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Born in
Minden, LA, on August 21, 1939, influential guitarist James Burton got
his start in the 1950s as a backup musician on the radio show Louisiana
Hayride, where he met Dale Hawkins. Hawkins' 1957 hit, "Suzie Q,"
was the first in a string of successes to feature the young Burton.
A six-year stint (1958-1964) recording and touring in Ricky Nelson's
band followed, subsequently landing him a couple of cameo bits on Ozzie
& Harriet.
Because of his brilliant and unique guitar skills — he perfected
a style he dubbed "chicken pickin'" — Burton quickly
landed jobs as a side musician for a diverse cast including: Buffalo
Springfield, the Monkees, Elvis Presley's band (from 1969 until Presley's
death in 1977), Gram Parsons, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, John Denver,
Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard (with the latter two he was an important
catalyst in the fine-tuning of the Bakersfield sound). He later lent
his talents to several Elvis Costello recordings as well as those by
Gillian Welch, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and countless others. With this
schedule, it is no surprise that Burton has only cut two records of
his own over a 40-year career; both his 1969 debut, Corn Pickin' and
Slick Slidin', and his 1971 offering, The Guitar Sounds of James Burton,
provide spotlights on his legendary pickin'.
This
bio courtesy www.allmusic.com
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