01/04/2019
Category: rock-n-roll-dance-songs

Bert Weedon was possibly the most influential guitar player in history. According to Wikipedia "his best-selling tutorial guides, Play in a Day, were a major influence on many leading British musicians, such as Eric Clapton, Brian May, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, Dave Davies, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page."

That's a pretty impressive recommendation.

On his own website www.bertweedon.com/quotes.htm testimonials appear from some of them. Paul McCartney stated "We (George Harrison and Paul McCartney) went through the Bert Weedon books and learned D and A together."

Eric Clapton states "I wouldn't have felt the urge to press on without the tips and encouragement that Bert's book 'Play in a Day' gives you. I've never met a player of any consequence that doesn't say the same thing."

This track is a simple boogie-woogie style recording that features extremely clean and bright lead guitar played with economy and accuracy. It's the sort of recording that just makes you want to jump up and start dancing. It was a UK top ten hit in 1959 and the first guitar solo recording to reach that milestone in that country. It set the stage for The Shadows and others to follow with their guitar brilliance.

Sadly, few people play this recording any longer. Considering its place in history we really ought to do something about that. The beat is medium pace, so nearly any style of footwork will be appropriate. Add it to a playlist and your dancing friends can experience something that some of the greats will have done before they ever found fame or even realised their own talent.