Elvis Presley's one-time guitarist, HANK GARLAND, has died in Florida of a staph infection, aged 74.

Garland was a revered studio musician who played the opening notes on PATSY CLINE's I FALL TO PIECES.

He rose to fame as a country star, playing for PAUL HOWARD, COWBOY COPAS (corr) and EDDY ARNOLD, and he recorded with Roy Orbison, the EVERLY BROTHERS and Elvis.

Garland also appeared in Presley's 1961 Farewell Concert filmed in Honolulu.

His career was cut short in the early 1960s when he was involved in a car accident, which robbed him of many of his skills.

The car crash left him in a coma for six months and he had to reteach himself how to play the guitar.

29/12/2004 01:16