Charlie Patton - Down the Dirt Road Blues, 1929 - yeah, that's the stuff.

 

Very dark.

Rev Gary Davis, 1961: Death don't have no mercy.

A few later the Grateful Dead made it one of their regular songs for years.

 

...and speaking of the Grateful Dead: They played a lot of blues and a lot more. They are not for everyone (what music is?), but they were incredibly active - sometimes playing as much as a couple of hundred times a year (I think I remember that correctly as I once counted a particular productive year of concerts listed on archive.org). They did this year after year, and, perhaps most impressively, all of those recordings are openly shared. They were a very special American Band!

Here is a segment of concert from 1968 at Columbia University (real nice versions of Cryptical Envelopment and That's it for the Other One). I think it captures what they were all about.

Jump ahead 40 years and we get this: As scripted a bunch of hooks as can be made complete with a billionaire larger-than-life TV personality and a trained crowd.

...and are things getting better.....I think not, it's all show and less and less music.

I tell ya, it's wreckin my head

 

A fairly new and young blues and soul band I've been listening to. They are from Memphis, and sound pretty close to the CD when live. And the lead singer does the live thing singing while dancing , pretty amazing to watch. The drummer is the singers sister.

 

Got another new CD, it's a modern band that goes back to the music Joey started the thread with. Modern ideas done in the type of blues from the time/sound of Robert Johnson. Ragpicker String Band,

 

 

Jimmy Reed - Big Boss Man

 

Messin with the Kid

Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers

 

Django Rheinhardt - Blues, 1940

Blues en mineur

 

Ray Charles, Drifting Blues

 

Albert King and SRV

edited to add: This one doesn't have the begining but doesn't end so early.

There are several of the "sessions" on YouTube and they are quite good.

 

Dead Dog Blues

The artist describes himself as a "Cigar box guitar player from Birmingham Alabama".

 

Another "cigar box guitar" guy, Justin Johnson form Australia.
Been watching his guitar lessons on Youtube. He has a lot of song videos too.

 

...and speaking of the Grateful Dead:

You mean this bunch of clowns?

 

Sound familiar?

kv

Edit: If you like Jazz, take a look at a Documentary on Netflix "Amy" Amy Winehouse.

 

She is pretty good, most of her You Tube stuff is live, the real test of a singer. She also has some albums with the Joe Bonamassa Band for a more big band blues sound.

Yeah, been listening to her as I think I mentioned...thought you might enjoy her on Star Search. Even back then, you can hear her talent.

I also have read about her and watched some interviews. She has had some challenges in her life that is for sure.

 

Carolyn Wonderland doing Blind Willy Johnson's, Ain't nobody's fault but mine (see post #78)

I wish she were more blues and less country, but holy mackerel she has quite a set of pipes!!!

 

Ana Popovic - Ana's Shuffle

Technically I like her. I'm not sure about whether there is "her" sound in there.

Here is a nice interview if you are interested...

 

Yeah, been listening to her as I think I mentioned.

Her solo albums are/were a disappointment to me. Morepop than blues. but she is great with Bonamassa.

Ana Popovic

Saw her live back around 2002 or so at a blues festival and she has just gotten better over the years.

 

When cover is miles above the original...