Albert Collins

Albert Collins (1932-1993) was known as the Ice Man and the Master of the Telecaster. His guitar style was utterly distinctive: he used open tunings, a capo, and his bare fingers instead of a pick, producing a stinging, biting treble tone that cut through any mix. His instrumentals The Cool Sound and Frosty established his ice-themed identity. Collins played a custom Fender Telecaster with a 100-foot guitar cable that allowed him to walk into the audience, out of the venue, and into the street while still playing. His 1980s Alligator Records albums — Ice Pickin' (1978), Don't Lose Your Cool (1983), Showdown! (1985, with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland) — introduced him to a wider audience. He won a Grammy for Showdown! and influenced Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jonny Lang.