1) Guitar Shorty w… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists with the name 'Guitar Shorty':
1) Guitar Shorty was American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter David William Kearney (born on 8 September 1934 ; died 20 April 2022) who was known for his explosive guitar style and wild stage antics.
2) Guitar Shorty was American acoustic blues guitarist John Henry Fortescue (born on 24 January 1923; died 26 May 1976).
I. Guitar Shorty (born David William Kearney on 8 September 1934 ; died 20 April 2022), was an American blues guitarist. Due to both his musical talents and performing stage antics such as somersaults and back flips, he has been considered "among the leading live acts on the blues scene."
Shorty was born in Houston, Texas but grew up mainly in Kissimmee, Florida, where he began playing the guitar at an early age and began heading a band not long after. During his time in Tampa Bay, Florida, he received his nickname, Guitar Shorty, when it mysteriously showed up on the marquee of the club he was playing as The Walter Johnson Band featuring Guitar Shorty. He steadily began to garner accolades from his peers and, at the age of 16, he joined the Ray Charles Band for a year. He then recorded his first single in 1957, "You Don't Treat Me Right", under the direction of Willie Dixon when Dixon saw him playing with the Walter Johnson orchestra. Eventually, he would join Guitar Slim's band and move to New Orleans, Louisiana.
While in New Orleans, Shorty also fronted his own band which played regularly at the Dew Drop Inn where he was joined by special guests such as T Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner and Little Richard. Not one to stay in one place long, Shorty next moved to the west coast at 19 in order to play with Sam Cooke. He played up and down the west coast and Canada until he met his future wife, Marcia, in Seattle, Washington. His new wife turned out to be the half-sister of Jimi Hendrix, who attended several of Shorty's gigs and possibly being influenced by Shorty. Jimi was so enthralled with Shorty’s playing, he attended several of Shorty's gigs in the Seattle area. As Shorty’s popularity grew, he recorded three singles for the Los Angeles-based Pull Records label in 1959.
In 1985, he released his first album On the Rampage on Olive Branch Records. Shorty soon got a record deal with New Orleans based Black Top Records. Topsy Turvy, his first on Black Top, came out in 1993. The album featured some fresh new songs as well as remakes of three classic numbers from his Pull days back in 1959. He released two more albums on Black Top in the 1990s. When Black Top folded in 1999, Shorty moved to Evidence Music, and released I Go Wild! in 2001.
In 2002, he was featured on the Bo Diddley tribute album Hey Bo Diddley - A Tribute!, performing the song "Don't Let It Go (Hold On To What You Got)". He joined Alligator Records in 2004. His album that year, Watch Your Back and his 2006 album We the People both charted on the Billboard Top Blues Albums at numbers eleven and twelve, respectively. Billboard said of We The People, "it’s difficult to imagine that he ever tracks a better album than this one."
An Alligator Records CD ' Bare Knuckles was released in March 2010. He was then based out of Harlingen Texas where he met an up and coming guitarist named Sal Gomez. He mentored the guitarist and brought him on with his road band from 2010 until 2012. Sal left a lasting impression on Guitar Shorty for some of the more modern techniques he applied with the standard playing of blues guitar. "He is a baaaaaaaaaad boy" was frequently said by Guitar Shorty at most of the shows Sal played. Guitar Shorty's guitar is named Red.
Shorty made an appearance on Chuck Barris' Gong Show, winning first prize for performing the song "They Call Me Guitar Shorty" while balanced on his head. Shorty and his wife eventually settled in Los Angeles, California. By the 1990s, Shorty started to record his own studio albums, starting with the UK-based JSP Records release My Way or the Highway in 1991, which won him a W.C. Handy Award and garnering him interest from labels in the United States. His 2004 album Watch Your Back and his 2006 album We the People have seen his best work yet with both charting on the Billboard magazine Top Blues Albums at numbers eleven and twelve, respectively.
Official Site
2) Guitar Shorty was American acoustic blues guitarist John Henry Fortescue (born on 24 January 1923; died 26 May 1976).
He recorded for Trix in 1972 and 1973. Besides his Trix recordings, Shorty recorded at least two sides for Savoy in 1952, as "Hootin' Owl".
In the original liner notes to Trix LP 3306, William Bentley claims that Shorty always tuned his guitar to EAEGBE, and always played with a slide on his little finger, though he didn't always use it in a given song.
His recordings can be accompanied by humming, whistling (he was a great whistler), scat singing, falsetto passages, a vocal imitation of a harmonica solo, and spoken asides in which he often does several different voices playing different parts.
Hey Joe
Guitar Shorty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where'd ya find that pearly girlie
Where'd ya get that jolly dolly
How did ya rate that dish I wish was mine
Hey Joe!
She's got skin that's creamy dreamy
Eyes that look so lovey-dovey
Now listen Joe, I ain't no heel
But oh buddy let me tell you how I feel
She's a honey, she's a sugar pie
I'm warnin' you I'm gonna try to steal her from you
Hey Joe!
Though we've been the best of friends
This is where that friendship ends
I gotta have that dolly for my own.
(Hey Joe!)
(Hey Joe!)
Hey Joe!
Come on let's be buddy buddies
Show me you're my palsy-walsy
Introduce that pretty little chick to me
Hey Joe!
Quit that waitin', hesitatin'
Let me at 'er, what's the matter
You're as slow as any Joe can be
Now come on Joe let's make a deal
Let me dance with her to see if she is real
She's the cutest girl I've ever seen
An' I tell ya face to face I mean to steal her from you
Hey Joe!
We'll be friends until the end
But this looks like the end my friend
I gotta have that dolly for my own
I've gotta have that dolly for my own
(Hey Joe, Hey Joe)
In the song "Hey Joe" by Guitar Shorty, the lyrics are about a man named Joe who has a beautiful girlfriend. The singer of the song is jealous of her and wants to steal her from Joe. The lyrics describe the physical features of the girlfriend, referring to her as a "pearly girlie," a "jolly dolly," and having "skin that's creamy dreamy," and "lips as red as cherry berry wine." The singer makes a deal with Joe to dance with the girlfriend to see if she is "real," but ultimately declares that he must have her for himself.
The themes of jealousy and desire are prevalent throughout the song. The singer is envious of Joe's relationship and wants what Joe has, displaying a sense of competitiveness and possessiveness. The lyrics also reflect societal norms of the time, where a woman was viewed as a possession of the man she was in a relationship with. The song ends with the singer stating that he must have the girlfriend for himself, even if it means the end of his friendship with Joe.
Overall, "Hey Joe" is a song about desire and the lengths people will go to possess what they want. The lyrics showcase the societal norms of the time and the competitive nature of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Joe!
Addressing Joe, asking him for his attention
Where'd ya find that pearly girlie
Asking Joe where he found the attractive woman
Where'd ya get that jolly dolly
Asking Joe where he got the pretty girl
How did ya rate that dish I wish was mine
Asking Joe how he managed to get such a desirable woman
She's got skin that's creamy dreamy
Describing the woman's complexion as being soft and pleasing to look at
Eyes that look so lovey-dovey
Saying that the woman has attractive eyes that make her seem flirtatious and affectionate
Lips as red as cherry berry wine
Saying that the woman's lips are a bright red, similar in color to cherry berry wine
Now listen Joe, I ain't no heel
Not wanting to come across as a bad person
But oh buddy let me tell you how I feel
Explaining to Joe that he has feelings for the woman
She's a honey, she's a sugar pie
Saying that the woman is sweet and attractive
I'm warnin' you I'm gonna try to steal her from you
Telling Joe that he plans to pursue the woman despite their friendship
Though we've been the best of friends
Acknowledging that they have been close friends
This is where that friendship ends
Suggesting that their friendship may be over due to the situation
I gotta have that dolly for my own.
Stating that he wants the woman to be his
(Hey Joe!)
(Hey Joe!)
Repeating the opening line to get Joe's attention again
Come on let's be buddy buddies
Asking Joe to reconcile and become friends again despite the conflict
Show me you're my palsy-walsy
Asking Joe to demonstrate that he is a loyal friend
Introduce that pretty little chick to me
Asking Joe to introduce him to the woman he finds attractive
Quit that waitin', hesitatin'
Telling Joe to stop waiting and being indecisive
Let me at 'er, what's the matter
Asking Joe why he is holding back from letting him pursue the woman
You're as slow as any Joe can be
Comparing Joe's indecisiveness to that of a typical person named Joe
Now come on Joe let's make a deal
Proposing that they come to an agreement about the woman
Let me dance with her to see if she is real
Asking Joe for permission to spend time with the woman and get to know her better
She's the cutest girl I've ever seen
Saying that he finds the woman to be very attractive
An' I tell ya face to face I mean to steal her from you
Being honest with Joe and saying that he intends to pursue the woman despite their friendship
We'll be friends until the end
Saying that they will be friends no matter what happens
But this looks like the end my friend
Admitting that the current situation may put a strain on their friendship
I gotta have that dolly for my own
Reiterating that he wants the woman to be his
(Hey Joe, Hey Joe)
Repeating the opening line one last time to get Joe's attention
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Billy Roberts
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
piandey
c'est clair que ce musicien devrait avoir une place en or au Panthéon du blues .....talent redoutable , standing ovation !!!!
Dan Taylor Sr.
See this man live. Incredible!
Nunya Bizness
I used to DJ blues and blues/rock mostly online but I was picked up by several radio stations around the world. One day I made a comment that I liked to collect different versions of Hey Joe, and people started sending me what versions they had, even some of their own stuff I was happy to play. In all, I have more than 450 versions, and this one is still my all time favorite.Shorty's percussive, aggressive, and still soulful attack is a thing of beauty, and combined with his heartfelt vocals and just pure feel make this a blues masterpeice.
Kurtis Hoover
Wow thats a lot of competition..Roy Buchanan ranks up there with me
Nunya Bizness
@Kurtis Hoover If you want to hear something kind of cool, check out the cover by Djate, a reggae musician who's kind of hard to find. It's not as good as Roy's excellent version, but it's the only reggae version I've heard, and it does have some really nice acid guitar that kind of burns through it, with a nice solo at the end.
ramspace
I am 63, and year 2020 is the year I discovered Guitar Shorty. Hallelujah!
6stringslayer
You can compare Shorty's skills to those of other players as much as you want. He's a hardcore veteran at this guitar player game, & still here to kick it for you live. I've seen him perform numerous times as the "Legend" I repeat the "Legend" that he is. He hasn't disappointed me or anybody else in the audience while on stage. This is actually the down side of his career. Listen, his brother in law Jimi Hendrix used to go AWOL from armed service duty to witness a Guitar Shorty performance. Jimi ended up borrowing several of Shorty's signature techniques and implementing them into his performances. Those same tricks became a good part of what people remember about Hendrix. I discussed this with Shorty in person, and he aint mad @ Jimi. He just said "He made the most of them!" BTW did you notice the doubled swelling and panning guitar lines in Shorty's solo here? He achieves a Flipping phenomenal audio spectrum, then brings it back to a single line. He's got a good studio brain too! I ain't looking back, pardon any typos you may find in my rant! If you're some decent level of player, hit a lick for shorty and keep on pimping that ax for all it's worth. jix renson, December 2016!
MyMoppet52
Thanks for all your info. I tried to briefly explain how great Guitar Shorty is if you click the drop down. I was ill when I posted this & it's a bit lame. Appreciate you info and your comment! My best, Moppet
6stringslayer
MyMoppet52 You did a great job discussing and describing Shorty! I didn't know about the Willy Dixon work. Stay Well and keep doing this great work! J. Renson
MyMoppet52
Thanks so much. I often have a ton of info, but I wasn't doing so great. I actually made a few posts yesterday, so think I'm finally back! (Have another surgery, but don't think it will mess me up like this past year.) Your words are so kind, Moppet