Garland, Hank

Nashville studio guitar genius Hank Garland joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1945 when he was only 15, and went on to play on sessions by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Red Foley, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins, and many others. In 1961, however, he shook the country world by crossing over into the jazz scene with the superbly boppish and well-received Jazz Winds from a New Direction (which also features Dave Brubeck Quartet drummer Joe Morello and a 17-year-old Gary Burton on vibes). Although Garland's music won the admiration of such peers as Tal Farlow and would inspire George Benson and other budding greats, his own career was tragically cut short only months after Jazz Winds's release by a car accident that left him unable to play. Hank Garland passed away in 2004, but new generations of jazz and guitar fans continue to discover and be moved by his incredible artistry.