Blues Legend Guitar Shorty Guests on Music Highway

One of the real payoffs for producing a radio show like Music Highway is having the extreme privilege of meeting some truly great artists from time to time. Earlier today Wes & I recorded a Music Highway show with blues legend Guitar Shorty who recently headlined the 15th Annual Shannon Street Blues & Heritage Festival here in Jackson, TN on June 3.

Shorty's set on Saturday night of the festival rocked the huge audience gathered there for a whoppin' two and a half hours. And, they loved every note of it!

This guy is an entertainer like few before him and even still occasionally spices up his act, he tells us, by turning a complete flip while playing the guitar (the story about the origin of this acrobatic on-stage endeavor will have you rolling in the floor as you listen to the actual broadcast of the upcoming Music Highway where Shorty appears).

To the casual music fan, and even some blues fans, Guitar Shorty may not be a name that is readily recognized right at first. But, when you begin to hear this man's story and where all his long career has found him you realize very quickly you are in the presence of Blues Royalty.

Shorty has played with some of the most notable names and legends in the business including a stint with fellow legendary R&B artist Ray Charles. Shorty was just 16 years old when "Uncle Ray", as he affectionately refers to him, sent his personal manager to check Shorty out. Upon hearing Shorty play for second time Ray's manager introduced himself and began a process of gaining Shorty's parents permission to hire the young virtuoso to play on the road in Charles' band.

Shorty also worked with other blues legends including Guitar Slim and others. One of his most notable claims to fame came because rock legend Jimi Hendrix used to go AWOL from the military to come out and sit at the feet of Shorty in concert and watch every move he made. Shorty was actually Hendrix's brother-in-law for a while while the elder musicians was married to Jimi's sister.

Listen close to Shorty's intense guitar licks, stylings, and musical inflections and you will swear you are listening to early Hendrix music. Shorty's influence ran through Hendrix's music for the remainder of Jimi's career until his untimely death a few years later.

The show we recorded with Shorty will air on Rock 92.3FM in the West Tennessee market on Sunday, June 11, from 9 till 10pm. This is one you just might want to roll the recorders on as this super talented gracious gentleman graced Wes and I for a solid hour with some of the most memorable and hilarious stories you will ever hear a musician relate. The show also includes a good sampling of Shorty's recordings that are guaranteed to mesmerize you as you listen to this guitar master work his magic.

If you have friends or aquaintenances that love the blues and enjoy the history of the genre by all means remind them of the upcoming broadcast on Sunday night June 11. It will certainly be more than worth it.