Topic: New Information About Paramount Blues Artist Blind Blake About to Be Revealed

[dj]

Personally, I have no problem with "King of Ragtime Guitar".  I figure there are two kinds of people who will see the marker:  Blake fans, who will be able to put his career and music in perspective, and everyone else, whose reaction will be "What the heck is Ragtime Guitar?".

Seriously, its nice that someone is putting a marker on Blake's grave, and as long as the inscription is not disrespectful, I don't care what it says.  Thanks, Angie.

[Eric Hubbard]

The "King" business is just reminiscent of Paramount promotional to my thinking; I think it's fine.  And again, I'm really pleased that one of our vanished heroes has been found and honored.

Hey Angie,

Thanks for seeing this through.  Can you post a photo when it's all done?

[Mr.OMuck]

OK Emperor it is then


Hello, I would like to ask you all to contribute to a new headstone for Rev. Gary Davis that bears the inscription Evangelist & Emperor of Ragtime Blues Guitar............


Guys the "King" thing is really not OK. First of all we're not selling records for Paramount, secondly think about how much rancor the title has caused applied to Robert Johnson "KING" of the Delta Blues, (how incredibly disrespectful a thing it was to do when Son House was still alive for instance), and thirdly because its just not true that he was the greatest Ragtime Blues guitar player. He was one of them certainly, but every single player of that generation who played this style claims that Willie Walker was THE greatest (tombstone anyone?) and anyone with ears understands that Gary Davis' ragtime pieces are far more complex not to mention difficult to play than any of Blake's.
So maybe all the rancor is mine alone, so be it...I don't like it. King is jive, MASTER is the proper respectful term of address for a great artist...which Blake certainly was.

[Stuart]

Hi Phil:

I understand where you're coming from and I agree that in the broader overall context, "master" is probably more appropriate. To some people (like yourself), "King" tends to suggest "the best"--and maybe "the one and only." However, I think that I would also use "master" when referring to Rev. Gary Davis, Willie Walker and others who had an exceptional command of the ragtime guitar style.

But I have no problem with the use of "King" in this specific context. Blind Blake certainly was "A" king and maybe "THE" king of the ragtime guitar during the time that he was actively recording at Paramount.

IMHO, there can be more than one king or queen in music--or in other areas as well. People of exceptional talent, popularity and/or prominence are often referred to as "one of the kings of..." or "one of the queens of..." This probably grates of the nerves of those who hold the view that there can be only one king or queen of anything, but I don't think that the range of usage and meaning of these terms is necessarily that cut and dried.

And I'm not arguing that exceptional individuals who are so far above everyone else that no one else even comes close don't exist. But that's another topic for another day.

Mr. O'Muck, I tenks youz for yer patience.


Thanks again, Angie for all of the time and effort that you have devoted to this project.

[uncle bud]

I'm with ya, O'Muck, but it's Marketing 101. Hyperbole will win every time. I suspect Kings are better for tourism than Masters, unless we're talking golf or Zen. And it's not like it's the first time in the history of the blues that exaggerated claims have been made. Usually they're made by the artists themselves. 

If it teaches some folks about Blake's existence, that's OK.

[Mr.OMuck]

Lord High Executioner of the Ragtime Blues?

[ScottN]

I am in agreement with Stuart that there can be multiple kings...later blues artists show us that they can coexist...Albert Nelson, Riley B, and Freddy Christian (Albert King, BB King, and Freddy King).

[bnemerov]

Lord High Executioner of the Ragtime Blues?

hey, O'M.....The billing for Ma & Pa Rainey was "The Assassinators of the Blues."
So why not yours?

thoughtfully,
bruce

[Eric Hubbard]

Lord High Executioner of the Ragtime Blues?

O'Muck, for the win.

[oddenda]

O'Muck -

           Do not worry so much, grasshopper - all will be what it will be. Save your energy for something important rather than splitting hares (intentional!) over nomenclature.

pbl

[Eric Hubbard]

High Sheriff of Ragtime Blues?

[cih]

Lord High Executioner sounds like a calypso artiste

[Mr.OMuck]

http://youtu.be/u1qd3bwv3N4

[Gumbo]

now you're being silly  

[Mr.OMuck]

That's just because you've never heard Skip James doing "Poor Little Buttercup"