Merle Travis was one of the greatest inovaters of the guitar ever! From Chet Atkins to the beatles to scotty moore and Carl Perkins and the whole Rockabilly sound can be traced back to Merle. And his old Album called the yellow album is one of the greatest guitar sounds ever even today and it was pure Merle no back up.
so many say they can play like merle travis--nobody can perform like this master. He is simply one of a kind. A great player and songwriter..A pleasure to hear this talent
I've heard of Merle Travis for a long time & have heard his music online. He's one of the TOP guitar pickers ever. This is my first time to actually see him play.
Merle Travis was such an original. Loved the sound him and his band were getting in the 40s, a sort of country swing sound. I hope that sound comes back in country music. I wrote a song inspired by the 40s Merle Travis sound, "Spare Change" btw.
Amazing video! I've been watching a bunch of Lindsey Buckingham videos....he always cites Travis picking as his style...which lead me here. Thanks so much for posting this.
Merle would have been 93 yesterday! Talked with Merle's daughter yesterday (30+ year friend), & told her until I saw this video, I'd been almost ashamed for some 45 years of pickin', as I'd thought the real Travis pickin' included the middle finger! Talk about a relief to see this genius of a man pull off what he did with his thumb & forefinger! Just beautiful! And boy do I feel less like an idiot! Thanks for posting!
You know, I am kind of glad that there are imitators out there who play like this, in this style. Just take a listen to Paul Pigat. If there were no imitators, much of this great music would be lost to listners today.
Absolutely great. It's seldom that a talented performer like Merle comes along that brings a new style into the country mainsteam. You've got to believe that the man was born with this talent.
@Eyedunno I'm just learning this. But, it seems to me it shouldn't matter which finger(s), or pick you use. It's the melody and strings your playing that count, not which appendage you use to strike that string.
I once was told my style sounded lik a modified Travis style! and I used to feel like I was short changin' myself, havin' not learned to finger pick with all my fingers.I pic with thumb and index finger,and this is the first time I've actually seen Merle do his thing! Now I have somthing to aspire to! Thanks for posting!
Django had only two valid fingers on his letf hand, Merle uses only two of his right hand. I know now what's my problem when I play guitar : I have three fingers too many ! Great stuff - thanks for posting.
Just for your info... Merle is playing a Martin D-28 with a neck and headstock designed by Travis and built by P.A. Bigsby.. The headstock was copied by Leo Fender. It is NOT a Fender headstock..
I took notice to that technique as well. To me it sounds as if he keeps picking out the melody with his 1. finger while doing kind of a slow strum with the thumb. I haven't tried it out yet, but will do so. It sound really cool!
@@dabneyoffermein595 I was alluding to the age old debate as to whether Leo Fender borrowed the headstock design. I see now, though, that the design could have been inspired by the scroll headstock of the violin family.
Great! A few guys are credited with inventing 'finger style' and 'chicken pickin' but Travis seems to have been the first to come up with a coherent, integrated style. I'm sure you country music buffs out there will correct me if I'm wrong. I hate to mention this - but the guitar has been played 'finger style' in Europe for centuries - though it never sounded quite like this.
Travis used D'Angelico Medium gauge nickel strings on both the Martin and the Gibson Super 400. He hated Bronze strings. He thought they sounded "Tinny".. TB
Hey Tom... you should reupload this in higher quality. It appears that youtube has this stuck at 240p 😉 This is such a great video to share with players that aren't familiar with Merle!
@Guitargirl5157 Oh, it matters in terms of both tone and technique. And when it comes to flatpicks, an Ultem pick has a more lively tone than a Delrin one (and real turtle shell is livelier still, but hard to come by).
guys like rev gary davis where the masters of the two fingered ragtime playing, i suppose merle is rooted in that traditional style, but also incoorporates some really nice jazz chords into his playing
Many years ago a friend of mine bought a vinal E P what i heard made me a devoted fingerpicker as Chet Atkins said Merle showed what could be done on a guitar
Dreadnought: You're right, Chet was a tremendous guitarist and my idol for years. I have records from the late 50's, 60's and 70's that I've worn out. Also like you say he was not the greatest at improv, everything was (very well) rehearsed. I think 'WobblingBaby' made some good points. Peace Ben South Simcoe
The fact of the matter is, taste in music doesn't dictate what a person is. Taste in music is much like someones taste in food or movies, it's very personal and varies from person to person. No two people like the same music, and to call someone stupid or dumbed down because of their taste only reveals the blissful ignorance of the person saying such things, as displayed by you in the discourse we are currently partaking in.
@Leapfirst I listened to the tune. It seems out of context to either one of our original comments. It is fairly pointless to put one player over another in so many of these youtube discourses yet it's almost impossible to resist when folks discount an original giant the likes of Merle Travis. To each his own. One bit of the lyric I'll recant is: " Have a nice day."
The one finger method IS Travis Picking. All the other methods are finger style or finger picking. Rev. Gary Davis used only one finger as did Doc Watson. So Merle was not the only one to do this. There are many clips of Merle on youtube and he NEVER used more than one finger. Chet Atkins style is totally different although he often called it Travis Picking. Merle was so fast at it, he deserves all the acclaim from his fans and fellow musicians. .
@abfplano54 I know, I'm kinda shocked. My idea of Travis picking uses at least the thumb through the ring finger, and sometimes the pinky as well - guess I've been wrong all these years. :P
Chet had his on style and (AynaydaZheet) Tommy Emanuel learned by listening to both and cut an album with Chet. All 3 are great pickers in their own rights and i haven't seen anyone touch them. Although Chet said he almost stopped playing when he heard jerry Reed. Then we have Roy Clark there agian a different style. If you could ask them, they would tell you the others were great, I've meet a lot of Good Nashville Musicians and they are humble and praise the other.
To countryclassic and EddieEstes: When I said Chet could play everything else I must qualify: Chet was not a jazz player in the true sense. As he said himself, he was not an improviser. Everything he played was arranged before hand. That does not take away from his musicality or his innovative ideas on guitar or his good taste in the songs he picked to play. Ken, Toronto
Let's see Chet did Classical, Jazz, Pop, Folk, Jazz and Blues. The only thing he didn't do was rock. So pretty much everything else is correct! It was pretty much agreed that Chet was the best all around guitarist that the world has seen!
That is a Martin body re-necked with a Bigsby neck. Anyone that has ever played one will tell you that they sound incredible. Some say magical, and better than anything else. Travis mostly played Bigsby guitars.
Mr. Travis was one of my first guitar heroes.
I couldn't believe all that music from one
picker. I still love thumbin' 50 years later.
Merle Travis was one of the greatest inovaters of the guitar ever! From Chet Atkins to the beatles to scotty moore and Carl Perkins and the whole Rockabilly sound can be traced back to Merle.
And his old Album called the yellow album is one of the greatest guitar sounds ever even today and it was pure Merle no back up.
so many say they can play like merle travis--nobody can perform like this master. He is simply one of a kind. A great player and songwriter..A pleasure to hear this talent
One of the innovators of rock music.
One of my top guitar heroes! An original!
Merle played with such elegance and style. He makes it look easy.
I just furthered my guitar education watching this!
757flyer A true treat for the ears
DIDN'T WE ALL !!!
You can say it loud
I've heard of Merle Travis for a long time & have heard his music online. He's one of the TOP guitar pickers ever. This is my first time to actually see him play.
Merle Travis was such an original. Loved the sound him and his band were getting in the 40s, a sort of country swing sound. I hope that sound comes back in country music. I wrote a song inspired by the 40s Merle Travis sound, "Spare Change" btw.
Merle Travis, one of the absolutely top guitar pickers the world have seen!!Thnx for posting!
He was a great songwriter, too.
"Sixteen Tons" is one of the great American songs for all time.
Just brilliant. Give me tears.
Amazing video! I've been watching a bunch of Lindsey Buckingham videos....he always cites Travis picking as his style...which lead me here. Thanks so much for posting this.
Merle would have been 93 yesterday! Talked with Merle's daughter yesterday (30+ year friend), & told her until I saw this video, I'd been almost ashamed for some 45 years of pickin', as I'd thought the real Travis pickin' included the middle finger! Talk about a relief to see this genius of a man pull off what he did with his thumb & forefinger! Just beautiful! And boy do I feel less like an idiot!
Thanks for posting!
You know, I am kind of glad that there are imitators out there who play like this, in this style. Just take a listen to Paul Pigat. If there were no imitators, much of this great music would be lost to listners today.
Absolutely great. It's seldom that a talented performer like Merle comes along that brings a new style into the country mainsteam. You've got to believe that the man was born with this talent.
ahhhhhh haaaaaaw thanks for the music....it is the real deal
"I usually play that part on the jug!"
This guys a legend!
Absolutely the kind of stuff that inspired my finger picking style. Thanks for sharing! Mark
When I was a kid, we all wanted to do Travis picking. Sixty years later I'd still like to be able to play like that.
I first heard Merle in 1963, loved him ever since
Thanks for the collage of this great player. Inspiring stuff!
I am in shock at how I have never heard of this man before!
Trying to find full songs by him
@Eyedunno I'm just learning this. But, it seems to me it shouldn't matter which finger(s), or pick you use. It's the melody and strings your playing that count, not which appendage you use to strike that string.
I once was told my style sounded lik a modified Travis style! and I used to feel like I was short changin' myself, havin' not learned to finger pick with all my fingers.I pic with thumb and index finger,and this is the first time I've actually seen Merle do his thing! Now I have somthing to aspire to! Thanks for posting!
Yikes! Jaw dropping,Two fingers! With a whole lotta cool! Cheers.
Love this! Merles the MAN! dont miss his Electric gitar picken!
The title is "John Henry". You can hear this song on Dailymotion.
This is really great,but I like Scotty Anderson's version and it's on youtube.
Django had only two valid fingers on his letf hand, Merle uses only two of his right hand. I know now what's my problem when I play guitar : I have three fingers too many !
Great stuff - thanks for posting.
incredible a genius!
Just for your info... Merle is playing a Martin D-28 with a neck and headstock designed by Travis and built by P.A. Bigsby.. The headstock was copied by Leo Fender. It is NOT a Fender headstock..
Wonderful !!!!
Wow what a treat!!!
I was listening to Leo Kottke, which got me to Chet Atkins, which reminded me of Merle. All totally awesome.
delightful, thanks!
great country guitar man!
@Leapfirst...what you are hearing as out of tune is a film glitch where the sound is speeding up and slowing down.
One of the most inovative guitarists in the 20the century along with Les Paul in jazz and Chet Atkins in everything else.
I took notice to that technique as well. To me it sounds as if he keeps picking out the melody with his 1. finger while doing kind of a slow strum with the thumb. I haven't tried it out yet, but will do so. It sound really cool!
Wonderful!
This is a neck built by PA Bigsby.. This soundie was shot in 1951..
Your Pa should could pick that thang...love ya Breshman!
And the headstock design was "borrowed" by a certain electronics engineer from Fullerton, CA! 😉
@@RickJM67 elaborate please, sounds like a good story!
@@dabneyoffermein595 I was alluding to the age old debate as to whether Leo Fender borrowed the headstock design.
I see now, though, that the design could have been inspired by the scroll headstock of the violin family.
The first song is "Long Lost John From Bowling Green.
How old was Merle in these films? What a fresh-faced country boy - THanks for posting these.
Great! A few guys are credited with inventing 'finger style' and 'chicken pickin' but Travis seems to have been the first to come up with a coherent, integrated style.
I'm sure you country music buffs out there will correct me if I'm wrong. I hate to mention this - but the guitar has been played 'finger style' in Europe for centuries - though it never sounded quite like this.
So talented good actor seen him in a picture with Frank Sinatra Burt lancaster
Yes I am. I was just as surprised as you to learn this. But if I am not mistaken it is Tom Bresh sitting there behind the screen with all his wisdom.
I mentioned the name Merle Travis and a "country music fan" laughed--He thought I was confusing Merle Haggard and Randy Travis.
Travis used D'Angelico Medium gauge nickel strings on both the Martin and the Gibson Super 400. He hated Bronze strings. He thought they sounded "Tinny"..
TB
Great stuff right there. Keep it up man!
Thanks. That's awesome!
Hey Tom... you should reupload this in higher quality. It appears that youtube has this stuck at 240p 😉
This is such a great video to share with players that aren't familiar with Merle!
Can't believe he only used thumb and forefinger!
I know what you mean, and the sound is really full. brill
Like Rev. Gary Davis, that's all he needed.
And they said Jimmie Hendrix was the best.lmao
Wow, you should really come to spain and see the flamango players.
Piedmont style
You are correct.. He really liked Mance. His style is toatlly based on the old black blues styles. By the way he only used one finger..
Thanks to Thom or whoever posted this. Travis was my first guitar hero!! Love all those rich chords!
Made my day.
Merle Travis was one of the greatest. Right up there with Glen campbell.
You mean “Glen Campbell” is almost up there with Merle,
@Guitargirl5157
Oh, it matters in terms of both tone and technique.
And when it comes to flatpicks, an Ultem pick has a more lively tone than a Delrin one (and real turtle shell is livelier still, but hard to come by).
The guitar at 1:30 has an awesome headstock.
That's where it all came from, and not missing a thing still today
That's a full band!!!!!!
Nice video. I'm looking for the song two time anny by merle travis does anyone know where i can get it?
The Master!!
amazing!
guys like rev gary davis where the masters of the two fingered ragtime playing, i suppose merle is rooted in that traditional style, but also incoorporates some really nice jazz chords into his playing
His bass strings seem a little thick on this video. Does anybody know what tension strings he used? 012 or?
Many years ago a friend of mine bought a vinal E P what i heard made me a devoted fingerpicker as Chet Atkins said Merle showed what could be done on a guitar
Thats a seriously good guitar player, cant remember last time I heard one
Dreadnought: You're right, Chet was a tremendous guitarist and my idol for years. I have records from the late 50's, 60's and 70's that I've worn out. Also like you say he was not the greatest at improv, everything was (very well) rehearsed.
I think 'WobblingBaby' made some good points.
Peace
Ben South Simcoe
what a picker !
thanx very much :)
Is there any one know what is the name of the first song in the video?
The fact of the matter is, taste in music doesn't dictate what a person is. Taste in music is much like someones taste in food or movies, it's very personal and varies from person to person. No two people like the same music, and to call someone stupid or dumbed down because of their taste only reveals the blissful ignorance of the person saying such things, as displayed by you in the discourse we are currently partaking in.
This genius plays riffs that were copied down the years and decades.
@Leapfirst I listened to the tune. It seems out of context to either one
of our original comments. It is fairly pointless to put one player over
another in so many of these youtube discourses yet it's almost impossible to
resist when folks discount an original giant the likes of Merle Travis. To each
his own. One bit of the lyric I'll recant is: " Have a nice day."
Bresh Deffinatly a Bigsby head stock , Looks like a show bud kneck. Do you know the year of this recording?
The one finger method IS Travis Picking. All the other methods are finger style or finger picking. Rev. Gary Davis used only one finger as did Doc Watson. So Merle was not the only one to do this. There are many clips of Merle on youtube and he NEVER used more than one finger. Chet Atkins style is totally different although he often called it Travis Picking. Merle was so fast at it, he deserves all the acclaim from his fans and fellow musicians.
.
NOW THAT'S REALITY TV !
What was that last song called?
Did he record Just A Petal From A Faded Rose?
"duo fingers" style so classic.
that 9 pound hammer solo merge is pretty flawless
Amazing
Did somebody overdub this perfectly or was there some kind of wizard recording the audio? It sounds too clear.
It was a pretty good recording to start with. Somebody's heavily denoised it but thankfully it didnt completely destroy it.
@abfplano54
I know, I'm kinda shocked. My idea of Travis picking uses at least the thumb through the ring finger, and sometimes the pinky as well - guess I've been wrong all these years. :P
What's the second song?
I think that's Mark Knopfler in the back there, hiding next to the stove.
Hi Thom
Can you give me any info.on Betty DeVere?
Just who was she and what ever happened to her?
Regards
Roger (In Britain)
Chet had his on style and (AynaydaZheet) Tommy Emanuel learned by listening to both and cut an album with Chet. All 3 are great pickers in their own rights and i haven't seen anyone touch them. Although Chet said he almost stopped playing when he heard jerry Reed. Then we have Roy Clark there agian a different style. If you could ask them, they would tell you the others were great, I've meet a lot of Good Nashville Musicians and they are humble and praise the other.
Bello Bello!!!
To countryclassic and EddieEstes: When I said Chet could play everything else I must qualify: Chet was not a jazz player in the true sense. As he said himself, he was not an improviser. Everything he played was arranged before hand. That does not take away from his musicality or his innovative ideas on guitar or his good taste in the songs he picked to play.
Ken, Toronto
The guy was a true inspiration to many, like Tommy Emanuel
Kudos to a real guitar player and iconic proformer, there is no shortege of people he inspired.
Let's see
Chet did Classical, Jazz, Pop, Folk, Jazz and Blues. The only thing he didn't do was rock.
So pretty much everything else is correct!
It was pretty much agreed that Chet was the best all around guitarist that the world has seen!
I never realized he used only 1 finger and his thumb!!!! AMAZING!!
That is a Martin body re-necked with a Bigsby neck. Anyone that has ever played one will tell you that they sound incredible. Some say magical, and better than anything else. Travis mostly played Bigsby guitars.
@TheMtneer56 Who is kennedy Jones?
Like an orchestra on his lap.
Great!
What happened to the martin he is playing in this video
His son Thom Bresh a great picker and country singer inherited it.
lol woah look at those S&M tank commamder boots at 0:39
Didn't realise he plays mostly with just a tumb and index finger, amazing.