Today I’d like to pay tribute to one of the true pioneers of rock guitar, Cliff Gallup. He was the guitar player in Gene Vincent’s band The Blue Caps in 1956, playing on rock classics like Be-Bop-A-Lula and Race With the Devil. He was born 94 years ago today.
Cliff Gallup appeared on only 35 recordings with Gene Vincent, but that was enough to leave his mark on the history of rock music. He was a technically sk__led player, who left a blueprint for later guitar players to develop further. Jeff Beck, Brian Setzer and Eric Clapton are among those inspired by his playing.
Cliff Gallup was a family man, so he quit the Blue Caps late 1956, when their rising popularity demanded more touring. However, he did not quit music, and kept on playing with local bands the rest of his life. His last gig was in October 1988, around 48 hours before he suffered a fatal heart attack. I raise my glass to Clff Gallup’s memory 
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps - Race With the Devil (1956)
