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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Nick Dow Date: 07 Jul 18 - 10:54 AM Yes agreed. Just looked it up. Nick |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Tunesmith Date: 07 Jul 18 - 03:02 AM Actually Nick Perls, Dick Waterman,and Phil Spiro rediscovered Son BUT the Al Wilson connection is fascinating. When rediscovered, Son hadn't played the guitar in years and had forgotten how to play a lot of his old material, and Al ( a student of Son's guitar style ) took on the job of "reminding" Son how to play his own classic songs. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Nick Dow Date: 07 Jul 18 - 02:40 AM Yes it was Al and Bob Hite who went up to see him. (See Fito de la Parras' autobiography and band memories) |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Tunesmith Date: 06 Jul 18 - 04:54 PM The story that I recall about the rediscovery of Son House concerns Dick Waterman ( who became Son's manager ) who had been searching for Son, with others, in the South but without success. At some point he was playing bluesman Bukka White some old recordings of pre-war singers. When a recording of Son House was played, Bukja casually mentioned that He'd seen Son in New York in the recent past. This info led to the rediscovery of Son who, at that time, was living in Rochester. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: The Sandman Date: 05 Jul 18 - 04:43 AM bobert,open a is also available in spanish tuning on second fretdifferent inversion to cap[oing in open d and if you have a partial capo open a is available in standard just put part caopo on string234at second fret ,you might like to try partial capo option |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Tunesmith Date: 05 Jul 18 - 04:38 AM I'm pretty sure it wasn't Al who rediscovered Son. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Nick Dow Date: 05 Jul 18 - 03:02 AM We can thank the late Alan Blind Owl Wilson from Canned Heat for his rediscovery. I saw him back up Son House on Harmonica, at the 100 club on the second gig. (Son loved the first gig so much he asked to come back two weeks later) |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Tunesmith Date: 04 Jul 18 - 06:49 PM I remember the advert, in the mid-60s, that went with Son's " comeback" Columbia album. The blurb went something like: " The Blues world is divided as to the merits of Son House. Half say that he is definitely the greatest living country bluesman, and the other half say that he is probably the greatest living bluesman". |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Nick Dow Date: 03 Jul 18 - 04:04 PM I saw Son House live at 100 club in Oxford street 1972. Wonderful! |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Nick Dow Date: 03 Jul 18 - 04:02 PM |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GaryG Date: 03 Jul 18 - 03:18 PM IMO Son House is the definitive delta bluesman. This 1965 (I think) performance of Death Letter Blues on the National guitar takes my breath away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgrQoZHnNY |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 30 Jul 10 - 10:56 PM One correction: "Lotta bluesplayers also use open D" should read "open G"... B~ |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:35 PM That's it! That's what I hoped for, Bobert. Thank you. I have no way to know how much I can learn, but you just made it possible for me to try. maeve |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:29 PM Yeah, Mississippi Fred McDowell was da man and I'd have to put him as the grandfather of the style blues that I play... Even though Fred wasn't really from Mississippi (He wwas from Tenessee) he played alot up in the northern hill country and was a major influence on the folks who still play that slashin' blues groove... The hill country bluesmen had/have this heavy footstomp, mezmorizing style... It was passed from Fred McDowell to R.L. Burnisde and Jessie Mae Hemphill and Junior Kimbrough and they kept passin' it... Now there's an entire new generation of folks playin' that groove like Terry Bean and Richard Johnston and Daniel "Rev. Slick" Ballenger... When I perform I get my leg sometimes coming up 2 feet off the floor with the stomp... That's the way it's done... Rory Block learned it from Fred McDowell, too... When I'm playin' it I'm lookin' out at the audience and looking fir their feet to be movin'... If they ain't moving then I stomp that much harder until I see 'nuff feets a'movin' to know that I have accomplished what I set out to do... As fir learnin' Son's groove, maeve... Just Google up "Son House video" and see if you can find it... You'll see the mechanics real well on that tape... Pay perticular attention to his pickin' hand 'cause that's where the groove is... Heavy thumb down with entire hand passin' real close to the strings and then a backpick that alternates bewteeen two finger and one finger on the way back up catching variuos treble strings... Sometimes he'll use his palm to mute on the way down which gives a definate beat 'cause the strings don't continue to produce sound... That gives it a chop (beat, rhytum) that works into that groove... Lotta stuff he'll use lotta different tricks in the same song... Listen for the chops and the back pickin'... The back pickin' ya really have to listen carefully on 'cause the heavy bass thumpin' tends to overshadow whats goin' on down below but it's there... You find that tape... Sorry I only have it on VCR... and you'll understand the techniques... Son played alot in open G tuning which the older blues players called "Spainish tuning"... Lotta current blues player also use open D which is real nice 'caause if ya' have a 14 fret geetar then you can capo up two frets and yer in open A or ya can tune yer 55th string up and be in Double Dropped D tuning which is a wonderful tuning... That's about all I have fir now... B~ |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: fat B****rd Date: 30 Jul 10 - 03:41 PM Appreciation of Son House aside, this thread reminded me how much I like Mississippi Fred, Bukka White and many others. For that alone big thanks to Bobert and Maeve and all the other 'bluespersons' here. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 30 Jul 10 - 03:26 PM This YouTube video gives a sense of the interweaving between guitar and voice. Son House - Yonder Comes The Blues |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:24 PM Thanks for you input too, Bobert. I know your friends at the Getaway will enjoy hearing your take on "Empire State Express Blues". maeve |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:05 PM Thanks, Hoot. I understand that aspect; guess I'm wanting some more specifics regarding your approach to a particular Son House song. It calls for a very different singing style from my usual choices, and my guitar is gone so I'm trying to think through the process; looking ahead to a time when I can try some Son House songs, both vocals and guitar. maeve |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:03 PM Well, seein' as no one really can "cover" Son's music it seems that everyone's attempts are their own songs... Lotta folks, me included, do "Death Letter" and seems that no two do it quite alike... Same with "Empire State Express Blues", which BTW, I promise to do at the Getaway... Yo, Hoot... Yes, of course you are correct about Son not influening the folks who were at it as Son was comin' into his own... There were quite a few of them folks, too... B~ |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Hootenanny Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:58 PM Maeve, Just doing it will make it your own because no-one will ever confuse your version with Son House whoever you are and however hard you try. Not being negative just realistic. Good luck with it. Hoot |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:43 PM How do you each go about learning a Son House song; both the singing and the instrumental? How do you make it your own? maeve |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Jon Dudley Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:13 PM Bob Copper the English Traditional singer loved Son House...and many more blues artists too. But it was to Son House that he turned when he named his favourite blues...in respect to his wishes we played Son House's recording of 'Death Letter' at Bob's memorial service. Not a dry eye in the house. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: PoppaGator Date: 29 Jul 10 - 03:56 PM Anyone who loves Son House should be aware of the contemporary blues artist John Mooney. Mooney grew up in Rochester, NY, where Son House lived out his days after having been "rediscovered" in the 60s, and spent a number of his teenage/young-adult years at the feet of the master, so to speak, learning as much as possible about playing and singing the blues. (Not unlike the experience of a number of New York City youngsters who gathered around Rev. Gary Davis at about that same time.) Mooney plays electric slide guitar, usually with a small combo (bass & drums), in a "raw" style very similar to his mentor's. Indeed, listening to the Moon Man will probably convince you that Son House himself would probably have chosen to take advantage of electronic amplification had the technology been available to him back in his heyday. I believe that John Mooney currently lives in Florida most of the time. He was based here in New Orleans for a good long while, starting in the mid-1970s, and still appears here fairly often. I'll try to find some links, and come back to you with 'em a little later... |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Hootenanny Date: 29 Jul 10 - 12:58 PM To Roger in Baltimore; As I pointed out above, Son made his first recordings for Paramount a commercial company in 1930. This was a few years before Alan Lomax recorded him for the Library of Congress. This is not to belittle Lomax's achievement in recording him again down at Clacks Store but just to clarify the matter. Hoot |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 29 Jul 10 - 12:07 PM Death Letter and a couple more (well half a dozen more) Son House lyrics are on Harry's Blues Lyrics site at: Son House RtS |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Roger in Baltimore Date: 29 Jul 10 - 10:09 AM Bobert, Son was one of Lomax's discoveries. He was a powerful singer and a powerful guitarist. One of my favorites. Roger in Baltimore |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 29 Jul 10 - 04:45 AM Yes, of course. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: MarkS Date: 28 Jul 10 - 06:51 PM For a number of years I had "Death Letter Blues" on my gig list. Didn't do it as well as Son did, but then who could? Trouble is that lately, when I was able to find an audience, announcing DLB just failed to get any smiles or head nods. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Dave MacKenzie Date: 28 Jul 10 - 05:34 PM Ok, I'll change it. Is there anybody that's heard of him who isn't a Son House fan? |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Wesley S Date: 28 Jul 10 - 04:17 PM I've always wished that this site would attract more fans of the blues. But it seems to be over-run with folks who like to sing 127 varities of a song about "As I walked out one morning in May I spied a young maiden..." And which of the 127 versions is the REAL folk song. NOT that I'm complaining mind you........ |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Tunesmith Date: 28 Jul 10 - 04:03 PM Talking about Alan Lomax, in his book "The Land Where the Blues began" he describes the 1941 "planation" recording session with Son House in detail. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Hootenanny Date: 28 Jul 10 - 03:23 PM I would be surprised if this thread does go much above twenty. From what I see on this site there is considerable unawareness of early blues or any blues if I think about it. Son was definitely one of the giants in the field and great to watch and hear in performance but I wouldn't go as far as to say as stated in the opening post that he influenced every one else that we know since the blues started being recorded. Son himself did not make his first Paramount record until 1930. Blind Lemon Jefferson & Big Bill (Broonzy) to name but two beat him into the studios by about four years. Numerous blues ladies were even earlier but I assume that this post refers to guitar picking males. Hoot |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,bankley Date: 28 Jul 10 - 02:20 PM yup |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST Date: 28 Jul 10 - 01:29 PM Bobert, One of Lomax's earlier finds. His voice and his guitar is so powerful, you can't forget him once you've heard him. I'll be listening for some Son House at the Getaway. Roger in Baltimore |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: GUEST,Neil D Date: 28 Jul 10 - 11:52 AM Bobert, I sincerely hope that most people here know who Son House was. Anyone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of the Blues must surely be aware of one of its greatest pioneers. If not here's one of my favorite Youtube videos. It shows him late in life when he was just coming back to the music he hadn't played in decades but it captures that primal force that so many modern artists strive for but can only emulate. Death Letter Blues |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 28 Jul 10 - 11:13 AM I love this Levee Camp Blues |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Green Man Date: 28 Jul 10 - 07:50 AM Son House , yeah.. I play slide some and howl along whenevr its aksed of me. But Son House is just magic. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 28 Jul 10 - 07:43 AM Well, Dave MacK... Judgin' from the lack of posts I'm not too sure lotta folks here know who Son House even was??? "Death Letter", fat B***rd, is also one of my favities... I do it pudry much the way I do "Preachin' Blues" so I'm sure to put one of those two sings in my set list at all of gigs... But I like them equally... Go thru periods, tho, where I'll do one fir awile then kinda rediscover the other and do it fir awile... BTW, I do it in open D on my cigarbox Lowebow... As fir Son's geetar skills, Wes, no, it ain't purdy but it ain't all that easy to do it the way Son did either... He had that thump slap thing down and catch the treble strings on the way back up with alternatin' one or two fingers backpick... I have a video of him and Bukka White and it shows Son's pickin' hand... Took me long time to get that down... BTW, Son does "John The Revelator" on it along with a 5 minute monologue where he really is just ramblin' about the conflict between his relationship with God and being a bluesman... It's purdy eerie... I mean, Son was one God ***fearin'*** man and the blues was almost like an evil addiction he suffered with... B~ |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Wesley S Date: 28 Jul 10 - 07:22 AM Yeah I've loved Son House for a long time. His voice was so evocative. I think a lot of blues fans are guitar nerds and tend to focus on the guitar playing - but there has to be something in the voice for me to be attrached to it. And Son House has it. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: fat B****rd Date: 28 Jul 10 - 05:32 AM Hello, Bobert. "Death Letter Blues" is one of my favourites. |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Will Fly Date: 28 Jul 10 - 03:51 AM Just been listening to "John the Revelator" - magnificent! |
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Subject: RE: Any Son House fans??? From: Dave MacKenzie Date: 28 Jul 10 - 03:48 AM Is there anybody who isn't a Son House fan. I remember sitting in the cafe round the corner from my school many decades ago and being blown away by the combination of voice and slide on the record they had on. Then a few years later he was one of the few old-time bluesmen that I had the privilege to hear live. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:53 PM "Grinnin' in yer Face" is one of my faves... I do that one now and then... The entire concept is real Southern and what Son says, well, makes ya' think... BTW... I allready asked Joe to move it... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Any Son House fans??? From: maeve Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:46 PM Here, Bobert. I'd hope for more than twenty posts, especially if a kind moderator moves it up into the light of the Blues. Grinnin' in Your Face |
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Subject: RE: BS: Any Son House fans??? From: Zen Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:43 PM Oh yes indeedy Bobert being a Duolian kind of guy myself... one of the all time greats. |
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Subject: BS: Any Son House fans??? From: Bobert Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:39 PM Well, maybe this one will get 20 posts before fallin' into the black hole... BTW, Son House is my all time favorite bluesman... He influenced everyone else that we know since the blues started being recorded... B~ |
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