Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Welcome to my Talking Guitar podcast featuring Columbia Records producer John Hammond discussing the life and legacy of jazz guitar pioneer Charlie Christian.
One of the greatest talent scouts in the history of recorded music, Mr. Hammond signed and/or worked with a who’s-who of musical artists -- Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan among them. For fans of guitar music, one of Hammond’s greatest accomplishments was arranging to have Charlie Christian join Benny Goodman’s band in 1939. Playing alongside Goodman, Charlie demonstrated the potential of the electric guitar, then still in its infancy. Our interview took place on November 24, 1981, a few minutes after I finished my phoner with John Hammond’s brother-in-law, Benny Goodman.
For more insights into Charlie Christian, check out my podcast with Barney Kessel (youtube.com/watch?v=JZl81y7f7qc&t=11s). Transcriptions of these interviews were published in the March 1982 issue of Guitar Player magazine.
I hope you enjoy these unique, never-before-released recordings.
To help us continue producing podcasts, hit this link and send some much-appreciated support our way: paypal.me/TalkingGuitar.
Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for enhancing the sound of the 42-year-old master tape. Be sure to check out the other historic interviews on the Talking Guitar YouTube channel. For dozens more guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit Talking Guitar magazine at jasobrecht.substack.com/.
#charliechristian #bennygoodman #jazzguitar #electricguitar #jazzguitar
This podcast is copyright 2023 by Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
Welcome to my Talking Guitar podcast featuring Columbia Records producer John Hammond discussing the life and legacy of jazz guitar pioneer Charlie Christian.
One of the greatest talent scouts in the history of recorded music, Mr. Hammond signed and/or worked with a who’s-who of musical artists -- Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan among them. For fans of guitar music, one of Hammond’s greatest accomplishments was arranging to have Charlie Christian join Benny Goodman’s band in 1939. Playing alongside Goodman, Charlie demonstrated the potential of the electric guitar, then still in its infancy. Our interview took place on November 24, 1981, a few minutes after I finished my phoner with John Hammond’s brother-in-law, Benny Goodman.
For more insights into Charlie Christian, check out my podcast with Barney Kessel (youtube.com/watch?v=JZl81y7f7qc&t=11s). Transcriptions of these interviews were published in the March 1982 issue of Guitar Player magazine.
I hope you enjoy these unique, never-before-released recordings.
To help us continue producing podcasts, hit this link and send some much-appreciated support our way: paypal.me/TalkingGuitar.
Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for enhancing the sound of the 42-year-old master tape. Be sure to check out the other historic interviews on the Talking Guitar YouTube channel. For dozens more guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit Talking Guitar magazine at jasobrecht.substack.com/.
#charliechristian #bennygoodman #jazzguitar #electricguitar #jazzguitar
This podcast is copyright 2023 by Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
