Roy Buchanan's (September 23, 1939 - August 14, 1988) musical career began … Read Full Bio ↴Roy Buchanan's (September 23, 1939 - August 14, 1988) musical career began in Pixley, California. His father was a sharecropper (not a Pentecostal preacher as Buchanan himself had claimed). Buchanan told how his first musical memories were of racially-mixed revival meetings his family would attend. "Gospel," he recalled, "that's how I first got into black music". He in fact drew upon many disparate influences while learning to play his instrument (although he later claimed his aptitude was derived from being "half-wolf"). He initially showed talent on the steel guitar before switching to the standard instrument in the early 50's.

In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.

The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.

Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.

In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.

Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.

His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.

He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.

Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.

Country Boy
Roy Buchanan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have you heard the story
Of a little country boy
He is always happy and full of joy
Nothing in this world that he's thinking of
All he really cares for is the one he love
And the moon above
Stars above
Heaven above

That is all he thinkin' of
Now you heard my story, darlin' can't you see
That little country boy, happens to be me

Have you heard the story
Of a little country boy
He is always happy and full of joy
Nothing in this world that he's thinking of
All he really cares for is the one he love
And the moon above
Stars above
Heaven above
That is all he thinkin' of

Now you heard my story, darlin' can't you see
That little country boy, happens to be me

Overall Meaning

Roy Buchanan's song "Country Boy" is a heartfelt and tender melody that tells the story of a simple and lovable country boy. The opening lyrics introduce us to this young man and reveal that he is always happy and full of joy. He is a man that is not consumed by the materialism and distractions of the world. Instead, his heart only has room for the one he loves and the beauty of nature that surrounds him.

The song emphasizes the young man's singular focus on the moon, the stars and the heaven, and how those elements are all he truly cares about. The simplicity of the song's themes speaks to the idea that the best things in life are often the simplest ones. The song, as a whole, portrays a man with a pure heart and a pure spirit.

Overall, "Country Boy" presents listeners with a touching story of the power of love and the beauty of a simple life.

Line by Line Meaning

Have you heard the story
Do you know about the tale

Of a little country boy
About a boy raised in the countryside

He is always happy and full of joy
He is constantly cheerful and content

Nothing in this world that he's thinking of
He doesn't concern himself with anything in the world

All he really cares for is the one he love
He only truly cares about his loved one

And the moon above
And the celestial body that lights up the night sky

Stars above
The small points of bright light in the sky

Heaven above
The concept of a divine afterlife

That is all he thinkin' of
Those are the only things on his mind

Now you heard my story, darlin' can't you see
Now that you've heard my tale, my dear, do you understand