Two Classic Reed Tunes

[craigdobbins]

Here are two Reed tunes (The Claw and Jerry's Breakdown) played by the late Red Shea on Canadian TV a few years back. Red was Gordon Lightfoot's lead player in concert and on record during Gord's "golden" period.

Red was a truly great player, and contributed so much to Lightfoot's sound.

Craig

[RandeDager]

I always admire any backup guitarist who is also a soloist. I've never heard of Red until this post but am very impressed with his technique, although I'll never be so formal as to hold my guitar on my left leg like a classical guitarist. His minimization of finger movement is very impressive! Thanks for sharing that, Craig!

[rhirvine]

Really enjoyed it! Can someone tell me where Red is from? I played his introduction before "the claw" multiple times but couldn't catch that. Thanks

[Richard Hudson]

He was quite a guitar player. I don't think I have ever heard anyone do those two tunes any better, except Jerry himself. His timing and noting was very good. I did a quick google and found out that he passed away in 2008 from pancreatic cancer. He was a great one for sure. Thanks for bringing him to our attention, Craig.

[craigdobbins]

Thanks, Rande. Here's a Lightfoot staple, "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" from a BBC performance in 1972. Red played fingerpicking patterns, rolls, lead lines, and harmonies throughout- and wore a thumbpick, to boot!



Rich, Red was Canadian, as is Gordon.

Richard, glad you liked it. He didn't try to play 'em too fast, and majored on "feel", just like Jerry.

[PhilHunt]

My dad use to always blast on the stereo.."Did She Mention My Name" by ol' Gordon. I always loved the lead break on that tune.

[craigdobbins]

Jerry recorded a great- and very original- arrangement of Gordon's Early Morning Rain on the Ko-Ko Joe album.

[RonBloor]

Red Shea was a great guitarist for sure. He was from western Canada.. Prince Albert Saskatchewan. I talked with him on the phone not long before he passed. He lived just north of me, so I was asking him for some lessons, but at that time he told me his back was really sore and he didn't really want any more students. He didn't know it was cancer at that time. I don't think his faith would allow blood transfusions, so I don't think he had much treatment and passed shortly after our conversation. He sure had lots to say about working with Gordon Lightfoot and many others that came to Toronto. He said they would frequently call on him when they came to the city. He also had a fairly long association with CBC TV shows like "Country Hoedown" and "The Tommy Hunter Show", which exposed him to a number of country stars of that era.

[John Knowles]

Thanks for posting these clips, craig. That's two of the best performances of Reed's music I've seen. John

[gmoseley]

I agree, those are two of the best renderings I've ever heard. Its hard enough to play all the notes in their proper positions, but to "phrase" almost exactly like Jerry did it is darn near impossible. I always liked the 'classical positioning' of the guitar.....I think it puts the neck in front of you and makes it easier to reach the stretches, just my opinion. Red was a super picker indeed.