Carol DM
Continuing with my new three part series. Famous left handed guitarists. From my research I have found 19 famous guitarists who are left handed. There are hundreds in total, but I am sharing only the most well known for this series.
I will break the series up into three parts. This is the second of three parts. If you missed the first one, you can find it here: Famous Left Handed Guitarists #1 of 3
1. Albert KingAlbert King was one of the most influential names in blues. He was also a lefty who played right-handed guitars (usually Gibson Flying Vs) upside down. Instead of learning to play with his right hand or restringing the guitar as many other left-handed guitarists chose to do, King simply learned to play the right-handed guitars flipped over with the strings in reverse order. This unusual technique forced the blues legend to find new ways to create the sounds he was after, and helped him create his original sound style.
2. Dick Dale
After pioneering the style of music known as surf guitar Dick Dale was crowned the King of the genre. Dale worked closely with Fender’s amplifier division and helped to push the boundaries of amp design, resulting in the production of the world’s first ever 100 watt model. He has mostly been associated with playing Fender Stratocasters and has his own signature model. Dale often played by reaching over the fretboard rather than wrapping his fingers up from underneath. He eventually went to a left-handed model guitar.
3. Otis Rush
Otis Rush is perhaps the most intense, soulful bluesmen of his era. Unlike most southpaw players, Otis plays guitar with the string order reversed, i.e. he has the low E on the bottom. Probably best known for playing Gibson ES 335 guitars. He often played with the little finger of his pick hand curled under the low E for positioning, which helped in part to produce his unique sound.
4. Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong is most widely known as being the guitarist and vocalist for Rancid, one of the most successful punk bands of all time. Tim has his own signature Gretsch guitars as well as a signature Fender acoustic dubbed The Hellcat.
5. Mikey Demus
Mikey Demus is the guitar player in Welsh band Skindred, who are widely acknowledged as being one of the best live acts in the world. He owns one of the most impressive collections of lefty guitars
6. Al McKay
Al McKay is best known for being the guitarist in American funk band, Earth, Wind and Fire, as well as for being a successful session musician in his own right. Al has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and has won five Grammy awards throughout his career.
7. Gregg Wright
Gregg Wright is an accomplished guitarist and studio musician. His musical career has seen him work with many various artists, including Michael Jackson, Berlin and Mick Fleetwood. Though he is right handed, he plays his guitar upside down like a left handed person.
Photo above is Gregg Wright playing with Michael Jackson on his last tour.
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Did you know any of these guitarists?
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Yes
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1. Yes
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2. No
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Albert King was a blues legend. Al McKay in Earth, Wind, and Fire is legendary as well.
Yes McKay is in my next series. Thanks!
Sorry, Al McKay is above, my mistake. 🙂
I haven’t heard anything about them unfortunately
I am just learning about many of these.
we have two lefties in our house!
great series. I have listened to the music of Albert King many times. He makes the blues, blue!
One here as well. I am already learning from this series. Trivia is so much fun.
it is thank you so much for sharing this!
It been long time did not heard any one of them
I am learning about many for the first time. Thanks for the comment!
Karen, I also found the info incorrect on this site: http://www.rocknrollhell.com/wright/
I have only heard of a couple of them, I will have to take a look at their work. Great series!
Thanks, I am once again learning as well.
Your facts are wrong on Gregg Wright. He does not play with his right hand. He is left handed, thus the name of his production company, Left Hook Music.
This is what I found… Though he is right handed, he plays his guitar upside down like a left handed person.
But I stand corrected if my source is wrong Karen. I thought you would be excited to see him dded and to see his photo. 🙂
I figured you would write him in. But if you look at the pictures on his website, on other websites you can see he is playing with his left hand. Yes, the guitar is turned around, but he is a leftie.
I have followed this guy since the 1970’s, been to numerous gigs, have his early records, and wrote an extensive article on him that was published on Associated Content several years ago. And yes, he is a good friend. Was surprised to see he was a mutual friend of a guy that lived around the corner from me in our old neighborhood.
He is amazing from what all I read. Apparently the source for this article I got this from was not correct. I appreciate your information.
What was that source? We need to get that corrected.
If you look, in order to play right handed with the guitar flipped, it would be very awkward!! And no hand to handle the neck of the guitar!
Karen, I actually sent them an email and right now his name has been taken off while it is edited, or so I was told.
I don’t know any featured guitarist
I found the subject interesting to research.