May 28, 2011

Delta Blues Guitar Greats…Then There Were 3

We’ve lost many first tradition (and next tradition) blues musicians and guitar greats over the last years (John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Muddy, Freddie King, Pinetop Perkins, and many others) which makes it even more important to pay special attention to the greats that are left.

Came across a very well written article in the Ottawa Citizen this morning called “How Blue Can You Get” where reporter Sheldon Alberts ventured into the deep South looking for some delta blues guitar history.

He came across 3 greats:

1. Dave “Honeyboy” Edwards – the current grandfather of delta blues with links back to the now infamous Robert Johnson…one of the few people who credibly can talk about the icon that has so enticed blues traditionalists for decades. Born the son of a Mississippi sharecropper, hitting the road at 17 defying the odds with a passion and dream to break the cycle of poverty and repression in depression era South. I love this quote about how today’s white musicians have turned what they learned from the originals like Honeyboy into money-making careers – “Let me tell you about that, now, we got a lot of white boys who can play the blues. But they play the blues too fast,” Edwards says. “The blues is not made to be played fast. The blues is played to put something on your mind. Them white boys got some good fingers, but you got to let the music settle and soak, then come out.”

Here’s a great “Honeyboy” clip from Lightning In A Bottle
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2. Ellis “CeDell” Davis – born in 1927 (on June 9th – he shares my own birthday, how cool is that!) was an innovative slide guitar player that played with a butter knife (until his recent stroke that left his voice the only remaining instrument) His is the story of persistence – overcoming polio at age 10, massive leg injuries in a club accident in 1957 – he continues to be a force in delta blues, an important link back to the originals.

Watch the amazing power that comes from his playing in this video:

3. James “T-model” Ford – Living on the edge, James Ford admitted often he had some rough edges and a spotty past, like many musicians perhaps it was his love of blues that kept him from completely self destructing…an outlet many can relate to. Now just over 80-years old with his share of health challenges in the past, Ford continues to record and provide us that much needed link back to a time when blues from the delta was truly innovation in action:

Here’s a version of Muddy’s “I’m a man” performed with typical James Ford attitude”

As musicians or lovers of blues guitar music, we need to re-visit the past fequently to stay in touch with the REAL DEAL…how blues started and what was so great about it when innovation was at its peak

A big shout out to Sheldon for bringing these guys back to our attention…great piece.

Filed under Blues Legends, delta blues by admin on May 28th, 2011. Comment.