# Recommend To Me The Best Slide Guitar Performances! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913 "2012-08-18T23:18:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/1 "2012-08-18T23:18:44Z")
I love the Ry Cooder style of delta blues slide. I’ve seen the jaw-dropping beer bottle video from Danny Gatton. What are your very absolute best slide guitar performances that you have heard? Please share them with us. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/2 "2012-08-18T23:53:38Z")
I’m a big Ry Cooder fan, and love the track “Yellow Roses” from “Chicken Skin Music” (as well as the rest of the album), recorded with the Hawaiian musicans Gabby Pahinui and Atta Isaacs…unfortunately the audio quality [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxxzhNUnTE) is pretty poor. ---
**Author:** ![Tad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tad)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/3 "2012-08-19T00:13:03Z")
Nice one [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH1rRMocWhM). Don’t know much about this guy, but he did [a really good job](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSonXDqJU7o). Of course, [Weldon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-qMPXH_xoc). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/4 "2012-08-19T00:35:29Z")
[http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262](http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262) Derek Trucks. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/5 "2012-08-19T00:40:25Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’ve seen the jaw-dropping beer bottle video from Danny Gatton. I’ve been looking for that clip for _years_. Well, not all that hard, but I’ve been keeping my eyes open for it. Problem was, I had it in my mind that it was Stevie, don’t know why. I swear I’ve mentioned that clip (mistakenly attributing it to Stevie) on here before, but I can’t seem to find it. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/6 "2012-08-19T01:01:03Z")
Rod Price did some really nice work with Foghat. One of my favorites is [Drivin’ Wheel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UscivHCSVgw). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/7 "2012-08-19T01:33:01Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > [http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262](http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262) > > Derek Trucks. Bad link, here’s a good one: [Slide Guitar: A Lesson on How It's Done - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/8 "2012-08-19T03:03:33Z")
David Lindley “Mercury Blues” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVeUyAscjKE) Duane Allman “Statesboro Blues” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ezPZxfS1jys/maxresdefault.jpg "The Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezPZxfS1jys) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/9 "2012-08-19T03:18:09Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Bad link, here’s a good one: [Slide Guitar: A Lesson on How It's Done - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506262) Also not a working link… ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/10 "2012-08-19T03:21:27Z")
> [@Tad](#): > > Don’t know much about this guy, but he did [a really good job](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSonXDqJU7o). Good Lord that’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/11 "2012-08-19T03:22:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ve been looking for that clip for _years_. Well, not all that hard, but I’ve been keeping my eyes open for it. Problem was, I had it in my mind that it was Stevie, don’t know why. > I swear I’ve mentioned that clip (mistakenly attributing it to Stevie) on here before, but I can’t seem to find it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xfBF4rr7FiA/hqdefault.jpg "Danny Gatton Slide") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfBF4rr7FiA) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/12 "2012-08-19T03:32:05Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfBF4rr7FiA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfBF4rr7FiA) I watched it earlier. I _very_ distinctly remember him using the beer bottle as as slide and noticing how much was spilling and then later draping the towel over the top and playing with his hand over the top of the fretboard. I don’t know when that was aired or where it came from, but if I had to guess, I would say I saw it probably 15 years ago or so and maybe on Austin City Limits. I used to watch a lot of that back in the day, when they used to play the ‘good’ bands instead of just anyone. But like I said, I always had it in my mind that it was Stevie, so I never managed to find it online, but those two images have always stuck with me since I saw it on TV. Another one that’s always stuck with me, but I do go back and watch it from time to time, is [Stevie and Jimmy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSjRggiSBrU) playing together…on the same guitar. If you don’t watch the whole thing, at least stick around until they swap. Jimmy can’t see what he’s doing for the entire second half. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/13 "2012-08-19T04:24:41Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Also not a working link… Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/14 "2012-08-19T04:45:27Z")
I think Duane Allman’s best slide playing is on the great album _Ton-Ton Macoute_ with Johnny Jenkins pre **The Allman Brothers**. [Rollin’ Stone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kPymdvbRxk) [Down Along The Cove](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYmOkvLXVY) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/15 "2012-08-19T07:01:40Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I think Duane Allman’s best slide playing is on the great album _Ton-Ton Macoute_ with Johnny Jenkins pre **The Allman Brothers**. > > [Rollin’ Stone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kPymdvbRxk) > > [Down Along The Cove](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYmOkvLXVY) You mean I’m not the only person who actually owns that cd? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/16 "2012-08-19T11:31:43Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Works for me. Me, too. And while I think Trucks is the best out there, the technically best guy, the Steve Vai / Eric Johnson gunslinger of the slide is Sonny Landreth ([YouTube link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf2k7WpkIxQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player)). Players like Roy Rogers are brilliant, too - and I am sure **gaffa** will post here to vote for Rev. Payton, who is a great player. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/17 "2012-08-19T19:07:21Z")
What?!?!?!?!?! Where’s Elmore James’ “Hawaiian Boogie” ??? J.B. Hutto??? Lil’ Ed??? And how about prewar: Barbecue Bob ??? Come ON! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/18 "2012-08-19T20:10:23Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Me, too. And while I think Trucks is the best out there, the technically best guy, the Steve Vai / Eric Johnson gunslinger of the slide is Sonny Landreth ([YouTube link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf2k7WpkIxQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player)). > > Players like Roy Rogers are brilliant, too - and I am sure **gaffa** will post here to vote for Rev. Payton, who is a great player. Wow. That Sonny Landreth is a good player, but he actually _sounds_ like Eric Johnson! And not just his tone either (which is almost a ringer for Eric’s) but his phrasings are often very similar. Except with a slide! Thanks for that…I’d not heard of him before. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/19 "2012-08-19T21:14:47Z")
> [@Atomic\_Mama](#): > > What?!?!?!?!?! > > Where’s Elmore James’ “Hawaiian Boogie” ??? > > J.B. Hutto??? > > Lil’ Ed??? > > And how about prewar: Barbecue Bob ??? > > Come ON! > > :smack: Sorry Ma’am - of course you’re right. But, per **FoisGrasIsEvil** ’s post, I knew he’d be looking for faster, more intricate work. **FG** - Landreth is a monster; he perfected a technique where he lifts the slide and frets behind it while still using the slide. The man is a freak. And yeah, he gets a nice round Eric Johnson tone. For slide-on-steroids but in a more old school vein, check out Roy Rogers; lemme see if I can find something representative… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913/20 "2012-08-19T21:20:25Z")
Okay, here you go: [Roy Rogers (slide guitar) - Outro Slide Instrumental - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvVOgn4RYKw&feature=youtube_gdata_player) ETA: just watched that link through. You’re welcome ;). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-to-me-the-best-slide-guitar-performances/631913.md?page=2)