Artist:Charlie Christian
Song:Gone With "What" Wind
Album:The Genius Of The Electric Guitar
Charlie Christian's time in the spotlight with the Benny Goodman band was tragically brief but his influence on the development of the sound of the electric guitar is immeasurable. He was born July 29, 1916 in Dallas and grew up in Oklahoma. He was a student of Eddie Durham, the man who invented the electric guitar and Christian started playing an amplified guitar in 1937. Columbia Records talent scout John Hammond heard about Christian from the great pianist Mary Lou Williams and started bugging Benny Goodman about hiring him. Goodman wasn't very receptive until he started jamming with Christian and hired him on the spot. Christian was a featured soloist in the Goodman sextet from 1939-42 and also played in the Goodman orchestra. He was also interested in bebop and would jam with Dizzy Gillespie and others in Los Angeles clubs. This comp consists of Goodman recordings featuring Charlie Christian solos. It's a must for guitar fans. Tragically, Charlie Christian contracted tuberculosis and died on Mar. 2, 1942 at age 25. But Charlie Christian's influence is still felt today. Here's a clip from Ken Burns' Jazz that tells the story of Charlie Christian being hired by Benny Goodman.
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