Delta Blues
In 1996, I discovered Delta Blues. I was captivated by this music, inspired as I hadn't been since I first learned to play. For the next few years, I delved deeply into it, ending up touring as a solo artist - just me and my Dobro - and releasing 3 albums of Delta Blues songs. Though I no longer limit myself to playing only blues, it is still very close to my heart. Here is some info about Delta Blues and the artists who played it.
Around 1920, the outside world became aware of an exciting style of music performed by black sharecroppers around the Clarksdale Mississippi area. Labelled Delta Blues, it was less sophisticated than the urban blues from places like New Orleans, but with much more power and emotion. Delta Blues seemed much closer to the original roots of the blues – that unique marriage of African and European influences.
Guitar and voice were the primary instruments of Delta Blues. Often, the guitar was tuned to "natural" or "open" tuning, and played with a bottleneck or a bone slide.
Charlie Patton was one of the earliest Delta Blues singers. His powerful singing and intricate slide guitar work have never been duplicated. Charlie Patton was well-known in the Clarksdale area, and influenced many other Delta Blues singers. Here's my version of Patton's Green River Blues From my 3rd CD, "Live Plus One". Download
Born at the turn of the century, Son House had a long career, outliving two of his most famous students – Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. No one else, before or since, has ever equalled Son House’s vocals for sheer power and emotion.
Robert Johnson has often been called "King of the Delta Blues". His dazzling guitar work and eerie haunting vocals have influenced many later bluesmen, notably Eric Clapton, who popularized Johnson’s "Cross Road Blues". Here's a cut from my Live Plus One album, Robert Johnson's Traveling Riverside Blues From my 3rd CD, "Live Plus One". Download