Hank Garland, A Guitarist's Guitarist

by Rick Landers

Legendary guitarist and virtuoso session man Hank "Sugar Foot" Garland (1930 -- 2004) passed away on Monday, December 27, 2004, at the age of 74. Hank's sparkling guitar work can be heard on such classic recordings as Elvis Presley's "Little Sister", "Bye Bye Love" by Don and Phil Everly, "I Fall to Pieces" with Patsy Cline, as well as with Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brenda Lee, George Jones and Hank Williams.

"Hank Garland is among those rare and unforgettable guitarists of our time. The fire of his rhythmic picking is tempered by his beautifully interwoven harmonic concept. He continues to be one of my favorites of all time." George Benson

Fourteen-year-old Garland made his way to Nashville in the 1940s to set the town on fire with his licks. Two years later, he wrote and recorded his million seller, "Sugarfoot Rag" that nearly 60 years later has been recorded by a new generation virtuoso guitarist, ex-Marilyn Manson lead guitarist and session man, John 5, on his new "Vertigo" CD.

Once in a while, the presence of a great guitarist emerges to inspire generations of artists and becomes a part of musical history. Hank Garland is among the best of all time. Thank God for his talent and legacy." Jackie King

Although his Nashville contract did not allow him to venture too far beyond country riff making, Hank was magnetized by the beautiful complexities of jazz and the upbeat of "Bebop". During the early 1960s, Garland gathered up a small group of musicians for a landmark recording session that resulted in the formidable "Jazz Winds From A New Direction". Among the musicians were jazz greats Joe Morello on drums, Joe Benjamin on bass and a young seventeen-year-old vibe player named Gary Burton.

"For many, many years, guitarists have considered Hank Garland one of the very best players." Johnny Smith

While recording with Elvis for the soundtrack of the movie "Follow That Dream", Hank's '59 Chevy Nomad station wagon crashed, leaving him hospitalized and in a coma for several months. He never fully recovered from the accident and the series of electric shock treatments he underwent. Hank and his family have alleged that the accident and the shock therapy were inflicted on him to steer him clear of Nashville music tycoons from whom he demanded royalties for some of his work.

"Hank Garland is one of the great guitarists of all times. His inventiveness in several styles of music has contributed substantially to the evolution and development of guitar music. He has been an influence on me and many others!" Junior Brown

It's always a sad time for the music world when musical giants leave us. Hank Garland was a guitar genius who blended country and jazz, inspired guitarists around the world to push themselves to greater musical heights, and moved more than one generation to rock 'til they drop. But it's also fitting that Hank left us in December, a time when we're all singing to Bobby Helm's hit "Jingle Bell Rock" with Hank's guitar licks happily kicking up the snow.