John Fahey plays "In Christ There Is No East Or West" 1969

[2NaughtyLittleFly2]

Fahey was a nutcase.

[Fruscianteistheman]

I feel like this song could be electrified for a interesting/powerful effect yet both unique equally unique and amazing.

I just could imagine Jimi Page doing a very interesting arrangement of this song, I'm hardly a zeppelin fan, but he just comes to mind for some reason.

[josiahbarnett]

Wasn't there another video from this show on youtube where she is interviewing him and he ashes his smoke into his guitar?

[MrJohntube12]

I thank Jimmy Page for getting me hip to John Fahey. Love this!

[mkl62]

I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (May 29), I played this for Sunday School assembly. However, it was to the tune, ST. PETER, composed by Alexander R. Reinagle, 1799-1877. It can also be sung to ELDORA, composed by Leland B. Sateren. That is the tune in our Sunday School Hymnbook. But it is not familiar to us.

[palmeristhecoolest]

yep, this is the best video on youtube

[gratefultiger]

isn't his tone brilliant ! maestro on a top guitar.

acoustically Fahey for me is the man.

[goodbyebluesky1000]

Did this woman have any idea how great this performance was on her show? How surreal.

[goodbyebluesky1000]

Did this woman have any idea how great this performance was on her show? How surreal.

[5891jonathan]

This hymn is astonishingly beautiful. Fahey plays it with unique sensitivity. The story of this hymn is equally lovely - written by a former captain of a slave ship who came to realize that all of us all are brothers and sisters in one great fellowship of love. Thanks for posting this.

[amsterdamshusi]

Anybody know what tuning he plays this in?

[lampens]

@amsterdamshusi standard tuning tuned one half step lower

[09kitty23]

makes me want to sell an electric and buy an acoustic and play it again like the old times

[Yarooo1000]

It used be on an album called the Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death -about 1968/9

Good stuff.No mistake

[TimeWarp60S]

Such intricate, technical stuff but his hands barely move! Amazing, and beautiful. Thanks for posting.

[mkl62]

I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (February 14), I played this for Sunday School Assembly, because our lesson was from Matthew 16: 13-27. However, it was to the tune, ST. PETER, composed by Alexander R. Reinagle.

[jsipflatpickd28]

Most people have no idea who John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, and a couple other handful of steel string guitarist. These guys set the bar on the steel string, sure there are great guitarist out there, not arguing these guys are the best, although there damn good. Sure people can duplicate what the made, but very few can create what they have done in the past.

Rest in Peace John

[ShaneWednesday]

Here I am leaving another comment on this video.. It's an endless supply of beauty. <3

[leroykickass]

I agree with smthngpwr, this should have at least a million views

[Coyoteboy12]

Holy sh*t

[KennBurch]

Thank you for posting this. John Fahey's music was the sound of Christmas when I was a teenager in Oregon in the 1970's. Somehow, he got both the joy and the sadness and the hope and the despair of the season in his music.

And in life, Fahey never had the audience or the attention his music deserved. You've done a good thing in helping to keep his music and his memory alive.

Happy season.

[HanqueAlubelaO]

Thanks so much for posting this. This is one of the songs, along with a couple Leo K songs, which led me to the guitar. it is beautiful, and played beautifully here in a way that is pure. I learned it from John's tapes.

[Lostmychops]

I've played that guitar (Literally- THAT guitar), and it was one of the greatest moments of my life. It had to be rebuilt, because Fahey smashed someone over the head with it, but it still sounded amazing. It's in England now, just down the road from me as it happens, which I still find quite hard to believe.

This is a great performance, and the arrangement is an eduring testament to Fahey's genius.

[waterswheel]

What brand and year is that guitar?

[TaylorConrad8098]

it's a bacon and day, i don't know the year

[raymondville]

@waterswheel It was made by Bacon and Day, don't know the year. The manufactured more banjos than guitars.

[lectrikdog]

@Lostmychops

I thought one of his (ex)wives smashed him over the head with it!

if that is the one, it would be the Recording King.

[Dafjalfrezi]

@Lostmychops where in England is this guitar?

[irchristo]

@Lostmychops I so agree with you.

[NoLifeGamer17]

@Lostmychops He SMASHED it on someone's head?

[MoteyJoe]

@Lostmychops My God I remember that story! Awesome getting to play it.

[jimhezron]

@Lostmychops Does anyone know the type of guitar that John Fahay used? The make, model or preference?

[ogworld4067]

@Lostmychops ia friend gave me a dubbed vhs tape of this show. he ashes into the hole of his guitar dueing an interview. punk as fuck. most inspiring musician to me because it's attainable, and perfect, and right. cheers. loved your post.

[nimbuscb]

@Lostmychops

What is the make/model of that guitar? I'm having a custom guitar built -- about a year long

wait 'till my chosen luthier can get to it and I'm presently thinking about one based upon

14 fret Gibson LG-2 or Martin OO-18 built w/pre-war specs and my chosen woods, neck width, bindings etc. This model is one I'd like to research. Any info greatly appreciated. As for JF, I saw him at a Church in Noe Valley (San Francisco) mid-late '80s, amazing and his Christmas music was inspired.

[Lostmychops]

@nimbuscb It's a Bacon & Day 'senorita' model, circa 1935. I think the guitar itself was built at the regal factory in chicago, but the B&D company added all the fancy rhinestones and perloid and sold it under their name. These guitars are ridiculously rare, but there's a guy called Tony Klassen who makes his own 'senorita' guitars based on an original that he owns; do a search for Ark New Era guitars and you'll find his website. I think he may have some videos on here too...Maybe worth a look?

[rb288015]

@Lostmychops Wait how did you end up being able to play it? Was it for sale somewhere or something?

[rss313]

@Lostmychops haha! I'd love to know that story.

[Somethingpower]

this should have 100million views

[ShaneWednesday]

Discovery. Playfulness. Melancholy. . Transformation.

Ect.

[ferretgimp]

Rest easy John Fahey. What beautiful music

[dannyclayburn]

This tune by Fahey takes me so many places, like most of his music does.

[KaiBailey]

The purity of this music is unreal. It is straight from a sad, confident, humongous, and beautiful American soul.

[BeatnikManfred]

I had to come back to listen this again.....AMAZING***

Best wishes Manni

[rm3150]

Fahey's playing makes it his song

[nuitsrouges]

I hope greedy mr GTRWorkshop doesn't take this down. Thanks for posting!

[vintageguitarguru]

@nuitsrouges Stefan didn't even post this. It is a great video though.

[ooff]

What kind of guitar is that?

[porkytard]

It's a bacon and day. Mr. Fahey talks a bit about it in the course of this program. Its dull thud makes me happy.

[russelsheartinacage]

you're spot on there, that thud is great

[raymondville]

@ooff Made by Bacon and Day. They made more banjos than guitars.

[llawfhionn]

Great as this song is, it's not a Fahey composition. It is a traditional Episcopalian hymn. He played at least one per album in the 60s and 70s.

[russelsheartinacage]

my apologies, I am aware of that, perhaps interpretation is a better way of putting it?

[sukkot54]

@russelsheartinacage it is quite fair to call it fahey's arrangement; doubt any high church Episcopol's ever played it like that, and for sure not on a low instrument like the guitar!