Our Arklahoma Heritage: Ozark-born guitarist labeled "The Best in the World You Never Heard Of"

Roy Buchanan

Leroy (Roy) Buchanan was a guitarist who fused blues, country, jazz, and rock into a distinctive sound. Known as “The Greatest Unknown Guitarist in the World” from a 1971

documentary, he influenced guitarists like Jeff Beck and Robbie Robertson but never gained widespread fame.

Born September 23, 1939, in Ozark, Buchanan moved to Pixley, California, at age two. By five, he was learning guitar chords. At nine, his father bought him a Rickenbacker lap steel, and by twelve, he played with the Wawkeen Valley Boys.

He also taught himself standard guitar, mimicking radio songs. His signature sound came from his 1953 Fender Telecaster, “Nancy.”

At fifteen, he formed the Dusty Valley Boys, playing local honky-tonks. At sixteen, he left for Los Angeles to pursue music. There, he joined the Heartbeats, appearing in the 1956 film 'Rock, Pretty Baby'.

After the band was stranded in Oklahoma City, he worked as a staff guitarist on Oklahoma Bandstand. Rocker Dale Hawkins hired him, and Buchanan played on the 1958 hit “My Babe.” In 1961, Ronnie Hawkins, cousin of Dale, recruited him.

That year, Buchanan married Judy Owens and settled in Arlington, Virginia, raising seven children. He played locally with bands like the Snakestretchers and reportedly declined an offer to join the Rolling Stones in 1969 to stay in the D.C. area.

In 1970, a WNET documentary led to a Polydor Records deal. His 1972 albums, Roy Buchanan and Second Album, earned critical praise but modest sales.

He recorded three more albums for Polydor and three for Atlantic through the 1970s.

From 1978 to 1985, he released no albums but returned with Alligator Records’ When a Guitar Plays the Blues (1985), which charted for fifteen weeks and earned a Grammy nomination.

Dancing on the Edge (1986) won a College Media Journal Award, followed by Hot Wires (1988).Despite his influence, commercial success was limited.

His techniques, like volume swells, shaped guitarists like Danny Gatton.

Posthumous releases, including American Axe: Live in 1974 and Guitar on Fire: The Atlantic Sessions, preserve his legacy.

Tragically, Buchanan’s life was marred by personal struggles. His battles with alcohol and substance abuse culminated on August 14, 1988, when a domestic disturbance call led to his arrest in Reston, Virginia. That night, he was found dead in his jail cell, officially ruled a suicide by hanging.

Buchanan was laid to rest three days later in Columbia Gardens Cemetery, near his Arlington home.

Buchanan’s music lives on through his recordings and the guitarists he inspired. Stream his albums on Spotify or watch the 1971 documentary for more.