Duane Eddy on YouTube...

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 7 Feb 2010 12:54 pm

"Forty Miles Of Bad Road" on a German TV show in 1975. Duane with his gorgeous old Gretsch 6120, and me - still with lots of hair, by the look of things - and my battered Telecaster.

This was a lovely experience; Duane couldn't have been nicer and he played beautifully.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUOeIHSC3Uc

And here's 'Cannonball Rag' from the same show....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8w0B0QCLXg

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 16 Feb 2010 9:50 am

Very nice Roger, thanks for sharing! This was at a TV program called Musikladen.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 17 Feb 2010 6:17 pm

Roger, say it ain't so! On that first video of "Forty Miles of Bad Road" it looked like you were using a (dreaded) flatpick, I hope not! On the second one you could tell you were using your trusty bare thumb and fingers technique.....JH in Va.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Feb 2010 6:52 pm

No, it's okay, Jerry - it's an illusion!

Back in those days, if I had what I perceived as being a really standard rhythm part to play, I'd simply press my thumb, first and second fingers together in a sort-of miniature 'fist' and strike the strings that way, hitting them with the first and second-finger nails. As you say, it looks like I have a pick, but I don't.

These days it's all finger-style, and I get attack from playing a faint downbeat with my thumb and upstrokes with my remaining fingers. I've always preferred the sound of my bare fingers on an electric guitar's strings. If pedal steels didn't have such heavy-gauge strings, I'd be tempted to go the 'no picks' route there, too - it's pretty tough to get those suckers moving! I play pretty light strings on my Teles (.009"-.042"), and not a lot heavier on my acoustics.

I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes down to it....

Did you get any reviews in the local press for 'Stand By Your Man'?

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 18 Feb 2010 2:48 am

Roger, I'm glad you didn't "sell out" and start using a flatpick....

It must be a British thing about using the thumb and bare fingers as you, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, Adrian Legg, etc. play that way. There aren't really that many American players who've mastered the technique. I've tried but always seem to come back to at least a thumbpick.

As far as reviews for the SBYM show, I didn't even think to look, but I'll go to the Virginia Pilot website to see if there's anything on that. It'll probably say something like "Great show but the steel player sucked.....

Have a great day buddy and I hope you get back here someday....JH in Va.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 19 Feb 2010 4:22 am

My favorite part is at 0:49 - sheet music in front of the drummer! Must be an English thing....

(Bang Bang... bang bang bang bang... BANG BANG... bang bang bang bang....)

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 19 Feb 2010 5:17 am

I know that was a put-down of some sort, but I haven't quite figured it out yet...

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 19 Feb 2010 1:13 pm

Very cool Roger. I think we had the same hair dresser back then.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 21 Feb 2010 9:54 am

On fourty miles the girl singers seemed to make the the road a little easier to travel.