Looking back over five decades of music making, what highlights stand out?
Playing with the Crickets is one; another highlight is when I first came to the States with Head Hands & Feet. I went out with Joe Cocker for a while, and that was fun. Playing with Emmylou Harris and taking over from my hero, James Burton, was a huge turning point. Emmylou introduced me to a whole new American audience. Obviously, I had a great time playing with Clapton for five years, and I also loved the 20 years I performed with the Everly Brothers. It was absolutely amazing to be involved with A Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall in London. And, of course, playing the Crossroads Festival. That’s a pretty big show to be involved with and I’m happy to be doing it again this year. Few musicians manage to sustain a career for half a century. What’s your secret? I see some guitarists who had a lot of success during a certain period, yet now they sit back on their laurels. Every six months they might rehearse a band for a tour, but they’re not playing all the time and it shows.
