The execs at King Records (especially Syd Nathan) took one listen to this record and yelled a collective "What the Hell?!" Some still alive have a little bald spot where they are still scratching their heads about it. Johnny Guitar Watson, at age 19, was doing tricks with the guitar that wouldn't be done in force for another dozen years. But even then, Mr. Watson was always dragging the Blues into the future kicking and screaming - helping to create Rock and Roll in the process before anyone knew what to call it. That is the still underrated genius of this man.
Frank Zappa started to play guitar because of the dirty sounds he could make with it. These are some dirty sounds and the guys back in the old days said Johnny was the best gunslinger around and this song proves they were right.
I've been playing guitar since '77 around the time I first heard of Johnny guitar Watson.Before then I listened to guys like B.B, Albert King, Ernie Isley, Hendrix and some white rock players, but after listening to this track from 1954,phew!!!,I definitely know who Johnny was and is!!!
Lordy Johnny is great. So ahead of his time. My jaw dropped when I heard this. How is he not a household name like Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Page ? He was moving blues towards Rock and Roll, before there was even a notion of Rock and Roll. Pure genius.
I know its not supposed to matter, but Bill Gaither on tenor sax, Devonia Williams on piano, Mario Delagarde on bass, and Charles Prendergraft on drums.