James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in

Dubberly, Louisiana Dubberly is a village (Louisiana), village in Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 290 at the 2000 United States Census, 2000 census. It is part of the Minden, Louisiana, Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area. Form ...

) is an American guitarist. A member of the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan Keith Richards), Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Critic Mark Deming writes that "Burton has a well-deserved reputation as one of the finest guitar pickers in either country or rock ... Burton is one of the best guitar players to ever touch a fretboard." He is ranked number 19 in Rolling Stone list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. Since the 1950s, Burton has recorded and performed with an array of singers, including Bob Luman, Dale Hawkins, Ricky Nelson,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

(and was leader of Presley's TCB Band),

The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell,

John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...

, Gram Parsons,

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning seven decades. An Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her ec ...

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made ...

Claude King Claude King (February 5, 1923 – March 7, 2013) was an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his million selling 1962 hit, "Wolverton Mountain". Biography King was born in Keithville in southern Caddo Parish south ...

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

Joe Osborn Joseph Osborn (August 28, 1937 – December 14, 2018Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...

Hoyt Axton Hoyt Wayne Axton (March 25, 1938 – October 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voic ...

, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Young,

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...

, and Suzi Quatro.

Biography

Early life and career

Burton was born in Dubberly in south Webster Parish near

Minden Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...

, Louisiana, to Guy M. Burton (1909–2001) and the former Lola Poland (1914–2011), a native of rural Fryeburg in Bienville Parish. She was the daughter of James and Althius Poland. Burton's wife is Louise Burton. Self-taught, Burton began playing guitar during childhood. He was hired to be part of the staff band for the popular '' Louisiana Hayride'' radio show in Shreveport. While he was still a teenager, Burton left Shreveport for

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, where he joined Ricky Nelson's band. There, he made numerous recordings as a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

. Burton created and played the guitar solo on Dale Hawkins 1957 hit song " Susie Q", a record that would become one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

With Rick Nelson

Burton played guitar on the majority of Rick Nelson's songs recorded during the first 11 years of Nelson's career, beginning with his premiere at Master Recorders in Hollywood on November 18, 1957, for the classic " Stood Up"/"

Waitin' in School "Waitin' in School" is a rock and roll song written by Johnny Burnette and Dorsey Burnette. The song was recorded by Ricky Nelson, and peaked at number 18 in the U.S ''Billboard'' Hot 100 of 1958. It is considered one of the best examples of Ne ...

" rockabilly single (Burton was relegated to rhythm as Joe Maphis was still playing lead guitar at the time). In 1965 he started working on the television program '' Shindig!'' which curtailed his touring with Nelson. However, Burton continued contributing to his friend's studio albums through the ''Perspective'' sessions in April 1968.

As a studio musician

The ''Shindig!'' exposure led to recording session work with a variety of artists, mostly as an unattributed sideman. In 1967 Burton played Dobro on the Richie Furay song, "A Child's Claim To Fame" on

Buffalo Springfield Buffalo Springfield was a rock band formed in Los Angeles by Canadian musicians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin and American musicians Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely known for the song "For What It's Worth", relea ...

's second album, '' Buffalo Springfield Again''. Due to the volume of work, Burton turned down an offer to join

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's first touring band, and another offer to play on Elvis Presley's 1968 comeback TV special ''

Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

''.

With Elvis Presley

In 1969, Presley again asked Burton to join his show in Las Vegas, and, this time, Burton accepted. Burton organized the TCB Band, serving as its leader, and backed Presley from 1969 until Presley's death in 1977. A hallmark of Elvis' live shows during this period was his exhortation, "Play it, James," as a cue for the guitarist's solos. For the first season in Vegas in 1969, Burton played his red standard Telecaster. Shortly thereafter, he purchased the now familiar pink paisley custom Telecaster. Burton was not sure that Elvis would like it; however, since Elvis did, Burton used it for every show. Since 1998, Burton has played lead guitar in '' Elvis: The Concert'' which reunited some of Elvis' former TCB bandmates, background singers and Elvis' orchestral conductor Joe Guercio (mostly from the "concert years" 1969–1977) live on stage.

With John Denver

During 1975 and 1976, while still touring with Presley, Burton was one of the first members to join and tour with

as part of her backing band, the "Hot Band", after the death of Gram Parsons. He was joined by a cast of talented musicians which included his bandmate with Presley,

Glen D. Hardin Glen Dee Hardin (born April 18, 1939) is an American piano player and arranger. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, and Ricky Nelson. Career Hardin was born in Welling ...

, and newer musicians which included

Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...

. However, once Presley was ready to return to the road, Burton returned to perform with him, although the others, including Hardin, elected to continue with Harris. Just before Presley died in 1977, Burton was called to play on a

television special. During the taping, Denver asked if Burton would consider going on a European tour. Burton said he was working with Elvis, but if scheduling permitted, he would be glad to go. Shortly after Elvis' death, Burton began a regular collaboration with Denver. The first album they recorded was '' I Want to Live''. During the sessions, Burton and Denver talked about a band. Glen Hardin and Jerry Scheff, from Presley's band, joined the new band too. Burton remained a member of Denver's band until 1994, but often toured in parallel with other artists including

. In the 16 years Burton worked with Denver, they recorded 12 albums and toured around the world. While touring with Denver, Burton carried several instruments, including backup

Dobro Dobro is an American brand of resonator guitars, currently owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar. The Dobro was originally ...

s and a spare 1969 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster he had used as a touring guitarist with

during the 1970s. He rejoined Denver in 1995 for the Wildlife Concert. When Denver died in 1997, Burton spoke at his memorial service in Aspen, Colorado.

Recent career

Burton's later career included work with Ricky Nelson,

, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons,

and

. Beginning with ''

King of America ''King of America'' is the tenth studio album by British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello, credited to "The Costello Show featuring the Attractions and Confederates" in the UK and Europe and to "The Costello Show featuring Elvis Costel ...

'' (1986), Burton recorded and toured with

intermittently for about a decade. In 1988, he was a prominent part of the acclaimed Cinemax special, ''

Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...

''. In 1990, Burton moved back to his hometown of Shreveport permanently. In fall 2004, Burton recorded ''Matt Lucas-Back in the Saddle Again'', a sequel to the Matt Lucas album ''The Chicago Sessions''. The album features rockabilly and country music, and was released in May 2006 by Ten O Nine Records. In 2005, Burton started the annual James Burton International Guitar Festival to raise money for his charitable foundation. The festival is held in the Red River District of Shreveport. In 2007 he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN as a member of the L.A. session player group known as The Wrecking Crew. In 2008, Burton was asked by Brad Paisley to play on his upcoming album Play: The Guitar Album. Burton went along for the ride and played on an instrumental track called "Cluster Pluck," as did

, Steve Wariner,

Redd Volkaert Redd Volkaert (born 1958) originally from Canada, is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players in the modern era and is "among the country’s top Telecaster guitar slingers." particularly in the genres of Western Swing and Honky Tonk. ...

Albert Lee Albert William Lee (born 21 December 1943) is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked, both in the studio and on tour, with many famous musicians from a wide range of genres. He has also mai ...

, John Jorgenson, and Brent Mason. At the

51st Grammy Awards The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the b ...

in 2009, the song won Best Country Instrumental Performance. On August 22, 2009, on stage at his James Burton International Guitar Festival, James Burton was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. On July 15, 2010, ''Rolling Stone'' Magazine announced that Eric Clapton and James Burton would provide backup guitars on the track "You Can Have Her" for the Jerry Lee Lewis album ''Mean Old Man'', scheduled for release in fall 2010. In 2011, Burton was named one of "Five Living Legends of Shreveport" by Danny Fox (1954–2014) of KWKH radio, along with Bob Griffin of

KSLA KSLA (channel 12) is a television station in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power, Class A Telemundo affiliate KTSH-CD (channel 19). The two stations share studios on Fai ...

and KTBS-TV and

Hank Williams Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...

Two others, Frank Page and

, died in 2013. On June 9, 2012, Burton appeared in Shreveport at the Municipal Auditorium for a presentation of

Garrison Keillor Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (; born August 7, 1942) is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' (called ''Garrison Keillor's Radio ...

's '' Prairie Home Companion''.

Equipment

Burton works with a variety of amplifiers to provide flexibility and a wide range of sounds. He has used a Music Man 210-150, an old Fender Twin with K model Lansing speakers, and a 1964 Fender Deluxe. His primary guitar has always been a Fender Telecaster, beginning with an early blonde model his parents bought for him around 1952. His 1969 Paisley Red (better known as Pink Paisley) Telecaster became the basis for his

James Burton Telecaster The James Burton Telecaster is a Signature/Artist Series electric guitar made by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The guitar is available in two models, Upgrade and Standard, and both were designed by American country-rock guitarist James B ...

model in 1991, with

Lace Sensor The Lace Sensor is a guitar pickup designed by Don Lace and manufactured by AGI (Actodyne General International) since 1985. Lace Sensors are true single coil pickups; however, internally they are different from classic single coils. The chief di ...

pickups and a TBX tone circuit. Five years later his 1953 Candy Apple Red Telecaster was the inspiration for a standard version Artist Signature model featuring two Fender Texas Special Tele single coil pickups and a vintage-style 6-saddle

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

. In 2006, the Signature Paisley model was redesigned with a red paisley flame design over a black body, plus three specially designed blade pickups, a no-load tone control and S-1 switching system.He can also be seen playing am early model Fender Jazz Master (possibly a prototype) in a circa 1961 live television version of "Hello Mary Lou." There is no other recorded evidence that he used this guitar again.

Planned museum

The James Burton Foundation, a

501(c) A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the Law of the United States#Federal law, federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)) and is one of over 29 types of nonprofit organizations exe ...

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

at 714 Elvis Presley Avenue in Shreveport, is constructing the proposed "James Burton Guitar and Car Museum". The facility will showcase Burton's collection of guitars and classic cars as well as models from some of his celebrity friends.

Collaborations

With

* ''

That's the Way It Is That's the Way It Is may refer to: *'' Elvis: That's the Way It Is'', a 1970 documentary film about Elvis Presley * ''That's the Way It Is'' (Elvis Presley album), a 1970 album by Elvis Presley * "That's the Way It Is" (Mel and Kim song), a 1988 so ...

'' (RCA Records, 1970) * '' Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)'' (RCA Records, 1971) * ''

Love Letters from Elvis ''Love Letters from Elvis'' is the fourteenth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in 1971. The album was critically panned upon release, and failed to crack the top 20 of the Billboard album charts but did reach N ...

'' (RCA Records, 1971) * '' Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas'' (RCA Records, 1971) * ''

Elvis Now ''Elvis Now'' is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on February 20, 1972. The only single from the album, "Until It's Time for You to Go" / " We Can Make the Morning" reached number 9 on the Easy Listening chart ...

'' (RCA Records, 1972) * '' He Touched Me'' (RCA Records, 1972) * ''

'' (RCA Records, 1973) * ''

Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake ''Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake'' is the nineteenth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in 1973. Content The album was recorded at Stax Studios in Memphis, Tennessee in July 1973 and at Presley's home in Pa ...

'' (RCA Records, 1973) * ''

Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African ...

'' (RCA Records, 1974) * ''

Promised Land The Promised Land ( he, הארץ המובטחת, translit.: ''ha'aretz hamuvtakhat''; ar, أرض الميعاد, translit.: ''ard al-mi'ad; also known as "The Land of Milk and Honey"'') is the land which, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew ...

'' (RCA Records, 1975) * '' Today'' (RCA Records, 1975) * ''

From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee ''From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee'' is the twenty-third studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records in May, 1976. It became Presley's fourth album to reach #1 on the ''Billboard'' country m ...

'' (RCA Records, 1976) * '' Moody Blue'' (RCA Records, 1977) With Johnny Rivers * ''Realization'' (Imperial Records, 1968) * ''Slim Slo Slider'' (Imperial Records, 1970) * ''Home Grown'' (United Artists Records, 1971) * ''Wild Night'' (United Artists Records, 1976) With Nancy Sinatra * ''Sugar'' (Reprise Records, 1966) With

J. J. Cale John Weldon "J. J." Cale (December 5, 1938 – July 26, 2013) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and sound engineer. Though he avoided the limelight, his influence as a musical artist has been acknowledged by figures such as Mark Knop ...

* ''

Shades Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names below) are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can so ...

'' (Island Records, 1981) * '' Travel-Log'' (Silvertone Records, 1990) With Michael Nesmith * '' The Wichita Train Whistle Sings'' (Dot, 1968) * ''

Nevada Fighter ''Nevada Fighter'' is the third solo album by American singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith during his post-Monkees career. The album is also the third and final album with Nesmith backed by the First National Band. Released by RCA Records in 1971, ...

'' (RCA Records, 1971) With

* '' Pieces of the Sky'' (Reprise Records, 1975) * ''

Elite Hotel ''Elite Hotel'' is the third studio album by American country music artist Emmylou Harris, released in 1975. ''Elite Hotel'' was Harris' second album to be released in 1975, preceded by the widely acclaimed ''Pieces of the Sky''. ''Elite Hotel'' s ...

'' (Reprise Records, 1975) * '' Luxury Liner'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1977) * ''

Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town ''Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town'' is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Emmylou Harris, released in 1978. The album reached number 3 on the Billboard Charts, ''Billboard'' charts, with three charting singles: "To Daddy" (wr ...

'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978) * ''

Light of the Stable ''Light of the Stable'' is a Christmas album by Emmylou Harris. It was originally released in 1979 by Warner Bros. Records but has since gone through several intervening releases. The 1992 Warner release was a remastered version of the original ...

'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1979) * '' Evangeline'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981) * '' Cimarron'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981) With Delaney & Bonnie * ''Genesis'' (GNP, 1971) With Gram Parsons * '' GP'' (Reprise Records, 1973) * ''

Grievous Angel ''Grievous Angel'' is the second and final solo studio album by Gram Parsons, compiled from summer 1973 sessions and released four months after Death of Gram Parsons, his death from a morphine and alcohol overdose in September 1973. Prominently ...

'' (Reprise Records, 1974) With Evie Sands * ''Any Way That You Want Me'' (Rev-Ola, 1970) With

* ''

Who Knows Where the Time Goes "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" is a song written by the English folk-rock singer and songwriter Sandy Denny. Denny originally recorded the song as a demo in 1967, singing and playing guitar on the track. Later that year, she briefly joined the ...

'' (Elektra Records, 1968) With Rosanne Cash * '' Right or Wrong'' (Columbia Records, 1980) With Kim Carnes * ''

Rest on Me ''Rest on Me'' is the first studio album by Kim Carnes. It was released in 1971 (see 1971 in music) on Amos Records and reissued on A&M Records in the late 1970s. The album (minus the opening song) was also released on CD on many European budget l ...

'' (Amos Records, 1971) With Townes Van Zandt *''

Our Mother the Mountain ''Our Mother the Mountain'' is the second album by country singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt, released in 1969. It is considered to be one of his greatest recordings and features some of his best known works, including "Be Here To Love Me", "S ...

'' (Poppy, 1969) With

* ''

For the Roses ''For the Roses'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It was released in November 1972, between her two biggest commercial and critical successes—''Blue'' and ''Court and Spark''. In 2007 it was one of 25 rec ...

'' (Asylum Records, 1972) With

* '' I Want to Live'' (RCA Records, 1977) * ''

'' (RCA Records, 1979) * '' Autograph'' (RCA Records, 1980) * '' Seasons of the Heart'' (RCA Records, 1982) * '' It's About Time'' (RCA Records, 1983) * ''

Dreamland Express ''Dreamland Express'' is the 18th studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver released in June 1985. The singles from this album were "Dreamland Express" and "Don't Close Your Eyes, Tonight". Track listing Side One # "Dreamland Expr ...

'' (RCA Records, 1985) * '' One World'' (RCA Records, 1986) * '' Higher Ground'' (RCA Records, 1988) * ''

Earth Songs ''Earth Songs'' is the 22nd studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver released in June 1990. At the time of its release, it was only available by mail order and at John Denver's concerts. With the exception of tracks 7, 8, and 14 w ...

'' (Windstar Records, 1990) * ''

Christmas, Like a Lullaby ''Christmas, Like a Lullaby'' is the 24th studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver released in December 1990. This was Denver's first solo Christmas album of music since 1975's Rocky Mountain Christmas. He also released the colla ...

'' (Windstar Records, 1990) * ''

The Flower That Shattered the Stone ''The Flower That Shattered the Stone'' is the 23rd studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver. It was released in September 1990. This release consists of nine tracks taken from Denver's 21st studio album, ''Stonehaven Sunrise'' (a ...

'' (Windstar Records, 1990) * '' Different Directions'' (Windstar Records, 1991) With

Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, ...

* ''

'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1971) With Gillian Welch * '' Revival'' (Almo Sounds, 1996) With Glen Campbell * ''

Gentle on My Mind "Gentle on My Mind" is a song that was written and originally recorded by John Hartford, and released on his second studio album, '' Earthwords & Music'' (1967). Hartford composed the song after watching ''Doctor Zhivago'' in 1966, as he was i ...

'' (Capitol Records, 1967) * '' By the Time I Get to Phoenix'' (Capitol Records, 1967) * '' I Knew Jesus (Before He Was a Star)'' (Capitol Records, 1973) With

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...

* ''

Tina Turns the Country On! ''Tina Turns the Country On!'' is the debut solo studio album by Tina Turner, released in September 1974 on the United Artists Records. Released while Turner was still a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, it was an attempt by her husband, Ik ...

'' (United Artists Records, 1974) With John Phillips * ''

John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.) ''John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.)'' is the first solo recording by the Mamas & the Papas leader John Phillips. All songs were Phillips originals, dealing mostly with recent events in Phillips' life, including references to his new g ...

'' (Dunhill Records, 1970) With

Nicolette Larson Nicolette Larson (July 17, 1952 – December 16, 1997) was an American singer. She is perhaps best known for her work in the late 1970s with Neil Young and her 1978 hit single of Young's "Lotta Love", which hit No. 1 on the Hot Adult Contem ...

* '' Nicolette'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978) With

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...

* ''

Share Your Love ''Share Your Love'' is the eleventh studio album by country singer Kenny Rogers, released in 1981. Produced by Lionel Richie, it is also Rogers' first with Liberty Records besides his ''Greatest Hits'' album. The album has sold nine million copie ...

'' (Liberty Records, 1981) With Carlene Carter * '' I Fell in Love'' (Reprise Records, 1990) With

* ''

'' (F-Beat Records, 1986) * '' Mighty Like a Rose'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1991) * '' Kojak Variety'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1995) With

Michael Martin Murphey Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, country music and popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including ''Cowboy Songs' ...

* ''

'' (Liberty Records, 1982) With Arlo Guthrie * ''

Running Down the Road ''Running Down the Road'' is the second studio album by American folk singer Arlo Guthrie. Guthrie's version of the traditional folk tune " Stealin'" was featured in the film ''Two-Lane Blacktop''. The cover shows the artist upon a Triumph TR6 ...

'' (Reprise Records, 1969) With Brad Paisley * ''

Time Well Wasted ''Time Well Wasted'' is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released on August 16, 2005, on Arista Nashville. It was the Country Music Association's Album of the Year for 2006. The album produce ...

'' (Arista Records, 2005) * '' Play: The Guitar Album'' (Arista Records, 2008) With Mark Collie * ''

Hardin County Line ''Hardin County Line'' is the debut studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Mark Collie. It featured 4 singles, two of which, "Looks Aren't Everything" & "Let Her Go", hit the top 40. The other two, the title track and "Somethin ...

'' (MCA Records, 1990) * ''

Born and Raised in Black & White ''Born and Raised in Black & White'' is the second studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Mark Collie. It was released on MCA in 1991. "Calloused Hands", "She's Never Comin' Back", and "It Don't Take a Lot" were released as sin ...

'' (MCA Records, 1991) With

Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early Americana (music), Americana-influenced songs (often ...

* ''

'' (Reprise Records, 1968) With Shawn Camp * '' Shawn Camp'' (Reprise Records, 1993) * ''1994'' (Reprise Records, 2010) With

Ronnie Hawkins Ronald Cornett Hawkins (January 10, 1935 – May 29, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter, long based in Canada, whose career spanned more than half a century. His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He ...

* ''The Hawk'' (United Artists Records, 1979) With

* ''

Ain't Living Long Like This ''Ain't Living Long Like This'' is the debut studio album by United States, American country music singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell, released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. It failed to enter the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Elvira (son ...

'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978) With

Marshall Crenshaw Marshall Howard Crenshaw (born November 11, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as " Someday, Someway," a US top 40 hit in 1982, " Cynical Girl," and "Whenever You're on My Mind." He i ...

* ''

Good Evening Greeting is an act of communication in which human beings intentionally make their presence known to each other, to show attention to, and to suggest a type of relationship (usually cordial) or social status (formal or informal) between indivi ...

'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1989) With

and

* ''

Old Yellow Moon ''Old Yellow Moon'' is a collaborative album by American country music singer-songerwriters Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, released on February 26, 2013 in the United States by Nonesuch Records. It is the twenty-seventh and fourteenth studio ...

'' (Nonesuch Records, 2013)

References

External links

*
The James Burton Foundation
* *
James Burton recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Burton, James 1939 births Living people American country guitarists American rock guitarists American rockabilly guitarists American male guitarists American session musicians Lead guitarists People from Minden, Louisiana Musicians from Shreveport, Louisiana TCB Band members The Wrecking Crew (music) members Louisiana Republicans Resonator guitarists Guitarists from Los Angeles Guitarists from Louisiana People from Dubberly, Louisiana 20th-century American guitarists Country musicians from California Country musicians from Louisiana 20th-century American male musicians The Strangers (American band) members Stony Plain Records artists Elvis Presley

Biography

Early life and career

With Rick Nelson

As a studio musician

With Elvis Presley

With John Denver

Recent career

Equipment

Planned museum

Collaborations

See also

References

External links