"Well, fir those of you who like/love Robert Johnson, you will like/love Johnny Shines even more... I don't know why he doesn't get more recognition... He, IMO, is equal to or even ebtter that Robert on alot of his stuff and plays purdy much the exact same style... It's almost as if they both learned from the same teacher... One of the best blues songs is one he wrote called "Jim String"... Ya'll listen to that song/story... Man, geese oh pete... This is the real blues..." Not from the same teacher but from the man himself. Shines traveled all over America for 2 years in the 30's and learned from him. He is said to be one of only two bluesman that Robert taught to play his style, the other being Robert Lockwood Jr. "There seems to be a lot of cross-over in some old-time music, early country etc. I'm thinking of artists such as Doc Boggs, Jimmy Rodgers, even Hank Williams." I don't know much about Doc Boggs but Rodgers and Williams are both said to have had early contact with black players. Rodgers as a brakeman on the railroad running between Meridian, Ms. and New Orleans and Hank as a shoeshine boy on the streets of Montgomery, Al. And speaking of cross-over "Sitting on Top of the World" has been covered by numerous Blues, Folk and Country musicians but here is the original :The Mississippi Sheiks. If you listened to the link Burton provided up thread to Crooked Still doing "Come on in My Kitchen" you'll notice that Robert Johnson used this tune for that song. Unless more people have posted while I've been typing and making links this is post #97. Looks like we might make Bobert's day, Catters.
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