And he told me... I didn't know nothing about how to play no guitar at all. He said "Hey, go home. Take my advice. You go home. You get that.. straight. You know what I'm talking about? Put that pick down. You think I'm scolding you? You a grown man, Hubert - listen to me!" I went home, man. I went to my basement. And I'm going to tell you something... I was thinking about what Wolf said. He said "Hey, put the pick down." I put the pick down, man. I put the pick down and started using... fingers, you know what I mean? - Hubert Sumlin, on how Howlin' Wolf introduced him to fingerpicking. From Moanin' At Midnight by James Segrest and Mark Hoffman
My band Sausage Grinder will be performing at the 2009 Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention in Goleta, CA, just north of Santa Barbara on Sunday, October 11. We start at 4 p.m. but the festival goes all day and they have fiddle, banjo and guitar contests, as well as lots of jamming, so if you're in the area please come by. It is a great way to spend a Sunday. I'm also teaching a blues guitar workshop (at 2 p.m., I think, which will inevitably be not too advanced) and my friend and bandmate David Bragger will teach an old-time fiddle workshop at 1 p.m.
Hi Chris, I'm glad to hear the Sausage Grinders are still going and have a recording in the works. Any chance you could post a set list for your performance at the Festival? And do you have any plans for a solo CD? All best, Johnm
One of these days hopefully a solo CD. I need to get a halfway-decent recording setup at home (right now there's just the built-in mic on the computer).
And John, not sure if we'll play all of this or switch it around some, but I think we're playing (not necessarily in this order): My Four Reasons Ride Old Buck to Water I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuits Deep Ellum Blues Carbolic Rag If You'se a Viper Black Eye Blues Fourth Street Mess Around Good Grinding Peacock Rag Man Who Rode the Mule Around the World Old Hen Cackle Why Do I Have to Bend Over? (an original)
Thanks for the set list, Chris. Short of being able to attend the show it's the closest I can get to getting the band's sound in my head. Have fun. All best, Johnm