James Burton has become the 17th artist to be inducted into both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And at 84, Burton is one of four double inductees who are still alive, the others being Willie Nelson (91), Brenda Lee (79) and Dolly Parton (78).
Now you can’t be blamed for asking an obvious question: “Just who is James Burton?”
Because, for the most part, Burton is not listed as a recording artist as such. You are most likely to see his name attached to a musical production in the liner notes and musician credits on an album sleeve.
For Burton is indeed one of the most talented lead guitarists of his generation and so good that he was the guitarist-of-choice to such music legends as Elvis Presley, John Denver, Ricky Nelson, The Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, the Monkees, Glenn Campbell and countless other big names. He is listed at 24 on Rolling Stone ’s 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
The fact that Burton now shares the double inductee status of both Hall of Fames with Elvis is especially significant. For he was indeed band leader of The King’s “TCB Band” from 1969 to 1977, playing with Presley for most of the second half of his career before his untimely death in 1977. And Presley’s live shows became famous for his quip “play it, James,” as a cue for the guitar solos.
There is no denying that Elvis earned his stripes in Nashville. In the summer of 1970 he famously participated in what became known as the “marathon sessions,” recording an amazing 30 songs in just five days at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio B. And in that very studio also was Burton, taking the guitar lead surrounded by a dozen or so musicians.
Burton’s contribution to country music is somewhat more entrenched than Elvis. What makes it so significance is that he recorded with such a variety of country stars. And this mix - including Campbell, Cash, Denver, Harris, Chris Hillman, Brad Paisley, Rodney Crowell - traverses the various genres in the country spectrum.
“So much of my career was spent playing for incredible country artists and to be now going up on that great wall with all those innovators and industry greats is just incredible,” Burton said when his induction was first announced.
In fact, Burton himself ranks among those innovators. Any retrospective of his career would define the pivotal role he played in developing and, indeed, defining what has become known as Americana music.
It began when he joined a number of supporting musicians on the Byrds’ 1968 album “The Notorious Byrd Brothers.” It was their fifth album, and the last with original members Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Gene Clark and Michael Clarke. There was much tension during the recording sessions and as a result Crosby and Michael Clarke were kicked out of the band. And Gene Clark too would quit.
One of the new members enlisted to replace the originals was a young multi-instrumentalist named Gram Parsons who married his love of rock with his infatuation with country. He would find a like-mind in Hillman who had played in a number of bluegrass bands before joining the Byrds. So, it was hardly a surprise when the next album Sweetheart of the Rodeo – the only one featuring Parsons – became probably the first album to be recognized as progressive country, a forerunner to Americana.
Burton did not work on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, or indeed any other albums by the Byrds. But his influence on country rock was about to become more profound. For in 1972 Parsons decided he was over dipping into – and falling out of – bands and it was time to start a solo career. He had, after all, one of the best voices in the business.
But he needed a good backing band and this is where Hillman, by now close to Parsons, came into play. Hillman, who, of course, worked with Burton during his one-album association with the Byrds, soon persuaded Gram that James was the lead guitarist he needed on his original solo album GP. Burton brought with him two other core members of the Elvis Presley band – keyboardist Glen D. Hardin and drummer Ronnie Tutt. Unfortunately, Parsons was unable to take the trio on the album’s promotional tour as they had prior commitments with TCB.
In the formation of Gram’s backing band, there was another Hillman-influenced decision that would forever change country music. Parsons had told Hillman that he wanted a “good chick singer” to do backing vocals and Hillman suggested he check out an unknown young artist playing on the DC folk circuit. Her name was Emmylou Harris.
Harris would indeed join Gram’s backing band for both GP and his second album Grievous Angels, released in January 1974, around four months after his sudden death. Burton too would also play on the second release. But, unlike Burton, Harris joined that 1973 tour with a bunch of specially-recruited musicians Gram dubbed the Fallen Angels. The 1982 release Live 193 (Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels) is a delightful snap-shot of how Gram and his backing were lifting the bar in country rock.
His harmonies with Harris are simply sensational. The pair’s cover of the old Everly Brothers hit “Loves Hurt” – off Grievous Angels - is regarded as one of the finest duets in modern music.
It was therefore a no-brainer that after Gram’s death, Harris would kick-start her solo career – she had already recorded a little-known folk album Gliding Bird in 1969 – and she was soon signed by Reprise-Warner Bros. But, like Parsons, she first had to recruit a backing band and the story goes that one music executive quipped: “She needs a hot band.”
And so the Hot Band was formed. It would become one of the best in the business and certainly sow the seeds for the blooming of Americana Music. And who was the first choice for lead guitarist? Yes, none other than one James Burton. He would appear on seven Harris albums from 1975 through 1981 and during this time he would rub shoulders with such Hot Band big names as Crowell, Ricky Skaggs, Albert Lee, Hank de Vito and Hardin.
All in all, the Hot Band would contribute to Emmylou’s fame, not only for having one of the most remembered voices in contemporary music, but also redefining country music.
Burton’s work with Harris still clashed with his touring commitments with Elvis, especially in 1975-76. These, of course, ended with Presley’s sudden death in 1977. But just before Elvis died, Burton had been asked to play on a John Denver television special. It would mark the start of a 16-year association with Denver during which time they would tour the world and record 12 albums together. When Denver too died suddenly, in an air crash in 1997, Burton spoke at his memorial service.
Burton’s primary guitar has always been a Fender Telecaster. He began with a blonde model his parent s bought him in the early 50’s. But his most popular model was a 1969 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster he used while with Elvis in the 70’s and it appeared occasionally during his touring with Denver. His style of lead playing is known as “James’ legendary chickin’ pickin’” and is regarded as hybrid because he uses a flat pick between his thumb and index finger and a fingerpick on his middle finger.
The induction of James Burton into the Country Music Hall of Fame is his fourth such honor. He is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame and in 2001 was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when none other than long-time admirer Keith Richards – old buddy of Gram Parsons – delivered Burton’s induction speech.
And it was the Rolling Stone who stole the limelight at the 2024 Medallion Ceremony for the Country Hall of Fame in Nashville on October 20. Richards made a surprise appearance when he arrived on stage, guitar in hand, and performed with Harris and Vince Gill, who this time inducted Burton. And another Elvis – Elvis Costello – also turned up to pay tribute and Burton responded from the front row with a sudden hand-shake.
“All these guys I work with, they’re all my heroes,” a humble Burton said on accepting the honor. “I love them all and I thank God for making this all happen.”
Burton, who hails from Louisiana, was elected into the Country Music Recording and/or Touring Musician category, which is awarded every third year in rotation with the Songwriter and Non-Performer categories. There were two other artists honored this year. Toby Keith, who died in February, was an inductee in the Modern Era category and John Anderson was named in the Veteran Era category.
Paul Cutler
Editor Crossroads – Americana Music Association
Comments