Speedy West

by Richie UnterbergerOne of the greatest virtuosos that country music has ever produced, Speedy West bridged the western swing and rockabilly eras with eye-popping steel guitar. Besides contributing to literally thousands of country sessions, West cut many of his own instrumentals, as a solo act and with his guitarist partner Jimmy Bryant. Adept at boogie, blues, and Hawaiian ballads, West played with an infectious joy and daring improvisation that, at its most adventurous, could be downright experimental. Its doubtful whether anyone could collect all of Speedys solos under one roof, but it was his sessions of the 1950s and early 60s — especially those with Jimmy Bryant — that found his genius at its most freewheeling and dazzling.