Guitar Tricks Insider May / June Issue | Page 49

R C N E EM 5 Albert Lee 6 John McLaughlin James Taylor, “Someone” (1972) Dave Edmunds, “Sweet Little Lisa” (1979) This up-tempo piece of rockabilly is legendary for Albert Lee’s chicken- pickin’ licks. His multi-string bends are worth the price of admission alone, emulating the sound of a pedal-steel guitar on a Telecaster. The “Little Lisa” session also explains why Mr. Lee became a secret weapon for everyone from Eric Clapton to Emmylou Harris. No question, the humble Englishman remains one of the greatest country pickers in history. MAY / JUNE James Taylor worked with unlikely guest John McLaughlin on this ballad from the One Man Dog album, which was recorded during the peak of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and written by the jazz-rocker. The resulting song is mystical and spacey, but not surprising considering John’s interest in Eastern philosophy. Over JT’s mellow acoustic fingerpicking, McLaughlin laid in high- speed improvisation, foreshadowing his Indian-fusion work with Shakti just a few years later. DIGITAL EDITION GUITAR TRICKS INSIDER 49