invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis

Subject: invitation to submit lyrics,stories of Gary Davis
From: GUEST,Easy Ed
Date: 21 Oct 03 - 04:36 PM

Hello. Since 1996 I have created and maintained www.reverendgarydavis.com (aka www.revgarydavis.com)
Reverend Gary Davis website

I would like to ask for your help, please, by sending in lyric transcriptions to any of the Rev's songs that I can post on my site, and also any stories you may care to share of hearing and or meeting the Rev.

The site is not as complete nor perfect as it might be, being a voluntary labor of love, but I would be open to hearing any suggestions of additions or improvements.

Thank you,
Ken "Easy Ed" Edwards
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Oct 03 - 07:02 PM

TWELVE GATES TO THE CITY; IF I HAD MY WAY; MOTHERLESS CHILDREN; and
CANDY MAN are in the DT.

Here are some in the Forum:

SAMSON AND DELILAH and I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD are at Rev. Gary Davis Lyrics

OH GLORY, HOW HAPPY I AM

SHE'S FUNNY THAT WAY (two versions)

I'M GLAD I'M IN THAT NUMBER

Hesitation Blues

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 22 Oct 03 - 05:07 AM

Stewie submitted the lyrics to I am the True Vine here

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Oct 03 - 05:15 AM

I was lucky enough to catch The Rev at the Troubadour in London when Long John Baldry was roadying for him.An absolutely wonderful evening.
They stood this poor little wizened old man on the stage and he stood there looking totally lost until they handed him his guitar - Then it
started.Lovely memories.

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis
From: Mark Ross
Date: 22 Oct 03 - 01:49 PM

I got to change his guitar strings once backstage at the old Gaslight in the Village. What an honor!!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Oct 03 - 02:55 PM

At Cambridge folk festival, I think in 1966, I saw him sitting on his own in a beer tent. guitar in case beside him. The effect was startling, as he was very black, wearing a black hat, with dark glasses, and was completely shrouded in a dark blue or black duffle coat, the full CND march style, which was much too big for him. So somewhat nervous as a wet-behind the-ears student guitarist, I went up the Great Man, introduced myself, and said how much I enjoyed his music.
   A hour later I was still sat by him, we were surrounded by other people, we both had our guitars out, and he was showing me the inticacies of back-picking and so on, and I was singing along to Twelve Gates to the City. Wonderful memory. My very own master class.

Subject: RE: invitation - submit lyr & stories - Rev Gary Davis
From: Mark Clark
Date: 22 Oct 03 - 04:40 PM

This is an extract from a piece I posted in another thread.

One year a friend and I went to see Gary Davis in Chicago. Between sets he just sat alone in a corner and no one would talk to him but the waitress. We went over and started making conversation and wound up inviting him over to my place for Sunday dinner the next day. Of course he wouldn't come without his guitar. It happened to be the week of Thanksgiving and he was booked through the next weekend so we invited him for Thanksgiving dinner as well. Brother Davis called his wife in Long Island and she flew in and joined us. Now Gary didn't really provide instruction and of course we didn't ask but he wasn't really comfortable unless he was playing so we got to see, close up, exactly how he made those wonderful licks we'd worked so hard to pick up from records.

We corresponded with Ms. Davis for time after that but eventually lost touch.

In driving through Chicago with Rev. Davis he would make remarks about the area. He could see the difference between sky and trees, probably by the shadow. This didn't seem to help much when constantly relighting his pipe. He usually left the burnt match in the bowl of his pipe leaning against the edge. Still, he always lit his pipe by himself.

That Thanksgiving (c. 1964) my parents and brothers joined us from Iowa. I told my brothers I needed to pick up another guest and invited them to ride along. When we walked into Gary's hotel room and they saw him standing there waiting, they almost fell over. I wish I had a picture of their faces.

I do have pictures of my then-infant daughter sitting on Gary's lap.

-----------------------

My brother tells the story of attending a Davis concert at Grinnell College and afterward attending a party at an off-campus student house. Davis attended the party and, well into the festivities, sat holding a restaurant water glass full of whisky talking to it all the while saying “Come on over and see me.” then after a time saying “What? You can't come over? Well, then goodbye.” and with that he drained the glass in one motion much to the astonishment of the students.

      - Mark