Posted on 09/25/2012 8:35:34 AM PDT by sussex
I’m in my 70s and remember skating round to this at Brixton Roller Rink (long gone) when I was a teenager, trying to impress the girls – and someone else was also probably checking out the talent at the same time across the ocean…
I’m 68 and this is my favorite R’ n R’ instrumental of all time. Reminds me of Bond’s Ice Cream parlor back in 1957 in Cedar Grove, NJ where I spent more time than I did in my own home.
Plonking around on an acoustic guitar at home trying to copy the guitar solo (and failing miserably) I remember thinking if you can play guitar like this then you can call yourself a guitarist…
So, anyone remember “Honky Tonk” by the Bill Doggett combo? It was a massive hit in 1956 but seems to have fallen down the memory hole which is a pity because, in my opinion, it contains not one but two of the greatest instrumental solos ever – Billy Butler on guitar followed by Clifford Scott on tenor sax
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I love that song. It was one of the first songs I learned on the guitar as a teenager. The “Ventures” did an acceptable cover of the song, but it just didn’t have that bluesy feel that Doggett had.
Doggett also had a song called “Hold It”, which of the several bands I’ve had over the years, we always used for a theme/break song.
The funny part is, Bill Doggett played the organ, not the guitar. I don’t remember his guitar players name anymore, but I think he had several over time.
Sorry, gang, but these are rather unremarkable solos. (somebody had to say it).
My favorite version of this song was by King Curtis -
Because this subject is completely a matter of taste, I won’t specifically disagree and I won’t entertain an argument with anyone who disagrees with me but, I would put the solo in Pink Floyd’s Dogs of War at the top of the Sax list.
Oh man, I feel like a teenager again!
Great find! This song still gets some airplay on the oldies stations. Just one of those tomeless classics.
Agree
thanks
By ‘unremarkable’, do you mean ‘Everyone, including non-musicians, still recognizes the licks in year 2012?’
Are you one of those who values quantity of notes rather than quality?
As another poster stated, the Ventures gave many of these artists and instrumental singles wider exposure via cover versions. Admittedly, many of the covers were rush-job cash-ins but still provided royalty income to the original songwriters.
The late Doug Sahm did a live version of Honky Tonk that approached the original’s sleazy groove.
Another good one from back then circa 1957 was 7-11 by the Gone All Stars.
Time - Pink Floyd
Arpeggios from Hell - Ingwie Malmsteem
For Jazz and fingerstyle, my favorite guitarist is:
Steven King - King of Guitar
For classical, it must be:
Paganini's 24th Caprice - Li Jie
No mention of Paganini would be complete without 16 year old Jason Becker's heavy metal version of:
Paganini's 5th Caprice - Jason Becker
Of course, there is the fashion-impaired Ewan Dobson:
Paganini's 5th Caprice - Ewan Dobson
I don’t know, Claptons second solo on the Wheels of Fire version of Crossroads is pretty amazing.
that there is some good music
The guitar player on Honky Tonk was Billy Butler, and he played a one of the Gibson archtop jazz guitars like a L-5 etc with P-90 pickups which were the top of the line pickup at the time...Hope that helps...Amazing solo..People today still talk about that..
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