Hello,

Not my first time seeing the *other* 'Guitarist's Guitarist': Albert is up there with Jeff Beck and Richard Thompson, at least as far as I'm concerned anyway! Let's face it, he has played with The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Bill Wyman, Bert Jansch and some chancer called Eric Clapton. I'm sure there are more than a few names missing too...

Apparently Emmylou Harris said: "When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say (with pride if that’s allowed) that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.” Praise indeed.

Certainly the feeling that Albert seems to engender is one of a very humble and very obviously hugely talented musician (who sings, plays keys and can play a little bit of guitar on occasion, hah-hah!) who is a very empathetic and generous bandmate. What I'm trying to say is that he allows his colleagues bags of space for them to shine...and not surprisingly there is loads of eye contact and smiles onstage for the 100 minutes, which fairly race by.

Speaking of his bandmates, they were of course terrific players...steel guitarist and multiple Grammy-winner Cindy Cashdollar, John “J.T.” Thomas on keys, Will MacGregor on bass and Jason Harrison Smith on drums. Albert's guitar-playing is still a thing of wonder at times: although he can pick at speeds approaching 900mph, it never seems flash or showy, but fitting, musically speaking. It's no wonder that he is so in-demand and highly thought of by his peers. The swine!

All I can tell you is that if you get the chance to see him, then please go. I'll refund your ticket if you ain't grinning like an eejit afterwards- can't say fairer than that!

















Cheers,

Simon.

Saw him play in Vegas when he had a run going there. It was good enough to go back and see him a second time. Not his best era I'm guessing but the guitar playing and style was unique and wonderful.

Great pictures Simon. I will beat with sssoul to the punch and ask if you took them and if not who did? Thanks

Hi NL,

I'm guilty, hah-hah! Such is my dedication/obsession (cue bs detector going off-the-scale) that I moved from my front-row, dead-centre seat after the interval because I just couldn't dare to point a lens at these terrific players...I just wouldn't have been comfortable doing it. Sounds daft, I'm sure!

Anyway, I am very fond of Albert's playing plus he really does strike you as a decent soul too. No surprise that IORRians appreciate his talent...

Cheers,

Simon.

Thank you for the great pics!
Love it so much to see him live! The last concert took
place in a very small German club, and it was the best thing
I've ever seen. Very personal, almost intimate, as if he would
perform only for his best friends. And though he had a cold hard,
he gave autographs afterwards, let take pictures and chatted friendly.
Very touching!

Cindy Cashdollar is IT when it comes to any slide work....