Why I love Luther Perkins

[cormorant]

I just have a thing about Luther Perkins, I know some people think his playing was a bit simple and I am sure he was aware of his own limitations but if he only ever had have produced that solo in Folsom Prison Blues and nothing else he would have nailed it for me.
Apart from his playing, which I like, I think he had such a wonderful stage presence without doing very much at all, he didn't dance around at all but often just raised his eyes or looked sideways a bit. Really funny guy. When I see some guys playing blues, widdling endlessly and grimacing over 5 minute solos I realise how refreshing Luther was. It's his sheer lack of ego that makes him so appealing.

 

[studio1087]

I'm a big Cash fan and I'm a big Perkins fan. I think that Luther is a fine example of less being more. His rhythm added a lot to Cash's sound. It was simple but tasteful and catchy and compelling. Guitar and bass can add as much rhythm as drums (hence the rhythm section) and Luther added that driving quality to the music. When I think of John Cash I think of thumping rhythm and cool dark vocals. Luther was a huge part of that style.

He was cool.

image removed

He had great taste in guitars.

Off topic (sort of).....I love TS808 pedals and I've always thought that it was a very cool homage that Gearmanndude named his pedal The Luther Drive after Mr. Perkins. That's pretty nice.

 

[Stubee]

I'm a big Cash fan and I'm a big Perkins fan. I think that Luther is a fine example of less being more. His rhythm added a lot to Cash's sound. It was simple but tasteful and catchy and compelling. Guitar and bass can add as much rhythm as drums (hence the rhythm section) and Luther added that driving quality to the music. When I think of John Cash I think of thumping rhythm and cool dark vocals. Luther was a huge part of that style.

He was cool.

He had great taste in guitars.

Off topic (sort of).....I love TS808 pedals and I've always thought that it was a very cool homage that Gearmanndude named his pedal The Luther Drive after Mr. Perkins. That's pretty nice.

+ a few tons. They knew how to do it.

 

[telex76]

He played everything that was needed, nothing that wasn't.

 

[MrTwang]

You summed it up perfectly.
If I'm ever stuck for a solo I just think - "What would Luther do?"
Never failed me yet.

 

[skunkdelvar]

Apart from his playing, which I like, I think he had such a wonderful stage presence without doing very much at all, he didn't dance around at all but often just raised his eyes or looked sideways a bit.

Luther looking sideways.

He's an inspiration to many of us and - whatever folks may say - I find his lines devilish tricky to pull off convincingly. Hail Luther!

 

[Califiddler]

How can you not love Luther Perkins?

 

[Cooper Black]

His rhythm added a lot to Cash's sound. It was simple but tasteful and catchy and compelling.

He was cool.

Try this, play that distinctive Perkins bass note rhythm and wait for someone nearby to say,"That's Johnny Cash!". He was at least half of the Cash sound IMO. JC's music might have been more sombre and less energetic without LP.

 

[J. Hayes]

I'm happy to see this thread..........

as I've been a fan of Luther's playing since the fifties. Some of the first things I ever learned on guitar were his solos and backup thumpin'.... I saw him live a couple of times when I was a teenager at "Town Hall Party" in Compton, Calif. when Cash was touring the west coast. Over the years I've heard a lot of players putting him down but to me Luther was one of the most important pickers in the history of music. I can't imagine any of the old Johnny Cash Sun Record (or later Columbia) cuts without his guitar style. it was so simple that at times it's hard to actually duplicate. I know a lot of players who'll take "Folsom Prison Blues" and do some other solo and backup on it but I play that tune and any other Cash tune as close to what Luther did as I can. Why change anything, it's perfect!.....JH in Va.

 

[4192362]

For me, Luther is the ultimate guitarist, the sound caught my ear when I was about 6 and here I am nearly 20 years later trying to play it.

He's the reason I picked up a guitar (an Esquire) and I believe a huge reason for Johnny Cash's success.

Just listen to a Cash record after Luther's death, none of that energy or impact, until the Rubin stuff.

Luther also served in the Korean War.


I have a copy of an interview with Carl Perkins somewhere (I'll dig it out). But basically Carl talks about Luther and his qualities, he was the 'tech' for the whole Johnny Cash show, he sorted the amps, mikes, tubes, strings, tuning, PA if they had one and all the electric and acoustic guitars, as well as playing the electric and later the Bass VI.

I've never read or heard a bad word about Luther, this speaks volumes.

And if you think his style is easy, give it a try!!!

 

[4192362]

Just a little something I came up with.


http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/385300-luther-perkins-guitars-w-pics.html

 

[ADK Teleman]

I love Luther's body of work! An amazing picker who's greatest attribute was understatement! He never seemed to feel like he had to play a million notes a second! Just the right ones at the right time!

 

[AJ Love]

Luther Perkins was incredible

Is it possible to really nail his sound without Flatwound strings?

 

[emu!]

The solo on Folsom Prison really is not just a simple sole IMO.

If you think about it...it is a major sounding solo, but incorporates the flatted 3rd and flatted 7th in an outstanding melody. I don't know if he was playing those notes on purpose for effect, or if he just happened to do it by accident. But...GENIUS.

 

[allen082]

I always enjoyed the Marty Stuart tribute to Luther...

 

[Caffeine Patrol]

I did the requisite search of The Google and came up with nothing, but has anyone ever seen a photo of Luther Perkins playing an acoustic guitar?

 

[AJ Love]

I always enjoyed the Marty Stuart tribute to Luther...

yeah thats the good stuff right there. One of the world's greatest bands

 

[stnmtthw]

From what I remember (and I could be wrong), Luther actually learned to play while jamming with Johnny Cash and Marshall Grant. They worked as mechanics together, and just sort of started hanging out and playing in their spare time. There was something wrong with the pots on his second hand Tele, someone had wired the pickups directly to the jack, and Luther overcame the feedback this naturally produced by muting the strings and producing that boom-chick-boom sound... it shouldn't have worked but it did.

 

[Marshall_Stack]

How can you not love Luther and Marshall snugging in close with John around that single microphone, adding harmony vocals like a bluegrass band?

Luther had a look on his face that there was more going on than we could ever know. He was just cooler than hell (to quote Ray Wylie Hubbard).

 

[Paul in Colorado]

When I heard "I Walk the Line" as a kid, I fell in love. As someone else has said, he was as much a part of Johnny Cash's sound as Johnny Cash. He may sound simple, but there's always something unexpected in his playing. I like the descending opening riff in "Home of the Blues."