Topic: Sleepy John Estes' Guitar Playing

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was thinking about Sleepy John Estes and was wondering if anyone could think of another top-level Country Blues singer and guitarist who so completely relegated the guitar to a role in which it was used simply for time-keeping and providing chordal support. He was really rare in the extent to which he didn't use the guitar for instrumental responses apart from playing an occasional bass run, and that may be the reason he was so often joined by accompanists, whether Yank Rachell and Jab Jones, Hammie Nixon, or Charlie Pickett or Brownsville Son Bonds. Obviously, there were singers who only sang and did not accompany themselves, like Texas Alexander and many of the Classic Blues singers, but singers who accompanied themselves in such a non-showy way are really hard to think of for me, apart from Sleepy John Estes. Can you think of any others who shared his approach or sound?
All best,
Johnm

[Thomas8]

Maybe Jim Jackson?

[Johnm]

Good one, Thomas. On his more folky and pop material, Jim Jackson did often adopt a pretty simple boom-chang sort of back-up for his guitar, but on a lot of his blues accompaniments, like "Kansas City Blues" and the innumerable covers he did of it, he had some pretty nifty playing, so I don't think his guitar-playing was quite so strictly accompaniment oriented as was Sleepy John's.

[RichardW]

Howzabout Walter Vinson with the Sheiks?

[Johnm]

Hi RichardW,
Yup, Walter played boom-chang back-up on many or most Sheiks cuts, but he also had a fair number, like "Stop And Listen" and "This World Is Going Wrong" where he was essentially playing fingerpicked lead guitar parts, so I don't see him as being so exclusively in a back-up role as Sleepy John was.
All best,
Johnm

[Forgetful Jones]

Not sure I’m adding much to the conversation here, but Sleepy John’s “Special Agent” is a favorite of mine, and I’ve always been a bit stumped as to what he was playing. Closest I ever got was Standard tuning, C position, but I wasn’t overly confident in that. The signature riff is a pretty cool one in his repertoire.



Cheers!

Edited to add link to the song.

[Johnm]

Hi Forgetful Jones,
You're right, Sleepy John is playing in C position, standard tuning, as is his seconding guitarist, either Brownsville Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, who is playing that great signature lick, also out of C position in standard tuning.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

It's my favorite Estes song. I never heard a cover of it besides Paul Geremia or Rainer Brunn & Willie Salomon (below).