I discovered Rev Gary Davis in the 1960. Saw him at Mariposa folk music festival, asked for his number. I called him up and went to see him in New York. Stayed with him for 10 days. Then he came to Ottawa to play 6 days at local club, and stayed with me. A wonderful experience. I still play some of his songs.
I cannot express how grateful I am to have come across this channel. You teach the blues like no other . You really feel the blues , your channel is truly amazing . I've learnt so much through your videos. Thank you brother 🙏 💙 🤘
This to me is the fascination of the Blues..You look back to all these Blues players from back in the day and there's all the different variations of Blues, and then the many different approaches they all took to play the Blues. Plus of course in the early days the only guitars available were acoustics with gut strings..once they moved on from the Diddley Bows and 3 string CBGs...which are still an awesome blues instrument. And then nylon strings well before steel strings came in. So the tones changed as time went on which is why I have a few nylon strung guitars. Only 12 frets to the body as well so less fret board. Your typical playing on the porch gut bucket blues obviously has roots in bluegrass..maybe that's why it's called the Blues..? You listen to the lyrics and you can hear how their life experiences are reflected in the music, the only blues player I can think of these days with that authenticity is Seasick Steve. I started out with nothing..and still have most of it left...one of the best album titles I ever came across. His 3 string Trance wonder goes back to the days of the CBG ..electrified. It's also worth finding Poppa Chubby as well if you haven't come across him.. Then there's the women players as well...Their influence should not be overlooked. Especially Sister Rosetta Tharpe..Well ahead of her time. So much to learn from the many old style blues players. So many influenced more modern players regardless of genre and became the basis for everything that came after. And it all began with a broom handle and a length of baling wire...
In the early days .... Charlie Patton, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Reverend Gary Davis, Luke Jordan etc ( I'm trying to remember those that recorded in the late 1920's and early 1930's and I'm probably only right about 2-3) were all playing with steel strings. My point is I would pretty confidently say that most of these guys transitioned from playing steel string on box guitars that were homemade to steal strings on store Bought a catalog guitars. As far as bluegrass is concerned in my opinion bluegrass as a more modern thing than traditional Appalachian folk music because if you go back and listen to "hillbilly records" (there were what were called "race records" or blues and "hillbilly records") it sounds a lot different than bluegrass. Definitely has more of a bluesy feel and is a little slower than bluegrass (speaking mainly in regards to banjo and guitar playing concerning tempo). These recordings of musicians from the southern Appalachian region of the United States are so so much more interesting and superior in my opinion to bluegrass as far as being representative of folk music. I think that blues music, ragtime, and hillbilly for a lack of a better term probably borrowed from one another. I know that old blues musicians a lot of times had a huge repertoire because they would play in front of black and white audiences and traveled around playing a different parts of the South as well. Check out a banjo player named doc. Boggs or a slide guitarist named Frank Hutchinson. Both of these musicians would be considered hillbilly when designating what kind of recording. Not trying to sound like a douche ....just wanted to mention some things that I have read over the years.
Please watch and listen to so much more of his stuff He's a special talent.- Try the various version of DEATH DONT HAVE NO MERCY. In the words of the Rev, GOOD GOD!
Thanks man for taking the time to put this together. Been working On this song for three weeks Haven’t been able to find the hammer ons anywhere! Thank you!
Awesome possum, thank you. I love Gary Davis. It'd be awesomer if you could do this same style video on his song oh glory how happy I am. That is my favorite song probably. I've been trying for ever to learn and have paid for quite a few tutorials on it and just barely got the intro down. It has that same difficult g chord at the 7th fret position.
Great lesson as always! Thank you! If you get the chance and one of your students requests... blind connie williams Take my hand precious lord or maybe Lonnie Johnson It's too late to cry... Thanks
I enjoy this channel, I have enjoyed TRYING to play a bit of Davis for years. Just listened again to the version of Pure Religion from the Pure Religion & Bad Company album - the way his voice and guitar playing either pre-empt or echo each other and the speed of it! Noticed for the first time that there is just one beat where he clicks his fingers , as in this video, just for kicks I suppose.
Gary Davis is, to me, one of the all-atime greatest guitarists that I’v ever heard. I never saw him live, or on TV, but I’ve met guys who took lessons from him, and they all agree. Can I download your tab anywhere?
I agree, he blows me away every time I listen! You can download the tabs if you join FGA Members on my website. Theres a link in the description thatll take you there. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I like the way you try to teach to whose like me are dumnies, thank you. Is in your future idea to bring "Cocaine blues" on your Channel!? I'll be greatful. Happy New year!!! To everybody!!!
I love the Reverends playing! Thanks for this lesson!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for acknowledging the Reverend! He is awesome.
I discovered Rev Gary Davis in the 1960. Saw him at Mariposa folk music festival, asked for his number. I called him up and went to see him in New York. Stayed with him for 10 days.
Then he came to Ottawa to play 6 days at local club, and stayed with me.
A wonderful experience. I still play some of his songs.
I cannot express how grateful I am to have come across this channel. You teach the blues like no other . You really feel the blues , your channel is truly amazing . I've learnt so much through your videos. Thank you brother 🙏 💙 🤘
This to me is the fascination of the Blues..You look back to all these Blues players from back in the day and there's all the different variations of Blues, and then the many different approaches they all took to play the Blues. Plus of course in the early days the only guitars available were acoustics with gut strings..once they moved on from the Diddley Bows and 3 string CBGs...which are still an awesome blues instrument. And then nylon strings well before steel strings came in. So the tones changed as time went on which is why I have a few nylon strung guitars. Only 12 frets to the body as well so less fret board.
Your typical playing on the porch gut bucket blues obviously has roots in bluegrass..maybe that's why it's called the Blues..?
You listen to the lyrics and you can hear how their life experiences are reflected in the music, the only blues player I can think of these days with that authenticity is Seasick Steve. I started out with nothing..and still have most of it left...one of the best album titles I ever came across.
His 3 string Trance wonder goes back to the days of the CBG ..electrified. It's also worth finding Poppa Chubby as well if you haven't come across him..
Then there's the women players as well...Their influence should not be overlooked. Especially Sister Rosetta Tharpe..Well ahead of her time.
So much to learn from the many old style blues players. So many influenced more modern players regardless of genre and became the basis for everything that came after.
And it all began with a broom handle and a length of baling wire...
In the early days .... Charlie Patton, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Reverend Gary Davis, Luke Jordan etc ( I'm trying to remember those that recorded in the late 1920's and early 1930's and I'm probably only right about 2-3) were all playing with steel strings. My point is I would pretty confidently say that most of these guys transitioned from playing steel string on box guitars that were homemade to steal strings on store Bought a catalog guitars. As far as bluegrass is concerned in my opinion bluegrass as a more modern thing than traditional Appalachian folk music because if you go back and listen to "hillbilly records" (there were what were called "race records" or blues and "hillbilly records") it sounds a lot different than bluegrass. Definitely has more of a bluesy feel and is a little slower than bluegrass (speaking mainly in regards to banjo and guitar playing concerning tempo). These recordings of musicians from the southern Appalachian region of the United States are so so much more interesting and superior in my opinion to bluegrass as far as being representative of folk music. I think that blues music, ragtime, and hillbilly for a lack of a better term probably borrowed from one another. I know that old blues musicians a lot of times had a huge repertoire because they would play in front of black and white audiences and traveled around playing a different parts of the South as well. Check out a banjo player named doc. Boggs or a slide guitarist named Frank Hutchinson. Both of these musicians would be considered hillbilly when designating what kind of recording. Not trying to sound like a douche ....just wanted to mention some things that I have read over the years.
Ernie Hawkins said it perfectly. THOSE BEAUTIFUL HANDS.
I’ve never seen this man before, there’s a lot going on in his music and expression.
Thank you Heath for introducing me to the Rev. Gary Davis
Thanks Kerry- I didnt know much about him either. Thanks for watching and your support!
Please watch and listen to so much more of his stuff He's a special talent.- Try the various version of DEATH DONT HAVE NO MERCY. In the words of the Rev, GOOD GOD!
The weird chord is G7, Gary often fretted the 6th and 5th strings with his thumb at the 10th fret. Great breakdown.
Thanks man for taking the time to put this together. Been working On this song for three weeks
Haven’t been able to find the hammer ons anywhere! Thank you!
Awesome possum, thank you. I love Gary Davis. It'd be awesomer if you could do this same style video on his song oh glory how happy I am. That is my favorite song probably. I've been trying for ever to learn and have paid for quite a few tutorials on it and just barely got the intro down. It has that same difficult g chord at the 7th fret position.
Thanks! Ill check it out and add it to my list! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Can we get a Death Don't Have No Mercy breakdown? If not its cool- thanks for this!!
Great lesson as always! Thank you! If you get the chance and one of your students requests... blind connie williams Take my hand precious lord or maybe Lonnie Johnson It's too late to cry... Thanks
I love the Rev.
Also, any story that has a bee's nest in a lion's head is OK by me.
I enjoy this channel, I have enjoyed TRYING to play a bit of Davis for years. Just listened again to the version of Pure Religion from the Pure Religion & Bad Company album - the way his voice and guitar playing either pre-empt or echo each other and the speed of it! Noticed for the first time that there is just one beat where he clicks his fingers , as in this video, just for kicks I suppose.
Thanks Im glad you like my lessons!
Gary Davis is, to me, one of the all-atime greatest guitarists that I’v ever heard. I never saw him live, or on TV, but I’ve met guys who took lessons from him, and they all agree. Can I download your tab anywhere?
I agree, he blows me away every time I listen! You can download the tabs if you join FGA Members on my website. Theres a link in the description thatll take you there. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Alg push nice work ✌🏽
Great intro dude
Great breakdown of the song also. Really!
I like the way you try to teach to whose like me are dumnies, thank you. Is in your future idea to bring "Cocaine blues" on your Channel!?
I'll be greatful. Happy New year!!! To everybody!!!
Always going deep. Love your vids. Thanks for all you share.
Thanks for listening!
i've always luved the rev, also check out hot tuna !!!