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!
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.
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
@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.
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).
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
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
Guys that played all up in their head can be immitated some. Travis played from under his skin..out of his heart. Only guy that comes close is Bresh....makes sense though!
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!
@Leapfirst You're out of your mind. No Merle = no Chet. Why do you think they call it Travis picking. Not only that but Merle wrote and sang his own compositions.... with a smile on his face! You can have Chet I'll take Merle every time.
@Leapfirst You must be tone deaf... he isnt out of tune... the tempo changes slightly. If your gonna try and be acritic... you need to know what the hell you are talking about.
@Leapfirst yOU MUST BE AN IDIOT... TEMPO IS TIME... YOU LISTEN DUMBO. gO PLAY YOU KNOW IT ALL SOME WHERE ELSE..... i HAVE PLAYED GUITAR FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
@Jezake Hmm.. me too.. played for 50 years. Then you should recognize the G string is flat against the E. There is no detectable wow and flutter on the recording. Calling people names doesn't validate your point. Let's have a shoot out and compare our own recordings OK?
people like merle travis and chet atkins i always were way more skilled than people like eric clapton or srv......... yet srv and clapton get all the respect for playing the same old tired shit.
no one plays like merle i tell all my friends about him ppl get sick of me talking about him so much but i cant get enough i practice everyday travis style it takes a while to get it
When I decide to play Travis pickin' It took me 2 or 3 month of trying..The funny part is the day you start to forget the thumb.You become instantly a way better guitarist.You can Travis Pick on almost every style! Thank you Merle
Merle seem to be in the pocket all the time in his time and his guitar resonated like a son of a #$@ chasing the melody lines he created. It sounds simple to the ear yet a real piece of work! Its the music you stomp to and not just guitar for guitar sake. What a player and innovative individual!
@TheSunRecords and to think not many people know of him. It is all about chet atkins. This is the mastermind behind all of chets playing. My dad said he taught chet how to play and if you listen to chets' playing I am inclined to believe him. similar styles.
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 !
I agree that Chet is a better picker, and I don't know if there is any guitarist that can stack up to him as a guitarist, but I cringe every time he (Chet )trys to sing, (I can't sing and play at the same time, I Have to one or the other ) Merle could do both amazingly well, and just randomly talk, that is amazing to me.
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.
Wow, just wanted to watch one the classic finger pickers, but decided to read the comments. Is this how world wars are started? Hmmm, Merle the Destroyer of All Civilization.
"I dont have to accept anything, especially your uninformed opinion. You are brain biased to low class talent and music... you can't help it... so don't worry about it..."
This doesn't make any sense, since the only music you know I like is Merle Travis. I haven't revealed any of my other tastes whatsoever. This only shows how ignorant you are.
"You don't know what you are talking about.... It isn't logic... it is a fact..."
You are making a baseless claim. The population of a country doesn't dictate the intelligence of its people. If that were the case, Japan would be one of the dumbest countries on this planet, and it is most certainly not. You have no facts, only illogical ideas, not to mention your extreme prejudice.
Let's also not forget the fact that you are calling people who like the music of the current generation dumbed down and moronic. If you think so lowly of these people, perhaps you shouldn't partake in the inventions and things they create? I'm sure there are plenty of scientists and engineers out there who like bad, tasteless music, but do wonderful work. So, perhaps you should make like the Amish and separate yourself from modern civilization so you don't have to deal with us.
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.
Yes that was my mistake, but it is a sentiment I agree with. I also think that a persons taste in music shouldn't allow someone to prejudge them as a person who is dumbed down and moronic. This is where your train of logic breaks down because you are associating me and my idea with someone who is moronic and dumbed down, so by association since I agree with your sentiment of time passing not degrading quality you are also dumb and moronic. Associative reasoning like that isn't smart, ever.
Merle Travis in my opinion is the greatest all round guitar player ever. The complete package. I can name 500 of the greatest guitar players in every style including Segovia,McLaughlin,Beck that I love and admire from 1910 to 2008. Merle stands ALONE against all comers. Its not just the technique which is flawless but its the WAY he does it. And he wrote 16 Tons! Please buy his Box set! Sit down quietly and listen. If the music doesn't move you cool but the technique is devinely flawless.
Merele was playing when the majority of cultured people appreciated talent... the tides have changed... the dumbed down morons of today accept all garbage as music!
Wow... Talk about prejudice! Cry me a friggin river. That musics time is gone, and it's a different generation now. There's always something new along the horizon, and the children alive now will think that the popular music 60 years from now is crap. Don't call people morons based on their taste for music. I probably like this music as much as you do, but I certainly won't partake in the ignorance that you have displayed.
Opinions are like assholes... everyone has one, even you. The time past, as you put it doesn't change the quality of the product.... however , the dumbed down morons, perhaps like you, are willing to accept anything in the name of the here and now.... Ignorance is your forte!
You're logic doesn't follow at all. If I am a dumbed down moron, yet you agree with me that time passing doesn't change the quality, then by association, according to your logic, you must be dumbed down and moronic as well. I know it's not true, you're just a person who likes their old music and none of todays, it's as simple as that.
Look, you have to accept it, the fact is that you just don't like the newer styles of music. You can't call someone a moron because of their taste in music.
You don't know what you are talking about.... It isn't logic... it is a fact. When Merele was picking there were approximately 140 mill population in the us... most decent inteligent people. Now the pop is over 300 mil. most inbred, dumbed down no taste wannabes .. like you Im sure.
I dont have to accept anything, especially your uninformed opinion. You are brain biased to low class talent and music... you can't help it... so don't worry about it... and stop trying to convience people how great your choice of music is!
Actually millions of Americans tuned in t o hear, not only Merle, but all of country... it wasn't considered "low class" except ny some snobs/// I was there I know!
Exacktly 1pedalsteel. Sounds of course veeery good to everyones ears, but if you also are a little skilled to pick the guitar, you will really understand what amazing genius he was.
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.
That's my pal, Merle. I was a kid, but he lived across the street and what an honor to say we were friends... (Let's go for a ride in the Cadi Merle!)
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.
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.
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.
It always amazes me on youtube that when you disagree with someone the first thing they do is insult you. But I guess that is the nature of the internet.
Chet Atkins hardly did "everything else". He was excellent at what he did...fingerpicking...no one will ever come close... but the 20th C saw so many great guitarist...Chet was only the best at what he did.
Yes, Chet did a bit of all these things as you say...but he was far from being the best classical guitarist, or blues guitarist or jazz guitarist. He was an excellent fingerpicker.
You might want to ask Christopher Parkening, or Rick Foster if Chet was JUST a fingerpicker.
Fingerpickers are John Fahey, or Leo Kottke.
Chet was much more. You need to listen to Class Guitar(1968), or Progressive Pickin'(1964).
I would put Chet on the same level with Segovia. He had a much better tone than most classical guitarists. As far blues goes that is not that difficult a style.
Chet's out put was very patchy ranging from sheer brilliance to horrible trashy muzak -- ie some of those Sixties albums were utter trash ( luckily they now seem to be out of print )
He was basically a guy who played harmonized melodies and seemed ill at ease playing riffs . But on balance he's somewhere near the top - but hey who said everything you do must be perfect ?
The most unique, joyous, inventive and influential acoustic guitarist ever. I can pick a little bit Travis style. Right hand is fine but if there was one thing I would love to master it would be his left hand. Wonderful.
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"..
if you can find a copy, get the record Merle and Joe made about 1963, titled "Country Music's Two Guitar Greats -Merle Travis and Joe Maphis"(Capitol T2102). I've worn the thing just about out, so I copied it on both cassette and CD. Recording techniques were naturally not as refined as today, but it's still a wonder.
How do you call the technique he does from 0:25 to 0:30? And how do you do it?
sixstringpickin 1 month ago
he's a genius
richrockt 3 months ago
Great!
ggkasper 3 months ago
One of the innovators of rock music.
ebeneezzer 3 months ago
All that i use to learn is Chet for the fingerpicking, but now that i heard Travis im all over these tabs.
TheAcousticMetal 4 months ago
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!
1madeintheimage 5 months ago
Awesome! :)
bbunters 6 months ago
amazing!
dabigbadnanas 7 months ago
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.
RGMguitar 7 months ago
holy crap he is playing most of this with only his thumb and index finger
abfplano54 9 months ago
@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
Eyedunno 2 months ago
@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.
Guitargirl5157 2 months ago
@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).
Eyedunno 5 days ago
beast
DeeJaythirteen13 9 months ago
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
chester777ful 10 months ago
Makin' it look so easy!
fngrpkn06 10 months ago
I never realized he used only 1 finger and his thumb!!!! AMAZING!!
goldrb6 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
What a pudgy shitbag.
crossingforward 11 months ago
guess nobody heard of kennedy jones
TheMtneer56 11 months ago
@TheMtneer56 Who is kennedy Jones?
1madeintheimage 5 months ago
look at dem boots!
youKStates 11 months ago
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
steevespace 1 year ago
Apparently I'm related to Merle Travis.. It's what my grandma says since her mom, my mamaw Babb's maiden name was Travis, were also from Kentucky :)
alyshayhan 1 year ago
@alyshayhan SO
sonnydevaney 1 year ago
Guys that played all up in their head can be immitated some. Travis played from under his skin..out of his heart. Only guy that comes close is Bresh....makes sense though!
oldtimtoad 1 year ago
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!
laaxe 1 year ago
Um, it's "Imitators"...not "Imatators".
Nice to see once again how 'Travis Picking' got its name.
TheDeexster 1 year ago
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.
cariboubill 1 year ago
He's out of tune! Chet would have got it right :-) Merle should be honored for inventing the style but he sure wasn't the best.
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@Leapfirst...what you are hearing as out of tune is a film glitch where the sound is speeding up and slowing down.
wretchasketch 1 year ago
@Leapfirst You're out of your mind. No Merle = no Chet. Why do you think they call it Travis picking. Not only that but Merle wrote and sang his own compositions.... with a smile on his face! You can have Chet I'll take Merle every time.
Vitotesta 1 year ago
@Vitotesta I'll suggest "The Day The Finger Pickers Took over the World" and you can follow the advice Chet gives in the lyrics to Ode to Mel Bay.
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@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."
Vitotesta 1 year ago
@Leapfirst You must be tone deaf... he isnt out of tune... the tempo changes slightly. If your gonna try and be acritic... you need to know what the hell you are talking about.
Jezake 1 year ago
@Jezake and which DAW did you use to verify tempo changes?
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@Leapfirst yOU MUST BE AN IDIOT... TEMPO IS TIME... YOU LISTEN DUMBO. gO PLAY YOU KNOW IT ALL SOME WHERE ELSE..... i HAVE PLAYED GUITAR FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
Jezake 1 year ago
@Jezake Hmm.. me too.. played for 50 years. Then you should recognize the G string is flat against the E. There is no detectable wow and flutter on the recording. Calling people names doesn't validate your point. Let's have a shoot out and compare our own recordings OK?
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@Leapfirst "G string flat against the E" ????? Put your stuff up .... lets see if you can play.
Jezake 1 year ago
@Jezake --@Jezake --- Here it is - home.rr.com(frontslash)qz990363678
That's a personal website... Pardon me if it's not all Merle, the question is do I have the expertise to tell when someone is out of tune?
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@Leapfirst That an invalid address.. doesnt matter, There is no debate here... you are wrong!
Jezake 1 year ago
Comment removed
Leapfirst 1 year ago
people like merle travis and chet atkins i always were way more skilled than people like eric clapton or srv......... yet srv and clapton get all the respect for playing the same old tired shit.
PopExpo 1 year ago
NOBODY plays like Merle.
stuco 1 year ago 6
@stuco sorry, i meant to say "nine pound hammer"
porkinwitz 1 year ago
@stuco x
Leapfirst 1 year ago
no one plays like merle i tell all my friends about him ppl get sick of me talking about him so much but i cant get enough i practice everyday travis style it takes a while to get it
navi880 1 year ago
What was that last song called?
vjohn82 1 year ago
@vjohn82 "roll on buddy"
porkinwitz 1 year ago
Genius!
Bluehill29 1 year ago
Blind Blake and Merle Travis are The Pickers
steinsteel 1 year ago
@steinsteel A lot of people think in Blind Blake as the best picker ever.I think so.
ElliotRocker 1 year ago
that one person who disliked this is playing guitar hero right now xD
abstractacts 1 year ago 9
Dude was unreal.. too nice!
Beachcrib 1 year ago
great posting. many thanks
wibble7773 1 year ago
Wonderful !!!!
resofanny 1 year ago
I have merle travis musics on my chanel, check it out
TheJonhyWest 1 year ago
The singing I could do without,But the guitar playing is Bad Ass
cast390 1 year ago
he played the guitar player in from here to etrnity
speck444 1 year ago
Merle Travis' technique is godlike!!!!
Lyonkore 1 year ago 2
Those are a pretty fantastic pair of boots he's got on.
Chaduke 2 years ago 2
his name was written on his guitar, you couln't steal it eheh :- ]
thibs64 2 years ago
i would have nicked it!!
hairynakers 1 year ago
i had the pleasure of seeing merle travis at "the palomino" club in no. hollywood ca. he was very gracious ..
gittar1 2 years ago
Notice he only uses his thumb and index finger! The African guitarist D'Gary plays the same way, and he too produces amazing music.
Muhlenburger 2 years ago
Why I met you only now???
ThePumalives 2 years ago 2
When I decide to play Travis pickin' It took me 2 or 3 month of trying..The funny part is the day you start to forget the thumb.You become instantly a way better guitarist.You can Travis Pick on almost every style! Thank you Merle
BoutchBen 2 years ago 2
The picking style is known as Travis pickin'. His style.
Caprock64 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
awesome!! thanks for sharing.
pakinsman 2 years ago 2
ahhhhhh haaaaaaw thanks for the music....it is the real deal
curbshoppin 2 years ago 2
Nice video. I'm looking for the song two time anny by merle travis does anyone know where i can get it?
orcslayer25 2 years ago
I first heard Merle in 1963, loved him ever since
doubleotwentyone 2 years ago
Merle seem to be in the pocket all the time in his time and his guitar resonated like a son of a #$@ chasing the melody lines he created. It sounds simple to the ear yet a real piece of work! Its the music you stomp to and not just guitar for guitar sake. What a player and innovative individual!
pissballs 2 years ago 7
Guitar genius...
TheSunRecords 2 years ago 19
@TheSunRecords and to think not many people know of him. It is all about chet atkins. This is the mastermind behind all of chets playing. My dad said he taught chet how to play and if you listen to chets' playing I am inclined to believe him. similar styles.
vonbaron68 1 year ago
@vonbaron68 How about Ike Everly, heard he is one of the pioneer too
H1234567890 1 year ago
Awesome, great sound never seen anyone play with that style.
rapitroy 2 years ago
Absolutely the kind of stuff that inspired my finger picking style. Thanks for sharing! Mark
Maysey1 2 years ago
Thats a seriously good guitar player, cant remember last time I heard one
coade123 2 years ago
merle is god!
howardstern666 2 years ago
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.
fransas 2 years ago 2
lol. Imagine how good you would be with a Django left hand and a Merle right hand! well, maybe not so good...
Stewg87 2 years ago
LOL, well, Django only has two fingers, so i doubt it'd be any good, lol. only Django's right hand can play with Django's left, XD
yellowchairreviews 2 years ago
lol. look at chet. there you have all the fingers in use. correct picking
3439ra 2 years ago
I agree that Chet is a better picker, and I don't know if there is any guitarist that can stack up to him as a guitarist, but I cringe every time he (Chet )trys to sing, (I can't sing and play at the same time, I Have to one or the other ) Merle could do both amazingly well, and just randomly talk, that is amazing to me.
Parley454 2 years ago
well. he was a part time singer. but he can offcourse sing. have you heard yakety axe studio version with knopfler. from the cd. lol
3439ra 2 years ago
@3439ra Thumb and two fingers for 99% of the pickin'
Leapfirst 1 year ago
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.
zthetha 2 years ago
well they don't call it travis picking for nothing!
brslade 2 years ago
@zthetha The invention of the amplifier may have helped
Leapfirst 1 year ago
"I usually play that part on the jug!"
This guys a legend!
fancypantsdancer 2 years ago 3
Awesomeness, what's that song starts at 1:19 ?
TubesMaster 2 years ago
nvm, i got it.
TubesMaster 2 years ago
Wow, he was the best. :)
ovationpdh 2 years ago
only using 2 fingers of his right hand to make all that music he was NO JOKE on the guitar!
gittahfiend 2 years ago 2
great country guitar man!
omkaratube 2 years ago
Love this! Merles the MAN! dont miss his Electric gitar picken!
rossfletcher22 2 years ago
he is my grate grandpa i sware to god is son is my grandpa thomas bresh
dakotaoh 2 years ago
gotta love the old old guitar pickers
dusitn6971 2 years ago 2
Such talent. Thanks for the video. It helps to remind me how great he really was.
alagumbo 3 years ago 2
sooo sick
3510211 3 years ago
Those look like the same kind of boots that Corpsegrinder wears! Look for it near the start of the clip.
jessethemachine 3 years ago
Never heard Travis play before ,I only reall y read about him in some articles on Brian Setzer. Thanks for posting this.
archbishopdick 3 years ago
big génius
lklkhjhjdfs 3 years ago
Wow, just wanted to watch one the classic finger pickers, but decided to read the comments. Is this how world wars are started? Hmmm, Merle the Destroyer of All Civilization.
Long live Merle AND John5 Ha, ha!
memphist1 3 years ago
Only using his thumb and index finger??
I can't even do this stuff with ALL my fingers!
IncaRoad01 3 years ago
And I am the one that said time doesnt change the quality, not you... try to keep up!
Jezake 3 years ago
"I dont have to accept anything, especially your uninformed opinion. You are brain biased to low class talent and music... you can't help it... so don't worry about it..."
This doesn't make any sense, since the only music you know I like is Merle Travis. I haven't revealed any of my other tastes whatsoever. This only shows how ignorant you are.
Superminyme 3 years ago
"You don't know what you are talking about.... It isn't logic... it is a fact..."
You are making a baseless claim. The population of a country doesn't dictate the intelligence of its people. If that were the case, Japan would be one of the dumbest countries on this planet, and it is most certainly not. You have no facts, only illogical ideas, not to mention your extreme prejudice.
Superminyme 3 years ago
Let's also not forget the fact that you are calling people who like the music of the current generation dumbed down and moronic. If you think so lowly of these people, perhaps you shouldn't partake in the inventions and things they create? I'm sure there are plenty of scientists and engineers out there who like bad, tasteless music, but do wonderful work. So, perhaps you should make like the Amish and separate yourself from modern civilization so you don't have to deal with us.
Superminyme 3 years ago
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.
Superminyme 3 years ago
Yes that was my mistake, but it is a sentiment I agree with. I also think that a persons taste in music shouldn't allow someone to prejudge them as a person who is dumbed down and moronic. This is where your train of logic breaks down because you are associating me and my idea with someone who is moronic and dumbed down, so by association since I agree with your sentiment of time passing not degrading quality you are also dumb and moronic. Associative reasoning like that isn't smart, ever.
Superminyme 3 years ago
You just aren't smart enough to even get the concept... I feel like I'm talking to fence post.
End of conversation.
Jezake 3 years ago
Guess I used too many big words for you. Good day, Sir.
Superminyme 3 years ago
Merle Travis in my opinion is the greatest all round guitar player ever. The complete package. I can name 500 of the greatest guitar players in every style including Segovia,McLaughlin,Beck that I love and admire from 1910 to 2008. Merle stands ALONE against all comers. Its not just the technique which is flawless but its the WAY he does it. And he wrote 16 Tons! Please buy his Box set! Sit down quietly and listen. If the music doesn't move you cool but the technique is devinely flawless.
ronoman88 3 years ago
OH YEAH, HE'S THE SHIT ALRIGHT!!!
xxnecromanceroo 3 years ago
Merele was playing when the majority of cultured people appreciated talent... the tides have changed... the dumbed down morons of today accept all garbage as music!
Jezake 3 years ago
Wow... Talk about prejudice! Cry me a friggin river. That musics time is gone, and it's a different generation now. There's always something new along the horizon, and the children alive now will think that the popular music 60 years from now is crap. Don't call people morons based on their taste for music. I probably like this music as much as you do, but I certainly won't partake in the ignorance that you have displayed.
Superminyme 3 years ago
Opinions are like assholes... everyone has one, even you. The time past, as you put it doesn't change the quality of the product.... however , the dumbed down morons, perhaps like you, are willing to accept anything in the name of the here and now.... Ignorance is your forte!
Jezake 3 years ago
You're logic doesn't follow at all. If I am a dumbed down moron, yet you agree with me that time passing doesn't change the quality, then by association, according to your logic, you must be dumbed down and moronic as well. I know it's not true, you're just a person who likes their old music and none of todays, it's as simple as that.
Look, you have to accept it, the fact is that you just don't like the newer styles of music. You can't call someone a moron because of their taste in music.
Superminyme 3 years ago
You don't know what you are talking about.... It isn't logic... it is a fact. When Merele was picking there were approximately 140 mill population in the us... most decent inteligent people. Now the pop is over 300 mil. most inbred, dumbed down no taste wannabes .. like you Im sure.
Jezake 3 years ago
I dont have to accept anything, especially your uninformed opinion. You are brain biased to low class talent and music... you can't help it... so don't worry about it... and stop trying to convience people how great your choice of music is!
Jezake 3 years ago
@Jezake
Actually at the time Merle Travis was playing most of the nation thought country music was low class and not up to the quality of big bands.
Leapfirst 1 year ago
@Leapfirst
Actually millions of Americans tuned in t o hear, not only Merle, but all of country... it wasn't considered "low class" except ny some snobs/// I was there I know!
Jezake 1 year ago
A Bigsby neck with a WW2 D-28 soundbox.
Ken, Toronto
dreadnought45 3 years ago
how much is his bigsby worth now
callasexperience 3 years ago
Amazing to fingers for the picking! It would take me ages to learn to do it with four.
cphblue 3 years ago
sounds like 2 pickers at once....only guitarist realize how amazing a picker he really was!
srvgod 3 years ago 2
If you've never played the guitar, you have no idea how good this guy really was--a finger style guitar genius.
1pedalsteel 3 years ago 2
Exacktly 1pedalsteel. Sounds of course veeery good to everyones ears, but if you also are a little skilled to pick the guitar, you will really understand what amazing genius he was.
//L.S.M.
LynchburgSourMash 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
just curious as to why my comment "THIS SHIT IS SICK" was spammed 11 months ago?
are people that unable to decipher slang?
I mean it's GREAT!
beIshazzar 3 years ago
most people , um , "hip" to Merle are most likely older folks who have no idea why you are referring to their favorite guitarist as "This Shit."
The comment though is also a bit tiresome. Just because its slang doesnt make it apropriate.. I dunno.. I dont care.. But Im sure some folks do..
phlizmo 3 years ago 3
Wow, this guy is the shit.
jamescaptainfarrell 3 years ago
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.
CadillacL 3 years ago
I mentioned the name Merle Travis and a "country music fan" laughed--He thought I was confusing Merle Haggard and Randy Travis.
highnrising 3 years ago 2
That's my pal, Merle. I was a kid, but he lived across the street and what an honor to say we were friends... (Let's go for a ride in the Cadi Merle!)
slipscv 3 years ago
what town and state did he live in
billAUTOBODY 3 years ago
Merle was a good ole' Kentucky boy. Rosewood, KY
louisvillejohn 3 years ago
his chin is AWESOME!!!
theithacagerman 3 years ago
Chet said i can't sing one bit! RCA said we need someone who can sing and play like Merle Travis, and Chet said " I can sing that good!"
iamscubasteve 3 years ago 2
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
dreadnought45 3 years ago
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
countryclassic 3 years ago
Merle Travis, one of the absolutely top guitar pickers the world have seen!!Thnx for posting!
LynchburgSourMash 3 years ago
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.
Hickyno1 3 years ago
Merle Travis was one of the greatest. Right up there with Glen campbell.
d35martin1 3 years ago
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.
naalar 3 years ago
Girls Girls...no fighting !!!
brucestratton 3 years ago
You need help pal...you're obsessed!
countryclassic 3 years ago
It always amazes me on youtube that when you disagree with someone the first thing they do is insult you. But I guess that is the nature of the internet.
What makes you think I need help?
The fact that you shown to be mistaken?
EddieEstes 3 years ago
One of the most inovative guitarists in the 20the century along with Les Paul in jazz and Chet Atkins in everything else.
dreadnought45 3 years ago
Chet Atkins hardly did "everything else". He was excellent at what he did...fingerpicking...no one will ever come close... but the 20th C saw so many great guitarist...Chet was only the best at what he did.
countryclassic 3 years ago
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!
EddieEstes 3 years ago
Yes, Chet did a bit of all these things as you say...but he was far from being the best classical guitarist, or blues guitarist or jazz guitarist. He was an excellent fingerpicker.
countryclassic 3 years ago
You might want to ask Christopher Parkening, or Rick Foster if Chet was JUST a fingerpicker.
Fingerpickers are John Fahey, or Leo Kottke.
Chet was much more. You need to listen to Class Guitar(1968), or Progressive Pickin'(1964).
I would put Chet on the same level with Segovia. He had a much better tone than most classical guitarists. As far blues goes that is not that difficult a style.
EddieEstes 3 years ago
You're putting Chet into the same rank as Segovia??
Regardless...this clip is about Merle Travis.
Merle travis, without whom there probably would not have been a Chet.
countryclassic 3 years ago
You bet I am. There is plenty that Chet could play that Segovia could not because Chet wasn't locked into classical technique.
Merle and Chet complimented each other.
Do agree that without Chet would have played different.
They each had different strengths.
EddieEstes 3 years ago
Meant to type that without Travis Chet would have played differently!
EddieEstes 3 years ago
Chet's out put was very patchy ranging from sheer brilliance to horrible trashy muzak -- ie some of those Sixties albums were utter trash ( luckily they now seem to be out of print )
He was basically a guy who played harmonized melodies and seemed ill at ease playing riffs . But on balance he's somewhere near the top - but hey who said everything you do must be perfect ?
WobblingBaby 3 years ago
Probably because playing riffs is simple compared to actually playing a composition such as Jerry Reed's tunes that Chet recorded.
Chet played the riffs kinda stuff in the 40's and 50's.
EddieEstes 3 years ago
The most unique, joyous, inventive and influential acoustic guitarist ever. I can pick a little bit Travis style. Right hand is fine but if there was one thing I would love to master it would be his left hand. Wonderful.
syncopater999 3 years ago
Amazing!
PeterSGuitar 3 years ago
None better, before or since
lynntom2 4 years ago
His bass strings seem a little thick on this video. Does anybody know what tension strings he used? 012 or?
fridrikur 4 years ago
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
BreshDigitalTV 4 years ago
Thanks for the reply. Good to know. I will post this info on my website guitaren dot dk. Feels great receiving a post from one of my guitar heroes :)
fridrikur 4 years ago
R u telling me that BreshDigitalTV is really Tom Bresh??
FruckRu 3 years ago
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.
fridrikur 3 years ago
Tom used an old photo of Merle on _Saturday Night Shuffle_ where he looks like Gene Autry. Here, he looks pretty chubby. Endearing, huh?
(We all get chubby, eh?)
RZ
rickjolley 4 years ago
A god among men.
He really is amazing.
guitarman63mm 4 years ago
My hero!
arlenroth 4 years ago
The first song is "Lost John" and there's another clip where he plays the whole thing!
Great, of course.
rickjolley 4 years ago
Is there any one know what is the name of the first song in the video?
wangmlcn 4 years ago
Thanks Mr. Bresh. It's great to see the master at work - beautiful quality!
jrybiski 4 years ago
how the heck does he do those rolls with just thumb and 1 finger! I am seeing it but can't believe it... awesome.
i just bought merla and joe maphis record, recorded in '79... maphis is unreal but Travis smooth style rules!
beavertoof 4 years ago
if you can find a copy, get the record Merle and Joe made about 1963, titled "Country Music's Two Guitar Greats -Merle Travis and Joe Maphis"(Capitol T2102). I've worn the thing just about out, so I copied it on both cassette and CD. Recording techniques were naturally not as refined as today, but it's still a wonder.
dagodenn 4 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
THIS SHIT IS SICK
lecter316saysfuckyou 4 years ago
Thanks to Thom or whoever posted this. Travis was my first guitar hero!! Love all those rich chords!
featherweight01 4 years ago
Who cares who was first Merle rules
bennyc741 4 years ago
Thanks for the collage of this great player. Inspiring stuff!
charlieread 4 years ago
Steve Howe must of loved this guy.
guitarbob63 4 years ago