LEGENDARY GUITARISTS IN THE NEWS Alive And Dead

Jeff Beck died suddenly last month at the age of 78. We’ve lost a lot of great guitarists in recent years including Eddie Van Halen and Deke Leonard. (If you haven’t heard of Deke, check out his official website). Chances are that in the next twenty years if not the next ten we will be losing a few more, but one who is still here is Ritchie Blackmore. The man in black’s career has spanned over half a century starting as a session man progressing through Deep Purple and Rainbow to Blackmore’s Night. 

On February 22, he and the lovely Candice will be premiering on YouTube the video for Wish You Were Here which they recorded way back in 1997. For nescient Pink Floyd fans that doesn’t mean that Wish You Were Here. The band has no tour dates lined up at the moment but don’t count on Ritchie resting on his laurels just yet.

Chuck Berry will have been dead for six years next month, but like Deke his website is still being maintained, and on February 23, a new exhibition celebrating his life and legacy will be opening at Rock Hall, Cleveland – a city steeped in music; as all-American alien boy Ian Hunter put it: Cleveland Rocks. Hunter is now 83 and still producing great music; he  paid homage to Berry in 1973 with the classic Honaloochie Boogie, which he wrote for his then band Mott The Hoople.

Chuck wasn’t a great guitarist although he had a unique style. Throughout his life starting from his youth he had clashes with the law, most of which it is best not to mention, and apart from his wife, few people called him nice, but without doubt he is the most influential figure ever in rock music. Indeed, it is undoubtedly true to say that there isn’t a rock guitarist anywhere in the world who hasn’t been influenced by Chuck Berry, or by someone who was influenced by him, or by someone who was influenced by someone who was influenced by him. Here is a partial list of artists who have recorded his songs. 

If you don’t live within easy travelling distance of Cleveland, check out some of his music on youTube, and Ritchie’s, and Ian’s, while they are still around to see your appreciation.