Travis Picking with Thom Bresh 

Thom is a priceless storytelling, world class picking, educating, friend to the guitar and all of us who love guitars.

Most enjoyable nonstop hour I've spent in a long time! Many long moons ago, I decided I *had* to learn to play like Chet. I spent *nine months* trying and failing to get my thumb and fingers to play *with* each other. And one day I woke up, for no particular reason picked up the guitar, and it just worked. I didn't know why, and I didn't really care. It's been working ever since. Give me another 50 years and I might get good at it...

I’ve watched this at least 15 times in the past 6 or 7 yrs, and each time I’ve watched it, I end up seeing and hearing something a little different than I did the previous time. It never gets old to me. Thom Bresh is an American original and icon with many great guitar influences such as his dad Merle Travis, ..Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Hank Penny and many, many others to numerous to name. The players he’s influenced are far too many to name including myself. Thank you Thom Bresh for making entertainment more fun and challenging for me. And thank you for taking time back stage at numerous shows that the Rader Family booked you on to give me some pointers and to me to keep that right hand thumb working every beat!! Bresh doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone that plays guitar. He’s highly respected by his piers as a player, as an ENTERTAINER, and as a friend. When he steps on a stage he takes ownership of it in a graceful manner. In a matter of minutes he’ll have the have the audience eating out of the palm of his hands. The Breshman is one of my guitar hero’s and I’m thankful and blessed to call him a friend. If you like great thumb style and finger pickin’ .. then do yourself a big favor and order all of his CDs, and videos. Watch every video you can find of him on RU-vid. In addition to being one of the worlds greatest guitarists, he’s one of greatest videographers and film editors you’ll ever see in your life time. His mom was married to Bud Bresh in Hollywood, California. Bud was a photographer and videographer of movies. Bresh grew up living next door to where they filmed Fort Apache and several Lone Ranger movies. He’s been proclaimed as a ‘Wine Lord’ in France. Bresh is loved and highly respected everywhere he goes.

When I heard Thom died I remembered this video. The song he plays is a monster. His humor is so great. Love this man.

I had no idea how awesome this guy is, untill now. Scotty Moore mentioned him in an interview. Scotty said he was someone he liked to listen too. I can seee why! Thom is an excellent story teller and does funny impressions of the great. He can also play many styles while still demonstrating his own style. If you came by this video, I think you will find it is well worth your time to watch it.

Talk about 1st class all the way. The smiles as you both are playing is infectious

I had the honor of meeting Merle Travis back in the day and he was a very very nice and talented man.

Wow! The Internet brings out the nasty in some people. The guitar is Thom's copy of his dad's Martin that was renecked by Paul Bigsby, who also made an electric for Merle. Both guitars are now priceless. Thom's playing is always great. Thanks for presenting this interview with the great Thom Bresh.

Tom is the kind of guy I could have a beer with, and never get bored.

Eddie Rodriguez is right.....your Jerry Reed imitation takes me back a few years! By the way Mr. Bresh.....I think that is another example of your abilities to decipher sound. Whether hearing and imitating the human voice, or hearing and reproducing the musical tones and tunes.....you sir are a master. Clearly, many of us are grateful for your work and your willingness to post your art on RU-vid. Thank you for doing that for us. - Kevin

Could you just imagine taking lessons from this man!!!! I'd give my right arm if I didn't need it to play!!! Awesome, I love the sound of travis picking....and he learned from the man himself!!

I love how he describes the differences between Merle's, Chet's, and Jerry's approach to Travis picking (aka pattern picking). The impressions are great too!

I'm only halfway through, and this is already my new favorite youtube video. Learning so much and loving the stories!

That first song is still the best song he's ever done. I got to see Thom at a show one time by accident and bought every tape he had for sale. On a sadder note, Bresh passed away in May of 2022 of esophageal cancer. So sad to see him smoking E-cigarettes, and knowing he smoked regular ones when he was outside. RIP Thom.

To me Thom is the best andcomesfrom the most original source of Travis picking . So many versions of cannonball etc . But Thom puts all his knowledge and skill into his playing and he has played with the best . I dearly hope Thom you are beating cancer my friend . You are the real deal and an Amercan treasure . Nobody like you and very humble man and great player . Without you and your dad we and even chet would excist as players and thats an amazing thing for your family Thom. God bless you and an amazing recovery my friend .

This was great. the playing, the stories, Chet's impersonation...Great stuff!!!

Man what great finger picking so glad I found this! I'm 66 years old and I'm just starting to finger pick and what a challenge it is. Great playing to you both

A guitar player friend asked me, not long ago, if I could play a song on the guitar. I said , yes, of course. He said, no, not "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Back in Black" but to really show off the guitar, you know, really play it. That got me thinking of Merle Travis and I realized I've been playing this thing for years but I'm not playing it, I'm regurgitating licks, riffs and chords. That's why I'm here. I want to learn to PLAY my instrument like the greats. Thanks so much for this awesome video.

one of the most entertaining hours I've spent on you tube... both great guitar players...

I've not enjoyed anything this much in a long long time, thank you for sharing ..

I’m watching this at 3 am and now I’m wide awake with my guitar in hand and lmao ! Thom was one of those larger than life personalities . Quite the character!

Enjoyed this interview and demonstrations very very much. What a treasure of information and stories.

Bresh's impressions of Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins are almost as impressive as his playing.

Thanks Thom: it's been really nice watching and listening to your playing and stories.

this is freakin' awesome. Thom Bresh is a master. I knew he was good but he's a wealth of info. Would be/is a great teacher. Great show....

Absolutely one of my favorite RU-vid vids of all time! Thank you!

I was going to watch 5 mins of this but ended up watching an hour and 5 mins. Lovely stuff. Learned, laughed and marvelled.

What a great guy, love this style of playing too.

French girls say Oui oui, Spanish girls say Si si, and so do all the lovely ladies there in Italy... this song is just writing itself!😍😍😍

This is a great public service, if only for young pickers who study this closely. Thanks a lot, Thom!

I'm becoming a huge fan of Mister Bresh as a guitar picker and also a great story teller. He's just a completely likable character.

Like father like son. Great video. Son Thom's picking brings back memories. I started playing lead guitar in our family jam sessions at age 9. A year later, heard Merle Travis' recording of Divorce Me C.O.D, and that got me started. I just had to do that and started 'finding' the way to do it. No tv at that time, so had to learn by 'ear'. I'll never come close to his talent, but it's fun to do. As much as I like Chet's style, Merle will always be my favorite. Thanks for the memories.

Wow 👏 Thanks so much for s lively and interesting show with this Legend Tom Brush*..👌He is so young and jovial in his dialogues of growing experience in music and guitar technique and to maintain his own uniqueness* in this picking style as far as possible..👍That is absolutely brilliant Tom👏 Quite a treat with this show and thanks again especially your last song was an icing* with nuts on the cake..👏♥️ Warm cheers 😊 God bless 🙏🎸🎶🎊

Fantastic video,really well put together. The combination of chord diagrams and demos really helps. Not too slow to make you lose interest, though will need to rewatch a few times to get it all. Really couldn't be better, thanks for this.😊😊😊😊

It's in the genes with Tom. As the son of the great Merle Travis, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

One of my favorite parts of this entire series (and in this episode it may be best-yet) is watching Steve's face as the guests play. Steve - your joy, love & amazement with the guitar shows when I watch as you listen! :)

I have had a great time listening to this video. Thom is a fantastic guitar player.

great vid love this.. Thom Bresh ,FANTASTIC !!

Instant fan of his playing

Great stuff. Never wasted a better hour in my life!

I had no clue Merle Travis wrote. "Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette "! Very interesting!

Gold. I could listen to this all day. Great bloke

It's Like i met a new friend! Cool hanging out with u 2!!!!!!!!

Not only did we lose a great guitar player, but a fabulous entertainer, too. Lots of great guitar PLAYERS are still out there, but they don't possess the charm Thom had. I don't see anyone on the horizon who can replace him. Sigh...

Really enjoyed this video. And really like this guy, I always love stories from the past. As a relative newby looking to keep learning and expanding on my playing, I find it interesting to see all these tutorials on here teaching "Travis Picking". Then click on this video to discover the tutorials are teaching "finger picking", the original Travis Picking was/is quite different.

Awesome video

Thom is a true legend, one of my favorite among guitar players... F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C !!! -Roberto

The most interesting you tube video I ever watched, absolutely great!

Concerning the super duel-ette and Dell of Holland Michigan. I grew up in Holland Michigan, used to sit in Dell's shop and play guitars through plush amplifiers he used to sell. Dell used to live on a boat in the harbor. If I remember correctly, he put new frets on my 58 Les Paul.

Heavenly stuff🙏

Love it .. Great picking ..

Great video .... I always come back to and learn more each time I watch this! I do have to say those piezo pickups sound like two bags of wet mud though, even sound hole pickups would have been better than those plastic-y sounding things. Thanks for posting this!

Thom B is perfection defined.

RIP Thom - I love this video - Thom's videos were Great too - Always having good food and flirting with the waitresses - Great guitarist and a funloving Guy.

SO good! Thanks. Wish I we had this medium when I was starting out 50 years ago.

That's what I call the rhythm train. Sometimes, I can't catch it. Sometimes, I can't catch ,but then IT HAPPENS , like. MAGIC . GOT TO GET THAT RYTHM TRAIN . i. Like this county bumkin travis piki n LOVE THIS SHT THNXX

Pure genius.

I really liked this lesson/interview Thanks 😊

What an absolute joy to watch. Take the time to digest all of this. Nuf said.

one hell of a great video

Fantastic video! Thank you!

I've got the thumb down its the shapes and cords and playing melodies over im struggling with now, but I've just noticed the overlapping thumb on the left hand so I guess I'll begin to practice that now to, such great players these two, always learn something from this vid.

Same here t2, I never knew Tom Bresh.....I feel like a moron. But I'm listening to this over and over. There's so much here to learn. And funny!.....Jerry Reed - you were the best, RIP my friend, we'll do it again someday.

Thanks so much for doing this. Very inspiring, and now I gotta bunch of homework to do. God bless.

"It's all about the groove" :)

Thom had come to Comanche oklahoma at the southwest Opryland he was a very friendly man 5 years ago

The laid-back persona of true souls who are born entertainers make it a pleasure to listen to for hours. The headstock and pick-guard seem to mimmic a "treble" clef. A real retro look copied from a Bigsby custom original. A unique treasure of an instrument. For the critics,.It is just a Dreadnaught with an inline headstock and custom-cut pick-guard. I'm thinking that CF Martin has never made an ugly guitar.

I enjoyed this very much!

Great video!Thanks for sharing!

Wow, what a great video. Not really my style. However, I think I have been converted. There is so many applications from just watching this. Great job and many thanks.

Best video on Travis picking on the 'Net IMHO

Absolutely brilliant. More please.

Finally! Great info right at my fingertips!! No pun intended. Lol

The last time I. Saw thomhe was greatits been 5 years

Well Damm , I've watched this video. Now I know what I must do . Guitar bonfire at the Ol' creek road cabin tomorrow night !!!😢

Very nice.Thank You!

I really respect you and thank you for sharing these wonderful sessions.

he does great voices too!

man that piezo pickup just sounds nasty. superb playing though!!!!!

I love piezo sounds. Trebly and crispy... Love it :)

As a guitar lover I say great show mr Brash.

I've played a D-03 that for about 15 years and love it. It's a very articulate and loud guitar. I play with both a pick and fingernails (I also play classical) and the D-03 prefers a pic but can do both. It doesn't have the pronounced midrange of a smaller bodied guitar that suits fingerpicking better, but it's a great strummer. Leads sound great as well but aren't as meaty as what you might get from a traditional Martin. The Larrivee is more of a hi-fi sound.

Fantastic!

Mr. Bresh has passed away, Rest in peace Sir

Wow, what a player. Certainly plenty of groove in his playing.

Indeed, your right.

It's funny. When I first started watching this I was thinking I'm surprised he isn't playing a D28. I was surprised he was playing a Fender acoustic. To my surprise it is a D28. 😆

This guy is legend

Mind blowing!

Wow...fantastic.

GREAT VIDEO GUY'S.

haha, your jerry reed imitation is heaven.

Steve, living in Minnesota, where Leo Kottke spent many years, and having seen him perform dozens of times with both 12 string and 6 string guitars I have never seen him use a thumb pick or finger picks. As you said his attack can be very aggressive but no picks.

So inspiring, thanks for he stories Thom, got me trying the picking now :)

Most entertaining.enjoyed this a lot.

RIP Thom!

Love it when he busts out that electronic cigarette

Great show!

If the moderator thinks it hard to Travis-pick the bass lines, -nooo man! Compared to the way Chet and Jerry did it, Travis-picking' is easy! Chet used ONE left finger to hold TWO strings down and played the base line with his thumb (like Travis), but now he had an extra right finger for melody! That's why Chet sounds like two guitars. Chet and Jerry Reed take this stuff and go one step further -technically anyway. Personally, my favorite is STILL "Folk Songs of The Hills". A Masterpiece.

Awesome!