Alvino Rey

The self-styled "King of the Guitar," swing-era bandleader Alvino Rey pioneered an otherworldly pedal steel sound that later formed the foundation of the space age pop aesthetic. Born Alvin McBurney in Oakland, California, on July 1, 1911, a decade later he and his family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, where as a teen he received a banjo as a birthday gift. He made his professional debut in 1927 as a member of Ev Jones' band, and a year later signed on with the Phil Spitalny Orchestra. Eventually switching over to guitar, he adopted the name Alvino Rey in 1929 while performing ...