Lords of the Telecaster – Clarence White

If you are a bluegrass fan, or a Grateful Dead fan and appreciate country rock with a Telecaster, you should get to know Clarence White. Starting off as a bluegrass guitarist in the 60’s, White helped popularize the guitar as a feature instrument in bluegrass. It’s hard to believe that not too long ago, the guitar was strictly a rhythm instrument, with almost no lead or solo elements. Clarence White helped to change that in the acoustic realm and also brought his style of country picking to rock and roll, helping to create the country rock genre that The Byrds, Gram Parsons, The Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles helped popularize. Clarence White, who could play, write and sing was frequently sought out for session work as well. As a member of The Byrds v3.0 (I think), Clarence White and Gene Parsons stripped out a 1954 Telecaster and invented an internal device that bent the B-string a whole step without using either hand. Pushing down on the neck caused the “B-Bender” to bend that string via a mechanical connection to the front strap knob. This allowed for that pedal-steel sound that Spanish-electric guitarists always tried to emulate. When it was first introduced, other guitarists were befuddled by the sound Clarence White could get from his Tele. Little did they know that he had the first “B-Bender” to help him. The “B-Bender” by White and Parsons, became a big hit and is now able to be ordered straight from Fender on selected Telecaster models. Country electric guitar surely appreciates this clever invention. Clarence White’s guitar playing was both significant and highly influential helping to define the electric country rock sound that continues to this day. Check out the album Nashville West released in 1978 from earlier recordings. Sadly, Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver in 1973 at the age of 29. His music lives on to this day and so does the original B-Bender Telecaster, now owned by the great Marty Stuart. In fact, when Stuart acquired the guitar, he removed the back panel covering the B-Bender. He noticed an odd slip of paper which he had chemically tested. Sure enough, hidden in the B-Bender was a hit of Acid. Well played, Clarence White. Well played.