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#1
02-06-2023, 07:47 AM
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The Gospel Blues of Blind Willie Johnson
An excerpt from my 2015 book Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar, this just-posted article celebrates the life and legacy of Blind Willie Johnson, the superlative slide guitarist and one of the most influential gospel artists of the 20th century. To help you experience the extraordinary intensity of his guitar playing and singing, I've layered in lots of musical links.
https://jasobrecht.substack.com/p/th...f-blind-willie #blindwilliejohnson #slideguitar #jasobrecht #talkingguitar 
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#2
02-06-2023, 11:48 AM
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Awesome! The links are wonderful. Thanks.
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#3
02-06-2023, 07:59 PM
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I am a fan of his and enjoying listening to the CDs I have of him. And heard he only knew how to play in D. You wouldn't guess it from my CDs.
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments.
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#4
02-07-2023, 01:42 PM
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Blind Willie Johnson lived and died in my town, Beaumont, Tx. He wasn't born here but lived for quite some time. I made a picture documentary of places that had a linkage to his life. When squarespace had my website, all that was lost.
One of the vinyl albums of his work had an illustration of the bar that was at the end of the street that he lived on. He must have set up in front of it and played with his tin can wired to the headstock. His grave site is close to my home. Very few people here know who he was.
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The best guitar plays for the player.
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#5
02-07-2023, 03:36 PM
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Interesting article, Rev. Gary Davis is also a favorite of mine, and I was unaware of his connection to BWJ. I've read an article or two that stated that "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" was pretty much unprecedented in the blues idiom and was either a totally unique work of genius or might have been an African melody passed down through the generations. Certainly worth of inclusion on the Voyageur "mankind's greatest hits" disc.
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