The reason why Danny Gatton did not receive attention and dues he deserved is possibly because technology had developed production values and indeed parallel possibilities such as video so that the average consumer was now faced w/ many new options as to how to obtain and assess their entertainment and artistic choices. Most of these new options were not germane to the focus and sensibilities of many great artists and the simpler criteria that they in previous generations (lets say pre late 70's...certainly 80's) were judged, appreciated and rewarded by in the general audience.

Would have absolutely LOVED to see Danny play live. He is the most versatile and talented guitar player I have ever, ever seen..and I was a musician for 15 years. Awesome…gone too soon!

Best ever. Can't believe I've just discovered him, god bless Danny Gatton!

Danny had more cool riffs and runs than anybody. So underated and so fantastic. Scary good.

We saw Danny at the old Birchmere in Northern Va.where he just flat out rocked that place,and years later at Va. Beachs' "Jewish Mother"..One hell of a nice guy,who just happened to be a once in a lifetime,certified guitar legend...RIP.

back when guitarists were still respected.

So sad he's gone. What an amazing musician!

If you do not have it, find a copy of Danny Gatton's "Cruising Deuces". Probably still available on CD. One of my all-time favorites. Danny Gatton, R.I.P. 10/4/94, never forgotten.

Learned a lot from Danny's DVDS great player and teacher

We miss you Danny R.I.P.

So much missed he was a genious ...thanks for remind us how much he was awsome!

Thank you Danny Gatton for teaching Joe Bonamassa guitar. You must be so proud of him from where you sit.

A great talent! Sometimes, if a gifted person is taken out of their comfort zone, the results can be tragic. The artist might want to simply play for the joy of doing so on a smaller scale vs. what the record contract forces you into. The music industry is brutal and there are so many talented musicians out there who never get noticed, or the record labels just don't know what to do with them. Even Steve Morse became a commercial airline pilot in the 80s for a while to make a living and this was after releasing multiple albums with the Dixie Dregs (nominated for 5 Grammy Awards), the SMB and a crazy touring schedule. With the advent of the internet, the industry has changed and it offers a platform for more people to get noticed. With downloadable music (burning vs. buying), record companies no longer have the same amount of control that they had in the past. Andy West once said that signing a contract with a record label in those days basically made you an "indentured servant", with the company owning you and your music.

Those of you who appreciate the skill and the person portrayed here, take note - a documentary on the man is in post-production and will hopefully be released soon. It is going to be called "The Humbler", which was Danny's nickname based on any other guitarist's experience after getting up to jam with him. I'm not sure Danny's horrible, crippling depression did not also contribute to his lack of success. Creative genius seems to carry a hefty price tag for some.

Damn! Never heard of him. Unreal, that. And I dig his humility.

As a longtime fan- since that Guitar Player edition , this is such a great interview. I see a truly humble man and just an inch of sadness. Was he the”best” ? His mastery of the guitar is undeniable. Perhaps it’s the music consumer? They want something palatable. For me , his brilliance is simply jaw dropping. His death at his own hand is so completely sad . And tragic . Seeing this video only confirms what a delicate line there is in life. RIP Danny. You were the best.

grew up in NOVA, older brother and Danny were friends, my bro, a great guitarist himself, used to to drive over to the Maryland farm for lessons, after meeting him in DC. Danny is a class unto himself.

He's is definitely missed. Thank the Lord I was able to see him in my early 20s. Still have a shirt he signed for me from Milwaukee summerfest.

Wow, this is great. Danny really opens up here...a bit. Thanks so much for publishing this.

If I remember correctly Charlie saw Danny at a bar and was obviously impressed enough to bring him on his show. Kudos for that.

The best guitarist i have ever seen

Great interview and guitar demo! Thanks for posting!

super humble Interviewer.. It gets deep on a really respectfull way.. the Interview gets really Interessted in the whole thing :P

Thanks for sharing this. 88 Elmira was a tape that introduced me to Danny's amazing playing. I had a chance to see him live on one of the outdoor smaller stages at the Montreal Jazz Festival and he just blew away the audience. So many people had not heard of his talent. Two records in and he was gone. Tragic. R.I.P Danny Gatton. "New York Stories" is a great jazz recording he is all over, too!

Thanks for the post, brilliant...I really enjoyed it.

The best ever. A total master at any style.

This is some great guitar playing here! Danny had amazing tone control riffs chords string bending slide you name it Danny could do it and do it better than anybody on the planet then and now Joe bonamassa doesn't even come close still although he is very good Danny was in a league all by himself! He was a true genius guitarist that left far too soon

Man, this is one of the best posts in a while. Thank you SO MUCH!

Thanks for the post truly one of the best guitarist ever! I guess he wanted to jam with Roy or Rory !! not many great guitarist anymore!rock on !!

It was an honor to get "humbled" by "The Humbler" back in 1986 at the Gentry in DC. Got some good advice and tips out of it.

Such a treasure video. But, i am also saddened a bit seeing him here, with his emotions all out and then knowing how tragically it ended. Such was his playing, all out for everyone to see with nothing to hide. Only discovered him in recent years myself. Such personalities have a hard time coping with the business side of music and are not very tolerant of some of things that surround it and therein also lies one of the reasons he never really reached widely known stardom. tx for upload.

So sad he never had truly commercial success as his talent deserved before he took his life. The greatest musicians are so humble & self effacing, like this man. RIP Danny G.

RIP Meastro. You and your music will always be alive in our hearts and our ears.

What a genius... he wasn’t quick he just makes the impossible look easy.. we ll never hear or see anyone like him ever again.. one out of the hat guitar master.

The Greatest Underrated.

Crazy how talented he was but he was also so humble. You could tell he was uncomfortable with some of the questions about his virtuosity. Once in a generation type player. We miss you Danny.

1st album I bought of his was 88 Elmira. Listened to it for hours.

I wish he was still here today shredding on that Telecaster ..!!

He was too rock for jazz, and too jazz for county, and too country for rock. Record companies didn’t know what to do with him…

rest in piece great upload!

The last piece is the jazz standard Secret love and I believe it was in honour of his late friend Lenny Breau. They would play that song together.

I saw Danny tune his guitar like a banjo and played it like a banjo and it sounded just like a banjo...also Danny played the fiddle.

There are so many brilliant musicians , actors, comedians, songwriters, etc...who never get to the "bigtime" because it just didn't come their way...they didn't understand the business, they didn't want to move, they had other interests, their spouse wasn't into it, etc etc etc but this man is one heck of a guitarist...

Thank you, Alan.

Fantastic.

Danny you were amazing , I hope your soul is finally free and in a happy place..simply amazing.

Thanks Alan !!

"This little rascal can....." Do ANYTHING!!!!! LOL!! Just amazing.

I wish Danny had left us with more blues recordings, he could certainly play the blues. We are just hammered with Danny's "pants on fire" country playing. He's showing relative restraint here on "Secret Love" and that's welcomed, at least by me.

Just discovering this genius from researching telecasters. Seemed such a humble lovely guy.

Some people strip the finish off of their fretboard. Danny just wore his off instead.

A true guitarists' guitarist.

Great post!!

This is some of the greatest Gatton playing I've seen- wonderful! As for why Danny was not better known, it's incredibly complex IMO. 1) He could not be pigeon-holed to style. 2) He was his own worst enemy in business 3) He was not willing to BS his way into situations that may have elevated his status. 4) The music business is fucked and grinds you into tiny pieces, esp. if you're this good. Weirdly, he's more famous now because of youtube, but not so much with younger folks I think

Maestro and a humble human being he was... rest in peace Danny.

His roommate was Roy Buchanan for a time. Funny how Roy's influence is hardly mentioned. I sure wish Roy and Danny got together and composed massive tracks together...to confound n teach future players

Tele found its soulmate Danny! Rest in peace Master.

Most unique phrasing from Mr Gatton indeed !!!

1953 Fender Telecaster, original handwound Joe Barden pickups.

Danny was the best.

I guess we can forgive Charlie Rose now since he featured The Telemaster, Danny Gatton.

There'll never be another Danny Gatton. He was there and then boom, they broke the mold.

my brother spent many an afternoon with danny at his farm, they both passed too soon

So great🎸🎸🎸

Totally awesome!!

the best forever

This guy stood alone...

Here’s a great matchup Danny gatton and Wes Montgomery together! Also Danny and Scotty Anderson would be incredible together both have similar styles

Guitar Player Magazine was a magazine that I DID read regularly

Wow, thanks for the upload. Django Reinhardt, Johnny Smith, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Bryant, Wes Montgomery...Danny could hang with and even outflank. Simply the best, most far-reaching, mind-blowing and diverse guitar player ever, the Charlie Parker of guitar.

Liz Meyers Band on Banjo and lead guitar Monster may they both RIP

Two best all round guitarists in the last 50 yes are ..Brent Mason....and Danny Gatton.

Dang...what kind of mind allows himself to see the fret board as he does so easily and inclusive?

Jazz chops out of this world.

In the final duo I did have trouble understanding the harmonic progression going on, or recognizing what piece/s he was playing...Unless it's just me, maybe he was shy in that aspect of music..I did enjoy it though. He is very gifted, otherwise....I'm a retired bassist and I did like this bass man alot !! Interesting fingerboard ,too ...

He definitely knew that kneck like nobody's business. He played from deep within and he expressed his musical sensibilities from a very non conventional personal place within

Go watch the video of Danny and Arlen Roth jamming together, and making an album, talk about string bending craziness

This is awesome

Miss you Danny!

While he’s certainly revered by guitarists, the major impediment for his relative obscurity was that he played a style (rockabilly and jazz) that wasn’t particularly popular commercially. Sometimes overly technical playing like he would do live, is just not very easy to listen to

Key to Danny, he was a banjo player as well. Right hand pick and 3 active fingers on the strings. Takes some doing and a lot of practice to wrap one's mind around that technique. Most throw it down as too difficult. Spanish finger pick style ain't easy, but if mastered makes for an impressive show guitar.

Joe Barden created Danny's pickups so if you want phenomenal pups; whether for Teles, Strats of Jazzmasters, they are excellent and especially, affordable.

Holllly shitt. that's a really fluid one, very impressive guitar playing.

One of the saddest interviews. Gut wrenching what transpired

I've known about Danny for a long time, but Jesus, that bass man is absolutely kickass too. I don't guess I noticed him as much before as I should have.

gatton...the telecaster master of all time

4:59 jesus, man, not even a wow, or great job just a dead, unrealization of what he just witnessed. just wow.

Here's a little tidbit I bet a lot of you didn't know.....Danny did not read music!

He plays a lot like Vince Gill!

Fame isn't for everyone. RIP Danny.

Thats the american spirit? Beatiful Maravilloso!!!

i even like his personality !

Another great Danny matchup would be the incredible Rory Gallagher two titans of the guitar both vastly underrated

Great player Danny Gatton ... please does anyone know the name of the jazz piece..? It sounds like a jazz standard...

His knee jerk response to say he’s not the fastest makes me feel like I need to be way better at checking my ego

I had an Antique shop in Luray Va. in the 80's and I sold a high back oak bed to his wife, she was from the area,she said here husband was in the music business,he came in to help load it,kinda ancy,gota go gotta go,had never heard of the fellow before , but I remember him,he was wearing a brown jacket,had extra weight on him. latter I found out more about him, funny how you remember some things,

Any more news on "The Humbler?"

We need more news shows like this in these troubled times. Two Telemasters died by suicide (?) Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton. Maybe there's a psychotic Tele player running around killing off the cream of the crop? Lucky I never got good enough! Seriously though, RIP Roy and Danny, two of the greats!

tragically Danny and Roy Buchanan died early and somewhat tragically.

Technically unchallenged. Period. His first music teacher said there was nothing he could teach him.