Wammy bar

[Willabe]

On 'Wham' Lonnie uses the Bigsby bar for effect way ahead of the other guys and this is where the term 'wammy' bar came from. After the 45 came out guys started calling the vibrato bar a 'wammy bar'. Neil Young copied Lonnie. SRV said the 45 Wham was the 1st record he bought and wrote 'Scuttle Buttin' as a tip of the hat to 'Chicken Picken'.

He owened the 7th Flying V off the Gibson line in '58  and played it through out his career. (I believe he added the Bigsby some time after buying the V as there are pictures of the V with out it.    ) 

Big user of Maggi vibrato!     

Note this album is from '63! Lonnie was layin this stuff down in '63!

British invasion? Those guys in the same year could not touch this!!!!!!! They couldn't play it or sing it, although they were trying to. No way, no how!!!!!! (Clapton cut the Blues Breakers album with John Mayall in '66, Steve Winwood cut 'Gimmi some lovin' in '66 and 'I'm a Man in '67 with the Spenser Davis band.)

And what a voice too!!!!! You can clearly here Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Ray Charles and gospel influences in his ballads.

Lonnie did session work too and played 2nd guitar for a good # of Freddy King songs among other artists.

I've know of Lonnie for many years (and have his '85 album) but I did not know about this early stuff.   

He used Maggi amps and their vibrato, sometimes he used a Leslie.

Full album, starts with 'Wham' and also an instrumental version of Chuck Barry's 'Memphis';

https://youtu.be/JZdtNmcJ8jE?list=PLuNvEm1hdV3WxrhsnIjmpKeKEEpQcfs0R

The Wham of That Memphis Man (1963); originally issued on Fraternity Records (Fraternity LP F-1014); the digital re-masters embodied in this compilation: Ace Records UK (2006)

"The first of the guitar-hero records is also one of the best. And for perhaps the last time, the singing on such a disc is worthy of the guitar histrionics. Lonnie Mack bent, stroked, and modified the sound of six strings in ways that baffled his contemporaries and served as a guide to future players. His brash arrangements insure that [the album] remains a showcase for songs, not just a platform for showing off. Mack, who produced this album, has never been given credit for the dignified understatement he brought to his workouts." /Guterman, The 100 Best Rock 'n' Roll Records of All Time, Citadel, 1992/

1. Wham! (Lonnie Mack) 00:00
2. Where There's A Will /There's A Way/ (L. Williams) 2:10
3. Bounce (W. Ward/Eddie Lewis/C. Fizer) 06:18
4. I'll Keep You Happy (Hank Ballard) 08:25
5. Memphis, Tennessee (Chuck Berry) 10:58
6. Baby, What's Wrong (Jimmy Reed) 13:30
7. Down And Out (Lonnie Mack) 17:18
8. Satisfied (Martha Carson) 20:06
9. Susie-Q (Hawkins/Lewis/Broadwater) 23:01
10. Why (Lonnie Mack) 25:34
11. Down In The Dumps (Lonnie Mack) 30:08


'Chicken Picken', Maggie vibrato; 

http://youtu.be/bTIucAz_jbg


'Turn on your Love Light' Bobby Bland song, Maggi vibrato;

http://youtu.be/_M04gKX70jQ

Lonnie and SRV were good friends and Lonnie almost singed SRV to a recording contract early on.

http://youtu.be/IbfgBlkSoqc

                  Brad     

[tubenit]

Lonnie was an amazing guitarist!  I really liked his playing.

With respect, Tubenit

[Ed_Chambley]

It is amazing how it is overlooked how music developed.  The modulating effect.  I guess I have never really considered how prevalent the Tremolo/Vibrato.  I tell guys all the time we have better instruments, easier access to recording and it is much easier to learn music from the internet.  Really amazing to learn Elizabeth Reed from Dickey Betts.


Anyway, guys like these only had a guitar and a patch cord.  Not much outboard equipment.  When the went into the studio to do a session they really had to play the song and not make 14 takes and use small portions and build loops. 


Great music Brad.  Thanks for reminding me about Lonnie as I have not listened to him in years.  Even thought he was promoted as a clean cut guy he still was considered by the older generation of the time to be on the wrong side of the track.  The Beatle invasion were nothing more than a POP music whereas the guys were bad boys, but not so much as to keep young girls from getting excited.  Like Justin Bieber. 


The difference to me is when the POP attraction began to wear off the British Groups like the Who, Beatles and the Stones has an opening of public acceptance and also had the ability to write songs with great hooks.  A lot of musicians (me included) look beyond the hook.  As a friend of mine that calls me a "B" side guy.  Being a musician changes the way we hear music.


Remember the way Bandstand rated songs and what they would say. "It's got a good beat and I can dance to it" where I would say it may be better in 5/4 time and a bridge section where you can create some dissonance prior to a key change followed by a diminished return to the original key.


Really good stuff and I always loved the "V" with the Bigsby.  It is also amazing how new gear changes music.  The tremolo had a great impact.  The newest gear is a computer.


Check out the new Garage Band app from apple.  The page where you download it say make music without an instrument.  The times they are a changing.