Musician. Born Ivy John Bryant, Jr., oldest of 12 children, he learned fiddle from his dad, a sharecropper. In 1948, Jimmy moved to Los Angeles, where he found radio work, soon becoming the lead guitarist with Cliffie Stone's band on the Hometown Jamboree. He was also soon in great demand as a session guitarist. During the time he spent with Capitol Records, he recorded with country artists such as Roy Rogers, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Tex Williams, and many non-country stars including Bing Crosby, Kay Starr and Stan Kenton, and in later years, he even recorded with the Monkees. Bryant once estimated that between 1955 and 1956, he recorded with 124 different artists. Steel guitarist Speedy West was a dazzling and versatile musician whose playing was the perfect match for Bryant's extraordinary, rapid guitarwork, prompting Stone to dub them "the Flaming Guitars." They became firm friends and their musical improvisations of western swing and jazz/country left other musicians dumbfounded in admiration. They subsequently appeared together on many recordings. In 1979 Bryant, a heavy smoker, was found to have lung cancer and he returned to Los Angeles, even playing at a benefit concert organized for him. Soon afterwards, his health worsening, he moved back to Moultrie, where he died in September 1980. Legendary jazz guitarist Barney Kessel once said, "of all the guitar players I have known, Jimmy Bryant is the fastest and the cleanest, and has more technique than any other."
Musician. Born Ivy John Bryant, Jr., oldest of 12 children, he learned fiddle from his dad, a sharecropper. In 1948, Jimmy moved to Los Angeles, where he found radio work, soon becoming the lead guitarist with Cliffie Stone's band on the Hometown Jamboree. He was also soon in great demand as a session guitarist. During the time he spent with Capitol Records, he recorded with country artists such as Roy Rogers, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Tex Williams, and many non-country stars including Bing Crosby, Kay Starr and Stan Kenton, and in later years, he even recorded with the Monkees. Bryant once estimated that between 1955 and 1956, he recorded with 124 different artists. Steel guitarist Speedy West was a dazzling and versatile musician whose playing was the perfect match for Bryant's extraordinary, rapid guitarwork, prompting Stone to dub them "the Flaming Guitars." They became firm friends and their musical improvisations of western swing and jazz/country left other musicians dumbfounded in admiration. They subsequently appeared together on many recordings. In 1979 Bryant, a heavy smoker, was found to have lung cancer and he returned to Los Angeles, even playing at a benefit concert organized for him. Soon afterwards, his health worsening, he moved back to Moultrie, where he died in September 1980. Legendary jazz guitarist Barney Kessel once said, "of all the guitar players I have known, Jimmy Bryant is the fastest and the cleanest, and has more technique than any other."
Bio by: Helen Rowe Bledsoe
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