finetune artist: Speedy West/Jimmy Bryant

b. Wesley Webb West, 25 January 1924, Springfield, Missouri, USA, d. 15 November 2003, Broken Bow, Oklahoma, USA. An outstanding exponent of steel guitar playing, West worked with many noted performers, most of them California-based. These included the equally gifted guitarist Jimmy Bryant, as well as Hank Penny, Spade Cooley and Cliffie Stone, remaining with the latter from the late 40s through the 50s. In 1951, West was signed by Capitol Records and gained kudos from an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. After some success with singles, he collaborated on Two Guitars Country Style with Bryant. In the 60s, now freelancing, West's virtuoso playing earned him thousands of recording sessions with artists as varied, and as famous, as Bing Crosby, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Phil Harris, Jim Reeves, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Tubb. Becoming involved in the production side of recording, West worked with Loretta Lynn on her debut single. His role in Lynn's career was depicted by Billy Strange in the biopic, Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). In 1980 West was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame but virtually simultaneously a stroke put an end to his performing career. After a very difficult period, West reappeared on the music scene in non-performing roles but by the end of the decade had opted for retirement in Oklahoma. His son, Gary West, began his own career performing as Speedy West Jnr.

Listen to Speedy West/Jimmy Bryant at Finetune.

(1995) Stratosphere Boogie: The Flaming Guitars Of Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant

Old Joe Clark
Stratosphere Boogie
Arkansas Traveler
Blue Bonnet Rag
Flippin' the Lid

Mattz