Roy Buchanan

There has only ever been one Roy Buchanan and his legacy remains as untouchable as his loss is tragic. His disenchantment with the commercial nature of the recording industry lead to his retreat from the limelight in the early '80s until Alligator convinced him to return. The tracks listed here are from the last three albums he made before his untimely and mysterious death in 1988. They are less definitive than some of his earlier catalogue but, provided with the creative control he so longed for, they demonstrate the genius that was, and hint at what could have been. Buchanan skips through blues, rock, country, gospel, rockabilly, jazz and R&B with more soul than any predecessor, redefining the blend to his purposes while breaking all rules of technique and tone. His unique vocabulary of sounds, his lightning fast fretwork and his complete control of harmonics made him the New Messiah of the Fender Telecaster, worshipped by such guitarist's guitarists as Jeff Beck and Robbie Robertson. Never the confident singer, Buchanan has teamed up with Otis Clay, Kanika Kress and Delbert McClinton on three tracks, demonstrating his ability to provide an even stronger solo voice when relieved of singing duties. From "Peter Gunn" through to the unreleased "The Last Word," Buchanan demonstrates an uncanny range and enough pyro-technical prowess to discourage the most promising guitar student. And isn't that the way it should be? Get a taste and lament another late, great guitar master taken long before his time.