Players Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit In 2019, the late Dickey Betts sat down with Guitar Player to reflect on the Allman Brothers and his musical career, from his early influences to his last solo live album “We all knew it was really good… The guitar playing is just amazing”: How Dickey Betts made “Ramblin’ Man”, triumphed over tragedy and led the Allman Brothers to their greatest success Duane Allman’s death might have been the end of the Allman Brothers Band. Instead, led by Dickey Betts, it marked the start of a remarkable era in the group’s life – and rock history Ritchie Blackmore on Steve Howe, Jimi Hendrix, classical influences and more Chatting with GP in 1973, at the stratospheric height of Deep Purple's popularity, Blackmore offered insight into his hugely influential style – from his tremolo approach, to his deafening onstage volume Latest Players “I got into the Who when I was playing my Mom’s Martin. I thought it looked cool to do the windmill, but when my Mom saw how badly I scratched her guitar she said, ‘No more pick for you’”: Carolyn Wonderland on Tele Thinlines and Houston guitar heroes By Matt Blackett published 20 February 24 In this classic GP interview, the Texan with the stunning voice (and equally impressive six-string chops) discusses her tonal inspirations, and why – decades after her early windmilling damage – she continues to stick with fingerstyle “My version of 'Fire' attracted some attention. I tried to imagine how Muddy Waters would have played it… Hell, I’m not going to compete with Jimi Hendrix!” Pete Anderson charts his career in five songs By Mark McStea published 16 February 24 From Dwight Yoakam to Michelle Shocked — Pete Anderson picks the tunes that put him on the map. “Some people operate the guitar. Joe Pass really played it”: The genius of Joe Pass, one of the 20th century's greatest jazz guitarists By Denny Ilett published 14 February 24 Consummate soloist, impeccable accompanist, tireless educator, fearless improviser, and bona-fide jazz legend, Pass remains the paragon to which guitarists still aspire “I learned economy from artists like Albert King, for whom one note could tell a whole story”: At 78, guitar legend Robin Trower isn't done evolving, but he always keeps the blues in sight By Martin McQuade published 13 February 24 Teaming up with vocalist Sari Schorr for the R&B-flavored Joyful Sky, the tone king remains – 60 years into his career – creatively restless “I got John Lennon’s Epiphone Casino and played through his amp, Paul got on the drums. It was like we’d been playing together forever”: Steve Miller on jamming with the Beatles, his pre-show warmups, and 50 years of the Joker By Alan Paul published 13 February 24 In a candid interview, the classic rock hero discusses the strange journeys of some of his biggest hits, opening for Pink Floyd, and injecting blues into the San Francisco scene in the midst of the Summer of Love “He said, ‘I want to make a little-amp record.’ Apparently on Layla, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman were playing through Champs and facing each other, and that’s what we did”: Charlie Starr on how Blackberry Smoke evolved by slimming down in the studio By Alan Paul published 12 February 24 Blackberry Smoke's frontman and guitarist dishes on making a “little-amp record,” and how playing guitar in another famous band helped strengthen his connection to his own group "Wondrous… unique… exquisite": The seven-string guitars and smooth "lap-piano" style of forgotten jazz and swing guitarist George Van Eps By Jim Campilongo published 11 February 24 On his 1966 album, My Guitar, George Van Eps makes the best case ever for playing with seven strings “I spent five eight-hour days working on that solo until I knew I had it”: Steve Lynch on how Autograph conquered the airwaves with debut single Turn Up The Radio By Mark McStea published 9 February 24 Influenced by Harvey Mandel and Emmett Chapman, Turn Up the Radio announced the arrival of Steve Lynch… “I used to fall asleep with it on my chest — it’s literally a one-of-a-kind, unreplaceable keepsake": Randy Bachman on the trauma of having his prized 1957 Gretsch 6120 stolen and the remarkable story of how he was reunited with it By Richard Bienstock published 3 February 24 Stolen 45 years ago, the tale of the Gretsch's global journey is now the focus of a new documentary. "Do you know what happened to my lost bass, the one that got pinched?" How Paul McCartney's simple 2019 query over coffee in a studio led to a forensic hunt for the iconic Höfner 500/1 violin bass By Christopher Scapelliti published 2 February 24 The theft of Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner bass is a 50-year-old mystery that spans from Hawkwind to the Who. Here's how the Lost Bass project filled a gap in rock and roll history. 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1“A lot of times when someone says, ‘They have good technique, but there’s something missing,’ what’s actually missing is part of the technique”: Paul Gilbert on the essentials of great guitar playing2“Sometimes things like that just come together, like a piece of magic. I wrote that song in just five minutes”: Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit, and the oddball Les Paul/SG hybrid he “personally designed”3“When I heard Lindley play that, I went, ‘That’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life’”: All-star tribute show in honor of David Lindley, one of the greatest sidemen of all time, announced4“We all knew it was really good… The guitar playing is just amazing”: How Dickey Betts made “Ramblin’ Man”, triumphed over tragedy and led the Allman Brothers to their greatest success5“The chord progression in the Highway Star solo – Bm, to a Db, C, and then G – is a Bach progression”: Ritchie Blackmore on Steve Howe, Jimi Hendrix, classical influences and more
“I got into the Who when I was playing my Mom’s Martin. I thought it looked cool to do the windmill, but when my Mom saw how badly I scratched her guitar she said, ‘No more pick for you’”: Carolyn Wonderland on Tele Thinlines and Houston guitar heroes By Matt Blackett published 20 February 24 In this classic GP interview, the Texan with the stunning voice (and equally impressive six-string chops) discusses her tonal inspirations, and why – decades after her early windmilling damage – she continues to stick with fingerstyle
“My version of 'Fire' attracted some attention. I tried to imagine how Muddy Waters would have played it… Hell, I’m not going to compete with Jimi Hendrix!” Pete Anderson charts his career in five songs By Mark McStea published 16 February 24 From Dwight Yoakam to Michelle Shocked — Pete Anderson picks the tunes that put him on the map.
“Some people operate the guitar. Joe Pass really played it”: The genius of Joe Pass, one of the 20th century's greatest jazz guitarists By Denny Ilett published 14 February 24 Consummate soloist, impeccable accompanist, tireless educator, fearless improviser, and bona-fide jazz legend, Pass remains the paragon to which guitarists still aspire
“I learned economy from artists like Albert King, for whom one note could tell a whole story”: At 78, guitar legend Robin Trower isn't done evolving, but he always keeps the blues in sight By Martin McQuade published 13 February 24 Teaming up with vocalist Sari Schorr for the R&B-flavored Joyful Sky, the tone king remains – 60 years into his career – creatively restless
“I got John Lennon’s Epiphone Casino and played through his amp, Paul got on the drums. It was like we’d been playing together forever”: Steve Miller on jamming with the Beatles, his pre-show warmups, and 50 years of the Joker By Alan Paul published 13 February 24 In a candid interview, the classic rock hero discusses the strange journeys of some of his biggest hits, opening for Pink Floyd, and injecting blues into the San Francisco scene in the midst of the Summer of Love
“He said, ‘I want to make a little-amp record.’ Apparently on Layla, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman were playing through Champs and facing each other, and that’s what we did”: Charlie Starr on how Blackberry Smoke evolved by slimming down in the studio By Alan Paul published 12 February 24 Blackberry Smoke's frontman and guitarist dishes on making a “little-amp record,” and how playing guitar in another famous band helped strengthen his connection to his own group
"Wondrous… unique… exquisite": The seven-string guitars and smooth "lap-piano" style of forgotten jazz and swing guitarist George Van Eps By Jim Campilongo published 11 February 24 On his 1966 album, My Guitar, George Van Eps makes the best case ever for playing with seven strings
“I spent five eight-hour days working on that solo until I knew I had it”: Steve Lynch on how Autograph conquered the airwaves with debut single Turn Up The Radio By Mark McStea published 9 February 24 Influenced by Harvey Mandel and Emmett Chapman, Turn Up the Radio announced the arrival of Steve Lynch…
“I used to fall asleep with it on my chest — it’s literally a one-of-a-kind, unreplaceable keepsake": Randy Bachman on the trauma of having his prized 1957 Gretsch 6120 stolen and the remarkable story of how he was reunited with it By Richard Bienstock published 3 February 24 Stolen 45 years ago, the tale of the Gretsch's global journey is now the focus of a new documentary.
"Do you know what happened to my lost bass, the one that got pinched?" How Paul McCartney's simple 2019 query over coffee in a studio led to a forensic hunt for the iconic Höfner 500/1 violin bass By Christopher Scapelliti published 2 February 24 The theft of Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner bass is a 50-year-old mystery that spans from Hawkwind to the Who. Here's how the Lost Bass project filled a gap in rock and roll history.