Bey expressed interest in a guitar solo for her Cowboy Carter track, stating, "Let's include a 16-bar solo on this record." This slight pressure led to Eric Gales almost recording a solo for Beyoncé's record.
In a surprising turn of events, modern blues legend Eric Gales was nearly involved in recording a guitar solo for Beyoncé's critically acclaimed album, *Cowboy Carter*. The album, described as Beyoncé's magnum opus, features a star-studded lineup of guitarists and session players, including Raphael Saadiq, Gary Clark Jr., Jon Batiste, Nile Rodgers, and Justus West.
Producer and musician Raphael Saadiq revealed in an interview with NPR that Beyoncé had requested an extended guitar solo for the eighth track, titled "Bodyguard." Saadiq, who ended up playing the solo himself, was asked by Beyoncé if it could be made longer, indicating her rare demand for a 16-bar guitar solo in 2025.
However, despite the intention to feature a solo, Gales ultimately was not able to contribute his guitar playing to the album. The details on why exactly Gales did not record the solo have not been explicitly stated in the available information. It can be inferred that scheduling, production decisions, or other logistics may have prevented the collaboration from fully materializing, although the process was close enough that Gales was almost tapped to lend his skills before it was finalized.
Gales, who hails from Memphis, has made a name for himself with numerous albums, collaborations, and accolades. His recent work includes a collaboration with Michael B. Jordan on the movie Sinners alongside Buddy Guy. Despite missing out on the opportunity to work with Beyoncé, Gales remains one of the most amazing guitar players in the world today.
[1] Information sourced from various media outlets and interviews.
- Eric Gales, a modern blues legend, was close to recording a guitar solo for Beyoncé's album Cowboy Carter, but scheduling, production decisions, or other logistics prevented the collaboration from fully materializing.
- The album, described as Beyoncé's magnum opus, features an array of guitarists and session players, including Raphael Saadiq, who played the solo for the eighth track titled "Bodyguard."
- Raphael Saadiq revealed in an interview with NPR that Beyoncé had requested an extended guitar solo for the track, indicating her rare demand for a 16-bar guitar solo in 2025.
- Despite missing out on the opportunity, Eric Gales, known for his work with Michael B. Jordan on the movie Sinners alongside Buddy Guy, remains one of the most amazing electric guitar players in the realm of pop-culture and music.
