Ritchie Blackmore Tributes Big Jim Sullivan

10/04/2012
. (Classic Rock) Ritchie Blackmore has paid tribute to Big Jim Sullivan, his former guitar tutor, who died this week.

The ex-Deep Purple guitarist issued the following statement via Facebook: "I first met Jim Sullivan in 1958. He was introduced to me by my sister-in-law's brother. We both lived in the same area: in Middlesex, Cranford. He was playing with Marty Wilde And The Wildcats. He showed me another level of playing. He was probably the most advanced guitarist in the London area.

"I would listen to the radio every week there was a Marty Wilde show. Jim was often featured on the show so I was glued to the radio. He also made some great instrumentals. One being Trambone and one being Peak Hour. He was the first guitarist to play through a wah-wah pedal. It was a DeArmond foot volume and tone control. I remember an instrumental called The Bat, where he used the pedal. That would've been around 1959.

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