Buster B. Jones
| Buster B. Jones | |
|---|---|
 Buster B. Jones in Rietberg/Germany in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bradley F. Jones |
| Also known as | Buster B. Jones |
| Born | August 24, 1959 |
| Origin | Ames, Iowa |
| Died | February 2, 2009 (aged 49) |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist Songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1988–2009 |
| Associated acts | Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Merle Travis, Thom Bresh |
Buster B. Jones (August 24, 1959 - February 2, 2009) was an American guitarist specializing in the fingerpicking style.
Biography
Born Bradley F. Jones in Ames, Iowa, he first became known after entering Guitar Player Magazine's International Reader's Soundpage Competition in 1988[1] on a whim. He submitted an original composition, titled Back Porch Boogie, as well as a cover of Salty Dog Blues, recorded using a reel-to-reel recorder and then transferred to cassette using a boombox. Jones came in first place out of nearly 900 entries.[2] He went on to win the National Fingerpicking Championship at Winfield, Kansas in 1990.
In 1995, Jones became a spokesman for Godin guitars,[3] playing a custom instrument he named "Pearl" for the mother of pearl inlay of his name on the neck. He toured often, earning the nicknames "Le Machine Gun" and "Pistola" for his fast playing style. That same style earned the notice of Chet Atkins, who described Buster by saying; "Buster B. Jones is the best fingerpicker I've heard since Jerry Reed… He plays like he's double parked."[3]
Jones was also well known for his mentoring of young players and he appeared in 11 instructional videos demonstrating and explaining fingerstyle guitar technique.
Discography
Albums
Solo
1991
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Fingers in Flight | Flat Five Press & Recording Co. |
| Live at 'Five | Flat Five Press & Recording Co. | |
| n/a | Ballads and Barn Burners | n/a |
| 2002 | Just Us | Pazgunyak Music |
| 2005 | A Decade of Buster B. Jones
Flat Five Press & Recording Co. | |
| 2006 | In Concert | n/a |
Duet
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Guts & Steel: Goovemasters vol. 5: Thom Bresh & Buster B. Jones | Solid Air Records |
References
- ↑ Wheeler, Tom (July 1988). "The Winner!" (PDF). Guitar Player. pp. 48–50. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ↑ "Titles by: Buster B. Jones". Mel Bay. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- 1 2 "Godin Guitars Mourns Loss of Buster B. Jones". Guitar Player. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2016.