QUICK RIFFS
Davy Graham
Folk Fusion Legend Davy
Graham Dies
Davy Graham lived a life of quiet recognition by his peers, and under-appreciation
by the masses. The man who revolutionized
guitar playing in the 1960s passed away on
December 15, 2008, from a seizure after a
battle with lung cancer. He was 68 years old.
Chris Mills/Retna Ltd.
Graham is credited by many with the invention of the DADGAD tuning style, and was an
influence on many great guitarists. In a tribute to Graham’s life, his website bears quotes
from his peers in the United Kingdom. Bert
Jansch said of Graham, “He’s my absolute
hero, always will be.” Paul Simon, who performed Graham’s tune “Anji” on the Sounds
of Silence album, called Davy “Probably
England’s greatest guitarist.”
Leo and Les Honored
Are there two people more instrumental to the development of rock
‘n’ roll than Leo Fender and Les Paul?
The gear they created or helped
develop has been played on countless
albums and stages so it is good to see
them get their due once again. Les
Paul was honored with an American
Music Master award from the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in
November, 2008, while Leo Fender
was posthumously awarded a Technical
Grammy Award on February 7, 2009.
Graham was recognized before his death
with a signature Martin guitar, the OM
Davy Graham, which commemorated the
Martin 000-18 that he used in 1958 when
developing the Folk Baroque style he
pioneered. The guitar was released only
in the UK through Westside Distribution,
Martin’s UK representative.
According to The Recording Academy,
the Technical Grammy Award is given
to “individuals and companies who
have made contributions of outstanding
technical significance to the recording
field.” The award has been given since
1994, and previous recipients include
Rupert Neve (1997), Les Paul (2001), Dr.
Robert Moog (2002), Shure (2003) and
Digidesign (2001).
daveygraham.moonfruit.com
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and
Museum’s American Music Masters Series
was launched in 1996 to “celebrate the Leo Fender, circa 1960
lives and careers of artists who changed
