The George Barnes Legacy Collection | …aspects of the truth.

A brilliant, innovative, consummate musician whose influential career spanned 44 years, electric guitar pioneer and jazz guitar great George Barnes was one of the first electric guitarists in history–and the first to record commercially, at the age of 16, with such blues greats as Big Bill Broonzy and Blind John Davis. Before Charlie Christian, who adored and lauded him. Before Les Paul, who admired and envied him. Inspired by Bix Beiderbecke, Jimmy Noone, and Lonnie Johnson. Inspiring countless guitarists, from Chet Atkins to George Benson to John Pizzarelli…you name ‘em, they listened to him, loved him, and learned from him.

And now, you can, too.

THE GEORGE BARNES LEGACY COLLECTION dynamically tracks the untold history of Barnes’ indelible influence on American popular music–from 30’s blues to 40’s swing to 50’s & 60’s rock and country, and jazz throughout , until his untimely death in 1977–and brings Barnes to new generations of musicians and music lovers.

At last, George Barnes fans, students and collectors can own previously unavailable material from his family’s private collection: recorded music (including repackaged releases of select albums and singles), compositions & arrangements, teaching methods, photographs, documents, and video & film footage, curated with care by his daughter Alexandra and his late wife Evelyn. Generously supplemented with personal anecdotes, this is a rare and entertaining opportunity to study the life and work of a completely dedicated musical genius–through his family, friends, co-creators, students–and Barnes himself.

Click on the links to your left for details about the latest offerings: GEORGE BARNES: COUNTRY JAZZMAN, GEORGE BARNES–THE METHODS (for Beginners and Masters), and GEORGE BARNES–AT HOME WITH FRIENDS IN 1941…then, go to THE SHOP to make your purchases!

There are more releases to come, including:

– the iconic electric guitar methods Barnes produced in the early 1940s

– an updated version of the WPA interview 17-year-old Barnes gave when he was 17, augmented with photos and stories that stitch together the comments he made as a teenager with later events and choices in his career

– a package consisting of the 2009 interview Alexandra Barnes Leh conducted with Bucky Pizzarelli about the making of the Bach Fugue in G Minor, with Barnes’ original arrangement in large-format print or digital format for individual study, and the opportunity for schools to license the work for performance

…and many other rare recordings and never-before-published documents listed on the GEORGE BARNES: THE PROCESS and GEORGE BARNES: THE LIFE pages.

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