Richard Bennett's Genius on Steve Earle's “Guitar Town”

On this episode of Ask Zac, we take a deep dive into Steve Earle’s landmark 1986 album Guitar Town and, in particular, the incredible guitar work of Richard Bennett.

Bennett’s playing on the title track is a masterclass in taste, melody, and knowing exactly what a song needs. We’ll break down the licks, turnarounds, tic-tac parts, and that fantastic solo, and look at how Richard created so much musical impact with what might seem like a very unusual instrument: a vintage Danelectro six-string bass.

I’ll also talk about Richard Bennett’s background, his work with artists including Neil Diamond and Billy Joel, his move from Los Angeles to Nashville, and his growing role in the making of Guitar Town. There’s a great story behind how Richard ended up playing the “guitar solo” on the song, and why the instrument he chose helped create such a distinctive sound.

Along the way, I’ll put my own Jerry Jones Longhorn six-string bass through its paces and explain some of the things that make the original Danelectro six-string bass so unique.

Richard is one of my favorite guitar players, and I had the pleasure of interviewing him for Vintage Guitar back in 2005. I’ll also point you toward some of the sources I used, including David McGee’s Fearless Heart and my original Richard Bennett interview.

So grab your guitar, or just listen closely, and let’s dig into one of the great examples of Nashville guitar playing.

And if you haven’t listened to Guitar Town lately, go give the whole record another spin. It’s a classic.


My 2005 interview with Richard
https://www.askzac.com/post/richard-bennett-interview

Steve Earle with Richard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xp4OGarKJo

Steve, Richard, and Mike McAdam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yGhm8CviuE

www.truetone.com

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