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Artist
Guitar Shorty
12+ albums
bluesblues rockguitarbluesrockrock
about
There are two artists with the name 'Guitar Shorty': 1) Guitar Shorty was American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter David William Kearney (born on 8 September 1934 ; died 20 April 2022) who was known for his explosive guitar style and wild stage antics. 2) Guitar Shorty was American acoustic blues guitarist John Henry Fortescue (born on 24 January 1923; died 26 May 1976). I. Guitar Shorty (born David William Kearney on 8 September 1934 ; died 20 April 2022), was an American blues guitarist. Due to both his musical talents and performing stage antics such as somersaults and back flips, he has been considered "among the leading live acts on the blues scene." Shorty was born in Houston, Texas but grew up mainly in Kissimmee, Florida, where he began playing the guitar at an early age and began heading a band not long after. During his time in Tampa Bay, Florida, he received his nickname, Guitar Shorty, when it mysteriously showed up on the marquee of the club he was playing as The Walter Johnson Band featuring Guitar Shorty. He steadily began to garner accolades from his peers and, at the age of 16, he joined the Ray Charles Band for a year. He then recorded his first single in 1957, "You Don't Treat Me Right", under the direction of Willie Dixon when Dixon saw him playing with the Walter Johnson orchestra. Eventually, he would join Guitar Slim's band and move to New Orleans, Louisiana. While in New Orleans, Shorty also fronted his own band which played regularly at
