Clarence White

Clarence White (June 7, 1944 - July 14, 1973) was a guitar player for The Byrds and the Kentucky Colonels. His work with brother Roland White in the Kentucky Colonels helped to establish the acoustic guitar

Clarence White (June 7, 1944 - July 14, 1973) was a guitar player for The Byrds and the Kentucky Colonels. His work with brother Roland White in the Kentucky Colonels helped to establish the acoustic guitar as a strong melodic soloing device in bluegrass music. Famous not only for his excellent guitar playing but for co-inventing, along with former Byrd Gene Parsons, the b-bender device. This device raises the b (second) string of the guitar a whole step by the use of pulleys and levers attached to the upper strap knob and the second string on the guitar. It is activated by pushing down on the neck which produces a "pedal steel" type sound.

Clarence White almost single handedly took the guitar into the realm of solo instrument in bluegrass. He later played with groups as diverse from bluegrass as the Byrds. He was tragically killed in 1973 while breaking down the equipment after a show. While loading the truck, he was struck and killed by a drunk driver.