Roy Buchanan

The Profile

Roy Buchanan (born Leroy Buchanan, 1939–1988) was an American guitarist renowned for his expressive blues and rock-blues playing on a Fender Telecaster. Raised in Pixley, California, he released his debut album in 1972 and earned the moniker “The World’s Greatest Unknown Guitarist.” He died in 1988 in a Fairfax, Virginia jail; the official report stated suicide.

American guitarist born in 1939 (Ozark, Arkansas) and raised in Pixley, California; son of a preacher. Active from the late 1950s until 1988. Famous for his 1953 Fender Telecaster “Nancy” and for pieces like The Messiah Will Come Again and Sweet Dreams. Died in Fairfax, Virginia in 1988; official cause reported as suicide.

Three DeBaser reviews celebrate Roy Buchanan’s blues/rock virtuosity and singular Telecaster voice. Standouts include the 1978 Japanese live set, the Atlantic-era compilation, and a stirring take on Down By The River. Reviewers praise his lyrical ballads, searing instrumentals, and definitive covers. Public facts note his 1939 birth, upbringing in California, and death in Fairfax jail in 1988.