Guitar Man (song)


"Guitar Man" is a 1967 song written by Jerry Reed, who took his version of it to number 53 on the Billboard country music charts in 1967.
Soon after Reed's single appeared, Elvis Presley recorded the song with Reed playing the guitar part, and it became a minor country and pop hit. According to Peter Guralnick in his two-volume biography of Presley, the singer had been trying unsuccessfully to record the tune, but wasn't happy with the groove. He said something to the effect of: "Get me that redneck picker who's on the original tune", and his staff brought Reed into the studio - who nailed it on the first take. The single spent one week at number one on the country chart.
Thirteen years later, "Guitar Man" was re-recorded in a new electric arrangement, with Presley's original vocal left intact, and it was the last of his eleven number one country hits. The record also peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was his last top-40 pop hit in the U.S.
The Jesus and Mary Chain recorded a version of this song to the b-side of Reverence single, in 1992.

Personnel (Elvis Presley versions)

1967 version
1981 version

Jerry Reed

Elvis Presley

Chart Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles1
U.S. Billboard Hot 10028
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks16
Canadian RPM Country Tracks1
Dutch Top 4039
Australian Kent Music Report73