Clifton E. "Cliff" Gallup (June 17, 1930 – October 9, 1988) was the original lead guitarist in Gene Vincent's Blue Caps. His stint in the band was brief, encompassing much of 1956 and about 35 tracks in the studio. Yet in that short burst of time, he established himself as one of the greatest guitarists in early rock & roll, and certainly one of the greatest rockabilly guitarists ever.
His name is not well-known to the public because he was a sideman to Vincent, the main star. Most rock fans have heard his riffs on "Be-Bop-A-Lula," if nothing else, and his speed and dexterous imagination on numerous other early Vincent tracks still dazzle. Gallup played as lead guitarist with the Virginians and The Phelps brothers. He might still be unknown today had not Sheriff Tex Davis, a DJ in Norfolk, Virginia, gotten involved with managing Vincent in early 1956, after noticing his popular radio performances. Davis assembled a band from local musicians, including Cliff Gallup, who was picked as lead guitarist. Gallup had previously played in a local band, the Virginians and was older than Vincent and the other band members.
The story goes that when Vincent and the Blue Caps went to Nashville for their first session in May 1956, producer Ken Nelson had arranged to have top session musicians standing by in case the band wasn't up to par. But, goes the legend, as soon as Gallup ripped into the lightning solos on "Race with the Devil," they knew they wouldn't be needed. "Be-Bop-A-Lula" and "Race with the Devil" were among the songs recorded at this initial session, and both had solos that showcased Gallup's slithery tone, quick hands, and knack for wildly imaginative, unexpected notes that fit.
Gallup played on 35 tracks with Vincent, including his biggest hit, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", and established a reputation as one of the most technically proficient guitarists in early rock and roll, but his talent was to some extent squandered when the band covered a bunch of pop standards on their second round of sessions in
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June. However, there were still a number of opportunities for Gallup to strut his stuff on up-tempo rockabilly cuts, like "Bluejean Bop,""Jumps, Giggles and Shouts," and "Jump Back, Honey, Jump Back.”
With "Be-Bop-A-Lula" a big hit, the Blue Caps hit the road, with Gallup initially in tow. Gallup, however, was already 26 and married, and didn't enjoy touring. He gave his notice in the fall of 1956. Fortunately, Ken Nelson asked Gallup to come to Nashville for another round of sessions in October, and the guitarist played lead, although he was technically no longer in the band. These sessions produced more than a dozen tracks which rate with Vincent's finest work, although
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they're relatively undiscovered by the public. "Cruisin'" has a sensational skittering lead, and is a blueprint for the Stray Cats' arrangements; "Cat Man" shows Gallup's ability to leap from aggressive high tones to growling, sinister low ones; and "B-I-Bickey-Bi, Bo-Bo Go,""Five Feet of Lovin'," and "You Better Believe" are all great cuts on which Gallup, Vincent, and the band crackle with rockabilly exuberance. Still, these would be the last Vincent tracks on which Gallup would appear.
Gallup did say that after he left the Blue Caps, Ken Nelson had offered him a good contract, but Cliff turned it down. He did make a solo album with his group the Four C’s, for the local Pussy Cat label in Norfolk, Straight Down the Middle, in the mid-'60s in a more mellow instrumental style akin to that of Chet Atkins and Les Paul. Gallup occasionally played with local bands, while working in school maintenance. He played guitar until the day he died. He last played in Norfolk with a group called the Hi-fi's 48 hours before he suffered a fatal heart attack.
Gallup was ranked 79th by Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke in his list of "100 Greatest Guitarists." He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
(Edited from AllMusic & Wikipedia)