Biography of Roy Buchanan

Buchanan's reputation as a hot-shot 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 '60s. 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 '70s. 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 in 1988, he hung himself in a police cell after he was arrested for public intoxication. He left behind a number of records which testify that he was a consummate guitarist, capable of tones and techniques that other guitarists only dream of. ~ Cub Koda