Jesse Ed Davis

Native American session guitarist originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A full-blooded Kiowa Indian, Davis played in country star [a333391]’s band in his native Oklahoma before moving to Los Angeles and quickly picking up session work backing [a218902].

After playing on [a15158]’s first three albums, Davis amassed a resume of sessions that included [a137224] and [a37729], [a46481], [a152685], [a270573], and [a11012], as well as standout solos on [a59792]’s “[m=178359]” and [a200567]’s “[m=231761].”

In the late ’80s, Davis wrote and played the music for the poetry of Indian activist [a396964], their band was called Graffiti Man. After battling drug and alcohol problems most of his career, Davis died of an apparent overdose at age 43.

Born 21 September 1944, died 22 June 1988