Otis Rush lick that inspired Jimmy Page Led Zeppelin - guitar lesson

Otis Rush was such a cool guy, a great guitar player, a fabulous singer, and a big influence on the pioneers of '60s Blues. When the famous 'Beano' Les Paul was stolen, the thief also got away with Eric Clapton's guitar strap that had Rush's name emblazoned on it. The first Led Zeppelin album featured 'I Can't Quit You', a Willie Dixon tune that Otis Rush first recorded in the late '50s, then reworked in the mid '60s to include that unusual chord progression in the turnaround. Jimmy Page stuck fairly faithfully to the intro lick, and it's the original Otis Rush intro lick that we are looking at in this video. Rush was left-handed and played a right-handed guitar upside down. But unlike Jimi Hendrix who strung the guitar in the regular way, with the bottom E on the higher side and the top E on the lower, Rush left it stringed as normal but just flipped it. Because of that, he literally played it upside down, and his string bends were made by pulling down as opposed to pushing up. It's a style that has its own characteristics, and of all the licks I have looked at in my 'Classic Blues Lick Top 10' https://youtu.be/MVtK2-WWXas this was the hardest to get close to. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers, Mark INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mybluesguitar/ RARE & SECONDHAND GUITARS: https://reverb.grsm.io/marksutcliffe8424 PRINTABLE NOTATION AND MORE: https://www.patreon.com/mybluesguitar NEW :: Get 2 Months FREE With An Annual Patreon Subscription! Head across to my Patreon page (link above) to check this out. Patreon have recently enabled Annual Subscriptions and this is a great introductory offer. Check it out. If you are new to the channel, My Blues Guitar covers the guitar styles of Eric Clapton and other Greats from the British Blues Boom of the 1960s, in particular, Mick Taylor and Jimmy Page. The channel offers in-depth studies of classic blues tunes...tips and hints for the techniques needed to master the style...gear profiles...and more besides. Each lick and phrase is broken down and slowed down, helping you get to the heart of what is actually being played. By studying the work of the most brilliant guitarists of this period you will discover the secrets of why the British Blues Boom caused such a sensation around the world! Whether your goal is to enjoy the thrill of sounding almost exactly like the Masters, or whether you want to take the nuts and bolts of the style and make it your own, My Blues Guitar is the channel you need, the home of the 1960s British Blues Style on YouTube. Subscribe today! And remember to hit the 'Bell' alert icon for notifications of the latest videos.

Added 15 Jun 2026