Scott Henderson Discussion

[muddytrane]

Scott,

First I just want to say that I saw Jeff Beck just a few days ago(with the great Buddy Guy!) and that man still amazes me with his playing, even at his age. He played some of the tracks off of the new album with the whole new band and he just keeps everything fresh and is always taking risks in moving forward in his career. He always has that edge about him and his playing that always keeps you interested in his music. I wanted to know if his use of the whammy is who you studied/listened to the most when you started using it more. He went through that period when he was actually criticized for too much whammy use but now he has a mastery of it's use and the sounds he gets from it and the way he picks using his fingers is amazing. It took me years and finally seeing him live many years ago to figure out how he made the sounds he gets from that darn thing! Anything else that he does in his playing that you have attempted to use in your playing? Thanks as always.

[Scott Henderson]

My first influence was Ritchie Blackmore - I didn't hear Jeff until many years later. Some of the stuff I do with the bar is influenced by both those guys, but my main influences are slide players and jazz pedal steel players like Junior Brown and Buddy Emmons. I always loved slide but was never very good at it, even though I attempt it from time to time on my albums. When I play, especially swing, I'm hearing slide guitar in my head, and the bar became my way of doing it.

[muddytrane]

I'm so glad that you mentioned and know about both Junior Brown and the late Buddy Emmons. I've been lucky enough to see both of them live and what a treat. BB King also used to say that he had "stupid fingers" and learned his signature vibrato trying to sound like a slide player. Junior's Guitsteel is another of those stringed instruments that falls under those I asked you about in another thread of trying to play (Chapman Stick) that you said you were still trying to master six strings and leave it to them! I've always been a big Elmore James fan that brought me to listening to Duane Allman's great slide work. I really love Sonny Landreth's slide work too. I always noticed that your use of the whammy bar picked up and now I know why. Thanks for the great insights into your playing. Keep making great music and PLEASE come back to the DC area before I die!