On August 14, 1988 : Roy Buchanan dies at the age of
48
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Roy
Buchanan's reputation as " the world's Best Unknown Guitarist"
extends back to the beginnings of rock & roll itself. On the
road and recording with Dale Hawkins by his teens, Buchanan became
the law of the land around the Washington, D.C., area by the mid-to-late
'60 s.
His use of the Fender Telecaster, using high harmonic squeals
in place of feedback and distortion, was part and parcel of rock
guitar's vocabulary by the early '70 s. A reluctant superstar,
Buchanan later became more unfocused as his career waned, but
his unique stylings remain etched into his best records. Sadly,
when Buchanan seemed on the verge of a comeback . After he was arrested after a family fight at his home , in
Reston, Virginia, at 10 p.m.he hung himself in a police cell on
August 14 1988, on his own shirt. He left behind a number of records
which testify that he was a word class guitarist, capable of tones
and techniques that other guitarists only dream of, his wife,
seven children and five grandchildren.
Gary Moore paid tribute to Roy on his "After the War"
CD ,whit one of the best guitar ballads ever played, Roy's "
The Messiah Will Come Again " from "A Street Called
Straight".
"They called him "A Messiah on Guitar"
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