Avalon is in the delta, as is Teoc...barely! The hills descend their 200 or so feet rather quickly & Teoc was right at the bottom. Avalon is roughly one half mile from the hills.
Hurt is said to have been born in Teoc which means he was born inthe general area of Teoc. Teoc itself consisted of a store or two plus some cotton buildings. The whole "town" was less than 300 feet across.
At the time of & years before his "rediscovery" Hurt's address was Avalon. But the shack he called home was not in Avalon. It was in the hills a couple of miles from the town, in the "Valley" community which was a store, a white's school & a barber shop. (A picture of Hurt's shack & Valley store can be found in the Mudcat Cafe's "John Hurt Room".)

Was he a "Delta Bluesman"? I would not call him that. Whether he spent more time in Avalon (the Delta) or Valley (the hills)is of little relevance. His music says it all. And it definitely does not say "I'm a Delta Bluesman".

ken