Columbia Records Producer John Hammond Remembers Charlie Christian (Audio)

Our 1981 "Guitar Player" Interview

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, Hammond signed and/or worked with a who’s-who of musical artists -- Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, 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, which was still in its infancy. Our interview took place on November 24, 1981.

For more insights into Charlie Christian’s personality, playing style, techniques, and contributions to the development of jazz guitar, check out “Barney Kessel: The Complete 1981 ‘Charlie Christian’ Interview.” Transcriptions of the Hammond and Kessel interviews were published in the March 1982 issue of Guitar Player magazine.

I hope you enjoy our unique, never-before-released recordings. If you’re a paid subscriber, thank you for helping to produce our podcasts. If you’re not and would like to support the Talking Guitar project, become a paid subscriber and/or hit the donate button and send some much-appreciated support our way.

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.

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