Countrypolitan | Lost & Sound

Ann-Margret (Photo: unknown)

Billy Strange (Photo: The "Official" Billy Strange Fan Group on Facebook)

Recently I discovered a great fuzz guitar example on Westex’ blog Diggin’ It!!! performed by studio guitarist legend Billy Strange. He played a catchy fuzz guitar intro on Ann-Margret’s country-pop ballad I Just Don’t Understand from 1961 and added some more fuzz later in the song on the chorus and in the solo part.

Billy Strange is notorious for his fuzz guitar. In 1962 he played a driving fuzz guitar solo on the Phil Spector production “Zip-A-Dee-Doo Dah” by Bobb B. Sox and the Blue Jeans. To get the fuzz sound he used a very simple but effective method that he explains in Tales Of Broken Guitar Amps.

Legendary Nashville Guitarist Ray Edenton

Nashville studio guitarist Ray Edenton is a legend of the rhythm guitar. His guitar was an important ingredient of the so called classic “Nashville Sound”.

He created this timeless sound together with among others guitarist Harold Bradley, drummer Buddy Harman, and bass player Bob Moore.

Ray Edenton’s playing gave a defining edge to immortal songs like Crazy (Patsy Cline), Some Day’s Are Diamonds (John Denver), Till I Get It Right (Tammy Wynette), Chug a Lug (Roger Miller) or Wake Up Little Susie (Everly Brothers).

Now the Ray Edenton Website is online. It includes a short biography and there’s a wonderful collection of songs.