Alvino Rey

about

Alvin McBurney (July 1, 1908 – February 24, 2004), known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American swing era musician and pioneer, often credited as the father of the pedal steel guitar. He was mainly associated with orchestral, big band and swing music, and towards the end of his career, jazz and exotica. Alvin McBurney was born in Oakland, California, in 1908, but moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio. He showed very early signs of his mechanical and musical aptitude; he built his first radio at the age of eight and, within a couple of years, became one of the youngest licensed ham operators in the country. His interest in music grew when he received a banjo as a tenth birthday gift. He began studying guitar at the age of 12, listening to recordings by guitarists Eddie Lang and Roy Smeck. At 15 he invented an electrical amplifier for the guitar, but neglected to have it patented. He did patent several later versions. In 1927, Rey landed a job playing banjo with Cleveland bandleader Ev Jones. "Yes, I joined the Union when I was 16," he said. He practiced amplifying acoustic instruments as a teenager, starting with this first banjo. "I went to Lakewood High School and from there I went to New York and never did come back." he recalled. His career began in 1927, when he played banjo with Ev Jones. He signed with Phil Spitalny that same year, playing electric guitar in Spitalny's Orchestra. "I spent two years in New York with Phil Spitalny and then went to California,"

top songs

albums

Swingin' Fling

Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 4: Bachelor Pad Royale

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Ultra-Lounge / Bachelor Pad Royale Volume Four

Top 50 Classics - The Very Best of Alvino Rey

Ping Pong

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Ultra-Lounge / Bachelor Pad Royale Volume Four

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King of the Guitar: A Tribute

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Ultra-Lounge / Space-Capades Volume Three

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Ultra-Lounge / Space-Capades Volume Three

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Best of the Essential Years: Alvino Rey

As I Remember Hawaii

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Big Band Guitar Classics (1940-1949)

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