"Anji" Guitarist Davy Graham Dead at 68

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Folk guitarist Davy Graham, a major influence on artists like Led Zeppelin and Simon & Garfunkel, passed away on December 15th at the age of 68. According to Graham's manager, the fingerstyle guitar great was diagnosed with lung cancer only a few weeks ago and suffered a seizure. With his 1962 debut EP 3/4 AD, Graham introduced his most famous composition, the instrumental "Anji," a song that was later covered by Simon & Garfunkel for their Sounds of Silence album. Graham's "She Moved Thru the Fair" also reportedly heavily influenced Jimmy Page on the Yardbirds' (and later Led Zeppelin's) "White Summer," even though Graham didn't receive a song credit. A private service for Graham will be held this week, with a public memorial planned for January.

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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »

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