“Chuck Berry's not a very good guitar player. He's a clown. He runs all over the guitar, just like any one of these old rock players would do, and makes no sense”: Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown pulled no punches when speaking about his fellow guitar heroes

Clarence Gatemouth Brown performs at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival at Aptos Village Park in Aptos, California on May 27, 2000 .

Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown is as outspoken as he is talented. The Louisiana-born, Texas-bred, 67-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, violin, viola, mandolin, mandola, harmonica, piano, drums) freely airs his controversial views at the drop of a five-gallon hat – although the one he sports seems a permanently affixed crown of sorts.

“Don't take offense about me calling you ‘son,’” – says Gate, “because I feel like you're all my children and you want some knowledge of what I'm doin' and what other people are not doin'. I'm one of the few that can give it to you straight.”