Paul Burlison - "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (1997)

[monkeytown1000]

Paul Burlison developed his distorted guitar by listening to Howling Wolf's Sun records and Wolf's guitarist Wille Johnson who was an innovator in the style.

Burlison and the Burnettes didn't have much success with "Train Kept A-Rollin'" in 1956. But their records were picked up in England by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates guitarist Mick Green in England who copied him. Green was not well known but he was a big influence on young Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page. So Paul's spirit lives on.

[TheSnidge]

@monkeytown1000 You are right on about Mick Green!!!!!!!

However it wasn't Burlison who played the lead on Burnette's 'Train Kept 'a' Rollin',it was the great Grady Martin.

Burlison falsely claimed credit for it though.

[dburlison1]

@TheSnidge Actually, two guitars on the original...

[Smudgefizz]

@TheSnidge Wrong info... Grady Martin played RHYTHM guitar on the original track. Paul Burlison did in fact play the lead.

[TheSnidge]

@Smudgefizz No-it's you who is wrong-google' Paul Burlison Grady Martin'.

Also listen to 'Bird Dog' by Don Woody on YouTube-same lead player as Burnette-Grady Martin.

[Smudgefizz]

@TheSnidge I did Google it, & the writer of the article you're referring to, Vince Gordon, states this info as his opinion, not as "fact". And yes, Grady's guitar on "Bird Dog" does sound similar to the guitar on "Train Kept a Rollin". That just goes to show how influenced Grady was by Paul Burlison's guitar playing, so he used a similar style after working with Paul in the studio.

[TheSnidge]

@Smudgefizz You're funny-you could have been a lawyer for O.J.Simpson!

Listen to 'When My Dreamboat Comes Home' by Grady Martin-it's on YouTube,then come back and say you still think Burlison played lead on the Burnette Nashville sessions.

[wildcattamergirl]

crazy people. train kept a rollin honey hush r very diff 2 the rest of the nashville cuts and i dont remember ever c ing paul saying he played lead on the other stuff. he says he played the distortion and not the rest. if u were playing with someone like grady martin do u think u would not raise the bar and take much advise. y can't the other guitar b paul hmm.

[Deana3451]

Deana3451. Great ,song.

[dburlison1]

If you want to see and hear the original rock guitarist that played the distortion licks on this song 1956.(covered by this group and others).Search-Paul Burlison..Go down to-Rock and Roll Trio-Part Three..second song..then go to the original cut in 1956..Johnny Burnette..Train Kept Rollin

[porky84]

@dburlison1 Why not just post a link to the video?

[Rotis59]

I remember meeting Paul, Rocky and a 3rd nice fella just after this recording was released. It must have been about 1998. This was in Bellingham, Wash where their performance was canceled due to a power outage across the street from my friend's record store where I found them killing time by perusing the vintage rockabilly lps in stock. I had just shown the RnR Trio's "Rock, Rock, Rock" performance to a friend just a few days before - which I told them. Won't forget this meeting!

[dburlison1]

To see and hear P. Burlison play the distortion /Octaves as he did on this song and "Honey Hush" ..youtube search Paul Burlison..go down to "Rock and Roll Trio"

last song "Honey Hush"..P. Burlison at age 71

[dburlison1]

There are two guitars on the original and several on each of the various covers..

[lcar4000]

Paul's playing it here. And it sounds great.

[TheSnidge]

@lcar4000 Is he? There are at least three guitar players on this track.

[lcar4000]

Whether or not he played it on the record (and we'll never know), he plays it perfect here--better than the original. My guess is he's the one who came up with this. Grady Martin also played on early Johnny Horton "rockabilly" recordings but never hit the stage.

[lcar4000]

Man, I never heard this version before. I wish I was there to see this historic concert.

[jvnicks]

Do you guys want to keep arguing? If you want to fight let's fight to get the Trio and GM in the HOF! As long as the debate continues, it prolongs these guys, all the guys the recognition they greatly deserve, and I think we ALL can agree, the guys more than deserve their recognition, and place in the HOF Amen!--JV

+++don't feed the trolls+++

[whest]

@jvnicks You're right.Good ponts all round.

I am finished with this subject now.

Best wishes to all.

Over and out!

[kennyboiwilliams]

@jvnicks Good thing, lets vote.

[kennyboiwilliams]

The story with the broken or lose tube is B...t and we all know it :-) He probably dropped his amp and it gave him some trouble,but thats not what made the sound of the guitar on those nashville tracks.Its Gradys Bigsby guitar and his golden touch! Dorsey sang some of the tunes like "Sweet Love On My Mind" or "My Love You´re A Stranger",sang duet on "Blues Stay Away", his voice was softer and richer than Johnny´s he had a great vibrato in his voice. JUST LISTEN.Paul did a great job in NY!

[kennyboiwilliams]

Paul Burlison wasnt even present during the ´56 recording sessions with Bradley. It was the brothers doin the vocals, dorsey didnt even touch his bass.

All the music was played by Grady Martin on electric guitar, Bobby Moore on bass, Buddy Harman on drums.

There are two guitars on some of the songs, but they are both played by Grady Martin, you just listen and you can tell by the sound. They did this very often during those mid 50s sessions, also on recordings with Johnny Carroll.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams I don't think GM could play two gutars on 1956 single tract..The fuzz tone octaves "Train Kept Rollin" And "Honey Hush" are unique to the trio's 1956

cuts...Grady Martin's own webpage says his first fuzz tone was in 1956..Marty Robbin's " Don't Worry".. Nothing like thr trio's, and never after or before....My dad was at all the 56 sessions..maybe not the 1957 sessions-mediocre songs that were basically 1956 country...not rockabilly

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 I´m aware of the fact that Grady Martin couldnt play two guitars at the same time, but he sure dubbed the second guitar on the master take. Whats this talk about "fuzz"??? I dont hear no fuzz...all I can hear is a great sounding guitar with a tiny bit of distortion on the amp. There never was a "fuzz", thats just Martins sound beating the hell out of his Bigsby guitar.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams Why does Gm own webpage say no distortion/Fuzz until 1961..the distortion/fuzz is unique to the trio cuts when my dad was in the studios..Name one song wher GM used this classic distortion/fuzz sound of the trio's either before or after the trio's sessions...Train and Honey hush were cut at one sitting...by the way where were you in 1956

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 Because there never was a "FUZZ", why should he talk about something that was never there? All I can say is that Grady played those "classic" licks on so many of his recordings, just listen to Johnny Carroll´s "Hot Rock" or Grazy Lovin´", same band, just another singer. Or check out Don Woody´s "Bird Dog", Jimme Lloyd - Where The Rio de Rosa Flows or the instrumental "When my Dreamboat Comes Home", its all there. I can hear just one guitar on "Honey Hush". I was born in 1972.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams Fuzz/distorttion the sound is unique to the trio cut and I have listened to the songs you list with GM.. and you an I know he never created the distortion sounds found on the trio's cuts before or after the 1956 trio sessions.( I admit great seesion playing by Gm ..maybe the best seesion guitar ever).Again- what relation are you to GM..I assume with you it is either all GM or nothing..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 Okay, then put on "Rock Billy Boogie", the guitar is a little more in the back but it has the same sound.

See, I don´t wanna start a big argument here because we should enjoy the music.

I have checked some of your postings on other Burnette songs here on YT, and it seems I´m not the only person having different views about things. To answer your question, I am not related to Grady Martin and I wasnt there when it happened...wish I was.. All the best to your family

[whest]

@kennyboiwilliams Just a word of support for you in this debate.Unfortunately a reasoned argument presenting recorded examples cuts no ice with Mr Burlison Jr.

He has too great an emotional investment to be moved.

It's all a very sad story-such a shame Grady Martin didn't get the credit and the name checks whilst he was still alive.

[dburlison1]

@whest Whest ..You again..I think you have posted negative comments on ever song associated with my dad,,I'm not sure what your personal vendetta is against my dad..Did he deny you an autograph on night...Gm was given credit..see the Trio's album..produced and engineered by his friend and boss Owen Bradley..How many shows did GM do when the trio appeared on Nationasl prime time TV in 1956...

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 by the way, Grady Martin is doing the same thing, the so called "fuzz octave", on the alternate version of "Please Don´t Leave Me", where he ends his second lead break with just that little lick. Do you think your dad was sitting across the room for two minutes doin nothing exept for this one second lick?

Please don´t get me wrong, I´m a big fan of your dad´s playing, but even if he was there in 56´ during those sessions, i just can´t hear him play. Can anyone?

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams You still have not explained why GM never crarted the fuzz/distortions before or after the trios cuts...Again GM own website say no fuzz/distortion until 1961..nothing like the trios cuts..by the way are you related to GM

[dburlison1]

P Burlison's son here...I was actually was at this Nashviile session watching my dad play on this cut..If you listen to the original there are actually two leads..Grady in the more treble notes..my dad in the deeper muffled fuzz tone,with lead in the middle...To say the least johnny and dorsey were also jamming plus on the original

[dburlison1]

The vocalist is Rocky Burnette..Johnny's son..a great friend and artist..D Burlison..Paul's son..dad's doing ok here at 65 +..the most talented,charismatic

man I ever knew..

[dburlison1]

Where's Grady Martin that some are talking about...Paul Burlison..after retirement 30 years and at....and over 65 yrs of age...

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 Grady Martin was and is one of the most heard and featured guitar players of all time. You can hear him not only on the 56´Johnny Burnette Bros. sessions but on countless other recordings with Don Woody, Johnny Carroll, Autry Inman, Ray Walker, Ronnie Self, Bobby Darin, Marty Robbins, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline..man the list of hits is endless! Grady Martin died in 2001.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams I naver said GM wasn't a great sessions guitar players..I never heard him live..However, A novice ear can hear two guitars on most of the trio's classics....My dad..P. Burlison was playing rockabilly daily long before the 1956

sessions in Nashville...GM and my dad actually brought out the best in each other.

[californiasweet]

nothing beat the original version!

[mrtwang32]

He played on the session with a second electric guitarist, Grady Martin. Grady plays on all the Nashville sessions; Paul very little. "Train" is an one.

[californiasweet]

although it´s great

[guitarstalk]

Who is the vocalist on this? It sounds close to the original.

[nzo012]

Rocky Burnette was the vocalist, Johnny Brunettes son.

[dburlison1]

@nzo012 P. Burlison..I was there when this was cut in Nashville..Actually, Rocky(My great friend) sang the lead..Billy Burnete(Doesey's son) did backup vocals on this also..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 I´m was talking about the ´56/57 nashville sessions engineered by Owen Bradley. Sorry for misunderstanding.

[Barnekkid]

That rocks!

[jsilence418]

Paul Burlison shows us all how to really play rock guitar!! thanks for the post!!

[crittergirl08]

Paul Burlison was my grandfather and I am so proud of him. :]

[Serendeppity2009]

@crittergirl08 Paul was a friend of mine, glad to meet you here he was a great man who taught me some great stuff,

[whowins]

@crittergirl08 your granddad was a great guy! me an my dad did alot of work for him and i hate i couldnt spend more time with him! he will be missed!



[crittergirl08]

Paul Burlison is my grandfather. I am proud of him and I miss him a lot. I was only six when he died. I miss him a lot!!! :[

[dkfelix]

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫ Paul Burlison & Rocky Burnette ♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

[Cleftonefan]

Paul has said he played on this session.

[psychkoala]

He wasn't lyin' ! ; )

[kennyboiwilliams]

@Cleftonefan I don´t know why he claims that he played guitar on those tunes. Soon after Martin died they came up with a VHS video where Burlison sits down an explains what he thinks he played on " Lonesome Train" for one, and he talks about the sessions. But the world knows it was Martin. Paul did a wonderful job in may 1956 at Pythian Temple in New York, where they recorded " You´re Undecided", "Oh Baby Baby", "Tear It Up", "Midnight Train" and "Shattered Dreams" and that was it.

[WRGuitarPlayerX]

This is my girlfriend's grandfather.

He passed away September of last year, though =(.

[krunchie63]

But Paul did not play the original Johnny Burnette tracks that influenced beck and page...it was Grady Martin - let's get that straight once and for all.

[Caylus1578]

Pauls guitar is as important to the history of Rock music as that of Eddie Cochran or Buddy Holly and has influenced generations of guitarists. It was a really unique sound that came from having one of the valves in his amp work loose one time. Unique sound so he kept it that way.

Thanks for this vid.

Narbonne, France

[jvnicks]

I agree Caylus, as Gene Vincent said, "Real musicians or lovers of any music do not criticize other artists" (1971) Paul Burlison was an innovator, and a heck of a good guitar player! ;)

[hillbillycadillac]

@Caylus1578 paul didn't sing and play.Tremendous influence and original sound.

[dburlison1]

@krunchie63 Train Kept Rollin 1956 Sessions Nashville--Actually two lead guitars, the distortion/fuzz is unique to the trio played by my dad P. Burlison..Grady Martins own webpage say no fuzz/distortion until 1961..nothing like the trio's before or after by GM

[dburlison1]

@krunchie63 What's your proof to make such blanket statements..Rumors!..easy to critisize an artist after his death...P.Burlison was playing rocabilly before GM ever heard of rockabilly...Rumors without thourough investigation and facts..are just that..rumors..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 Hey junior, I think you got this one wrong. Grady Martin was busy playing with countless artists since the mis 40´s, he played with Hank Williams, Red Foley, Roy Hall...to name a few, mainly country/honky tonk of course. After Elvis set the sails in ´54 and got regognized nationwide in ´55, everybody else soon adapted this "new" style and changed from country to whats today categorized as Rockabilly and believe me, Grady Martin and Hank Garland were among the first ones...they knew..

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams The trio was playing rockabilly in Memphis honkytonks in the early fifties ....and actually cut a rockabilly record"You're undecided" in 1953..The first "true" rockabilly sessin GM sat in on was with the trio(P. Burlison) summer 1956..Since the trio was on national prime time seven times in 1956...along with Elvis..I'm sure many coutry artist re-tuned their guitars..

[whest]

@dburlison1 Grady Martin did not 'sit in' on the Burnette Nashville sessions-he was the session leader and the only electric guitarist present.

He had previously played on countless rock'n'roll records.

'You're Undecided' is a country record and does not have single trace of the rockabilly beat.

Neither of the guitar players on the re-make of 'Train kept a rollin' on this page can play it like the original,it's just an attempt to mimic the magic created by Grady Martin.

[dburlison1]

@whest Again you keep evading the question..When before or after did GM create the fuzz/distortion guitar sound found on the trio's cuts..1961..nothing close...When did GM copy the original.. If that is Grady Martin playing on Johnny Carroll's-Wild, Wild Women"...then I encourage anyone to listen to the Carrol recording to hear what Grady Martin rockabilly guitar sounded like when P. Burlison was not in the studio..After listening myself, I'm thinking Gm had very little play time on the trio's

[whest]

@dburlison1 There is no 'fuzz tone' on the Burnette records.You don't know what fuzz tone which is why you're confused.Fuzz tone afects the entire bandwidth not just one string which is Grady Martin is doing.Why do you think that no other records in the entire rock canon have been subjected to such scrutiny and revision?

'What a tangled web we weave,when first we practice to deceive'

Walter Scott 1771-1832

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 THERE AIN`T NO F....N "FUZZ" - TONE !!!!!! STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS B....T!!!!

It´s driving me crazy and I don´t give a damn about 1961! There ain´t no piece of broken equipment on these ´56 recordings, no lose tube or what ever. What we hear is Martin banging on his BIGSBY guitar. Even if there´s two guitars on some of them songs they are both played by Martin, he simply dubbed the second guitar, both are TYPICAL Martin. You can hear your dad play on "Tear it Up", thats his level.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams Interesting--Dubbing in 1956 single track recordings..You need to give a damn about 61..It was GM's first attempt to come up with a fuzz/dostortion sound for the first time..not too good..

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams If you really want to hear waht Grady Martins guitar sounded like 1n 1956..Just listen to Johnny Carols "Wild Wild Woman"...then come back and say Gm has the solo lead on the trio's classics..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 Put on Carroll´s june ´56 Decca release 9-29941 "Wild, Wild Women", aint talkin about the movie clip, thats different musicians..

About your beloved "Fuzz" - Tone: On the ´61 Marty Robbins tune it sure was a special effect, ´cause the sound was created by using a overdriven channel on the mixing console, but there aint no such thing on the ´56 Burnette Sessions, thats just a little amp distortion. whats this talk about "single track"?? They sure did dubs at Bradley´s, two recorders

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams For 1956...I'm sure most would agree ..The distortion on "Train Kept Rollin" and "Honey Hush" is more than a "little amp distortion" ...And again why didn't GM use this distortion before or after the trio sessions,,Maybe because P. Burlison wasn't there..He tried in 1961-"Don't Worry"..M. Robbins

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 "For 56..." wow, he has spoken! Do you have any clue about how many people worked distorted guitar sounds before 56???? This is not very special.

By the way, Martin is doing the same octave lick with the same distortion in the alternate version of "Please Don´t Leave Me", end of second lead break.. Anyway, I´m out for now, it has all been said a million times and I´m tired of your "fuzz tone, 1961, Grady Martin without P.Burlison" - postings. Good Lord, Im out!

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams What 's your proof thast GM is playing the distortion sounds on the trio's cuts vs P. burlison..Your opinion...by the way give us the different version Carrol's "Wild, Wild Women" here on youtube...WAITING..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 My proof? I wasn´t there, but its like looking at a photo showing the explosion of an atomic bomb somewhere in the desert...I wasnt there too but what I see on the picture isnt a tiny little fire cracker...its a massive bomb, the only bomb that creates a mushroom cloud in the sky. SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN GRADY MARTIN PLAYS HIS BIBGSBY GUITAR !!! Got it now??? I can tell by the sound and by the way its played. That aint your dad, his style and sound was totally different.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams In another post you say you never heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan,(a good friend of my dad who also played a fender) and now you are an expert on guitar sounds and styles..God help us all..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison1 never sad that I am an expert..all I said is that Martins sound can be easily identified cuz its unique...same thing with the sound of your dads fender guitar... About this cat Vaugahn... I don´t see no reason to implicate his name in this discussion...whats the point?

[whest]

@dburlison1 The proof is that Bob Moore who played bass said that Grady Martin was on guitar.

Do you think he's lying?

Paul Burlison was very good at grinning,bullshitting and posing for pictures but he wasn't on those records.

He knew it and so do you.

[dburlison1]

@whest The credits on the album include GM...you do not need Moore, but my dad played lead...As a golden gloves multi-times champion, you should be glad he has been dead for seven years..I'm sure he would kick you nerd ass, even at age 74

[whest]

@dburlison1 He didn't play lead or anything else.

There are no 'twin guitars'-there is one guitar and Grady Martin is playing it.

Moore is the only primary source left alive and you don't want to hear what he has to say-too uncomfortable for you.

Anyone reading this who thinks that Paul Burlison played the guitar on 'Train kept a Rollin' by Johnny Burnette just listen to 'When my Dreamboat Comes Home' by Grady Martin-it's on YouTube.

[dburlison1]

@kennyboiwilliams By the way the musicians, including guitar, on the movie clip

of Johnny Carrol.(youtube).are playing to a recoding-the record..If not then download a different version for all of us to listen to..I encourage any one to listen to the 1956

recording to see what GM sounded like without P. Burlison in the studio..

[kennyboiwilliams]

@dburlison: Like I said put on the Decca record...I dont care what they do there in the movie, thats a different version..

[LBpurpleunicorn]

very good like the artist and song~~ Keep rocking~ smiles and hugs ur friend