James Burton

Born in Dubberly, LA, on August 21, 1939, influential guitarist James Burton got his start in the 1950s as a backup musician on the radio show Louisiana Hayride, where he met <a href="spotify:artist:7kcPzHlsyJm5tDv7JMcr6T">Dale Hawkins</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:7kcPzHlsyJm5tDv7JMcr6T">Hawkins</a>' 1957 hit, "Suzie Q," was the first in a string of successes to feature the young Burton. A six-year stint (1958-1964) recording and touring in <a href="spotify:artist:73sSFVlM6pkweLXE8qw1OS">Ricky Nelson</a>'s band followed, subsequently landing him a couple of cameo bits on Ozzie & Harriet. Because of his brilliant and unique guitar skills -- he perfected a style he dubbed "chicken pickin'" -- Burton quickly landed jobs as a side musician for a diverse cast including: <a href="spotify:artist:3eskO5m0H4yiF64vRySBjr">Buffalo Springfield</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:320EPCSEezHt1rtbfwH6Ck">the Monkees</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE">Elvis Presley</a>'s band (from 1969 until <a href="spotify:artist:43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE">Presley</a>'s death in 1977), <a href="spotify:artist:1KA3WXYMPLxomNuoE22LYd">Gram Parsons</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5hW4L92KnC6dX9t7tYM4Ve">Joni Mitchell</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5yzE49FicYiSxN61oaxkNn">Judy Collins</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7EK1bQADBoqbYXnT4Cqv9w">John Denver</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2FMZn5P3WATd7Il6FgPJNu">Buck Owens</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2ptmyXoL7poH6Zq62h1QT9">Merle Haggard</a> (with the latter two he was an important catalyst in the fine-tuning of the Bakersfield sound). He later lent his talents to several <a href="spotify:artist:2BGRfQgtzikz1pzAD0kaEn">Elvis Costello</a> recordings as well as those by <a href="spotify:artist:2H5elA2mJKrHmqkN9GSfkz">Gillian Welch</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6bl1H2HRrm2CvtagAx594t">Jimmie Dale Gilmore</a>, and countless others. With this schedule, it is no surprise that Burton has only cut two records of his own over a 40-year career; both his 1969 debut, Corn Pickin' and Slick Slidin', and his 1971 offering, The Guitar Sounds of James Burton, provide spotlights on his legendary pickin'. ~ Gregory McIntosh, Rovi