Speedy and Jimmy – Flyin\’ High
What makes Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant so special? There are several reasons why West and Bryant are important to popular music even though you and I may not have heard of them until now. The first item worth mentioning is that these gentlemen were among the first to play their respective instruments. The telecaster guitar was the first mass produced guitar that used electronics to create a particular sound rather than just project the sound. Jimmy was one of its early champions and became one of the fastest players in the country displaying his virtuosity on the instrument. Similarly, Speedy West became one of the best musicians to play the pedal steel guitar which was developed out of the way guitars were played in Hawaii in the 1800s. This style was popularized in the first half of the 20th century and the guitar itself went through several incarnations finally settling on the instrument we see above.
Secondly… Speedy and Jimmy played on thousands of country music recordings. Between 1950 and 1955 Speedy West played on more than 6,000 recordings, many with Jimmy Bryant. The ever-present sound of this duo was essentially THE sound of country music in the 1950s!
Finally, as good as they were supporting country musics finest singers, they were even better when they played together, freed from the constraints of accompanying vocalists. Their fusion of jazz and country music that came to be known as country swing had never been done in Euro-American popular music.
Next Week…
Terms you should know to help you write about music!