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Who is Eddie Lang ~ The First Guitar Virtuoso

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Jazz Legend Eddie Lang (1902 - 1933)

Eddie Lang introduced the guitar to a wider audience and forever changed the way that people listened to music. His versatility and musical talent made it possible for the instrument to rise to an elevated status in such genres as jazz, blues and classical. His career included collaborations with with such renowned artists as Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Bix Biederbecke, Benny Goodman, and Paul Whiteman. Eddie Lang became friends with singer Bing Crosby and served as his accompanist. His most famous association was with childhood friend and violinist Joe Venuti, with whom he recorded many titles. Eddie Lang's career was cut short in 1933, when what was supposed to be a routine medical procedure—a tonsillectomy—resulted in complications that ended his life.

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Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti

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Eddie Lang

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Eddie Lang

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Eddie Lang ~ The First Guitar Virtuoso

Track	Artist	Album
Pickin' My Way	Eddie Lang	Jazz Guitar Virtuoso	$ 0.99 Preview
April Kisses	Eddie Lang	Jazz Guitar Virtuoso	$ 0.99 Preview
Wild Cat	Eddie Lang	Jazz Guitar Legends	$ 0.99 Preview
Danzon	Eddie Lang	Pioneers of Jazz Guitar - 1927-1939	$ 0.99 Preview
Farewell Blues	Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti	Pickin' My Way - The Best Of	$ 0.99 Preview
Eddie's Twister	Eddie Lang	Pioneers of Jazz Guitar - 1927-1939	$ 0.99 Preview
Rainbow Dreams	Eddie Lang	Jazz Guitar Virtuoso	$ 0.99 Preview
Stringing The Blues (1926 version)	Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti	The Very Best Of	$ 0.99 Preview
Dinah	Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti	Pickin' My Way - The Best Of	$ 0.99 Preview
Guitar Blues	Eddie Lang & Lonnie Johnson	Jazz Guitar Legends	$ 0.99 Preview

Eddie Lang

A Few Facts Courtesy of Wikipedia

Eddie Lang (October 25, 1902 - March 26, 1933) was an American jazz guitarist, regarded as the most important Chicago jazz guitarist and the Father of the Jazz Guitar. He played a Gibson L-4 and L-5 guitar, providing great influence for many guitarists, including Django Reinhardt. Lang was born Salvatore Massaro, the son of an Italian-American instrument maker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At first, he took violin lessons for 11 years. In school he became friends with Joe Venuti, with whom he would work for much of his career. He was playing professionally by about 1918, playing violin, banjo, and guitar. He worked with various bands in the USA's north-east, worked in London (late 1924 to early 1925), then settled in New York City. Eddie Lang was the first important jazz guitarist. He was effectively able to integrate the guitar into 1920s jazz recordings. He played with the bands of Venuti, Adrian Rollini, Roger Wolfe Kahn and Jean Goldkette in addition to doing a large amount of freelance radio and recording work. Eddie Lang died from a sudden hemorrhage following a tonsillectomy in New York City in 1933 at the age of thirty.

Did You Know?

In 1986, Eddie Lang was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.

Music by Eddie Lang

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Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang

Dinah (1928)

Eddie Lang Websites

Eddie Lang ~ The First Guitar Virtuoso

Eddie Lang.com: Visit the official website.
Eddie Lang and his Orchestra: Eddie Lang's discography and more artist links.
Mosaic Records: Limited edition jazz collections.

Eddie Lang

Jazz Guitar Virtuoso

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Eddie Lang in the News

The Latest News Headlines About Eddie Lang

Wylie's Brown has emerged as a sprinter to be reckoned with: By Daniel Youngblood Wylie boys track coach Eddie Lang knew before this season began that Devan Brown could run. But even he was surprised to find out just how fast his star sprinter actually is. Before Brown's first meet in February, Lang had hoped ...
Eldar Djangirov Trio Returns Blue Note with Special Guest Pat Martino, Now ...: Born Pat Azzara in Philadelphia in 1944, Pat was first exposed to jazz through his father, Carmen "Mickey" Azzara, who sang in local clubs and briefly studied guitar with Eddie Lang. He took Pat to all the city's hot-spots to hear and meet Wes ...
Pokey LaFarge: Adam Hoskins, who plays guitar and lap steel, grew up on punk and metal before finding Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt, which gives the band its sense of swing. Bassist Joey Glynn started with punkabilly, and Ryan Koenig, who handles harmonica, ...
Kytaroví velikáni - Lonnie Johnson: Vysp?lost hry ho také etablovala iv jazzových kruzích, tak?e mezi jeho nejvýrazn?j?í hostování pat?í nespo?et vystoupení a nahrávek s takovými jmény jako Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Eddie Lang a dlouhou ?adou dal?ích.

Eddie Lang.com

Joe Venuti

Learn About Eddie Lang's Musical Partner, Joe Venuti

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SandyPeaks Dec 4, 2010 @ 6:07 pm | delete

Yes I am! Thanks for this tribute to Eddie - he was so far ahead of the rest! I love his recordings with Bing. Blessed by a SquidAngel.

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paperfacets Jun 25, 2010 @ 1:54 pm | delete

Eddi Lang is a new name for me. I bet he was very good. I left our MeetUp at 4pm for a 4:30 appt. and missed it, but as I got in the car I thought why the attempt I had to do the 210.

I want to let you know that I have gone to Jack Spiegleman's website and laugh each time. The art party would be an exciting afternoon for an artist. Why enroll in a class? Get those artists together and split the cost for the model. Refined shenanigans with good company.

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KimGiancaterino Jun 27, 2010 @ 1:06 pm | delete

I think Jack would like that idea! Ah, the 210. I was going that direction myself when I left our Meetup, and barely made my notary appointment.

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JaguarJulie Feb 7, 2010 @ 1:56 pm | delete

I don't believe I've heard of Eddie Lang before reading your lens. Thanks for the introduction.

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GIRARD Frédéric Dec 16, 2008 @ 2:54 pm | delete

Eddie Lang is the first guitarist to have conceived the harmonic basis of jazz guitar, especially in the accompaniment but also in the solo and counterpoint. His intuitions are those of a geniuous and, in one sense, we have not made so much prgress compared to him, though everyone of talented guitarist has medeled his own style.