A Guitar Song That Defies Categorization

One of the great things about being a musician is discovering new songs and artists and the musical ideas that flow from them.

Not that long ago I had the good fortune to discover the guitarist Jimmy Herring and one of his signature numbers: Red Wing Special. The song appears on his 2012 release, Subject to Change Without Notice. It was Herring’s second solo effort, and Red Wing Special leads it off.

Upon first hearing it, I had to ask: Is it country? Rock? Jazz? This Herring composition is literally all of the above. It was then that I realized, never had I heard a song that was so stylistically diverse that it seemingly defied categorization!

Give a listen to Red Wing Special (YouTube video link below). This tight, up-tempo tune is marked by intricate guitar and violin interplay. Herring leads the way with his distinctive Stratocaster sound. He takes the first solo, which combines his characteristic electric lines with those that recall Django Reinhardt Gypsy jazz. Fittingly, from that standpoint, Herring’s solo is smoothly followed by a fiddle solo that necessarily evokes Reinhardt’s famous bandmate, the violinist Stephane Grappelli. Steady bass lines provide a solid bottom throughout. A brief but well-placed drum solo fills out the track before the string players reunite.

I was immediately inspired, creatively, by Red Wing Special. Perhaps it was because of the pure energy of the song. (The second time I heard it, I picked up my guitar and jumped onboard this motoring musical train!)  But it was more than that.

The song displays three distinct styles—country, rock, and jazz—and shows how they can be beautifully woven together. The combination of sounds melds to deliver a stylistic character almost unto itself. It’s a little like the four notes sung by a Barbershop Quartet which, together, yield a magical fifth tone!

Listening to Red Wing Special was a true musical discovery. For me, hearing Herring for the first time was a gift from the guitar gods.

Forgive the hyperbole.

To be honest, as a jazz player, most of the time I’m listening to jazz guitar. But then along comes this monster “rock” guitarist who completely blows me away with his eclectic electric sound and killer technique … and becomes someone I now listen to on a regular basis. Someone who’s now one of my favorite all-around players.

As for garnering new musical ideas …

Playing along with Red Wing Special prompted me to hear and develop chord phrases that I articulated as 4-note voicings on the top strings. Naturally, it’s hard to put sounds into words, but I used diminished shapes as passing chords through the major chord voicings … moving up and down the neck into different positions. Everyone gets different musical ideas when listening to different songs. The idea that came to me when I was listening to Red Wing Special was a series of flowing chord phrases in the upper register. I liked the way it sounded, so I essentially developed a new technique that I’ve since carried over to my solo arrangements and chordal improvisation in general.

Herring is not only an amazing guitarist. I understand, firsthand, that he’s also a pretty amazing guy—friendly and gracious. My son Daniel (that’s him on the right in the picture below of Jimmy) had the pleasure of meeting and hanging with his guitar hero before Herring’s band, Widespread Panic, played at the Brooklyn (NY) Bowl last year.

(Oh, BTW: Widespread Panic? That name is a regular riot!)

Daniel uploaded the YouTube video below a few years back. Many of the 6,000+ views it’s received since then are by me. If you want to play along with this swinging (and fast!) number, it’s in D major.

It’s great when guitarists are open to exploring different styles to create vibrant new musical ideas, sounds, and songs. Jimmy Herring—as evidenced by his Red Wing Special—is the quintessential example of that type of player.

Have fun and enjoy if you jam with Jimmy on Red Wing Special. I certainly do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MshHFy5fmJU