Biography of Hank Garland

Garland grew up outside Spartanburg, SC, listening to Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith and Mother Maybelle Carter on the radio as early inspirations. By his teens he had his own radio show, and his immense prowess on his instrument brought him to Nashville, where he signed as a solo artist in 1949 (as competition for the already established Merle Travis and Chet Atkins). But it was as a session player that Garland truly made his mark, playing on countless hits by Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Brenda Lee, and others. Along with Ernest Tubb's guitarist, Jimmy Byrd, he co-designed the still-popular Byrdland model for Gibson guitars in the early '50s. Garland's incredible talent was moving in a more jazz-oriented direction when an automobile accident in 1961 left his memory and coordination skills impaired, sadly putting his playing days to an end. ~ Cub Koda