MJH I think your family needs educating, sadly so do mine as they also share the same (poor) taste
Yeah, it's mostly my brother, he listens to modern rock and stuff, and I wouldn't mine so much if he could at least appreciate the blues.
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When I'd go see him he says 'Whenever I get up, if I live to get up, me and you gonna put out nothin' but gospel music... I done joined the church and don't wanna play no more blues.' I told him 'Okay' but I wasn't lookin' for him to get up - Sam Chatmon, on Lonnie's conversion
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MJH I think your family needs educating, sadly so do mine as they also share the same (poor) taste Yeah, it's mostly my brother, he listens to modern rock and stuff, and I wouldn't mine so much if he could at least appreciate the blues. For sheer power, delivery, timing and dynamics it's hard to look past Big Bill Broonzy. Loooo---weeeeeze....!!! always does it to me.
Charley Patton and Sleepy John Estes are my other two favorites. Was listening to Patton half asleep last night, iPod was on shuffle, Screamin' & Hollerin' The Blues came on and I found myself thinking "this man is the perfect blues singer". Estes plaintive, pleading voice works so well with his loping, nicely-out-of-tune bands. Classic folk singer way before his time. Sometimes mangles the words like he's chewing tobacco. Memphis Minnie is huge around my house. She had it all, the songs, the chops, the voice and a great sense of humor. Did anyone mention Howlin' Wolf? I've gotta throw a plug in for Johnny Shines - I saw him in person twice. So much power in his voice, it made the hair on my arms stand up.
I wish I had had the chance to see/hear Howlin' Wolf - by all reports, he had a similar effect, but on the opposite sex and on a different anatomical detail. Hi all,
I've been listening a lot to the recently released George Mitchell Recordings on Fat Possum, and one musician who comes across really well in his singing on that set is Houston Stackhouse. He had a big, bright, very clear tenor voice, and he really sounds superb on the Tommy Johnson songs he covers there. I saw him once at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C., circa 1971, but I don't remember his singing impressing me the same way at that time. All best, Johnm Wow! So glad this thread was brought back to life! I need to track down some stuff from the names I'm not familiar with.
Most of my favorites have been listed already, but some are worth mentioning again. Here's a few off the top of my head : Snooks Eaglin (more than blues, I know, but...) Dan Pickett Brownie McGhee Blind Willie McTell Sam Collins Teddy Darby Washboard Sam Johnny Shines, Crying Sam Collins, and Richard "Rabbit" Brown for me. Mr. Brown sang like the ghost of an Irish tenor trapped in a black man from New Orleans' body!
dj
I know Johnny Temple has been mentioned before. I was never all that big a Johnny Temple fan, but whenever he comes up when I'm shuffling through a bunch of singers on the iPod, I stop and think "What a great voice". Hearing him in the mix with a bunch of other singers shows him off to advantage and has made me appreciate him much more than I used to.
Hi all,
I was listening to Julius Daniels on the "Atlanta Blues" JSP set today and I think he was a great singer, with a rich, deep voice. I tend to forget about him from time to time. All best, Johnm Hi all, Yes, John - I have the Matchbox LP "Atlanta Blues 1927-30" with Julius Daniels and Lil McClintock which is a real favourite. It never ceases to amaze me how good the recording quality is on those cuts. A lot of my personal favourites have already been listed.I also think Arthur Crudup is a sublime singer.Couldn`t see him mentioned-i apologise
if i missed his name somewhere. lyndvs. Yes, John - I have the Matchbox LP "Atlanta Blues 1927-30" with Julius Daniels and Lil McClintock which is a real favourite. It never ceases to amaze me how good the recording quality is on those cuts.Probably because they were "sourced" from a UK 1965 JD EP see http://www.wirz.de/music/rcxfrm.htm Many of the obvious ones for me have already been mentioned and I'm conscious we have mainly stuck with the oldies. Indeed I mentioned Son House and John Lee Hooker on the 2nd page.
I have to give a nod here though to Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate drops. She has a voice that could stop a herd of cows at 50 yards, but is still full of nuance, sensuality and subtlety. There aren't many vocal performances that send shivers repeatedly down my spine when I listen to them, but her vocal on a track called Black Eye Blues does just that. One of my favourite vocals of all time. Darn near perfect. Some of my Favorite Blues singers are quite honestly the ones that've been mentioned previously. One that I haven't seen mentioned yet (and likely because he only recorded about 4 tracks, as far as I know) is Alphoncy Harris.
He recorded two sides with his wife & Willie McTell and there are a coupla others on a Document CD of an artist I can't quite recall (Curtis Jones, I *believe*). There's something about his singing that I really like, although I'm not sure I can put my finger on it. Any other opinions? Lefty
Tags: Charley Lincoln Texas Alexander Robert Pete Williams Harry Oster Henry Thomas Pink Anderson Alec Seward Jesse James Johnny Temple Johnny Shines Dr. Clayton Houston Stackhouse Larry Johnson
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