Legendary Guitarist Hank Garland Dies
Garland died of a staph infection Monday at Orange Park Medical Center, said his brother, Billy Garland.
In the 1950s and '60s, Walter "Hank" Garland was the talk of Nashville, known for musical riffs that could take a recording from humdrum to dazzling, as he did on Elvis hits like "Little Sister" and "A Big Hunk of Love." He had his first million-selling hit at 19 with "Sugar Foot Rag," a famous country tune. "He is heralded as a quintessential Nashville studio guitarist," musician Wolf Marshall said in an e-mail interview earlier this year.
In addition to performing with Elvis and other stars in Nashville, Garland was at the forefront of the rock 'n' roll movement, enjoyed a prestigious career as a country virtuoso, pioneered the electric guitar at the Grand Ole Opry and inspired jazz instrumentalists such as George Benson. He jammed in New York City with George Shearing and jazz great Charlie Parker.
His detailed session logbook reads like a "Who's Who" of the stars of country music, including Brenda Lee, Mel Tillis, Marty Robbins, Boots Randolph, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams Sr. Garland worked with Elvis from 1957 to 1961, and was playing on the soundtrack for his movie "Follow That Dream" in 1961 when a car crash put him in a coma for months.
The crash injuries and a series of 100 shock treatments administered at a Nashville hospital left him a shadow of his former self. He had to relearn everything from walking and talking to playing the guitar.
Billy Garland claims the crash was no accident, that it was an attempted killing by someone in the Nashville record scene.
Garland spent the final years of his life fighting ill health, trying to pry royalties out of record companies and talking with Hollywood about a movie based on his life.
Garland started playing guitar at age 6 and appeared on radio shows at age 12. He was discovered at the age of 14 at a South Carolina music store where he had gone to buy a guitar string. He soon would set Nashville on fire.
"He was born with talent," said Billy Garland. "A God-given talent."
© Copyright 2025 by www.elvis.com.au & www.elvispresley.com.au
https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/news/hank-garland-dies-at-74.shtml
No part of any article on this site may be re-printed for public display without permission.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
