Song Of The Day: May 22, 2018

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on May 22, 2018

Mississippi John Hurt is a personal favorite of mine. Love the intricate syncopated guitar work on this classic:

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  1. bamboozer says:
    May 22, 2018 at 10:02 am

    I’m a new convert to country blues, especially on steel bodied “resophonic” (or resonater) guitars tuned to an open chord like Reverend Peytons Damn Big Band. Fairly sure this tune is finger picked, it harks back to the 30’s and 40’s blues. Vocals remind me of Canned Heat and “Goin’ to the country”.

  2. RE Vanella says:
    May 22, 2018 at 10:27 am

    Avalon Blues… released on 78rpm in 1928. It doesn’t hark back to it. It is it. Great selection.

    Also, I love Canned Heat.

  3. El Somnambulo says:
    May 22, 2018 at 10:38 am

    That’s right. I’m offering up all originals this week. No derivatives. Although there are some excellent derivatives.

  4. RE Vanella says:
    May 22, 2018 at 11:00 am

    I feel like I’m going get a Charley Patton or Son House this week too. I eagerly anticipate it. 🙂

  5. El Somnambulo says:
    May 22, 2018 at 11:09 am

    I’m amazed by the music I’m finding. We’ll definitely have to do at least a second week sometime soon as I can’t come close to including all the great artists I’ve discovered. RE, you can program that second week.

  6. RE Vanella says:
    May 22, 2018 at 11:27 am

    You let me know. This genre and time frame is pitched right up in my slot. Jason and Al have my personal contact info. Not sure if I remembered to pass it along to you last time I saw you.

  7. nathan arizona says:
    May 22, 2018 at 11:33 am

    Another treat. Mellower and “folkier” than some other early bluesmen. But if you do Son House that’ll be balanced out nicely.

  8. El Somnambulo says:
    May 22, 2018 at 11:49 am

    I don’t know if you’d call this Piedmont Blues. But I do like that mellower and folkier blues style. It’s pretty much where Chris Smither, for example, derives his approach. As an added treat, here are more modern-day practitioners of the Piedmont style:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFs0fm_Btyk

  9. nathan arizona says:
    May 22, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    It is like Piedmont blues, but that was an East Coast thing. Think of the unsighted: Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake. Also the lesser-known Frank Hovington of Federica, Del., who could see just fine.

    https://youtu.be/WDoxamB0Hdk

  10. RE Vanella says:
    May 22, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    David Bromberg’s early teacher was also one of the unsighted bluesmen.

    Reverend Gary Davis

  11. El Somnambulo says:
    May 22, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    The Reverend is already scheduled to make an appearance later this week.

    Oh, and we’ve also got another blind guy lined up.

    You must be reading my mail.

    BTW, Lonesome Road Blues is awesome!

  12. Alby says:
    May 22, 2018 at 6:27 pm

    Blind Lemon Jefferson? Blind Willie McTell? Blind Blake? The possibilities go on and on. Folks were apparently fascinated by blind musicians, and they were so poor they couldn’t afford inoffensive nicknames.

    Just for comparison, imagine Blind Ray Charles, Blind Stevie Wonder or Blind Jose Feliciano. The Blind Boys of Alabama are still around, but they began in 1939, so this practice must have died around World War II.

  13. nathan arizona says:
    May 22, 2018 at 9:19 pm

    Blind boys were steered into music because it was thought they wouldn’t be able to earn a living otherwise.

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