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The Artist Who Taught David Gilmour to Play Guitar: Pete Seeger

by Madonna

No guitar legend wakes up one day with innate virtuosity. While music biopics often portray a single defining moment when an artist realizes their destiny, the reality is that becoming a great musician involves countless hours of practice and learning. David Gilmour, known for his iconic contributions to Pink Floyd, has been open about his passion for blues, but he also turned to pre-rock and roll music to master the guitar.

Though Gilmour was influenced by the great blues legends of his time, he always stood out. He could make his guitar sing in a way that rivals Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, but his solos, particularly on tracks like “Comfortably Numb” and “Time,” carry an emotional weight that set him apart. In “Comfortably Numb,” for instance, his guitar weeps with an intensity that recalls George Harrison’s influence, but Gilmour took it to new emotional heights.

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Gilmour’s unique sound came from his willingness to explore multiple genres. While many were focused on the music coming out of England from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Gilmour was paying attention to the American folk revival. While Bob Dylan was a central figure in this movement, the roots of folk music went deeper, with Woody Guthrie paving the way for a new generation of artists. But it was Pete Seeger who captured Gilmour’s attention. Known for his straightforward, accessible style, Seeger was not just a skilled guitarist but also a teacher who understood the importance of sharing music with others.

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Gilmour learned guitar from Seeger’s instructional album, Pete Seeger Teaches Guitar, which was his first formal introduction to the instrument. Gilmour recalls, “Pete Seeger’s a wonderful, fantastic human being. ‘America’s Tuning Fork,’ they called him at one time. I learned guitar off his Pete Seeger Teaches Guitar record. That was the first instruction I had. The first track taught you how to tune the guitar. That was pretty important.”

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While Seeger’s lessons were simple, they provided Gilmour with a strong foundation. Even though Gilmour would later become a master of electric guitar, he knew the value of the basics Seeger taught him. This simplicity, which Seeger championed, also found its way into Pink Floyd’s music. Gilmour and Roger Waters were known for their ability to simplify complex ideas in their music, and tracks like “Fat Old Sun” show Gilmour’s folk-inspired approach.

Moreover, the political edge found in Pink Floyd’s Animals reflects a shared ethos with Seeger’s music, particularly songs like “We Shall Overcome.” Gilmour understood that sometimes the most powerful music is the simplest, and that connecting with the audience was more important than flashy guitar solos. His ability to communicate a journey through music became a hallmark of his style, influenced by the timeless lessons he learned from Pete Seeger.

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