🎸 Merle Travis

Born on November 29, 1917 in Rosewood (Mulhenberg County), Kentucky.

As a child, he learned the rudiments of music on his father's banjo and his mother's mandolin, and began learning guitar at the relatively late age of twelve.

A black musician named Arnold Schultz, a true genius according to his contemporaries (virtuoso fiddler and guitarist) taught his "picking" to a certain Kennedy Jones who transmitted it to white musician Mose Rager, himself teacher to Ike Everly and Merle Travis!

But while waiting for fame, he became a traveling musician, playing from 1935 with the Tennessee Tomcats.

In 1937, he joined the Georgia Wildcats of fiddler Clayton McMichen with whom he performed on the airwaves of Cincinnati, Ohio's WLW station, then became part of the Drifting Pioneers, followed by Brown's Ferry Four alongside Grandpa Jones and the Delmore brothers.

After the war (served in the Marines), he settled in California where, noticed by Cliffie Stone, he recorded in 1946 the album "Folk Songs Of The Hills" which was published in 1947.

A good vocalist, he followed up with the superb hillbilly boogie "Merle's boogie" from July 1, 1947, a pre-rock with western swing fiddle, in the same vein as his acclaimed "Louisiana Boogie" (Capitol 2902).

In 1947, he established himself as a songwriter with "Smoke Smoke Smoke", a best-seller for Tex Williams (co-author of the piece).

In fact, his talents as a singer-songwriter would have been enough to carve him a choice place in Country Music history; but it was as an instrumentalist that he became a true living legend.

His extraordinary country pickin' guitar playing earned him admiration from specialists worldwide and was decisive in the styles of Chet Atkins and Doc Watson (who didn't hesitate to name his son Merle, in tribute to his main influence).

Pure virtuosity in service of harmony, a complex and brilliant style derived from country blues, boogie and probably Kentucky folklore with a swing derived from Jazz as a bonus.

🌟 "The Merle Travis Guitar" (Capitol SM-650)

An entirely instrumental record that constitutes a summit in the annals of country guitar.

Among his obvious successes, let's mention the dazzling:

• "Walkin' The Strings" - fingerpicking masterpiece
• "Blue Smoke" - melodic virtuosity
• "Black Diamond Blues" - marked blues influence
• "Saturday Night Shuffle" - wild country rhythm

🎵 "Walkin' The Strings" (Capitol T 1391)

Recommended album that presents several duplicates compared to the previous one but also offers:

• "Thumbing The Bass" - thumb bass technique
• "Everly Rag" - tribute to Ike Everly
• "Pig Meat Stomp" - rural boogie
• "Fuller Blues" - blues tradition

And several sung titles with Gospel influence: "Little David Play On Your Harp", "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Jordan Am A Hard Road To Travel".

🎭 "From Here To Eternity" (1953)

Fred Zinnemann film in which he performed "Re-Enlistment Blues".

🤠 "Honky Tonk Man" (1982)

Clint Eastwood film, his last major film appearance.

"Light Singin' & Heavy Pickin'"

(CMH 6245)

"Guitar Standards"

(double CMH-9024)

"Travis Pickin'"

(CMH 6255)

"The Clayton McMichen Story"

(double CMH-9028)