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Motor · November 25th, 2008, 03:57 PM

Been listening to a lot of The Man in Black. Can't separate it from the great Mr. Luther Perkins on the guitar. I just love that boom chicka rhythm sound.

I'm not an expert on his career, just a fan. Apparently, he played Esquires on the early recordings. Later he played a Jazzmaster.

I was thinking it would be fun and informative to start a thread dedicated to him. Post all youtube clips and Luther photos here! Any other interesting facts about this musical pioneer, please post them here too.

Cheers,
Motor

Interesting quote from this page:

http://www.250r.us/luther/gear.html

" Luther got his first Esquire in the fall of 1954. It was white with a black pickguard and had a volume knob that was stuck on full. This may help explain the genesis of the "Boom-Chicka-Boom". In 1954, there were no amps with foot switchable channels or gain pedals. If you wanted more volume for you solo, you simply rolled up the volume knob on the guitar, played your piece, and turned it back down again. Palm-muting would also serve the same function of quieting the instrument during the verses if your volume knob didn't work. This guitar is only seen during the earliest pictures of Perkins. It could roughly be placed on everything before "I Walk the Line"

Motor · November 25th, 2008, 03:59 PM

Clip of Luther's playing with the vocals removed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mI2_sNVanU&NR=1

jhundt · November 25th, 2008, 04:03 PM

both hands raised here! Luther was THE MAN; nothing is better than those clean, simple lines he played. And his stage presence is unparalleled still...

senioruga · November 25th, 2008, 04:13 PM

Agreed - Luther is fantastic. Along with the great Bob Wootton who stepped into his shoes after his untimely death. You guys may be interested in this site:

http://www.lutherperkins.com

Fatmanstratman · November 25th, 2008, 04:16 PM

Count me in. Luther was da man.

jazztele · November 25th, 2008, 04:25 PM

<------------------------------raises hand.

Cole · November 25th, 2008, 04:35 PM

Luther's legacy: He was the man that turned clean, simple & solid guitar playing into an art form!

Both hands raised!

Luther Perkins · November 25th, 2008, 04:44 PM

Verious Esquires from 1954-1958
Jazzs n Jags from 1958-1963
Verious Esquires from 1963-1968

I loved the man because he was simple enough so i cold learn his licks but complicated enough to challenge me for several of my early lerning years.

Mike Eskimo · November 25th, 2008, 04:48 PM

emiller45 · November 25th, 2008, 04:55 PM

There is a story around Nashville about JC and Luther at the Opry. Luther was sitting backstage with Gordon Terry (a great Nashville studio player at the time). Gordon was showing Luther some licks, chords etc. JC saw it and threw a fit. He didn't want anything to change the way Luther played. It was JC's trademark and best left alone.

Mike Eskimo · November 25th, 2008, 05:04 PM

Ya think in that second picture Luther's covering up a pickup ?

Uh-oh...

Caffeine Patrol · November 25th, 2008, 05:05 PM

Wasn't there a famous quote attributed to Luther (it was snuck into the Johnny Cash movie) in which he was asked about his minimalist style and replied something of the nature of that other pickers were searching for something but he'd found it.

holndav · November 25th, 2008, 05:18 PM

Hand raised here

dijos · November 25th, 2008, 05:34 PM

way.

ghosttour · November 25th, 2008, 06:29 PM

Luther fan here.

getbent · November 25th, 2008, 06:31 PM

luther is cool. Hand raised.

never ever smoke in bed.

RomanS · November 25th, 2008, 07:19 PM

Both hands raised & jumping up and down.

HUGE Luther-fan here. Probably THE biggest influence on my own playing style.
Oh, and he's the man with the coolest "guitar solo face" in music history... ;)

Honga Man · November 25th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Didn't Luther play the booogie strange?

I recently got the album "Johnny Cash - The Sun Years" from the library and have been listening to it every day driving back and forth to work.

I need to loop some Luther and learn some licks this weekend.

Telegator · November 25th, 2008, 09:17 PM

Luther will always have a spot in my hall of guitar heros.

younkint · November 25th, 2008, 09:18 PM

Count me in on this one...

FenderBenderNY · November 25th, 2008, 09:26 PM

hand raised here. he's one of my heroes.

IPLAYLOUD · November 25th, 2008, 10:16 PM

The Ultimate Side man.

Luther, Don Rich, Roy Nicolls, Billy Byrd, Phil Baugh...the kind of players I want to be.
I'll never be able to play like them, but I strive to be as rock-solid and professional.

Motor · November 25th, 2008, 10:46 PM

I love this anecdote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Perkins

Luther Perkins was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 8, 1928. His family soon moved to Como, Mississippi, where it is assumed that Perkins grew up. Perkins's brother, Thomas Wayne Perkins, had a briefly successful career in music. As a young boy, Perkins had a dream that there was a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end buried somewhere nearby. When he woke up, he believed that he knew the area in which the pot of gold was. He set out to the location with a shovel and upon arrival, began digging. Much to Perkins' disappointment, all that was found was some old bricks. Perkins took the bricks and sold them to a local construction company for two cents apiece and with the money earned bought his first guitar.

Johnny Isaacs · November 25th, 2008, 10:53 PM

I love Luther here too. I have to say though, Bob Wootton is pretty damn amazing too. Bob was only with Johnny Cash for less than a year when they recorded "Live at San Quinten Prison." He also played on the Johnny Cash Show.

So while Luther started it, Bob carried it on.

Johnny Isaacs

jas468 · November 25th, 2008, 11:14 PM

I was a young lad when I heard

"I don't like it but I guess things happen that way"....

then THAT run....y'all know the one I mean.

Luther fan most of my life.

Poppatwang · November 25th, 2008, 11:17 PM

Count me in.

Motor · November 25th, 2008, 11:22 PM

Did anyone here get to see him perform live? Please tell us about it.

Cheers,
Motor

Motor · November 25th, 2008, 11:29 PM

Really early footage, nice looking guitar there, Mr. Perkins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaxAN...eature=related

Motor · November 25th, 2008, 11:31 PM

At 3:51 in the video above, Johnny whispers to him, "Change the chord."

What a crackup.

TeleHonk · November 25th, 2008, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jas468

I was a young lad when I heard

"I don't like it but I guess things happen that way"....

Great great music.

Hand raised.

Buckocaster51 · November 25th, 2008, 11:44 PM

I'll get on that train.

Honga Man · November 25th, 2008, 11:45 PM

Afew hours ago, after posting in this thread, I stopped by a Best Buy on the way home from work and bought "Live At Folsom Prison" on CD for $9.99 plus tax.

Shamefully, I've never owned it before.

Yeah, I'm a happy camper.

zooropamofo · November 26th, 2008, 12:35 AM

When I was a little bitty baby my mama would rock me in the cradle to Luther Perkins on the radio.....

He's the man. The way the country wuzzz...

Cam · November 26th, 2008, 01:36 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O0H7...eature=related

Twangthang · November 26th, 2008, 01:45 AM

Big hand up here!
The just brought home the Johnny Cash Anthology DVD
Great footage. Luther just rocks!

countrycaster · November 26th, 2008, 07:43 AM

Long live tasteful ,sparse ,down to earth pick'n! Luthier had the groo

ve!

Lerb21 · November 26th, 2008, 11:54 AM

If I may fess up, I had a large hand in the way Luther's wikipedia page looks now. A lot of info was taken from one of Johnny's biographies and the other from a now non functional webpage called the "Man Behind the Man in Black". I had a great comprehensive gear list among other things.

Just a major E scale on 3 strings never said so much.

Luther was my first guitar hero and I still love him. He gave me and the training I ever need to play country lead guitar.

bo · November 26th, 2008, 11:57 AM

Present!

Steve G · November 26th, 2008, 12:00 PM

Luther played the boogie woogie.
The John Lee Hooker of country guitar. Couldnt play a whole load of stuff, but what he could play was perfect.
Rock on Luther.

charlie chitlin · November 26th, 2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenderBenderNY

hand raised here. he's one of my heroes.

I think this guy REALLY had his hand up.
He couldn't press the shift key!

November 25th, 2008, 03:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	Luther Perkins fans - raise your hand Been listening to a lot of The Man in Black. Can't separate it from the great Mr. Luther Perkins on the guitar. I just love that boom chicka rhythm sound. I'm not an expert on his career, just a fan. Apparently, he played Esquires on the early recordings. Later he played a Jazzmaster. I was thinking it would be fun and informative to start a thread dedicated to him. Post all youtube clips and Luther photos here! Any other interesting facts about this musical pioneer, please post them here too. Cheers, Motor Interesting quote from this page: http://www.250r.us/luther/gear.html " Luther got his first Esquire in the fall of 1954. It was white with a black pickguard and had a volume knob that was stuck on full. This may help explain the genesis of the "Boom-Chicka-Boom". In 1954, there were no amps with foot switchable channels or gain pedals. If you wanted more volume for you solo, you simply rolled up the volume knob on the guitar, played your piece, and turned it back down again. Palm-muting would also serve the same function of quieting the instrument during the verses if your volume knob didn't work. This guitar is only seen during the earliest pictures of Perkins. It could roughly be placed on everything before "I Walk the Line"

November 25th, 2008, 04:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Fatmanstratman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fatmanville, Cambs., UK Posts: 3,589	Count me in. Luther was da man. __________________ . . . *"Behind every argument is someone's ignorance."*

November 25th, 2008, 04:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
jazztele Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chicago Age: 30 Posts: 4,101	<------------------------------raises hand. __________________ "Jazz isn't a what, it's a how" -- Bill Evans

November 25th, 2008, 04:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
Cole Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Louisville KY Age: 58 Posts: 331	Luther's legacy: He was the man that turned clean, simple & solid guitar playing into an art form! Both hands raised! __________________ ~Cole Cole's website Cole's MySpace "The only currency we have is influential communication."

November 25th, 2008, 04:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
Luther Perkins Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 246	Verious Esquires from 1954-1958 Jazzs n Jags from 1958-1963 Verious Esquires from 1963-1968 I loved the man because he was simple enough so i cold learn his licks but complicated enough to challenge me for several of my early lerning years. __________________ Anybody ever notice how bad my speling is in my posts?

November 25th, 2008, 03:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	Clip of Luther's playing with the vocals removed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mI2_sNVanU&NR=1

November 25th, 2008, 04:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
jhundt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands Age: 55 Posts: 4,029 13 Photos	both hands raised here! Luther was THE MAN; nothing is better than those clean, simple lines he played. And his stage presence is unparalleled still...

November 25th, 2008, 04:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
senioruga TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 12	Agreed - Luther is fantastic. Along with the great Bob Wootton who stepped into his shoes after his untimely death. You guys may be interested in this site: http://www.lutherperkins.com

November 25th, 2008, 04:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mike Eskimo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Detroit Age: 45 Posts: 1,469

November 25th, 2008, 04:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
emiller45 Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cortez, CO Posts: 689	There is a story around Nashville about JC and Luther at the Opry. Luther was sitting backstage with Gordon Terry (a great Nashville studio player at the time). Gordon was showing Luther some licks, chords etc. JC saw it and threw a fit. He didn't want anything to change the way Luther played. It was JC's trademark and best left alone. __________________ Don't believe everything you think

November 25th, 2008, 05:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mike Eskimo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Detroit Age: 45 Posts: 1,469	Ya think in that second picture Luther's covering up a pickup ? Uh-oh...

November 25th, 2008, 05:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Caffeine Patrol Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 685	Wasn't there a famous quote attributed to Luther (it was snuck into the Johnny Cash movie) in which he was asked about his minimalist style and replied something of the nature of that other pickers were searching for something but he'd found it.

November 25th, 2008, 05:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
holndav Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 1,502 44 Photos	Hand raised here __________________ "If we can't be free at least we can be cheap". FZ

November 25th, 2008, 05:34 PM	#14 (permalink)
dijos Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Pete Age: 35 Posts: 760	way. __________________ "Kid, it takes a long time"-Danny Kalb to me in NYC, 1992

November 25th, 2008, 06:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
ghosttour Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Decatur, GA Age: 37 Posts: 715 6 Photos	Luther fan here.

November 25th, 2008, 06:31 PM	#16 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 13,678 37 Photos	luther is cool. Hand raised. never ever smoke in bed. __________________ We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

November 25th, 2008, 07:19 PM	#17 (permalink)
RomanS Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 37 Posts: 4,119 22 Photos	Both hands raised & jumping up and down. HUGE Luther-fan here. Probably THE biggest influence on my own playing style. Oh, and he's the man with the coolest "guitar solo face" in music history... ;) __________________ http://www.myspace.com/romans212 http://www.myspace.com/theneatpickers http://www.thomassoulriverband.com/

November 25th, 2008, 08:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
Honga Man Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 695	Didn't Luther play the booogie strange? I recently got the album "Johnny Cash - The Sun Years" from the library and have been listening to it every day driving back and forth to work. I need to loop some Luther and learn some licks this weekend.

November 25th, 2008, 09:17 PM	#19 (permalink)
Telegator TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Louisiana Age: 48 Posts: 96	Luther will always have a spot in my hall of guitar heros.

November 25th, 2008, 09:18 PM	#20 (permalink)
younkint Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Spring, Texas Age: 56 Posts: 451 5 Photos	Count me in on this one... __________________ . -- Terry

November 25th, 2008, 09:26 PM	#21 (permalink)
FenderBenderNY TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Clinton, NY Age: 25 Posts: 78	hand raised here. he's one of my heroes.

November 25th, 2008, 10:16 PM	#22 (permalink)
IPLAYLOUD Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Long Island, N.Y. Posts: 871 1 Photos	The Ultimate Side man. Luther, Don Rich, Roy Nicolls, Billy Byrd, Phil Baugh...the kind of players I want to be. I'll never be able to play like them, but I strive to be as rock-solid and professional. __________________ "Here's a secret...we keep Telecasters in cases to protect other guitars from them." - Bill Kirchen

November 25th, 2008, 10:46 PM	#23 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	I love this anecdote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Perkins Luther Perkins was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 8, 1928. His family soon moved to Como, Mississippi, where it is assumed that Perkins grew up. Perkins's brother, Thomas Wayne Perkins, had a briefly successful career in music. As a young boy, Perkins had a dream that there was a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end buried somewhere nearby. When he woke up, he believed that he knew the area in which the pot of gold was. He set out to the location with a shovel and upon arrival, began digging. Much to Perkins' disappointment, all that was found was some old bricks. Perkins took the bricks and sold them to a local construction company for two cents apiece and with the money earned bought his first guitar.

November 25th, 2008, 10:53 PM	#24 (permalink)
Johnny Isaacs Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,642 30 Photos	I love Luther here too. I have to say though, Bob Wootton is pretty damn amazing too. Bob was only with Johnny Cash for less than a year when they recorded "Live at San Quinten Prison." He also played on the Johnny Cash Show. So while Luther started it, Bob carried it on. Johnny Isaacs __________________ Myspace music page I've never trusted a guitar player who hasn't licked a few 9volts... Famous last words...... after this one, no new Tele's!

November 25th, 2008, 11:14 PM	#25 (permalink)
jas468 Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Temecula, CA Age: 64 Posts: 243	I was a young lad when I heard "I don't like it but I guess things happen that way".... then THAT run....y'all know the one I mean. Luther fan most of my life.

2009 TDPRI Giveaway Winners List is available HERE

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.

November 25th, 2008, 11:17 PM	#26 (permalink)
Poppatwang Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 2,099 13 Photos	Count me in. __________________ The Dieselfitters http://www.dieselfitters.com Roy Hubbs http://www.royhubbs.com

November 25th, 2008, 11:22 PM	#27 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	Did anyone here get to see him perform live? Please tell us about it. Cheers, Motor

November 25th, 2008, 11:29 PM	#28 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	Really early footage, nice looking guitar there, Mr. Perkins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaxAN...eature=related

November 25th, 2008, 11:31 PM	#29 (permalink)
Motor Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 345	At 3:51 in the video above, Johnny whispers to him, "Change the chord." What a crackup.

November 25th, 2008, 11:44 PM	#31 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 57 Posts: 8,400 1 Photos	I'll get on that train. __________________ "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all." - Thumper the Rabbit "An awfully lot of time can be wasted waiting for the right time." - Gunsmoke's Doc Adams

November 25th, 2008, 11:45 PM	#32 (permalink)
Honga Man Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 695	Afew hours ago, after posting in this thread, I stopped by a Best Buy on the way home from work and bought "Live At Folsom Prison" on CD for $9.99 plus tax. Shamefully, I've never owned it before. Yeah, I'm a happy camper.

November 26th, 2008, 12:35 AM	#33 (permalink)
zooropamofo Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 29 Posts: 935	When I was a little bitty baby my mama would rock me in the cradle to Luther Perkins on the radio..... He's the man. The way the country wuzzz... __________________ I was tryin' to find my way home But all I heard was a drone Bouncing off a satellite Crushin' the last lone American night This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there?

November 26th, 2008, 01:36 AM	#34 (permalink)
Cam Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Alberta Canada Posts: 1,328 20 Photos	Luther Singing!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O0H7...eature=related __________________ Relic Schmelic! Play the darn thing! Wipe it down after and put it in it's case!

November 26th, 2008, 01:45 AM	#35 (permalink)
Twangthang Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Age: 44 Posts: 131	Oh yes! Big hand up here! The just brought home the Johnny Cash Anthology DVD Great footage. Luther just rocks!

November 26th, 2008, 07:43 AM	#36 (permalink)
countrycaster TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA Age: 41 Posts: 64	Long live tasteful ,sparse ,down to earth pick'n! Luthier had the groove!