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Image:Telecaster50th.jpg

This is an alphabetized list of musicians who have made notable use of the Fender Telecaster, Broadcaster or Esquire in live performances or studio recordings. Because of the great popularity of this model, musicians are listed here only if their use of this instrument was especially significant — that is, they are players with long careers who have a history of faithful Telecaster use, or the particular guitar they used was unique or of historical importance, or their use of the Telecaster contributed significantly to the popularization of the instrument.

Esquire players are here listed alongside players of the more famous Telecaster, since Fender regards it as part of the "family of Telecaster guitars".<ref>‘50s Esquire. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (2006-04-11). Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref> While the one-pickup Esquire has been marketed as a separate model from the two-pickup Telecaster (which was originally named the Broadcaster) since its reintroduction in 1951, the Esquire and Telecaster are so intimately linked in their development and history, and so similar in design and tonal characteristics, that they are considered variations of the same model.

Contents 1 A-E 2 F-J 3 K-P 4 Q-Z 5 Citations 6 References

[edit] A-E

• Syd Barrett (1946–2006), a psychedelic icon and the original guitarist and lead singer for Pink Floyd, used a unique mirror-disk Esquire.<ref name="Bacon_59>Although Barrett's mirror-disk guitar has been called a Telecaster in several sources, a photograph shows clearly that it has no neck pickup, and is therefore an Esquire. See: (Bacon 2005, p. 59)</ref>
• Ed Bickert (b. 1932) is a premier jazz player who started playing a Telecaster when his regular guitar was in the shop, and he has used it for the rest of his career.<ref name="GuitarPlayer_56_57">Guitar Player Magazine, July, 1987, pp. 56, 57</ref>
• Frank Black (b. 1965) of the Pixies has been a long-time Tele enthusiast.<ref name="Bacon_106_109">(Bacon 2005, p. 106, 109)</ref>
• Jimmy Bryant (1925–1980), a prolific session musician, was given one of the first Broadcasters by Fender engineer George Fullerton. Fullerton compared this gift to "starting a prairie fire," and said that "[p]retty soon we couldn't make enough of those guitars." <ref name="Bacon_25">(Bacon 2005, p. 25)</ref>
• Roy Buchanan (1939–1988), a blues/rock musician whose playing inspired the likes of Jeff Beck, earning him the title "The Guitarist's Guitarist's Guitarist," was a faithful Tele man during his solo career.<ref name="Burrows_67_136_137">(Burrows 1998, p. 67, 136, 137)</ref>
• James Burton (b. 1939) has played a Telecaster since he was 13, and he has influenced many other guitarists. He was the most visible player of the Tele in the late '50s, appearing on television with Ricky Nelson almost every week on the Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.<ref name="Bacon_37">(Bacon 2005, p. 37).</ref> His most famous guitar is the Paisley Red Tele, which he first used while performing with Elvis Presley.<ref name="Bacon_66-67">(Bacon 2005, p. 66-67)</ref> He has also played with Gram Parsons and Merle Haggard. As a long-time Tele player, he wrote a foreword to A. R. Duchossoir's book detailing the history of the guitar.<ref name="Duchossoir_4">(Duchossoir 1991, p. 4)</ref>
• Mike Campbell (b. 1950), best known for his work with Tom Petty, has stated that his 1950 Broadcaster has been one of his live mainstay guitars since the beginning of the Heartbreakers. On their first and second albums, he recorded most of his solos & rhythm parts on songs such as "American Girl", "Breakdown", and "I Need to Know" using his Broadcaster exclusively. Mike also plays an early-'70s Telecaster with two humbuckers and Bigsby tremolo nicknamed "Big Red". <ref>Thompson, Art (July 2006). Mike Campbell’s circa-’50 Broadcaster. Guitar Player Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
• Albert Collins (1932–1993) created his original blues sound using minor open tunings and a capo placed high up on the neck.<ref name="Burrows_67_143">(Burrows 1998, p. 67, 143)</ref> Fender offers an Albert Collins Signature Telecaster based on his '66 model, which features a humbucker in the neck position.
• Steve Cropper (b. 1941) creates rhythm work known to be spare and crisp using the back pickup of the Telecaster, playing with Stax session band Booker T. & the MGs, who backed such stars as Otis Redding and Sam & Dave.<ref name="Burrows_104_105">(Burrows 1998, p. 104, 105)</ref>
• Denny Dias of Steely Dan presaged the 1970's trend for dual-humbucker Teles by replacing both of the single coils in his guitar with humbuckers and installing a Stratocaster-style bridge.<ref name="Bacon_73">(Bacon 2005, p. 73)</ref>
• Jerry Donahue (b. 1946) of Fairport Convention released a solo album in 1986 called Telecasting and was a member of the Telecaster trio called the Hellecasters. <ref name="Bacon_97">(Bacon 2005, p. 97)</ref>

[edit] F-J

• Danny Gatton (1945–1994) played a customized '53 Tele whose specifications were replicated by Fender for his Signature model, including unique angled bridge saddles for improved intonation of the classic 3-saddle bridge, and use of Joe Barden pickups. <ref name="Duchossoir_31">(Duchossoir 1991, p. 25)</ref>
• Vince Gill (b. 1957), who replaced fellow Tele-player Albert Lee in Rodney Crowell's backing band, uses a '53 Telecaster as his primary stage guitar.<ref>Moseley, Willie G. (April 2002). Vince Gill: Picker's Pinnacle. Vintage Guitar Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
• Ted Greene (1946–2005), a Southern California guitarist, helped Fender design an accurate '52 Telecaster vintage reissue (their first such reissue) by referencing his extensive collection of old Telecasters, Broadcasters and Nocasters.<ref name="Bacon_92">(Bacon 2005, p. 92)</ref>
• Jonny Greenwood (b. 1971), along with bandmates Ed O'Brien and Thom Yorke of Radiohead, has made extensive use of the Telecaster since the '90s. <ref name="Bacon_116">(Bacon 2005, p. 116)</ref>
• George Harrison (1943–2001) received the first Rosewood Telecaster from Fender. He used it on the Let it Be album, and it can be seen in the Beatles' famous rooftop concert in 1969.<ref name="Duchossoir_25">(Duchossoir 1991, p. 25)</ref>
• PJ Harvey (b. 1969) used to play a borrowed 1967 Telecaster (from friend musician John Parish) during her early career. In a 1995 interview with Guitar Player, she declared: "John's Telecaster is closer to my heart. It's on all my records - I used to nick it all the time."<ref>Gore, Joe (October 1995). Working for the Woman: PJ Harvey's 6-String Surrogates. Guitar Player Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref> Later, in 2000, when she received the Mercury Music Prize, she bought her own 60s Telecaster.
• Chrissie Hynde (b. 1951) has often used her blue Telecaster with the The Pretenders, and it was pictured on the jacket of their album Get Close.<ref name="Bacon_95_97">(Bacon 2005, p. 95, 97)</ref>
• Waylon Jennings (1937–2002), a country legend, has been honored by Fender with a Waylon Jennings Tribute Telecaster.<ref name="Bacon=130">(Bacon 2005, p. 130)</ref>
• John 5 (b. 1971)is a heavy metal/country guitarist who has played with Marylin Manson and who is known for his proficiency at shredding. Fender now produces a J5 Signature Telecaster which John 5 co-designed.<ref>J5 Telecaster. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (2006-04-11). Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>

[edit] K-P

• Albert Lee (b. 1943), whose instrumental work has influenced many other guitarists, has played a Telecaster since 1963.<ref name="Bacon_97">(Bacon 2005, p. 97)</ref> As a long-time Tele player, he wrote a foreword to A. R. Duchossoir's book detailing the history of the guitar.<ref name="Duchossoir_5">(Duchossoir 1991, p. 5)</ref>
• Brent Mason, a prolific Nashville session musician,<ref name="Bacon_116">(Bacon 2005, p. 116)</ref> is considered to be "the most recorded guitar player alive."<ref>Brent Mason: World-Renowned Session Player. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref> Gibson produces a Brent Mason Signature guitar, which is modeled after Mason's customized Telecaster. It features 2 "stacked" and one mini humbucker, and an additional tone control with series/parallel switch for the middle pickup.
• Roy Nichols (1932–2001) was a guitarist in Merle Haggard's group The Strangers, and famously used the "chicken pickin'" technique for which the Telecaster is so well suited. Fittingly, an image of a Telecaster is engraved on his tombstone.<ref name="Bacon_49">(Bacon 2005, p. 49)</ref>
• Ed O'Brien (b. 1968), along with bandmates Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke of Radiohead, has made extensive use of the Telecaster since the '90s.<ref name="Bacon_116">(Bacon 2005, p. 116)</ref>
• Buck Owens (1929–2006), along with Don Rich and their custom sparkle-finish Telecasters, helped create the distinctive Bakersfield sound of country music in the early 1960's.<ref name="Bacon_47_49">(Bacon 2005, p. 47, 49)</ref>
• Jimmy Page (b. 1944), though more known for his use of the Gibson Les Paul, used a Telecaster in his earlier work with The Yardbirds, as well as on Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, probably his most famous track. <ref name="Burrows_114">(Burrows 1998, p. 114)</ref>
• Rick Parfitt (b. 1948) of Status Quo, "one of Britain's longest-lived bands," is a faithful Tele player.<ref>Status Quo: Rick Parfitt. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
• Brad Paisley (b. 1972) plays guitars from an extensive collection of Telecasters and Tele-inspired models, including his "warhorse," a '68 Red Paisley model (the same model that James Burton made famous) named "Old Pink." One notable feature on some of his guitars is a G-bender device.<ref>Gear. Brad Paisley Website. Retrieved on 2006-08-09.</ref>
• Luther Perkins (1928–1968), a member of Johnny Cash's backing band The Tennessee Two/Three used his Telecaster to create the "boom-chicka" rhythms that came to characterize much of Cash's music.<ref name="Bacon_40">(Bacon 2005, p. 40)</ref>

[edit] Q-Z

• Will Ray (b. 1950) has been part of the Telecaster trio the Hellecasters from 1993-on. He is known for extensive use of the B-Bender and finger-mount slide on his Telecaster. In recognition of the Hellecaster's contributions to the Telecaster, Fender has produced more signature models for the group than for any other group, including two Will Ray signature models: the Jazz-a-Caster and the Mojo-Tele.<ref>Will Ray. The Hellecasters' Biographies. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref>
• Don Rich (1942–1974) made the bassy rhythms and "chicken pickin'" of his custom sparkle-finish Telecaster an indispensible part of the Bakersfield sound while playing with Buck Owens & The Buckaroos.<ref name="Bacon_47_49">(Bacon 2005, p. 47, 49)</ref>
• Keith Richards (b. 1943) has composed many classic riffs with The Rolling Stones using a variety of Telecasters.<ref name="192_193">(Burrows 1998, p. 192, 193)</ref> His main axe is a '52 Tele named Micawber, which features a 5-string open G tuning and a humbucker in the neck position.<ref name="terrific">Ten Terrific Telecaster Guitars (June 7, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
• Robbie Robertson (b.1943) of The Band, used a Telecaster from 1958 to 1974. His trusty Telecaster can be heard on many of the Band's recordings.<ref>The Telecaster in Canada. CanCon. Retrieved on 2006-11-22.</ref>
• Francis Rossi (b. 1949) of Status Quo, "one of Britain's longest-lived bands," is a faithful Tele player.<ref>Status Quo: Francis Rossi. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
• Arlen Roth (b. 1953) has been a respected artist ever since his first solo album won the Montreaux Critics’ Award for Best Instrumental Album of the Year in 1978. He was Guitar Player Magazine's top columnist from 1982 to 1992. He has performed with such diverse artists as John Prine, Rick Wakeman, and Paul Simon.<ref name="Roth_DMS">Endorsing Artists: Arlen Roth. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.</ref> He is a Telecaster enthusiast, and has written the book Masters of the Telecaster, which details the licks of many famous Tele players.<ref>Masters of the Telecaster book description. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.</ref><ref>Arlen Roth's official website. Retrieved on 2006-08-09.</ref>
• Bruce Springsteen (b. 1949) has long played a 1952 Esquire upgraded with a Telecaster neck pickup. The guitar appears on the cover of the album Born to Run.<ref name="Bacon_79_81">(Bacon 2005, p. 79, 81)</ref><ref name="terrific">
• Mike Stern (b. 1953), one of the few Tele-playing jazz musicians, played the guitar with Miles Davis in the early 80's before going solo.<ref name="Bacon_91_97">(Bacon 2005, p. 91, 97)</ref>
• Sly Stone (b. 1944), along with his brother Freddie Stone of the Family Stone, proved the Tele to be as suited for funk as it was for country and rock.<ref name="Bacon_81">(Bacon 2005, p. 81)</ref>
• Joe Strummer (1952–2002) of The Clash was "the most visible Tele player" in late 1970s punk, using his famous stickered instrument.<ref name="Bacon_72_73_75">(Bacon 2005, p. 72, 73, 75)</ref>
• Marty Stuart (b. 1958) has been a career-long devotee of the guitar. The Fender Custom Shop makes a Limited Edition Marty Stuart Tribute Telecaster which blends features from his favorite historical guitars, as played by Buck Owens, Don Rich, Mick Ronson and Clarence White.<ref>Kingbury, Eric (July 1999). Nashville Fret Wizard Introduces New Album and Limited Edition Tribute Tele. Fender Frontline. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.</ref>
• Andy Summers (b. 1942) of the Police almost always used his '61/'63 Telecaster Custom, which he'd customized with a Gibson neck humbucker, a preamp and a phase switch.<ref name="Bacon_76_86_87">(Bacon 2005, p. 76, 86, 87)</ref>
• Pete Townshend (b. 1945), though famous for his Tele smashing in the '60s,<ref name="Bacon_60_61">(Bacon 2005, p. 60, 61)</ref>, spared his favorite guitar, a 1952 vintage Telecaster.<ref name="thewho.net">Thewho.net. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.</ref>
• Keith Urban (b. 1967) regularly plays Telecasters,<ref>Plonski, Jennifer. West Coast Country. Vox Amps UK. Retrieved on 2005-08-10.</ref> one of which features decorative binding and three pickups.<ref>Slade, Ernest H. (April 9, 2005). Keith Urban Concert Review. Retrieved on 2005-08-10.</ref>
• Redd Volkaert (b. 1948) was a successor to Roy Nichols in Merle Haggard's backing band, and is "among the country’s top Telecaster guitar slingers."<ref>Seeing Redd. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.</ref>
• Muddy Waters (1913–1983) helped build a bridge between the blues and rock with his "walls of electrified sound," played on his red '57 Telecaster.<ref name="Bacon_40">(Bacon 2005, p. 40).</ref> Fender sells a Muddy Waters Telecaster, one of the guitars in its Signature series.
• Clarence White (1944–1973) of the Byrds, along with drummer Gene Parsons, invented the B-Bender device for the Tele for emulating pedal steel guitar effects.<ref>(Bacon & Day 1998, p. 48)</ref>
• Thom Yorke (b. 1968), along with bandmates Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, has made extensive use of the Telecaster since the '90s. Yorke has regularly used a Telecaster Deluxe, which features humbuckers and a wide Stratocaster-style headstock. <ref name="Bacon_110_111_116">(Bacon 2005, p. 110-111, 116)</ref>

[edit] Citations

[edit] References

• Bacon, Tony (2005), Six Decades of the Fender Telecaster: The story of the world's first solidbody electric guitar, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-856-7.
• Bacon, Tony & Day, Paul (1998), The Fender Book: A complete history of Fender electric guitars (2nd ed.), Balafon Books, ISBN 0-87930-554-1.
• Burrows, Terry (1998), The Complete Encyclopedia of the Guitar: The definitive guide to the world's most popular instrument, Schirmer Books, ISBN 0-02-865027-1.
• Duchossoir, A.R. (1991), The Fender Telecaster: The Detailed Story of America's Senior Solid Body Electric Guitar, Hal Leonard Publishing Co., ISBN 0-7935-0860-6.