Great Blues Guitarists: String Dazzlers

Read About This Recording

Ask any living, breathing guitar god for a list of musical heroes, and they will no doubt offer up Big Bill Broonzy, Texas Alexander, Blind Willie Johnson, and Tampa Red. These names certainly aren't as familiar as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Buddy Guy and Bonnie Raitt-but they certainly should be. Broonzy & Co. not only revolutionized the picking and strumming of their particular magic instruments, but they forever set the table for the great R & B-influenced rock 'n' rollers to follow.

Great Blues Guitarists: String Dazzlers is a 20-song collection of classic gutbucket blues recordings of the early 20th century-and a must-have testament to the complexities of speaking your mind. All of the colorfully-monikered men mentioned above can be found here, as well as stirring contributions from Blind Lemon Jefferson, Joshua White and Lonnie Johnson. But Bob Dylan's chosen spiritual guide steals the show today just like he did way back when in the heart of the Deep South: Blind Willie McTell (in his performance guises of Georgia Bill and Blind Willie) is found on the back-to-back tracks of Georgia Rag and Warm It Up to Me, utterly infectious up-tempo celebrations of both the highs of being alive and the lows of having those down-and-out blues. Good fun, and an education to boot.

-Sean Daly

Contents

Hot Fingers; A Handful of Riffs; Work Ox Blues; I'm Busy and You Can't Come In; Georgia Rag; Warm It Up To Me; When The War Was On; It's Nobody's Fault But Mine; How You Want It Done?; Getting Older Every Day; Guitar Swing; Bull Frog Moan; Black Snake Moan; Little Brother Blues; Prodigal Son; Denver Blues; Away Down in the Alley Blues; I Love You, Mary Lou; and two untitled tracks.

Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang, Texas Alexander, Sylvester Weaver, Blind Willie McTell, Georgia Bill, Blind Willie Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Casey Bill Weldon, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Joshua White, Tampa Red, Guitars.