Topic: Notable Strummers

[lindy]

You right, Dave. Case in point--keep a close eye on Snook's right hand . . .

[dj]

Willie B. Thomas - Both Harry Oster and Chris Strachwitz and Paul Oliver recorded him singing and playing guitar with Butch cage in Zachary Louisiana in the years around 1960.  Thomas' strumming fell overwhelmingly into a pretty basic bass/chord bass/chord pattern with some occasional upsweeps with his fingers.  At first listen, I wasn't too impressed at what he was doing.  But after a few listens, I began to realize that Thomas' guitar strumming is the solid rock over which Cage's fiddle and the pair's duet singing supply both the melodic and the rhythmic interest, and that if he'd tried to get much fancier, the whole performance would have degenerated into a shambles. 

[Rivers]

We're running on the same track at present, I just got to the end of the Arhoolie Jam Session CD myself and was thinking the same thing. That is a truly great comp.

[Roscoe]

not only good strummers but a good shot too. henry townsend told me jd short stabbed him in the back so he shot him with his smith and wesson 32.
roscoe

[uncle bud]

I mentioned the Two Gospel Keys in the CDs You're Listening To thread, and the guitar player was Emma Daniels, a mean strummer who has to keep up to Mother Sally Jones' tambourine.

[Michael Cardenas]

Garfield Akers and Joe Callicot Cottonfield Blues is a strumfest.

Barbecue Bob's 12 string strumming  gets pretty out there when combined with the grungy IV chord he uses in open G. Yo Yo Blues is the classic example but it goes through all his playing. He turns the strum patterns into riffs by hitting just the right strings and frets.

It's a big part of Fred McDowell and Blind Willie Johnson's sound too. I guess slide players might feature heavily here.

What about Scrapper? Or does that thing he does count as a 'rake'?

I sure do agree with all this, but on the subject of Garfield Akers I want to throw something out there... I have a suspicion (personal taste) he just might be the best singer, so I'm curious as to who everyone feels has a better vocal presentation and yes I know it's all bias, but who cares I would still like to know who has the better pipes.

[frankie]

I sure do agree with all this, but on the subject of Garfield Akers I want to throw something out there... I have a suspicion (personal taste) he just might be the best singer, so I'm curious as to who everyone feels has a better vocal presentation and yes I know it's all bias, but who cares I would still like to know who has the better pipes.

Akers recorded so little - on the early stuff, comparing Akers to Callicott, I prefer Akers...  but Callicott's recordings as an older man - wow.

[dj]

Hi, Michael.  Check out the thread here for a discussion of favorite singers. 

[Michael Cardenas]

I sure do agree with all this, but on the subject of Garfield Akers I want to throw something out there... I have a suspicion (personal taste) he just might be the best singer, so I'm curious as to who everyone feels has a better vocal presentation and yes I know it's all bias, but who cares I would still like to know who has the better pipes.

Akers recorded so little - on the early stuff, comparing Akers to Callicott, I prefer Akers...  but Callicott's recordings as an older man - wow.

Joe's got it going on, but Akers gets to me. Short catalog aside - Garfield Akers or Henry Thomas?

[frankie]

Short catalog aside - Garfield Akers or Henry Thomas?

yes.

[Baird]

Walter Hawkins sounds like he's doing some nice strumming in 'A Rag Blues'.

Buddy Boy Hawkins has some great strumming in 'Awful Fix'.

[Mister Steve]

Frank Stokes.  And another round of applause for Sleepy John Estes.

At the end of the day there's nothin' more underrated than strummin'...

Snooks Eaglin...yes indeed!