Country Blues > Weenie Campbell Main Forum

Country Blues Guitar--Favorite Bends

(1/6) > >>

Johnm:
Hi all,
I was listening to the Robert Pete Williams performance of "I'm So Glad My Mother Teached Me How To Pray" that Frank posted today, over at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2101.msg85977#msg85977 , and I was struck by how differently I hear bends being played in Country Blues guitar than in modern Chicago Blues or Rock.  The Country Blues bends sound to be primarily about pitch, quite often very specifically considered and executed to match the singing of notes that fall in between the fretted notes available on the guitar.  The bends I hear are not of the vibrato-laden, "slow hand" variety, but they are so accurately made and often "die" on the pitch they're going for, rather than sustain.  Apart from the Robert Pete Williams track mentioned earlier, a few of my favorite bends can be found in the following tracks:
   * Charlie Patton's "Green River Blues", especially that bend on the third string up to an almost- unison with the second string;
   * Charlie Jordan's "Two Street Blues".  If you haven't heard this one or listened to it recently, seek it out, because it is a mind-blower.
   * Robert Wilkins' "Rolling Stone", so beautifully matching his singing.  Also his "Jailhouse Blues", in the intro especially.
   * Ishmon Bracey's "Woman, Woman Blues"--a killer!

Two exceptions to the no-vibrato category would be Lonnie Johnson, who was a trail-blazer in that regard, and Josh White, whom I believe was Lonnie Johnson-influenced, both instrumentally and vocally.  Does anybody else have favorite bends they can think of in Country Blues guitar?  It would be fun to see some more favorites.
All best,
Johnm

uncle bud:
Thanks for the reminder about Two Street Blues, John. It is a great one I'd really forgotten about, despite playing several Jordan tunes myself.

I would nominate all of Rosa Lee Hill's recordings. Bullying Well, Roll and Tumble, Pork and Beans, Count the Days I'm Gone, take your pick. Tuned low too. Crazy bends, the definition of lowdown.

George Mitchell deserves some kinda medal.

harriet:
The bend in Joe Callicott's signature lick in Roll and Tumble is a favorite of mine also Rev. Wilkins' Streamline 'Frisco Limited from Remember Me at about 1.08 .

Mr.OMuck:
Big Bill's late work often has spectacular supernatural bends, as in Backwater Blues. There are others even more amazing on some slower songs but I can't recall which ones at the moment.

banjochris:

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page