George Van Eps

George Van Eps (August 7, 1913 – November 29, 1998) (often called "the Father of the Seven String Guitar") was an American swing and mainstream jazz guitarist.

Biography
Noted for his recordings as a leader, and his work as a session musician, Van Eps was also the author of instructional books that explored his approach to guitar-based harmony. He was well known as a pioneer of the seven-string guitar, which allowed him to incorporate sophisticated bass lines into his improvisation. He was a strong influence on later seven-string players such as Howard Alden (with whom he recorded four CDs for Concord Records in the early 1990s), Bucky Pizzarelli, and John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son). His father was the legendary classic banjo player Fred Van Eps.

Van Eps died of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California at the age of 85.