There are so many artists that I like and I’ll try to name a few and some other facts.

For years I had been trying to find the musician who did the solo in “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee and the Starlighters. I was told that it was Billy Butler who also did “Honky Tonk” with Bill Doggett in the key of F. One of my favorite players and friend is Duane Eddy playing his 1957 Gretsch 6120. I couldn’t wait till the next 45 or album came out and I would wait in front of the record shop till it opened. I could always see the shelf where they would put the record I was waiting for. I always appreciated the record shop in Pennsgrove, New Jersey that would order the records for me. The 60s were a great time for me and a time to meet many guitarists.

A friend I’ve known personally since 1963 is the late Roy Buchanan, playing his 1953 Telecaster nicknamed “Nancy”. One of my favorite recordings is Roy doing a Don Gibson song “Sweet Dreams” on the first Polydor release called Roy Buchanan. A great guitarist I listened to every week on the Lawrence Welk show is Neil LeVang. Neil often played a Stratocaster and Jazzmaster and I would sit with my mike and tape recorder each week waiting for a guitar solo I could tape.

James Burton is the encyclopedia of guitar licks, and I watched him every week during the end of the “Ozzie and Harriet” show with Ricky Nelson doing one of his current hits. I think “Hello Marylou” is one of the classic guitar solo’s of all time along with “Fools Rush In”. James can be seen with his classic red ’53 Tele and also playing a sunburst Jazzmaster.

The master of the Telecaster, Mr. Albert Collins, is one of my favorite Tele players. I love the attack and phrasing he gets while using his 100 foot guitar cord connected to his amp. I love his early recordings and his unique tone and he’s a must for all you young blues players.

My all time favorite instrumental group, The Ventures, have influenced so many guitarists and have so many recordings and current releases on CD. There are hundreds of instrumentals by the group featuring Don Wilson, Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards, Gerry McGee and Mel Taylor. The Ventures featured other guest guitarists such as James Burton, Harvey Mandel, Red Rhodes (Steel Guitar) and Gene Moles to name a few.

On the other side of the ocean is a group from England called The Shadows featuring guitarist Hank Marvin. The Shadows have an extensive following all around the world and they have recorded many great instrumentals.

I guess my all time rock guitarist is none other than Jeff Beck. Jeff has influenced many guitarists and has recorded with many artists and can be seen using his old Fender Esquire in the Yardbirds, Les Paul and Strat in the Jeff Beck Group and now his own signature model guitar for Fender. I always loved Eric Clapton with The Cream and Paul Kossoff with Free. There are so many guitarists and groups I listened to while growing up in southern New Jersey that were influential to many guitarists.

I’m always at record swap meets trying to find their recordings and meet folks who know the bands. Try looking for artists such as: Roy Lanham, Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Johnny and the Hurricanes, The Carroll Brothers, The Fenderman, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels with Jim McCarty, Marty Robbins with Grady Martin, David Rockingham Trio, Jerry Cole, The Chantays, The Astronauts, The String-A-Longs, The Fireballs, The T-Bones, The Mar-kets, Dick Dale, Freddy King, Jorgan Ingmann, Santo & Johnny, Wes Montgomery, Booker T & The MG’s, Johnny Smith, Al Caoila, Tom & Jerry, Supersonic Guitars, Tony Mottola, Al Viola, Herb Ellis, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, The Virtues, Sandy Nelson, Link Wray, The Viscounts, The Rebels, Lonnie Mack, King Curtis, Bill Doggett, The Routers, The Frogmen, The Belairs, Jimmy Bryant, Roy Clark, George Benson, Jesse Ed Davis, Cliff Gallup, Hank Garland, Bill Harris, Mickey Baker, Joe Maphis, Oscar Moore, The Surfaris, Alvino Rey, Merle Travis and dozens more. They are fun records to find and you’ll hear all kinds of great melodies and guitar solos.