Tag Archives: session guitarist

Grady Martin

On December 3, 2001, Thomas Grady Martin died aged 72. He was musician (guitar), founder and leader of the band Grady Martin and Slew Foot Five (later Grady Martin and his Winging Strings). As a session guitarist he was member of the Nashville A-team, and in his 50-year career he recorded and performed with Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Leon Russell, Patsy Cline, J. J. Cale, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Horton, Conway Twitty, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson,  Arlo Guthrie, Brenda Lee, Don Woody, Sammi Smith, Marty Robbins, and Johnny Burnette. In March 2015, Martin was inducted in the “Country Music Hall of Fame”.

Eric Gale

On May 25, 1984, Eric J. Gale died aged 55. He was musician (guitar) and composer,  as session guitarist has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names of the music scene, including Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy McGriff, Benny Golson, Van Morrison, Bernard Purdie, Herbie Mann, Yusuf Lateef, Chico Hamilton, Sonny Stitt, Quincy Jones, Al Kooper, Lena Horn, Gabor Szabo, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Esther Philips, Chuck Rainey, Johnny Hammond, Stanley Turrentine,  David Newman, Hank Crawford, Grover Washington, Jr., Roberta Flack, Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws, Bob James, Joe Higgs, Van McCoy, Ron Carter, George Benson, Phil Upchurch, Tom Scott, Idris Muhammad, Ashford & Simpson, Cedar Walton, Stanley Turrentine, Blood, Sweat & Tears,  Paul Butterfield, Joe Cocker and David Ruffin. As leader he released twelve albums.