Hank Garland doing the Sugarfoot Rag

YouTube is such a great resource for old music -- this clip is no exception! The great Hank Garland performing his hit 'Sugarfoot Rag' live on TV, sometime in the 50's. The tune is based on an old fiddle tune (there's also supposedly a dance of the same name...) and Hank had huge, million-selling hit with this one at age 19 while playing with Red Foley. I remember years ago hearing Junior Brown live at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, and he used this tune as his encore piece which was just jaw dropping. A few years after this film clip, Hank was involved in a very serious automobile accident in which he suffered severe brain damage. That accident along with shock therapy he received in the hospital rendered him barely able to play the guitar, let alone walk. For those of you who enjoy jazz, you should check out his album 'Jazz winds From a New Direction' -- an all-time classic which features the incredible vibes playing of 17-year old Gary Burton. Hank was also known to have jammed with Charlie Parker, and was a very forward-thinking and inspiration musician. One of my patron saints.