The guy who Roger Waters takes on his arena tours, plaued with Non Dylan, has his on signature guitar, and was on national television every week for 10 years is UnDeRRaTED
I listen to GE in interviews talk about how honored he has been to play with all the "Cats". Eric, Keith, Pete, David, Eddie, etc...... He doesn't seem to realize he IS one of those Cats. GE can play with anybody.
Paraphrasing a fav G.E. quote that supports your comment-“I think it’s always better to play with your fingers. You think I can’t play fast enough without a pick but then you listen to a recording of yourself and realize you’re playing too many notes anyway.”
In the 80s at the 9th International Percussion Symposium I heard this-“some musicians are known for what they don’t play.” As a 16 year-old rock&jazz drummer, that made no sense to me. A decade or so later, it made all the sense in the world and advanced my playing.
GE Smith is one of those players that always sounds like he's just winging it. I mean that in the best way possible. He never sounds mechanical or over practiced. A living breathing legend and icon
Exactly. When I watch him, his whole body is into the music, and he always is getting pleasure from creating it.If I could feel it like that, there is nothing I would rather do. He is one of the cats, and his natural, relatable personality makes you feel what it is like to be him
I will agree, and just add about my playing, that at the age of 65 i am just a citizen , not a professional.., but i have been trying to make nice sounds come out of my strat since I got it in 1988, and I CAN say that while I have definitely progressed technically,,,,,, I have MUCH much more made progress in what you call the "feel" I put songs on the stereo that I do not know anything about technically but I am so rewarded when some of the sounds coming from the FEEL,,, make oh so happy
Another great and underrated guitar player. Reminds me of Steve Cropper. Has played with, backed just about everyone. But is overlooked, under rated. Always part of someone’s fantastic backing band,road band.
I love G. E. SMITH. Such taste and finesse. I've learned a lot from him over the years. It's nice when people come up to me and say I have a little G.E. SMITH sound in me. Thank you G.E.
G.E. is a tremendously good guitarist. This solo is perfect! Tone and taste for days! This man is too overlooked in the community of guitar greats. Thanks for posting!
Remember seeing only brief flashes of G.E. on Saturday night live and realizing how truly gifted he is. Been a fan ever since. He is on stage with equally great players - what a show this must have been 😀
GE is Killing It here. I Love his interviews about being "Honored" to have played with them. He is so grounded and personable. I did not know he was married to Gilda Radner in the early days.
There are the famously great players…you know them. But for me it’s GE Smith and Mike Campbell and Glen Campbell. The versatility and the beautiful phasing. Thanks for this clip.
All those years watching SNL on TV during "The GE Smith Years", but only catching the few seconds of "outro" music when fading to a commercial, and again when they returned from commercial, but you KNEW you were missing some phenomenal jams!
Discover GE in 80s playing with Hall n Oates always love minimalist approach n just playing very bits of catchy licks, rare mature axe man really for the music n not go on ego trips
GE is the real deal. A great player and a nice guy. This version rocks and he seems to do this effortlessly. Took his session at Fur Peace last year and it was the best I had ever taken there. Will do it again ASAP.
I fuckn LOVE G.E. Smith, I watched S&L just to see my man. Outstanding work with Roger Waters, but Mr. G.E. Smith is the apitomy of our greatest of our greatest America guitar players.
Waouhh! He's so good. Didn't really know GE Smith apart from his sideman role in Bob Dylan's tribute show in the 90s. He is truly impressive, constructing his solo, never repeating, great sound, just amazing!
The very first time I ever knew him, his work, heard him & saw him, was back when he was the lead guitarist for many of the studio albums by Hall & Oates. I don't know if he ever toured with them to support those albums, but I can't imagine why he didn't back then. ( I never attended a Hall & Oates concert, I was more into catching shows by Led Zeppelin, Robin Trower, Van Halen, Blue Oyster Cult, to name a few.......the real album rock.......on the contrary, Hall & Oates was more of a top 40/pop rock sound. ) I'm not sure if any of you younger guys are aware of their radio hits of the 70's & 80's. I know GE appeared in many of their music videos as well, but I'm not sure if GE was their lead guitarist for all of their albums.......but he was for at least a good many of them. GE also did lots of session work with other greats & really got around in the music scene for a long time.
Yeah that Dylan concert was my intro to him. Got thinking, I oughta know this guy but can’t place him. Dylan could get whoever he wants. Should be more talk about Smith.
GE one of the reasons I picked up the guitar in the 80's. All the regular big names of course, but seeing this guy live every week ripping on songs I had never heard opened my ears to how cool the guitar was. Tone for decades and most of it from the fingers; guys like him could make the shittiest gear sound awesome. Thanks to you for posting this and GE for still being an inspiration.
jmack619 Tom Petty And the Heartbreakers lead guitar, currently touring with Fleetwood Mac. He is awesome but neither are top 10 and that is no insult to GE or Mike
He reflects on his playing, knowledge, experience, heart, grace and a lot of humility from the top to the bottom of the song. A great consummate artist.
Think I saw him in 1983 with Hall an Oates Band..In the Burgh at Civic Arena..Wait for Me...The Lead on that Song is like..The note that gives the heart it's pleasure..
Had always been a Stat guy, but picked up an unused 2000 American Tele by luck. Ran into this clip looking at videos of Teles....WOW, totally blown away by GE Smith and how he can get all the awesome sounds out of his Tele!! Inspirational!
I just watched an amazing interview with him while he was on tour with Roger Waters for The Wall tour. Talking about his whole life up to that point. Someone else said it. He is criminally underrated as a guitar player. A super nice guy, it seems as well. Very soft spoken.
Man would have loved to see Luther and jim live like this G.E. Is sounding nice right now too. Huge jim fan and north miss all stars fan. KING OF TONE telecaster paaaaarty 😄❤️
G.E. smith!! Amazing player! Great guy! Met him in San Fran after a Hall & Oates show.. Luther plays his ass off. Caught him with the all stars and the black crowes. He's also a real gentleman. There's an amazing amout of true blue musicianship on that stage. Thanks for posting!!!
It's so clear from this video, it's all in the hands, head and heart and many miles on the road, seasoned with bit of Jimi, Eric and Jeff. And thank you Steve Winwood for a classic tune!
Growing up and watching SNL, I always like G.E. but I didn’t appreciate what I was watching and listening to because I didn’t understand it at the time. It just sounded good. Now that I’m older and understand what it is and takes to sound the way he does…..man, what a treasure and a great historian he is. The man can flat out play. I could listen to him play and give interviews all day.
