What about Kirk Fletcher? Anybody have him on their radar? For the last few years he's been one of my fave guitarists!
I'm unfamiliar with him, post a link or video?
Alright, here's a guy I'm crazy about:
Claydes Charles Smith from Kool & The Gang.
I had always liked R&B, Disco, and Funk music but, there was a particularly "dark" period of my life that didn't turn around until I was reminded of the true healing power of music. It sounds cheesy to say it... but I really attribute Kool & The Gang for saving my life.
I was beyond bummed, everything was going wrong, my bands latest record got shelved by our label, I was broke, I had no love in my life, and the loss of my greatest friend and musical
brother from a freak accident was the last straw in a long line of friends that had died. I probably should've gone to a doctor or something (
definitely should've) but something else happened instead, I heard "Get Down On It" while watching some crappy movie.
It was like I took a mega-dose of some antidepressant! I rewound the VHS tape a million times that night, soaking in what seemed like all the positivity in the universe. The simple message of a song that had only two chords challenged my cynicism and depression and
woke me the f@ck up!
I got up the next day and drove to
every record store until I finally drove 30 miles to Reckless and found a "best of" album. That ride home, stuck in traffic, was the beginning of my new life. A life where love, positivity, joy, compassion, and strength were all possible as long as I wanted to "get down" and got "my back up off of that wall".
If you're ever feeling troubled.. try listening to it a few times. Music is the most powerful drug I have ever known.
Charles was the sh!t. He was equally as adept at playing jazz as he was at crafting perfect pop songs. His jazzy playing on "Summer Madness" and other tunes has been sampled by a million DJ's and hiphop groups, the freaking harmony guitar parts on "Joanna", the full out "rock" of "Tonight" and his wailing intro to "Emergency" proves what a varied player he could be.
His band spanned three practically different careers, from big band funk, disco, and then finally to pop gods. Although he died in 2006, Charles' presence is still felt at every wedding, graduation, and birthday party in America. It's actually impossible to avoid "Celebration" being played at any or all of those events, even if you try to duck outside for a smoke or a slash.
Having to press buttons to dance to Hollywood Swinging in GTA San Andreas, Jungle Boogie (that moment in Pulp Fiction.. c'mon you knew Jules and Vince were badass when you heard that joint start), helping to get Will Smith off the radio and into movies with Summertime, assuring even ugly white chicks drink for free on Thursday's with Ladies Night appearing in Saturday Night Fever... Charles
changed the world and nobody has ever heard of him! Hell, I had to Google his name.
Heres an hour of summer for your cold-ass winter.
So much to choose from...