Session guitarist Neil Levang

Bob Holo

Wasn't really sure where to put this post. Growing up as a kid, I always used to hear about my cousin Neil, the great guitarist. From my older brothers I used to hear how he played with Zappa & Elvis & Nilsson & Duane Eddy & did movie soundtracks etc... from my parents & grandparents I used to hear how he played with Lawrence Welk and other easy listening groups. None of it ever really sunk in because I was busy playing with toy cars & reading comic books at that age. Even when he was in town and came by for visits and I had the opportunity to ask him to show me a couple of chords - I still was more interested in those damned comic books. Just today my brother sent me some YouTube vids of Neil and ... Wow... This guy was great! Looking at his hands - he definitely got the long thin Levang fingers whereas I got the short powerful Hansen fingers. Ah well... the better to make guitars with, right?

Swing:
Wild Dog: On Epiphone Emperor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqOo4rNFHmE
Wild Dog: On Fender Malibu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbP_DxcU9Wc

Trad/Dixie:
Hindustan: On Banjo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtm1-S0KS0o
Sugarfoot Rag: Fingerpicking a 12 string ?!?!?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jOTcNdnEn4
Hey Mr. Banjo: (on banjo) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnS6Ordq3Kg

Nashville:
San Antonio Rose: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0HYUoC656o
Wheels: On Fender Telecaster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvh6Qr9NGek
South: On Fender Jagmaster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPYquzSWeuk

Tom Landman

Thanks for sharing those clips. What a great player!

A.K. Kibben

Note the rest strokes on "Wheels"...

Elliot

Hard to believe how long his fingers are. He looks like he could barre with his pinkie!

If I could say I played with FZ, I'd die a happy man, maybe.

Bob Holo

Yep - incredibly long fingers.

This is either a floating bridge 12 string or a Tipple - but either way - it's a wide neck and his fingers just tower over it. Holy cow. I bet thumbover chords weren't a problem.

But here's the kicker... he won a CMA near the end of his career - a year or two before he toured with the Judds (which was his last tour) playing... are you ready for the punchline? A MANDOLIN !?!? Now how would you be able to play a tiny little neck like a mandolin with fingers like that?

badjazz

They don't make suits like that anymore!

great stuff, thanks!
It's amazing how at home he sounds on every different instrument.

momsfudge59

Great to see my dad's hands! Mine didn't fall far from his wrists. Thankfully, I studied piano so I didn't have to negotiate these tenderloins around a fretboard!

Thanks Bob.

Cousin Mark