Our Arklahoma Heritage: Born in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, guitar talent took Muskogee player to dizzying heights

From the dusty streets of Muskogee emerged Barney Kessel, a son of Hungarian-Jewish immigrants born on October 17, 1923.

In the humble backroom of his father’s shoe repair shop, this self-taught prodigy plucked his first chords, his fingers dancing to the electrifying blues of Charlie Christian. By 14, a white teenager from Muskogee’s diverse tapestry, he dazzled Black jazz clubs with soulful riffs, earning the nickname "Fruitcake" for his relentless 16-hour practice sessions.

His journey took flight in 1940 when he hitchhiked to Los Angeles, his talent soon immortalized in Jammin' the Blues alongside Lester Young, a stepping stone to jazz stardom.

Kessel’s career unfurled like a rich orchestral score, blossoming into a symphony of versatility. Crowned the premier guitarist in Esquire, DownBeat, and Playboy from 1947 to 1960, he wove his magic with jazz giants like Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and Art Tatum, then pivoted to pop with Oscar Peterson’s trio, creating timeless recordings.

His studio wizardry graced The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock, and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, his warm chords lending depth to hits like "Wouldn’t It Be Nice."

Yet, his solo triumph, the million-selling Julie Is Her Name with Julie London--featuring the iconic "Cry Me a River"--showcased his genius, earning him the title "The Original Guitar Hero."

In the 1970s, he co-founded the Great Guitars with Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd, their global tours a celebration of jazz’s swinging spirit.

Through life’s cadences, family wove a harmonious thread. Married four times, his first union with Gail Genovia Farmer birthed sons Dan and David, who inherited his craft as Wrecking Crew producers, working with legends like Phil Spector, John Lennon, and The Ramones.

His third wife, Joanne "Jo" Kessel, shared a decade of jazz revival, while his final love, Phyllis van Doren, a lifestyle magazine editor and jazz devotee, steadied him after a 1992 stroke muted his strings.

The stroke, a devastating blow that slurred his speech and stilled his hands, was met with grueling therapy, yet he continued mentoring privately until his health declined.

Barney Kessel departed this world on May 6, 2004, at the age of 80, succumbing to a brain tumor in San Diego, California, where he had settled with Phyllis in University Heights.

His passing marked the end of an era, but his legacy endures, honored by induction into the Jazz Hall of Fame. Following his death, he was laid to rest at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego, a quiet resting place that belies the vibrant chords he struck in life.