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The little-known rock guitarist who was 'better' than Jimi Hendrix

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LeglizHemp
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The little-known rock guitarist who was 'better' than Jimi Hendrix

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/16/us/history-of-chicago-guitarist-terry-kath/index.html

(CNN)One night backstage at Los Angeles' legendary Whisky a Go Go in the late 1960s, a young Midwestern saxophone player named Walt Parazaider felt a tap on his shoulder after performing with his newly formed band, Chicago Transit Authority.

"It was Jimi Hendrix," Parazaider remembered, smiling.

Hendrix, already well known at the time as a guitar wizard, had just watched the band's set.

"Walt, the horns are like one set of lungs," Parazaider said Hendrix told him. "And your guitar player is better than me."

That guitarist, Terry Kath, went on to be hailed by many as one of rock's greatest -- a "forgotten guitar god" who was "criminally underrated."

Terry Kath "Free Form Guitar" (1969)


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 7:23 am
axeman
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Serious question: what is the appeal in that link?


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 7:48 am
CanadianMule
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I prefer something like this.


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 7:59 am
BrerRabbit
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Whoa alright! It's the guitocalypse!


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 9:43 am
stormyrider
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Agree - Terry Kath was one of the most underrated guitar players ever
Danny Seraphine is also highly underrated as a drummer.


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 10:08 am
islalala
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Thank you for pointing this out! I've always liked the older Chicago stuff but never really knew much about their live stuff. Serious talent, especially Kath!

I watched clips from the '70 tanglewood show as well as the '77 shows and a few others. They are for real and totally understandable why Kath is underrated given the horn, harmony and song-orientatation that dominates their sound. I appreciate how he would play bass while Cetera played and sang one of his ballads. Dude had range and seemed to prefer to yield to his bandmates.

And do yourself a favor and watch that NYE hootenanny type of show from '74 with Beach Boys and Doobies. Holy cow I want to go to NYE show like that!!!! Looked fun as hell!


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 4:28 pm
crazyjoe
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Fer Sure! Seems Kath could have easily cranked the volume and made a show that focused on himself, but he didn't do that. Really an exquisite player.......Peace.....joe


 
Posted : December 27, 2016 7:39 pm
nebish
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Did Jimi say that Phil Keaggy was better than him too? Just wondering if that was his way of showing respect and praise for others.


 
Posted : December 30, 2016 7:40 pm
Stephen
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Seem to recall something about that, nebish -- that Jimi might've made that comment about Phil Keaggy on a TV talk show -- 2 tremendous players (Terry Kath, Phil Keaggy) -- Glass Harp's Live at Carnegie Hall is a Special recording


 
Posted : December 31, 2016 7:10 am
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