Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits
    Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits
    Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits
    Ebook40 pages24 minutes

    Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits

    By Michael Rays

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Pop music history for guitar lovers! The guitar's pre-eminence in rock & roll is well-known--but what about pop music? Specifically, what about the pinnacle of pop music: number one hit songs? Guitar gadfly and pop music lover Michael Rays takes you on a guitar-oriented tour through the history of Billboard's American number one hits, starting in 1955 with "Rock Around the Clock" and proceeding through Frankie Avalon's "Why"--the final #1 song of 1959. Rays rates each song on four guitar-centric criteria: Riffage, Rhythm Playing, Fills and Solos. He also writes brief commentaries on each song, noting the many strummed surprises, oddities and innovations that enriched the American soundtrack of the late 50s. This book is about great music, great memories, and great (and occasionally not-so-great) guitar!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMichael Rays
    Release dateJul 9, 2016
    ISBN9781311101990
    Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits
    Author

    Michael Rays

    Michael Rays grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated from Northwestern University and served nine years in the Navy, flying the SH-60B Seahawk helicopter. Michael lives in Billings, Montana with his wife and daughter.

    Read more from Michael Rays

    Related to Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits

    Related ebooks

    Music For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Don Broco Amazing Things

      Oct 1, 2021

      Don Broco Amazing Things
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Fixer

      Nov 15, 2022

      The Fixer
      9 min read

    • Article

      Alice In Chains

      Sep 25, 2019

      Alice In Chains was at the forefront of the Grunge scene in the early 90s, although they were actually formed in Seattle in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney. Bassist Mike Starr and singer Layne Staley, both of whom have sadly

      2 min read

    • Article

      Rock ’n’ Roll Bending

      Nov 18, 2022

      Rock ’n’ Roll Bending
      2 min read

    • Article

      Off-road Adventure

      Feb 8, 2022

      Off-road Adventure
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Artist’s way

      May 17, 2022

      The Artist’s way
      11 min read

    • Article

      DJ Play My Blues

      Jun 14, 2022

      DJ Play My Blues
      2 min read

    • Article

      DEFENDERS Of The Faith

      May 17, 2022

      DEFENDERS Of The Faith
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Collection Rocks Off

      Nov 5, 2021

      The Collection Rocks Off
      7 min read

    • Article

      Back In Black

      Jul 17, 2023

      Back In Black
      5 min read

    • Article

      Across The Great Divide

      Oct 22, 2021

      Across The Great Divide
      6 min read

    • Article

      Performance Notes

      May 17, 2022

      THIS CLASSIC, HAUNTINGLY beautiful composition features some of the late, great Randy Rhoads’ finest musical moments in his brief but brilliant career collaborating with the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. Written in the key of D minor, the song is built ar

      4 min read

    • Article

      Angular Ax- Cellence

      May 17, 2022

      Angular Ax- Cellence
      2 min read

    • Article

      Blues Power

      Oct 1, 2021

      Blues Power
      5 min read

    • Article

      The histroy OF DENMARK STREET

      Aug 7, 2020

      The histroy OF DENMARK STREET
      11 min read

    • Article

      Instrumental Inquisition !

      Jul 1, 2021

      Instrumental Inquisition !
      2 min read

    • Article

      Wigs, Rigs And Gigs

      Dec 27, 2022

      Wigs, Rigs And Gigs
      3 min read

    • Article

      Top Gear

      Dec 27, 2022

      Top Gear
      6 min read

    • Article

      Keith Richards

      Mar 8, 2022

      The buzzy riff on the Rolling Stones’ 1965 hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is deeply engrained in guitar lore, but its creator, Keith Richards, conceived of it as a brass arrangement. “I’d already heard the riff in my head the way Otis Redding di

      1 min read

    • Article

      How To Play A Telecaster

      Dec 12, 2023

      ONE OF MY favorite moments as a Roy Buchanan fan was his late-night performance of Willie Nelson’s “Night Life.” Roy interpreted Buddy Emmons’ steel-guitar voicings, played unique jazz lines and commanded beautiful ii-V progressions. I listened like

      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Number One with an Axe! A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits - Michael Rays

      Number One with an AXE!

      A Look at the Guitar’s Role in America’s #1 Hits

      Book One: The Fifties

      By Michael Rays

      Published by Michael Rays at Smashwords

      Copyright 2016 Michael Rays

      Also by Michael Rays, published at Smashwords:

      Six-String Sleuth: A Guitar Player’s Guide to Figuring Out Song Chords

      Guitar Odyssey

      Guitar Odyssey 2: Talkin’ Dirty

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 2, 1960-64

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 3, 1965-69

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 4, 1970-74

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 5, 1975-79

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 6, 1980-84

      Number One with an AXE! Volume 7, 1985-89

      Headers: Scores & Headlines from Brazil 2014

      Number One with an AXE! is a look at the role of the guitar in America’s #1 Billboard hits. Starting in 1955 with Rock Around the Clock and proceeding through the end of 1959, guitar gadfly Michael Rays listens to, comments on and scores each #1 hit in terms of four guitar-centric criteria: riffage, rhythm, fills and solos. The result is a history of the guitar at the pinnacle of American pop culture.

      Slick your hair back, fire up your ’57 Chevy and let’s get rolling!

      Table of Contents

      Riffs on Guitar Odyssey

      Ode to Guitar Players

      Methodology Used

      1955

      1956

      1957

      1958

      1959

      Facts & Statistics

      About the Author

      Riffs on Guitar Odyssey

      Back to Table of Contents

      …you quickly get into the spirit of the project and it becomes great fun to read.

      - darkerthanblue.wordpress.com (Deep Purple blog)

      Rays creates a chronicle of growth that will immerse and inspire fellow guitar players who have their own 'impossible' playing goals and aspirations…

      - D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

      …a surprisingly entertaining read.

      - Last Best News

      …Michael Rays has crafted a literate, interesting, funny and, oddly, moving account of his six-string journey…

      - Missoula Independent

      "You learn, as Rays did in

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1