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.
Thank You Lord
Roy Buchanan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bless you, Lord, got to see my children pray
May not be the right way to pray
But I want to thank you anyway
Thank you, Lord
The opening line "Thank you, Lord, saw your sun shine today" in Roy Buchanan's song 'Thank You Lord' is a grateful expression for the beauty of nature and the light of life that shines even in the darkest moments. The sun is often seen as a symbol of hope, and the singer acknowledges and appreciates the fact that they had the opportunity to witness it.
In the next line, "Bless you, Lord, got to see my children pray," the singer reflects on the power of prayer and is grateful to have seen their children pray. They understand that there is no one correct way of praying but appreciate the spiritual practice nonetheless. By acknowledging the act of praying, they show reverence for a spiritual force that is beyond their control.
The final line, "May not be the right way to pray, but want to thank you anyway," is a simple statement of gratitude. Even though the singer may not be the most religious person, they still express thankfulness for whatever guidance or positivity that comes from the divine. This expression of both gratitude and humility is a powerful reminder of the importance of being thankful for what we have, even when it is not perfect.
Line by Line Meaning
Thank you, Lord
Expressing gratitude towards God for something positive in life
saw your sun shine today
Grateful for the beauty of nature and the warmth of sunlight
Bless you, Lord
Offering praise to God for blessings and good fortune
got to see my children pray
Thankful for the spiritual growth and well-being of loved ones
May not be the right way to pray
Acknowledging that there are different ways to worship and express faith
But I want to thank you anyway
Expressing sincere appreciation for blessings received, regardless of personal beliefs or methods of worship
Contributed by Adalyn L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.