its on itunes

[@iamasmodai]

He's picking the string then getting a harmonic by lightly touching the string with either his thumb or index finger.

[@davidwatson]

..and if you've actually heard the pre Hendrix versions ... this ones definitely owes a heap to the Jimi version ... which I'm guessing Chas Chandler- a bass player and pop-smith himself - had quite a hand in the arranging. Never credited.I mean- that's quite a bass line.

[@willisgemutlich2608]

research this if you like it. personally roy's is my favorite. neither he or james hendrickson wrote it, and it is contested whether the first copyright (billy jones) was legitimate or if it is a "classic" lost to history. if you're interested, check out robert johnson (eric clapton sweared by him and most of his songs have been ripped off, but it was so long ago we don't know if he originally ripped them off from someone else, too). check out bonnie raitt. I don't remember where I read it, likely a guitar magazine, but she honed her skills visiting aging black legends who were broke as broke after exploitation from the music "industry" and were happy to play with her for just about anything. This is how our legends died. broke and likely starving. Music is always copied. It's much easier than coming up with something new. My favorite version of this IS roy's, and I believe that jimi directly ripped off HIS version, but if anyone knows better correct me. A guy in my junior high class came back from a grateful dead show singing strawberry fields and didn't know who the beatles were. this is what I miss about albums. It used to be a legal thing that anyone involved in the making of a song was credited right underneath the name of the song. tapes killed that because they didn't have enough space to print it. They also killed the importance of cover art. I'm with neil young on this one. The thump of the bass reacting with your heart requires some physical movement, even just a needle on vinyl, it's a PHYSICAL thing. Nothing compares, of course, to being there live in the first place, ... well it depends. If someone recorded multiple tracks in a studio it may well be better, depends on the artist. either way, neither jimi or roy wrote this song.

[@LodoGrdzak]

Either one of those guys ahead of Hendrix--what are all of you on?!

[@nachospl0x]

I am sorry I do not have much knowledges of guitars and their sounds. So please do not get mad when I ask, what is their differences besides the strat having a whammy bar, and the tele having "thicker" pickups and more suitable for the blues (I think)?

[@designermite]

Billy Roberts wrote Hey Joe correct?..

[@artiert5224]

Excuse my irreverent dyslexia but, Oh My DOG! - that boy can shore play!!!!!!! They don't make 'em like that much anymore - well, maybe Derek Trucks......

[@steveisler]

Who was first with Hey Joe Roy or hendriks I think roy does a better job of it

[@5jerry1]

@lee32uk With Deep Purple running a close second.

[@phallystorm]

@roorroorroorroor Because GOD has a Rock N Roll Heaven

[@himtroy]

People always say it's a cover of a Hendrix song...it's not really hendrix's song any more than it's Roy's. Niether did the original, even bands as popular as the Byrds had it out before either of them

[@LodoGrdzak]

What'd you expect Hendrix to say? "Im obviously the greatest since on top of being one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time I've written over 20 classics in 2-1/2 years that will still be listened to and copied 40 years after my death but still no one's gonna be more exciting or nearly as much the innovator as I was even 40 years later?" Doesn't sound like Jimi's style.

[@BenCulture]

This clip makes me miss having a digital delay pedal . . . .

[@LodoGrdzak]

What does Hey Joe have to do with Wind Cries Mary or Red House or Voodoo Chile or Machine Gun or Who Knows or Freedom or Manic Depression or Crosstown Traffic or Stone Free or If 6 was 9 or Third Stone From the Sun--"Hendrix didnt write many of his classics?" What the hell are you talking about? What classics of his didnt he write?

[@Cute_boy_657]

bati!

[@dub604]

Hendrix didn't write this tune...... he just played it very well.....

[@snakeweirdo]

@designermite It's an old aboriginal.

[@lee32uk]

I put Hendrix's name in it because his is the best known version.

[@TheRealDadfad]

"Cover of the Jimi Hendrix song..." Actually Hendrix did a cover of the Billy Roberts song. Roberts was the original writer and performer of Hey Joe.

[@PURSANGTRISS]

No fancy gadgets and gizmos

[@dannymac4674]

Who is better? Roy or Jimi?

[@Skyman46]

@SnakeSSSStretcher Because it sounds less psychotic than gun in your hand.

[@nido123456789]

yeah i know.. my friend wrote this from my account

[@Bestiame88]

@barbe47 it isn't a playback...

[@RayPFP]

"Hes so much better than Hendrix and SRV its amazing i never heard of him before but damn hes amazing wish icould have seen him play"? I guess you never heard Jimi play either by the your comment.

[@IronMonkee]

Thats for good luck

[@lee32uk]

@mudspud01 His is probably the best known version though, even though Roy does it best ;)

[@LodoGrdzak]

It's impossible for me to sit back and let people say that "there were a lot of better guitarists than Hendrix." There were/are definitely guys in his league, but thats about as much as you can say. The guys you are mentioning, they are all straight-ahead blues guys. Hendrix mixed blues with free-jazz with rock with R & B. Far more advanced as an artist. Perhaps thats how I should phrase it.

[@LodoGrdzak]

Did you watch/listen to Machine Gun? Did you watch/listen to the Woodstock improvisation? Did you watch/listen to the Berkley version of Voodoo Chile? What Hendrix did was transcend the blues. Theres no definition or genre for Machine Gun or Voodoo Chile. They're jazz, blues, rock, funk. The only way to describe them is to say "Its Hendrix." The guys you mention, they're straight-ahead blues. No way "they did more with the guitar."

[@RayPFP]

Go listen too Wes Montgomery and come back and tell me who's better Raccomando.

[@doctorwho47]

Poor Roy, drank himself to death. But man could this cat play....Play on Roy, jam on cats.

[@nightlydruid]

I agree with iliveinmyguitar, you can't judge guitar players. Each of them has their own style. Sure you can say Yngwie malmsteen can play 2000 notes per minute more than Hendrix, but that still doesn't say anything about the actual player.

[@TheMorfred]

@RedEyeWalker had it in his palm... It takes a bit of training, but it's not THAT hard...

[@tbcass]

Jimi Hendrix did NOT do the original of this song. It was played by many in the 60's

[@Soloparamirar1000]

0:08 He scratches his ass xD

[@mjerina77]

damn u serious

[@Scratch_Monsters_Golf]

Oh my God. Don't you just love close-minded people making comments like this. "Jimi was better hands down," huh? Whatever you say brother. I'm sure you've done the research on both Jimi and Roy, though, and are qualified to make such a concrete statement. Truth be known I seriously doubt that you've heard enough of Roy's stuff to make an educated, non-biased comparison of the two. You probably found this video looking for Jimi's version anyway. Am I right? LOL

[@lee32uk]

@wazejames If you check my profile you can find a better version of hey joe from his Austin city limits concert.

[@LodoGrdzak]

You find me five professional guitarists--guitarists that actually have careers in music that think like you do and I'll eat my hat. Robby Krieger, Johnny Winter, and Rory Gallagher "run rings around Hendrix." Again, we're just laughing over here on this end. Funny stuff no matter how look at it.

[@rabbitshirt]

please don't compare the two - Roy and Hendrix. Of course, Jimi was very dynamic. Roy was in a field of his own though.

[@motokev]

better include jim thackery.... one bad ass on a guitar

[@skullduggery3377]

@Kr0nic777 apology accepted...