British guitarist reacts to Danny Gatton's TOWEL guitar!!! 

I'm a DC person, as Danny Gatton was. I remember seeing him watching Roy Buchanan at a couple local clubs when he was a kid. Roy, by the way, was the best "white" blues guitar player I ever heard. But Danny OWNED the telecaster. The best electric guitar player I ever heard/saw. He was a problem for record companies because he wouldn't pick a genre. There wasn't a style or musical genre he couldn't play incredibly well. Whenever he played anywhere around DC you'd better get there early or you wouldn't get in. He didn't tour much, and I think it had something to do with how it wore Roy Buchanan down. That, plus he wanted to be around and watch his daughter grow up. Watching him play went way beyond appreciation -- into awe. I've never seen his equal nor do I expect such a person will ever come to be.

You have to see/hear his band "Redneck Jazz Explosion" live at the Cellar Door, 2 volume CD set. Best purchase I ever made. Danny Gatton was a paragon of guitar and tragically for all music lovers died way too early.

Steve Vai (voted the "10th Greatest Guitarist" by Guitar World magazine) said: "When someone uses the phrase 'the best guitar player in the world', I usually go into an exhaustive discourse on how music is art and you can't judge art and there are many different ways that people play the guitar and it's impossible to be considered the best because then you would have to master all styles and that it's all right to have favorites, etc., etc., etc., blah-blah-blah. But I feel okay in saying that Danny Gatton comes closer than anyone else to being the best guitar player that ever lived."

*When I talked with another musician and I warned them about Danny Gatton....I'd say 'you better have your act together....this guy's heavy....he'll have your lunch.'"* _~ Les Paul_

Man Danny gatton The guy was just from another planet Easy my fav player of all time

All these years later and still there is no one that sounds like Danny Gatton.

Danny was amazing! There is a fine line between extreme creativity and mental illness very often. Many fight battles you cannot see, and the fight the most dangerous enemy...ourselves. Yes I am speaking from experience, and it nearly destroyed me. On top if that, I partially lost my sight and my left leg last year. The power of music saved me, and I was determined to win. I did. But that's not the case for everyone. If you have given up hope, hold on, get help...we need you here.

Here from Maryland. Danny was amazing! Lucky to see him play live.

I have one of Danny's Budweiser bottles from a show he did at the Bearsville Theatre he did in the early 90's ..the bottle was left on the stage after the show, I wanted to have a piece of history from an amazing show. Sadly, shortly after that tour Danny passed..

Danny was called "the greatest undiscovered guitarist" for over a decade. Listeners were so impressed with his abilities, but it took music companies a long time for to figure out what his admirers already understood.

That's crazy! I can't even play with all of my fingers, and this guy doesn't even have to say "Here, hold my beer."

Danny Gatton one fine, fine player admired by all .

Use to go see him play at the Birtchmere in Alexandria Virginia and the Bayou in Georgetown. One of the best ever.

I had the great pleasure of seeing Danny play twice!! This beer bottle and towel playing was part of his “act”. He did it both times I saw him. It was one heck of a crowd pleaser. It had my jaw on the floor the first time. I couldn’t believe what he was doing and making it look so easy.

AS USUAL THAT WAS AMAZING

Great one Fil! They didn't call Gatton "The Humbler" for nothing! I wish I could find live video of some of his performances with Robert Gordon. Scorching hot rockabilly!!

The (mostly) Undisputed Master of the Tele and the reason I bought mine. For some reason, mine doesn't sound at all like his. LOL. I love the beer bottle right on up to the bridge. I sure miss this guy!

Holy cow... I didn't even KNOW that a guitar could sound with a towel on its strings. And this guy SHREDS with a towel between his fingers and the fretboard, and even with just the towel! And he's fun and has humour and makes everything look as easy as any easy thing. Wow. Thank you for this video and analysis, and for bringing another incredible player to my attention... You really ROCK. :-)

My favourite guitar player, so secure and in tune, no matter what style. Just perfect!

I was amazed the first time i watched this video, in fact im still amazed every time i watch it, to play with a towel over the neck is just mental, like playing in a pair of thick gardening gloves. Try it and youll see just how impressive this really is.

That whole thing's great, especially the bit where he sticks in "Flight of the Bumble Bee." This reminds me of Victor Borge, the classical pianist who made the classics hilarious, and managed to get away with it because he knew the classics so thoroughly.

Brother man , you cannot know how much I (and prolly evryone else) appreciate your spot on observations an critique .Also thanks for the memories , am ashamed to say I had forgotten this man .Thanks for Sharon

One of the greatest guitar players ever as well as this video is always been a favorite. Glad Danny is getting some shine again. Thanks Fil! 🤘🏻

Danny made Joe Barton pick-ups famous. He drilled out the markers on the top of the neck and glued in cubic zarconians for playing in the dark, it works they will pick up the glow from a blunt in the 15th row.

was fortunate enough to see him do this stuff. immensely talented guy. thanx, Bobby Taylor for getting me out to see him.

🎼🎸great video 🤘 This is a real jedi player 🙋 From planet far awayyyyyyyy. 🤘

Danny Gatton. Gatton, Danny. I saw Danny Gatton perform just a few years before he died, at a tiny dive in Charlottesville, Virginia, just off the UVa campus. When I got up that morning thirty miles away, I had never heard of Danny Gatton. An hour before showtime that evening, I had no idea I was going to see a show of any kind, anywhere. My wife happened to work at the University Press of Virginia, and I happened to be in the area. In the evening, we strolled by this joint, and a stranger accosted us with, "Oh, you gotta turn in here and check this guy out." Ten minutes later, I was sitting literally three feet away and directly - directly - in front of Danny Gatton starting his show. I remember thinking as Danny hopped up on "stage," _"WTF is this? This guy's got short, fat little fingers pudgier than babies' feet."_ I had been making a living as a guitarist myself for a short while at that point, as I have been doing ever since; bros, I'm a pretty good guitarist. Then it began. He did the bottle. The towel. The salt shaker. The belt buckle. If you've ever wondered what the outro of Lynyrd Skynyrd's _Freebird_ is really all about, apart from being every idiot's audio ecstasy, it is Danny Gatton and those rarest of souls like him to life in general. Freebirds. And it's not nice to fool Mother Nature. Danny Gatton was a local boy from the DC area, as am I, who stayed local, as have I. As reflected in his Wikipedia write-up, family and friends insist on ascribing his suicide twenty-four years ago (ten days hence) to a long struggle with "depression." Otherwise the article says, "For unknown reasons, he committed suicide in 1994." I suppose if those are your powers of discernment, personal insight may be a bridge too far. I can tell you why Danny committed suicide. Washington D.C. Metro is a horrible place to live insofar as the quality of the people on the ground generally. We vehemently deny the charge, but we would, then, wouldn't we? We could not be a more gay, more angry, more godless, more lukewarm, more insulated, more judgmental, more suburban, more blind bunch of ultimate no-accounts than we are - and we're actually proud of it! It's amazing enough. But then along comes a Danny Gatton, who has music in him, which is a hard cross to bear in life for the most untalented among us, let alone for a genuine freebird like Danny Gatton. Argue, friend, but _we_ here locally are the reason Danny committed suicide, and welcome to the truth if you can stand it for more than the blink of your blind eye. I love it. The only song _per se_ I remember Danny doing that night is _Mustang Sally._ People ate that one up. And they ate up the song he was playing as well.

Glad I got to see him live in a small Houston club. He did all this in that show too.... but Teles can take it! Danny was a car nut as well👏 RIP Mr Gatton!

Rest In Peace, Danny. You were a awesome guitarist in the world.

I lived about a half mile from The Crossroads in Bladensburg, Md. Danny used to play there pretty regularly. So did Roy Buchanan, Roy Clark and a few other top notch guitarists. I was too young to get in back then so we used to sit out back and smoke reefer and listen to 'em play!!

Rock on Fil!!! Danny was a pretty amazing guy that had an incredible toolbox of talent it's a shame he's no longer with us I really enjoy your analysis videos keep up the great work and thanks for listening.

Danny playing over the towel ..and playing unreal..sealed the deal for me..he was the best! That was not meant to be possible..the dude was a freak of nature with his skill and style

He was dubbed by Guitar Magazine, "The worlds greatest unknown guitarist". I was lucky enough to see Danny live about 6 months before he died and he certainly lived up to that. RIP Danny!

Great video.I was lucky enough to live near Danny in southern Maryland.He was a good guy.He could tell what key any common sound was in.vacuum cleaner is the key of A.anyway,nice job.Thank you!!

Danny Gatton, the Master of the Telecaster! But his first love wasn't even playing guitar, it was restoring very old cars.

Amazing guitarist! I was fortunate to see him in person. One of the best.

I was so lucky to see him do his thing so many years ago at the original 9:30. Thanks to Joe, Steve, and all that keep his memory alive.

I'm an old picker, heard a lot of them... Danny the best most versatile guitarist ever... RIP!

My first time ever hearing this guy, amazing abilities and the dude makes it look so simple! Great analysis Fil, all the complexities that this guy took years to perfect!

Definitely will check out more videos of his performances. Had never heard of him till now ! What a Talent! Thanks Fil!

Hi Phil. I remember the day Danny ended his time here. I am just a county over and my good friend who was close to Danny got the call. Danny had a love for music and talent like few have. Thanks for showcasing Danny. His influence is so unknown to so many that love guitar, it's great you are calling attention to his art. God speed.

Very underrated guitar hero for me, not unknown to me though, comin from Rockabilly stuff, but the towel thing is new to me. In general you bring up lots of things I have not seen known/before. Phil, You do such a great and important job to keep all these talented musicians alife, honor them as they deserve. You point out things many would overlook. Also enjoyed the singing stuff of the 1940s vocal groups. I always lovef these harmonies they did at that time. Thank you for all that and all the best from Germany!!

I grew up in the DC area, so I knew and saw Gatton many, many times. He was a big fan of Roy Buchanan, who Danny called the best guitarist who ever lived.

Phil I am so into what you're doing. Danny was friends with Roy Buchanan. Danny lived in DC and Roy lived in Baltimore. In June of 1974 Roy Buchanan was recording at the Record Plant in Sausalito California. The Record Plant billed out at $500 an hour and they wanted to book in blocks of 8 hours or 40 hour weeks. I worked in a small 16-track recording studio called Sky Blue Studios in Sonoma. California. Where you can come put your 2-inch tape on and record all week for 500 bucks. Bob Johnston of CBS records shows up with Roy for a couple weeks. I was15 years old. I take out the trash, vacuum, solder chords, and degauss the 16-track. My job as an apprentice is to shut up and listen. Roy was so good that he could play a Telecaster through a Leslie and it would sound like a saxophone. He did volume swells. He reached through the Telecaster with his fretting hand, and played the instrument like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was through Roy Buchanan I learned about Danny Gatton. Everybody had their top 10 favorite guitar players. The Usual Suspects. Then I heard Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton, Joe Pass, and Andres Segovia. Thank you so much, these players need to be remembered. I met Carlos Santana when I was 9 years old. He had just released Abraxas. I would watch him play in wide-eyed wonder. It was as though he was a receiver picking up the signal from the universe. He was channeling this vibration. Roy Clark was excellent too and so was Buck Owens. Thanks for sharing and thank you for broadening the horizons of music lovers everywhere. I was so intimidated by these guys I became a lyricist. After meeting Alan and Marilyn Bergman at the Performing Artist of the Year Awards in 1974. It was the place that I fit in best. everybody was like 10 to 15 years older. There were just too many excellent guitar players. Take care and be well.

That was GREAT!! Thanks Fil!!

WEll..this takes the phrase "Here hold my beer" to a different place that's for sure!

Thanks Fil I’ve never heard of him. What a tremendous talent.

I’ve been trying to get fil to showcase Scotty Anderson for a while now his venue with working without a net live in Georgia some years ago showcases scottys amazing guitar work plus it’s mainly jazz he plays in that concert with some rockabilly mixed in he is as good as Danny or better his triple stops are the best ever along with everything else he plays and like Danny Scotty can play any style without using effects just pure technique!

So cool that you feature great players from all genres and decades Fil. I had forgotten about this crazy tour de force of Danny Gatton's; I saw this years ago and of course was completely blown away by his technical ability and feel. Danny Gatton is (was?) one of the best players ever. Bravo Fil!

The late great Danny gatton as usual I’ve been a big danny gatton fan for over 10 years and have many bootleg recordings of this guitar master he’s great! Another equally great player is Scotty Anderson fil. Check him out and also junior brown both fantastic guitarists at the top of there game and both realitively unknown and still alive and playing

What I loved most about Danny was listening to him solo and picking out snatches of other songs within them. I was playing the DC scene when he was, and had the opportunity to jam with members of his band from time to time, I miss those days...

Fil, I will take gatton anytime. Bloody amazing cat. You seen the vid with Albert Lee and Vince Gill, on some show, the smiles Lee and gill have on their faces when gatton comes in, is priceless. Massive smiles. Well done. Made up not showing Richard smiths version of ‘the entertainer’ during your recent Atkins/reed inspired vids. Rock

Damn impressive and a lot of fun! You have introduced me to something new here. Thanks!

Sweet as!!! Playing on stage under those lights is thirsty work! He wouldn't have to go far for drink!! Had to throw that in!!! Danny is a class act!! Just bloody brilliant,hard enough playing like that while you can see your fingers!! With a towel...!! Shows us how amazing he really is!!!!!AWESOME vid Fil !!!!😧😧😧

You are genius for a young guy! Everyone who ever picked up a Tele dreamed of being Danny Gatton!

Great insight, Danny was amazing

I really love your show , I thinks it's smart to show guitarists other types music , we can all appreciate .

There was a very real front and center emphasis of joy to Danny’s playing ..and that really made him the kind of ideal player to me...he just seemed to be having so much fun in having that guitar make music..in whatever manner he approached it...I can’t thank him enough for sharing that

The sheer enjoyment on your face is always contagious! Thanks 👍

Danny will likely never be equaled. Certainly one of the best "unknowns" in the guitar kingdom! I hope you will eventually get around to showcasing another one; the incomparable Scotty Anderson. His picking technique is beyond masterful, and he's probably caused more jaws to hit the floor than most other players. Check out either "Are You From Dixie" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1an45rMwg7A.html or "Sweet Georgia Brown" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U3Ojj1GabBs.html "Sweet" is a masterclass in technique, while "Dixie" is a masterclass in fireworks! Thanks for all you do in exposing us all to so many great musicians!

As a black female in America. This man is bad!! =damned good

This is the video that I recommend that I didn’t know you had done

I love the little 'flight of the bumble bee' 0:58

So glad you did a video on Danny! I watched him play many times at a small club. he even let me play his Tele of which I was not worthy, lol.

Danny is using a bottle of Lone Star Beer. The producers at Austin City Limits made him peel the label off so it didn't turn into a promotion for that brand of beer.

Sloshing beer all over the neck. He said he used the towel to keep the guitar players in the front from stealing his licks.

Thank you for showing this!!!💖

R.I.P. Danny. Now playing at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe and a guitar player who REALLY knew where his towel was.

Fil, Check out Danny Live at The Roxy in 1990. I was the house sound man at the time and was thrilled to see him on the schedule. I always ran a cassette direct from the board for the bands I liked so while recording his set, I plugged in my cans and would solo his guitar. Remarkable! One of his nicknames is The Telemaster and that ain't no lie!

Dude i love your videos and that hoodie is sick yo!

Man, Gatton was such a killer player. Glad I got to see him while he was still around. He, Roy Buchanan and Arlen Roth were the big three American Tele pickers. Saw all three live. My fave Brit Tele player is Albert Lee…saw him in a 3-way jam with Eddie Van Halen and Steve Morse that was wild!

Danny Gatton once said that Scotty Anderson was the only one who terrified him, and I know why ;-)

Danny and Roy were absolute monsters.Budro

The Humbler. My favorite, Harlem Nocturne.

Had the privilege of growing up in DC ,could go see him most nights ,Roy too !😎

He was once labeled the Greatest Unknown guitar player...R.I.P. Danny...He's one of the few I never got to meet or see in concert..

Fantastic video!

At first when I saw the title of this video I thought "This is clickbait." But then thought about it and was like, "No, Fil wouldn't play us like that." I was right! Damn, that was cool!

Crazy man. Fantastic to see innovative players who can do it well. Reminds me of the guys in the 50s and 60s in the rock n roll beginnings.

I love Danny Gatton’s wild style. Untethered to conventional guitar norms. Check out Guthrie Trapp to see another amazing tele player right now in East Nashville. Ya won’t be disappointed.

Danny Gatton mentored Joe Bonamassa, the video of Joe Bonamassa playing at a Danny Gatton show is pretty phenomenal, JB was 14!

I knew Danny. Nicest guy on the planet. His bassist Jon Prevetti still plays around the Washington DC region.

For those who care: I recently tried this, upon my Les Paul Studio custom (scorn me later), and it seems the way he plays his slide bit is because the foam of the beer would mute a note quite a bit. That's what I found, especially if you try to get a strong vibrato and the foam is soaking up all the vibration. No towel test, Fil. Sorry. The second I figured "This works!" I dropped everything then ran and grabbed the cleaning supplies, lol.

Great Vid Fil! What a fantastic player, and the entertainment value is through the roof! Reminds me a lot of Roy Clark. I know you just did a vid of Roy, but another sometime wouldn't hurt my feelings :P

Pretty cool stuff and finally someone had not heard before... speaking of great " unknowns", have you heard of Howard " Guitar" Luedtke?... lived in Wisconsin for some years and he was a Midwest legend along with his band, Blue Max... considered the best slide guitar player in the Midwest and would have to agree as seen none that could compare... playing bars and small clubs in Wisconsin, Howard was so appreciative of his staunch followers that he knew my bandmates and I by name , never failing to thank us for attending his gigs... would you, please, evaluate his technique and reaffirm my opinion that there are hundreds of great players unknown by the majority but adored by their appreciative fans... 🕊️ 🌎 🎶✌️

Nothing like sliding on guitar with a nice beer bottle. Astonishing video Fil!

I saw him play at a local College here in Maryland once. He had a unique style. And I remember the twangy Scratchy picking he played. That just brought back a flood of memories! Thanks Fil!

The greatest unknown guitarist.

Check out his recording of 'HARLEM NOCTURNE' from his 1993 album 'Cruisin' Deuces'. That particular version blows my mind no matter how many times I listen to it. It would get my vote for most amazing guitar playing on record.

As a fairly seasoned guitarist/singer/blues harp/stage performer locally for quite a while here in east/central Florida years ago, I never could figure out how the heck Danny was able to play that well through a towel of all things. Not that I ever spent any time trying, but that always blew my mind. Seems like I tried it once back when I first saw this decades ago, and I couldn't even get a sound out of it......LOL. Threw that towel down & just shook my head......LOL. What a monster of a guitarist Danny was. No wonder they called him: "The Humbler".

I discovered Danny Gatton about 20 years ago, got a VHS from an old blues guy & thought wtf is that?...the greatest unknown guitar player the world has ever had....his versatility in his performances has never been surpassed....I’d like to see a young guy emulate him...nearest I can get is a mixture of Josh Smith & Johnny Hiland, possibly Junior Brown copied a little of his rockabilly style....but Iv never seen anyone make technical riffage look so easy, when actually it’s extremely difficult...the greatest hybrid picker of them all.

All other Guitar God's pray to Danny Gatton! Seriously Danny was insanely amazing player... very very laid back guy..." The Humbler " seen Danny alot back in the early 80's in D.C and Baltimore area. ..never got to see him with Roy Buchanan. ...I probably would have faded to black after thwt... lol thanks Fil

Top, Fill. DG is awesome - the mix of bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly, blues, whatever. Normally overly technical, "showy" guitarists leave me a bit cold but I love him.

One more time fil please showcase Scotty Anderson in working without a net some of scottys best work on the telecaster of course he uses no effects no pedals just pure talent from his fingers and his triple stops are the best in the world among other things he does he based in Cincinnati and rarely tours has no hit records but is probably the best guitarist in the world right now check him out before he retires which could be soon he’s getting up in age

Always enjoy your videos. Thanks so much for posting them. I try to play like these guys but my fingers keep getting in the way.

the humbler, great player.

Wiping up the competition!

I've always loved the track he did with Joey DeFrancesco, Kindred Spirits.

Great review, as a kid growing up in Appalachia watching ppl playing slide with a bottle of bud is nothing new but Gatton was a GEM!

Danny = the Badd ass ultimate guitarist ever!!