**Fred Gerlach** (26. august 1925–31. desember 2009) var ein amerikansk folkemusikar og instrumentmakar som kanskje er best kjend for innspelinga si av den tradisjonelle balladen «Gallows Pole», som Jimmy Page, nemnde som inspirasjon for Led Zeppelin sin versjon av songen.

Karriere
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Tidleg i 1950-åra song Gerlach i koret Jewish Young Folksingers, som hadde Robert De Cormier som dirigent. Gerlach var ven av folkemusikarar som Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Woody Guthrie og Pete Seeger. Han var ein av dei fyrste folkemusikarane som tok i bruk tolvstrengsgitar som sitt instrument. Det fyrste albumet han gav ut hadde tittelen *Twelve-String Guitar*. Den best kjende songen på albumet, «Gallows Pole», inspirerte gitarspelaren i Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, som sa:

> I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement
> 
> 

Gerlach skal ha blitt inspirert til å ta i bruk gitaren av mentoren sin Lead Belly, ein bluesgitarist som var kjend for å bruka dette instrumentet. Då Gerlach blei interessert i instrumentet var det så godt som ukjent. Han fortalde seinare:

> 
> I went into one of the largest musical instrument stores in the country, and the manager assured me that no such instrument existed. On another occasion a maker of fine 12-string lutes (nylon strings) pictured for me a nightmare of explosive force required to hold twelve steel strings in proper tension. He envisioned bits of guitar and guitarist flying asunder. I have combed New York City pawnshops and music stores and have received a variety of comments ranging' from 'Sorry, we're out of them now. Won't a six-string guitar do? to 'Have you got rocks in your head, buddy?' In fact, it took me about a year after I had first decided to play a twelve-string before I found one. It wasn't a concentrated search, but it nevertheless indicates the general unavailability of the instrument.
> 
> 
> 

På grunn av vanskane med å finna tolvstrengsgitarar byrja Gerlach å laga sine eigne, både for eigen bruk og for andre. Pete Seeger, Leo Kottke, Dick Rosmini og andre kjende folkemusikarar brukte instrumentar hans.

Diskografi
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### Album

* *Twelve-String Guitar* (1962)
* *Songs My Mother Never Sang* (1968)
* *Easy Rider*

### Samlealbum

* *The Twelve-String Story Vol. 1* (1963)
* *The Twelve-String Story Vol. 2* (1963)
* *The Guitar Greats*
* *Golden Guitars*
* *Takoma Eclectic Sampler Vol 2* (1999)
* *Imaginational Anthem Vol. 2*

Kjelder
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1. ↑  Fred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."
2. ↑  Fred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."
3. ↑  Folksinger Fred Gerlach – Venice – circa 1969Fred’s reputation as a guitar maker was well known. He made 12 string guitars for Pete Seeger, Leo Kottke, Dick Rosmini and others. Once when he was in San Diego He walked into a Music Store and saw a guitar he had made on the wall with a $10,000 price. When he asked why it was so expensive, the owner said "This is an original Gerlach! He’s dead." Fred said "Oh!" and left.
4. ↑  Fred Gerlach – Twelve-String Guitar
5. ↑  Fred Gerlach – Songs My Mother Never Sang
6. ↑  Fred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."
7. ↑  Various – The Twelve String Story, Volume 1
8. ↑  Takoma Eclectic Sampler, Vol. 2

* *Denne artikkelen bygger på «Fred Gerlach» frå Wikipedia på engelsk, den 4. oktober 2021.*


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