Going from Rythym player to Lead

[marvelous]

I grew up on the 50's -60's country & Western, Southern Gospel & I LOVE it. I have been playing rythym most of my life & I want to improve which means adding lead to my rythym playing. Being I love the 50-60's Country & Western where should I start. I have been playing "Wild Wood Flower" for years. I am attempting "Under The Double Eagle". I am using a early 80's Fender Princeton Reverb amp. I want the Twangy sound before Pop & R & R ruined Country.
Marvelous
2000 Fender Nashville Telecaster
1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird
2007 Martin D-41
1966 Martin D-18

[Leon Grizzard]

I don't know what the best resources are to learn pre-Bakersfield Country. Maybe some combination of fiddle tunes plus 50's mainstream jazz. Much more major scale and major pentatonic than blues based playing.

[Tim Bowen]

I'll sound like a stuck record on several points...

Originally Posted by marvelous

I grew up on the 50's -60's country & Western, Southern Gospel & I LOVE it.

Me too, but I didn't love it when my dad was beating me half to death with 8 track tapes of Porter Wagoner, Kitty Wells, and Faron Young while he was driving me around as a pimply faced kid in his Cadillac. It took decades for me to realize that I'm a freak for ole' timey music, country music, gospel music, bluegrass music, western swing music. It was the first music that I heard as a child, and I hated it at first.

I have been playing rythym most of my life & I want to improve which means adding lead to my rythym playing. Being I love the 50-60's Country & Western where should I start. I have been playing "Wild Wood Flower" for years. I am attempting "Under The Double Eagle".

In addition to what you've mentioned, I'll once again recommend transcribing for guitar what Floyd Cramer played on piano for "Last Date". It's a cornball classic for sure, but those suspended to major third "slip note" piano resolutions are textbook when it comes to marrying up basic lead and chordal ideas. Take those ideas and see where they'll lie within each of the five basic shapes (C A G E D), and, in my opinion, there's an education and of itself.

I want the Twangy sound before Pop & R & R ruined Country.

I guess we can blame Chet Atkins for taking country music "uptown". All that I can personally blame Mr. Atkins for is being an honorable gentleman and a musician of nearly inestimable caliber and influence. The best music is always aware of other influences, else it stagnates. Pop and rock 'n roll didn't ruin country, unless we can say for example that Elvis Presley's music is insignificant. The only thing that ruins music of any sort is empty-headed writing and lyrics, trite arrangement and production.

There are many examples of rock and pop music harmoniously merging with country music. A few examples would include The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, and at certain points in their careers, even Elvis Costello and Neil Young and Elton John (Tumbleweed Connection, in particular, as to the latter). It's true, a fuzzed out electric guitar can play in the same sandbox as a pedal steel guitar, mandolin, or banjo.

As to marrying up lead and rhythm ideas on an electric guitar, you could do far worse than to have a listen to Keith Richards' work with the Rolling Stones or Jimi Hendrix' cleaner toned chordal/lead bits... but then, Jimi was influenced by Floyd Cramer. While these mentions might not necessarily be your stylistic cup of tea, they absolutely embrace the art of rhythm/lead playing, and I can all but guarantee that studying these guys will broaden your horizons as to traditional country playing.

Where to start: Probably have some listens to Don Rich, Roy Nichols, James Burton, Roy Buchanan. I should say that mentioning these guys as a starting point is not at all intended in a condescending way, these guys are textbook and infinitely tasteful and masterful... it's just a good base reference point. From a technical standpoint, Merle Travis, Travis-picking in general, and offshoots of such, as in syncopated rockabilly playing (say, Scotty Moore on early Elvis sides) - might be a bit physically intimidating initially. Harmonically, western swing generally leans toward a somewhat deeper knowledge of chord construction, interval awareness, use of chromatic, diminished, augmented, etc. applications.

Another guy to listen to that embodies exactly what you describe is Buddy Miller, but then he's prone to go off on a bit of a delay-drenched weirdo trip now and then. However, Emmylou Harris never seemed to have a problem with it.

Best of luck, enjoy.

[Dean Gray]

Hey Marvelous - nice name by the way - for anyone wanting to play lead guitar, in any style, I would highly recommend learning the major scales.
Everything is based off the major scale, and all the penatonics, minor scales etc are derived from it.

Start nice and slow, find a teacher/mentor/buddy who plays well, and listen to Hank Garland!

[asatfan]

One benefit to being a rythym player is that you know all the chord changes to the songs! Keep this in mind when playing lead....play over the chords. Simple, but most important!

[Califiddler]

Given what you want to learn, I would start by learning Luther Perkins' stuff with Johnny Cash, then James Burton's stuff with Ricky Nelson, then move on to the Bakersfield stuff - Don Rich with Buck Owens, James Burton and Roy Nichols with Merle Haggard.