The Rough Guide to Gospel Blues

Various Artists

SKU: RGNET1349LP

Barcode: 605633134940

14.00 £14.00

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A musical exploration of the close ties between gospel music and the blues. It includes classic tracks by blues legends Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Bukka White and features the legendary guitar evangelists Blind Willie Johnson and Reverend Gary Davis. Lovingly remastered using pioneering restoration techniques. Includes a FREE download card.

Although the blues and gospel music of the African American in the pre-war era seem quite distinct, they were essentially two sides of the same coin. Both genres shared the same longing for a better life and an almost blind hope in deliverance and redemption.

Ultimately famed for his ‘devil’s music’, Blind Lemon Jefferson’s version of ‘All I Want Is That Pure Religion’ was one of two recordings from his first session in 1926 which were gospel songs, released under the name Deacon L. J. Bates. Later that year Blind Joe Taggart and Edward W. Clayborn were the first genuine guitar evangelists to record. Clayborn only performed gospel tunes but Taggart also recorded secular music under a number of different pseudonyms. The success of these early recordings led to other singer-guitarists being sought out and recorded.

Undoubtedly, the most technically adept of the true guitar evangelists was Reverend Gary Davis, whose incredible ragtime-infused style has been a huge inspiration to guitar fingerpickers ever since. Davis was an important inspiration to the folk music revival alongside other featured bluesmen such as Skip James (who was later ordained as a minister) and Bukka White.

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Track Listings

Reverend Gary Davis - I Am The Light
Blind Willie Johnson - I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole
Bukka White - The Promise True And Grand
Rev. Edward W. Clayborn - Your Enemy Cannot Harm You
Blind Joe Taggart & Josh White - Scandalous And A Shame
Mother McCollum - Jesus Is My Air-O-Plane
Blind Willie & Kate McTell - I Got Religion, I'm So Glad
Skip James - Be Ready When He Comes
Memphis Minnie - Let Me Ride
Barbecue Bob - When The Saints Go Marching In
Bessie Smith - On Revival Day
Blind Lemon Jefferson - All I Want Is That Pure Religion

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