Jesse Edwin Davis III (September 21, 1944 – June 22, 1988) was a Native American

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

. He was well regarded as a session artist and solo performer, was a member of

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

's backing band and played with musicians such as

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

, and

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

. In 2018, Davis was posthumously inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual

Native American Music Awards The Native American Music Awards (also known as the NAMAs or "Nammys") are an awards program presented annually by Elbel Productions, Inc., The Native American Music Awards Inc., and The Native American Music Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profi ...

Early life and education

Davis was born in

Norman, Oklahoma Norman () is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,097 as of 2021. It is the largest city and the county seat of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Cleveland County, and the second-largest city in the Oklahoma C ...

. He was the son of Jesse Edwin (Bus) Davis II, whose ancestry was a blend of

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

, and

Muscogee The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsKiowa Kiowa () people are a Native American tribe and an indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the 17th and 18th centuries,Pritzker 326 and eve ...

. His father was an accomplished painter in the Flatstyle Southern Plains painting; his works were exhibited in the state capitol in Oklahoma City. Davis began his musical career in the late 1950s in Oklahoma City and surrounding cities with John Ware (later a drummer for

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 ...

, and

Michael Nesmith Robert Michael Nesmith or Mike Nesmith, (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series ''The Monkees'' (1966� ...

during the

First National Band The First National Band or Michael Nesmith and The First National Band was a short-lived American collaborative band, led by Monkee Michael Nesmith. During the two active years, The First National Band released three albums in the country rock ...

era),

John Selk John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(later a bass player for

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

), late 1950s, Jerry Fisher (later a vocalist with

Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is a jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. In addition to original music, the group has performed popular songs by Laura Ny ...

), drummer Bill Maxwell (later with

Andrae Crouch Andrae, Andræ (Danish) or Andrä is a surname and given name, which is a variant of Andreae, itself a patronymic (via the Latin genitive case) from the personal name Andreas. Notable persons with this name include: Surname * Ahmed-Tobias Andrä ...

). He graduated from Northeast High School in 1962. Davis graduated with a degree in English literature from the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...

; even into his later years, he was remembered to enjoy quoting Socrates and Plato.MARK ARAX and PAUL FELDMA
OBITUARIES : Backed Up Major Artists : Jesse Ed Davis, 43; Noted Rock Guitarist
June 24, 1988. ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' By the mid-1960s, he had quit school and went touring with

Conway Twitty Harold Lloyd Jenkins (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993), better known by his stage name Conway Twitty, was an American singer and songwriter. Initially a part of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Twitty was best known as a country music performer. ...

Career

Davis eventually moved to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. For eight years, he lived in

Marina del Rey Marina del Rey (Spanish for "Marina of the King") is an unincorporated seaside community in Los Angeles County, California, with an eponymous harbor that is a major boating and water recreation destination of the greater Los Angeles area. The p ...

with his companion, Patti Daley, and her son, Billy. Through his friendship with

Levon Helm Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. H ...

, he became friends with

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

, who introduced him to

recording session The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance. Studio cast recordings In the case of Broadway m ...

work. Davis joined

and played

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

and

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

on Mahal's first four albums. He played

slide Slide or Slides may refer to: Places * Slide, California, former name of Fortuna, California Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums * ''Slide'' (Lisa Germano album), 1998 * ''Slide'' (George Clanton album), 2018 *''Slide'', by Patrick Glees ...

, lead and rhythm, country and even

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

during his three-year stint with Mahal. Mahal and his band were invited to England by the Rolling Stones,Documentary film, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, 2017 and they appeared as a musical guest in ''

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus ''The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus'' was a concert show organised by the Rolling Stones on 11–12 December 1968. The show was filmed on a makeshift circus stage with Jethro Tull, The Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and The Rolling S ...

''. He played in the "electric" disc of Mahal's double album '' Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home'' (1969) and appeared in two songs of his fourth album '' Happy Just to Be Like I Am'' (1971). In 1970, Davis played on and produced Roger Tillison's only album for

Atco Records ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the comp ...

, a division of Atlantic. Davis and Tillison − both Oklahoman − were joined at the

Record Plant The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and currently operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it has produced highly influential albums, including Blon ...

by Bobby Bruce (fiddle),

Larry Knechtel Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles-based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Simon ...

(organ and harmonica),

Stan Szelest Stanley Martin Szelest (February 11, 1942 – January 20, 1991) was an American musician from Buffalo, New York, known for founding an influential blues band in the 1950s and 1960s, Stan and the Ravens, and later as a keyboardist with Ronnie Hawki ...

(piano); Billy Rich (bass);

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America".Howard Sounes. ''Down ...

(from Oklahoma, drums) and Sandy Konikoff (percussion);

Don Preston Donald Ward Preston (born September 21, 1932) is an American jazz and rock keyboardist. He is known for working with Frank Zappa from the mid 1960s to the mid 1970s. Biography Preston was born into a family of musicians in Detroit and began st ...

and Joey Cooper were vocal accompanists. ''Roger Tillison's Album'' was recorded live. It was finally released on CD by

Wounded Bird Records Wounded Bird Records is an American compact disc only re-issue record label that was founded in 1998 in Guilderland, New York. They re-release lesser known albums from popular and lesser known artists, including Paul Butterfield, Cactus, Herbie ...

in 2008, with Davis playing electric guitar, bottleneck (slide) guitar and banjo. In 1971, Davis recorded his first solo album after Atco Records signed a contract with him to record two albums with the label. The first was the album ''¡Jesse Davis!'' (1971), which featured backing vocals by

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

and performances by

and

, among others. Davis was close friends with

Gene Clark Harold Eugene Clark (November 17, 1944 – May 24, 1991) was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. He was the Byrds' principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, writing most of the band's best ...

. In 1971, he played on and produced Clark's second solo album, ''

White Light White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

'', and provided lead guitar on Clark's album ''

No Other ''No Other'' is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Gene Clark. Released in September 1974, it was largely ignored or lambasted by critics and was a commercial failure; the studio time and cost were seen as excessive and ind ...

'' in 1974. On

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...

's 1972 debut album, Davis played the electric guitar solo on Browne's hit song "

Doctor, My Eyes "Doctor, My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album '' Jackson Browne''. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff coupled with lyrics about feeling world-weary, the song was a surprise ...

". After guesting with Russell on

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 1971 single "

Watching the River Flow "Watching the River Flow" is a blues rock song by American singer Bob Dylan. Produced by Leon Russell, it was written and recorded during a session in March 1971 at the Blue Rock Studio in New York City. The collaboration with Russell formed ...

", and collaborating in

Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...

’s ''Lovejoy'', Davis went on to work with

, performing at the ex-Beatle's 1971

Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were ...

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

, along with

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

, Russell, Keltner, Clapton and others. Two more solo albums followed: in 1972 ''Ululu'', which included the original release of Harrison's "

Sue Me, Sue You Blues "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" is a song written by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1973 album ''Living in the Material World''. Harrison initially let American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis record it for the latter's ''Ululu'' album (197 ...

", and in 1973 ''Keep Me Comin'', occasionally listed as ''Keep On Coming''. Around this time, Davis began playing with

, for whom he played lead guitar on the albums ''

Walls and Bridges ''Walls and Bridges'' is the fifth studio album by English musician John Lennon. It was issued by Apple Records on 26 September 1974 in the United States and on 4 October in the United Kingdom. Written, recorded and released during his 18-month ...

'' (1974) and ''

Rock 'n' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

'' (1975). In addition, Davis was a guest performer on other albums by former Beatles: Harrison's '' Extra Texture'' (1975) and Starr's ''

Goodnight Vienna ''Goodnight Vienna'' is the fourth studio album by Ringo Starr. It was recorded in the summer of 1974 in Los Angeles, and released later that year. ''Goodnight Vienna'' followed the commercially successful predecessor '' Ringo'', and Starr used ...

'' (1974) and ''

Ringo's Rotogravure ''Ringo's Rotogravure'' is the fifth studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1976. It was the last project to feature active involvement from all four former Beatles before John Lennon's murder in 1980, and the second of two projects following th ...

'' (1976). In the late summer and fall of 1975, he performed with the

Faces The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...

as second guitarist throughout their final US tour. It was on this tour that Davis became addicted to drugs. After the Faces tour, Davis continued to work as a session player. In addition to the artists listed above, Davis contributed to albums by Eric Clapton,

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 19467 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Moon grew ...

, Steve Miller, Guthrie Thomas,

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ove ...

Ry Cooder Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, an ...

David Cassidy David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an American actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was best known for his role as Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Partridge (played by his stepmother, Shirley Jones), in t ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...

Rick Danko Richard Clare Danko (December 29, 1943 – December 10, 1999) was a Canadian musician, bassist, songwriter, and singer, best known as a founding member of the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. During ...

Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle (album), Song Cycle'' and for his ...

and others. He played on

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

's '' Death of a Ladies' Man'' (1977), produced by Phil Spector. In 1977, Davis moved to Hawaii. In 1981, he returned to Los Angeles broke and ravaged by drug and alcohol addiction. In and out of

clinics A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care needs ...

, Davis disappeared from the music industry for a time, spending much of the 1980s dealing with alcohol and drug addiction. In 1985 he formed and played in the Graffiti Band, which coupled his music with the poetry of the Native American activist

John Trudell John Trudell (February 15, 1946December 8, 2015) was a Native American author, poet, actor, musician, and political activist. He was the spokesperson for the Indians of All Tribes' takeover of Alcatraz beginning in 1969, broadcasting as ''Radi ...

(

American Indian Movement The American Indian Movement (AIM) is a Native American grassroots movement which was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 1968, initially centered in urban areas in order to address systemic issues of poverty, discrimination, and police ...

). The result of this collaboration was the album, released initially only on cassette, called "AKA Grafitti Man", which Bob Dylan called the best album of the year. In the spring of 1987, the Graffiti Band performed with Taj Mahal at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood, California. At this show, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty Thomas Richard Fogerty (November 9, 1941 – September 6, 1990) was an American mu ...

got up from the audience to join Davis and Mahal in an unrehearsed set which included Fogerty's "

Proud Mary "Proud Mary" is a song written by John Fogerty and first recorded by his band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was released by Fantasy Records as a single from the band's second studio album, ''Bayou Country'', which was issued by the same rec ...

" and Dylan's "Watching the River Flow", as well as classics such as "

Blue Suede Shoes "Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by American singer, songwriter and guitarist Carl Perkins in 1955. It is considered one of the first rockabilly records, incorporating elements of blues, country and po ...

", "

Peggy Sue "Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty, and recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly on September 20, 1957. The Crickets are not mentioned on label of the single (Coral 9-61885), but band members Jo ...

", "

Honey Don't "Honey Don't" is a song written by Carl Perkins, originally released on January 1, 1956 as the B-side of the "Blue Suede Shoes" single, Sun 234. Both songs became rockabilly classics. Bill Dahl of Allmusic praised the song saying, "'Honey Don't' a ...

", "

Matchbox Phillumeny (also known as phillumenism) is the hobby of collecting different match-related items: matchboxes, matchbox labels, matchbooks, matchcovers, matchsafes, etc. Matchbox A matchbox is a box made of cardboard or thin wood and designe ...

" and " Gone, Gone, Gone".

Personal life

Davis had a relationship with Patti Daley for about ten years. Then he married twice, first to Tantalayo Saenz and then Kelly Brady. In his last years, he served as drug and alcohol counselor at the American Indian Free Clinic in

Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

. Davis collapsed in the laundry room of an apartment building and was pronounced dead in Venice, California, on June 22, 1988. Police stated his death appeared to be the result of a

drug overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

. Davis had a fresh needle mark on one arm and burned matches and tin foil were scattered on the ground nearby. He was 43 years old.

Legacy

In 2002, he was posthumously inducted into the

Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization that honors jazz, blues and gospel music, gospel musicians in the state of Oklahoma. Housed in the former Union Depot (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Tulsa Union Depot, wh ...

. In 2018, Jesse Ed Davis was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual Native American Music Awards. A performance tribute was held by his former Graffiti band members, Mark Shark and Quiltman. His cousins Richenda Davis Bates and Constance Davis Carter accepted the induction.18th Annual Native American Music Awards
Oct 25, 2019 on YouTube (acceptance speech starts at min 54:00).

Discography

With Jimmy "Junior" Markham & The Tulsa Review

* "Let 'em Roll Johnny / Operator Operator" (

Uptown Records Uptown Records is an American record label, based in New York City, founded in 1986 by onetime rapper Andre Harrell. From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, it was a leader in R&B and hip hop. During the 1990s, aided by its A&R worker Sean ...

, 1967) * "Black Cherry / Gonna Send You Back to Georgia" (Uptown Records, 1967)

With Taj Mahal

* ''

'' (

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

, 1968) * ''

The Natch'l Blues ''The Natch'l Blues'' is the second studio album by American blues artist Taj Mahal, released in 1968. Track listing All tracks composed by Taj Mahal, except where indicated: ;Side 1 # "Good Morning Miss Brown" – 3:13 # "Corinna" (Mahal, Jesse ...

'' (Columbia Records, 1968) * '' Giant Step'' (Columbia Records, 1969) * Happy Just to Be Like I Am (Columbia Records, 1971), guitar on "Oh Susanna" and "Chevrolet" * ''

'' (

ABKCO Records ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. (Allen & Betty Klein Company) is a major American independent record label, music publisher, and film and video production company. It owns and/or administers the rights to music by Sam Cooke, the Rolling Stones, the A ...

, 1996)

As leader

* ''¡Jesse Davis!'' (

, 1971) * ''Ululu'' (Atco Records, 1972) * ''Keep Me Comin'' or ''Keep On Coming'' (

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

, 1973) ** ''Bonus Record'' (Epic Records, 1973), an exclusive interview in Los Angeles with KMET-FM's

B. Mitchel Reed B. Mitchel Reed (June 10, 1926 – March 16, 1983) was a successful American disc Jockey on both Top 40 and album-oriented rock radio stations, working in New York and Los Angeles during his 25-year career. Career Born Burton Mitchel Goldberg in ...

- Jesse "Ed" Davis talks about his background, his music and his new album (promotional release for ''Keep Me Comin'' album) * ''Red Dirt Boogie: The Atco Recordings 1970-1972'' (Real Gone Music, 2017), compilation of his first two albums

As sideman

* ''Daughters of Albion'' - Daughters of Albion (1968) * ''

Look Inside the Asylum Choir ''Look Inside the Asylum Choir'' is the 1968 debut album by Asylum Choir, a studio group consisting of the session musicians Leon Russell and Marc Benno. Russell arranged the songs, complete with sped-up trumpet section, and multi-tracked himse ...

'' -

The Asylum Choir The Asylum Choir was an American rock duo active in the late 1960s. It was composed of keyboardist Leon Russell and guitarist Marc Benno. History Essentially a studio musician gathering, the Asylum Choir was formed around 1967 and the group's debu ...

(1968) * ''Live at Bill Graham's

Fillmore West The Fillmore West was a historic rock and roll music venue in San Francisco, California, US which became famous under the direction of concert promoter Bill Graham from 1968 to 1971. Named after The Fillmore at the intersection of Fillmore Stre ...

'' - various artists (1969) * "

/ Spanish is the Loving Tongue" -

(1971) * ''Roger Tillison's Album'' - Roger Tillison (1971) * ''Minnows'' -

Marc Benno Marc Benno (born July 1, 1947 in Dallas, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Benno teamed with Leon Russell to form the Asylum Choir in the late 1960s. He launched a solo career in the early 1970s, with the 1972 album ''Am ...

(1971) * ''Feel Your Groove'' -

Ben Sidran Ben Hirsh Sidran (born August 14, 1943) is an American jazz and rock keyboardist, producer, label owner, and music writer. Early in his career he was a member of the Steve Miller Band and is the father of Grammy-nominated musician, composer and ...

(1971) * ''There's Gotta Be a Change'' -

Albert Collins Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993),Skeely, Richard. "Albert Collins: Biography" Allmusic.com. was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. ...

(1971) * ''Booker T. & Priscilla'' - Booker T. &

Priscilla Priscilla is an English female given name adopted from Latin ''Prisca'', derived from ''priscus''. One suggestion is that it is intended to bestow long life on the bearer. The name first appears in the New Testament of Christianity variously as ...

(1971) * '' Warm Waters'' - Charles Lloyd (1971) * ''

She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina ''She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina'' is the seventh album by Buffy Sainte-Marie, released in 1971. Her previous album '' Illuminations'' having sold so poorly as to lose Vanguard a considerable sum of money, the label placed considerable pressure ...

'' -

Buffy Sainte-Marie Buffy Sainte-Marie, (born Beverly Sainte-Marie, February 20, 1941) is an Indigenous Canadian-American (Piapot Cree Nation) singer-songwriter, musician, composer, visual artist, educator, pacifist, and social activist. While working in these are ...

(1971) * ''

Leon Russell and the Shelter People ''Leon Russell and the Shelter People'' is the second solo album by the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell. Released in 1971, it peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 200 in the United States. The album has gold certificat ...

'' -

(1971) * ''

Asylum Choir II ''Asylum Choir II'' is the second and final album, after the 1968 debut Look Inside the Asylum Choir, of the studio aggregation consisting of Leon Russell and Marc Benno. It was recorded and expected to be released in 1969, but legal issues hel ...

'' - The Asylum Choir (1971) * '' Endless Boogie'' -

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often ...

(1971) * ''

Lovejoy ''Lovejoy'' is a British television comedy-drama mystery series, based on the novels by John Grant under the pen name Jonathan Gash. The show, which ran to 71 episodes over six series, was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 10 January 19 ...

'' -

(1971) * ''

'' -

(1971) * ''

The Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were he ...

'' -

& Friends (1971) * ''Ambush'' - Marc Benno (1972) * ''Out the Window'' - Jim Pulte (1972) * ''Salty'' - Alex Richman (1972) * ''

L.A. Midnight ''L.A. Midnight'' is the twentieth studio electric blues album by B.B. King released in 1972. It features two extended guitar jams with fellow guitarists Jesse Ed Davis and Joe Walsh ("Midnight" and "Lucille's Granny"). It also features Taj Maha ...

'' -

B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...

(1972) * ''

'' -

(1972) * '' Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden'' -

Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in 1966 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles t ...

(1972) * ''Rod Taylor'' -

Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including ''The Time Machine'' (1960), ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961), '' The Birds'' (1963), and ''In ...

(1973) * ''

These Foolish Things "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" is a standard with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz, writing under the pseudonym Holt Marvell, and music by Jack Strachey, both Englishmen. Harry Link, an American, sometimes appears as a co-writer; his input ...

'' -

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ' ...

(1973) * '' Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys'' -

Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Gut ...

(1973) * ''Home at Last'' - Wayne Berry (1974) * ''

'' - Arlo Guthrie (1974) * '' L.A. Turnaround'' -

Bert Jansch Herbert Jansch (3 November 1943 – 5 October 2011) was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s as an acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter ...

(1974) * ''

'' - Gene Clark (1974) * ''

'' -

(1974) * ''

A Toot and a Snore in '74 ''A Toot and a Snore in '74'' is a bootleg album consisting of the only known recording session in which John Lennon and Paul McCartney played together after the break-up of the Beatles in 1970. First mentioned by Lennon in a 1975 interview, m ...

'' - John Lennon, Paul McCartney (bootleg, 1974) * ''

'' -

(1974) * ''

Pussy Cats ''Pussy Cats'' is the tenth album by American singer Harry Nilsson, released by RCA Records in 1974. It was produced by John Lennon during his " Lost Weekend" period. The album title was inspired by the bad press Nilsson and Lennon were getting ...

'' -

(1974) * ''

That's a Plenty "That's a Plenty" is a 1914 ragtime piano composition by Lew Pollack. Lyrics by Ray Gilbert (born 1912) were added decades later. Several popular vocal versions have been recorded, but it is more often performed as an instrumental. The compositi ...

'' -

Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, bl ...

(1974) * '' ST11261'' -

Brewer & Shipley Brewer & Shipley are an American folk rock duo who enjoyed their peak success in the late 1960s through the 1970s, consisting of singer-songwriters Mike Brewer (born on April 14, 1944) and Tom Shipley (born on April 1, 1941). They were known ...

(1974) * ''Burnin' Thing'' -

Mac Davis Morris Mac Davis (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. A native of Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed success as a crossover artist, and during his early career he wrote for Elvis Presley, ...

(1975) * ''The Eyes of an Only Child'' -

Tom Jans Tom Jans (February 9, 1948 – March 25, 1984) was an American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from San Jose, California. He is perhaps best known for his song "Loving Arms" (also known as "Lovin' Arms"), which was recorded initially by Kris ...

(1975) * ''See How the Years Have Gone By'' -

Valdy Paul Valdemar Horsdal, (born 1 September 1945), commonly known as Valdy, is a Canadian folk and country musician whose solo career began in the early 1970s. He is known for "Rock and Roll Song", his first mainstream single. Valdy is the winner o ...

(1975) * ''

Stars A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth ma ...

'' -

Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...

(1975) * ''

Two Sides of the Moon ''Two Sides of the Moon'' is the only solo album by English rock musician Keith Moon, drummer for the Who. It peaked at No. 155 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album title was credited to Ringo Starr. Rather than using the album as a chance to ...

'' -

(1975) * ''

Extra Texture (Read All About It) ''Extra Texture (Read All About It)'' is the sixth studio album by English musician George Harrison, released on 22 September 1975. It was Harrison's final album under his contract with Apple Records and EMI, and the last studio album issued by ...

'' - George Harrison (1975) * ''

'' - John Lennon (1975) * ''

Duit on Mon Dei ''Duit on Mon Dei'' is the eleventh album by Harry Nilsson. The original title for this album was ''God's Greatest Hits'' but RCA didn't approve. The title is a punning spelling of "Do It On Monday," playing on the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, ...

'' - Harry Nilsson (1975) * '' Born to Be with You'' - Dion (1975) * '' New Arrangement'' -

Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon (born Sharon Lee Myers, August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards, as both singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-songwr ...

(1975) * ''

Earthbound ''EarthBound'', released in Japan as is a role-playing video game developed by Creatures (company), Ape Inc. and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The second entry in the Mother (video game s ...

'' -

The 5th Dimension The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera, and Broadway. Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Betwee ...

(1975) * '' Midnight on the Water'' - David Bromberg Band (1975) * ''

Atlantic Crossing ''Atlantic Crossing'' is the sixth studio album by English singer-songwriter Rod Stewart, released on 15 August 1975. It peaked at number one in the UK (his fifth solo album to do so), and number nine on the '' Billboard'' Top Pop Albums cha ...

'' -

(1975) * '' A Night on the Town'' - Rod Stewart (1976) * ''

Sandman The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes. Representation in traditional folklore The Sandman is a traditional charact ...

'' - Harry Nilsson (1976) * ''Diggin' It'' - Dunn & Rubini (1976) * ''Cupid's Arrow'' - David Blue (1976) * ''Welcome to Club Casablanca'' -

Long John Baldry John William "Long John" Baldry (12 January 1941 – 21 July 2005) was an English musician and actor. In the 1960s, he was one of the first British vocalists to sing the blues in clubs and shared the stage with many British musicians including t ...

(1976) * ''Time Is on My Side'' - Tracy Nelson (1976) * ''Motion'' -

Geoff Muldaur Geoff Muldaur (born August 12, 1943) is an American active singer, guitarist and composer, who was a founding member of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and a member of Paul Butterfield's Better Days. Career Having established a reputation with the Kwe ...

(1976) * ''Attitudes'' - Attitudes (1976) * '' Home Is Where the Heart Is'' -

(1976) * ''

Beautiful Noise ''Beautiful Noise'' is the tenth album by Neil Diamond and his third with Columbia Records, released in 1976. "Dry Your Eyes" was performed with The Band at their farewell show and is featured in Martin Scorsese's ''The Last Waltz''. Overvi ...

'' -

(1976) * ''

Slow Down World ''Slow Down World'' is the thirteenth studio album (fifteenth overall) by British singer/songwriter Donovan, released in the US ( Epic PE 33945) in May 1976 and the UK (Epic SEPC 86011) on 4 June 1976. Background Over his past few album release ...

'' -

(1976) * ''

No Reason to Cry ''No Reason to Cry'' is the fourth studio album by Eric Clapton, released by RSO Records on 27 August 1976. The album was recorded in Malibu and Los Angeles between December 1975 to May 1976. The record went platinum in the U.K. Recording The ...

'' -

(1976) * ''

'' - Ringo Starr (1976) * ''

Clang of the Yankee Reaper ''Clang of the Yankee Reaper'' is the third studio album by Van Dyke Parks, released in 1976. It continues his exploration of calypso music started in the previous album '' Discover America'' (1972). In particular, it contains several songs by Mi ...

'' -

(1976) * '' Death of a Ladies' Man'' -

(1977) * ''Blue Collar (soundtrack)'' - with

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

and

Jack Nitzsche Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche ( '; April 22, 1937 – August 25, 2000) was an American musician, arranger, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He first came to prominence in the early 1960s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spec ...

(1978) * ''A Little Kiss in the Night'' - Ben Sidran (1978) * "Precious Love" -

(1980) * ''

The Legend of Jesse James ''The Legend of Jesse James'' is a 1980 country music concept album written by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James. The album features Levon Helm singing the role of Jesse James, Jo ...

'' - various artists (1980) * ''Kent State (soundtrack)'' - various artists (1981) * ''Hobo Eagle Thief'' - Guthrie Thomas (1983) * ''AKA Graffiti Man'' -

(1986) * ''Heart Jump Bouquet'' - John Trudell (1987) * '' Taj'' - Taj Mahal (1987) * ''Slide of Hand'' - Scott Colby (1987) * ''It's a Sin to Be Rich'' -

Lightnin' Hopkins Samuel John "Lightnin" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list o ...

(1992, recorded in 1972) * "1000 Dollar Wedding" and "Hot Burrito #1" -

(1992,

Extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

side B only, recorded in 1971)

References

External links

*Jas Obrecht, 2010
Jesse Ed Davis: “I Just Play the Notes That Sound Good”
*Dan Forte, August 2005
Jesse Ed Davis: Guitar Hero's Guitar Hero
At

Vintage Guitar (magazine) ''Vintage Guitar'' is an American magazine that focuses on vintage and classic guitars, amplifiers, effects, and related equipment, as well as notable guitarists from all genres and eras. The publication's feature stories and monthly columns cov ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Jesse Ed 1944 births 1988 deaths Comanche people Kiowa people Musicians from Norman, Oklahoma Native American musicians American blues guitarists American male guitarists American rock guitarists Drug-related deaths in California 20th-century American musicians Plastic Ono Band members Guitarists from Oklahoma Guitarists from California American session musicians 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians Slide guitarists