One Long Tune: The Life and Music of Lenny BreauMr. Guitar Chet Atkins called Lenny Breau (1941-1984) the greatest guitarist who ever walked the face of the earth. Breau began playing the instrument at age seven, and went on to master many styles, especially jazz. Between 1968 and 1983 he made a series of recordings that are among the most influential guitar albums of the century. Breau's astonishing virtuosity influenced countless performers, but unfortunately it came at the expense of his personal relationships. Despite Breau's fascinating life story and his musical importance, no full-length biography has been published until now. Forbes-Roberts has interviewed more than 175 people and closely analyzed Breau's recordings to reveal an enormously gifted man and the inner workings of his music. |
Contents
| 2 | |
| 5 | |
| 30 | |
April 1960May 1962 | 45 |
November 1961May 1963 | 68 |
June 1963December 1967 | 92 |
Photo Section | 121 |
January 1968September 1972 | 122 |
May 1980November 1983 | 227 |
November 1983August 1984 | 258 |
Epilogue | 272 |
List of Quoted Interviews Conducted by Author | 274 |
Discography | 277 |
Notes | 297 |
Bibliography | 303 |
| 307 | |
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album Anne Murray arrangement Atkins’s audience band Barney Kessel bass bassist began Betty Bill Evans Blues Bob Erlendson called Chet Atkins chord Cotten Couture Dick Curless Don Francks Don Thompson drug drummer Edmonton feel flamenco Gene Hooper Germain guitar player guitarist harmonic hear heard improvisation instrument interview jamming jazz guitarist Jewel Judi knew later learned Lee Major Lenny Breau Lenny Breau—el Lenny played Lenny returned Lenny’s listen Lone Pine Love melody methadone Moe Koffman months Music Hop musicians Nashville never night performance Personnel pianist piece radio Rathor Ray St recalls recording released returned to Winnipeg rhythm says session singer singing solo song Sonny sound Spicher Stage Door stay string studio stuff style Sukornyk talk tape technique Terry thing told took Toronto tracks trio tune Valerie voice wanted week
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Page 32 - ... that was coming up. I had a lot of narrow escapes. There was a man in our church named Jess Belcher. He was an old timed pilot, way before I ever started flying. He flew Piper Super Cubs. I had never flown in a plane that you had to guide with a stick, but that's the way this one was. We both got in. He was in the front seat, and I was in the back seat. We made a very sorry takeoff. It bounced and bounced. I made the remark, "Jess, that was a pretty bad takeoff." He said, "Well, you was flying...
Page viii - Acknowledgments This book could not have been written without the input of every one of the two-hundred-plus interviewees who kindly shared with me their anecdotes and observations of my subject.