The Fastest Guitar Alive

The Fastest Guitar Alive
The Fastest Guitar Alive
Soundtrack album by Roy Orbison
Released	June 1967
Recorded	August 9 – December 22, 1966
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	22:27
Label	MGM (E 4475)
Producer	Wesley Rose & Jim Vienneau
Roy Orbison chronology

The Fastest Guitar Alive
The Fastest Guitar Alive
	Theatrical film poster by Frank Frazetta
Directed by	Michael D. Moore
Written by	Robert E. Kent
Produced by	Sam Katzman
Starring	Roy Orbison; Sammy Jackson; Maggie Pierce
Cinematography	W. Wallace Kelley
Edited by	Ben Lewis
Music by	Roy Orbison; Bill Dees; Fred Karger
Color process	Metrocolor
Production; company	Four Leaf Productions
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	September 1, 1967;
Running time	87 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Fastest Guitar Alive is a 1967 American musical comedy Western film, directed by Michael D. Moore with singer Roy Orbison in his only starring role as an actor.

The film features Orbison performing seven original songs, which appeared on his 1967 MGM album of the same name. His song "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" is featured in the 2015 western film The Hateful Eight.

Plot edit

Near the end of the American Civil War, a Southern spy (Orbison) with a bullet-shooting guitar is given the task of robbing gold bullion from the United States Mint in San Francisco to help finance the ill-fated Confederacy's last-ditch war effort.

Cast edit

Roy Orbison as Johnny Banner
Sammy Jackson as Steve Menlo
Maggie Pierce as Flo Chesnut
Joan Freeman as Sue Chesnut
Lyle Bettger as Charlie
John Doucette as Marshal Max Cooper
Patricia Donahue as Stella DeWitt
Ben Cooper as Deputy Rink
Ben Lessy as Indian Chief
Douglas Kennedy as Sheriff Joe Stedman
Iron Eyes Cody as First Indian
Sam the Sham as First Expressman

Production and release edit

Filming began September 1966.^[1] Although Orbison was pleased with the film, it proved to be a critical and box office flop. While MGM had included five films in his contract, no more were made.^[2]^[3]

Soundtrack edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[4]

The Fastest Guitar Alive is the soundtrack for the 1967 film of the same name – and Orbison's eleventh studio album – released in June 1967 on MGM Records. It was the only album to consist entirely of Roy Orbison/Bill Dees originals. Its single "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" reached #18 in the UK and entered the Australian chart at its highest position of #32 before slipping down the chart.

Track listing edit

All songs written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees.

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Whirlwind"	2:10
2.	"Medicine Man, Medicine Man"	2:43
3.	"River"	3:02
4.	"The Fastest Guitar Alive"	3:08
5.	"Rollin' On"	2:15

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Pistolero"	2:58
2.	"Good Time Party"	2:23
3.	"Heading South"	2:45
4.	"Best Friend"	2:38
5.	"There Won't Be Many Coming Home"	2:46

The track "Rollin' On" was covered on the Prague Radio Dance Orchestra album Famous Western Film Melodies.

References edit

^ "Star Role for Jane Fonda". Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug 1966: D17.
^ Clayson, Alan, pp. 146–147.
^ Amburn, pp. 151–153.
^ The Fastest Guitar Alive at AllMusic