Mel Bay

The Guitar Playing of Lonnie Johnson, Bo Carter, Rev. Gary Davis, Buddy Moss, Josh White & Tommy McClennan

Transcribed: Stefan Grossman
Format: Book with Audio Online
Instrumentation: Guitar

This collection presents six legendary blues guitarists from the 1920s to early 1940s. Each has his own unique approach, style and techniques for playing. Some, like Rev. Gary Davis favoured regular tuning while Josh White was equally at home playing in Open D tuning as well as standard tuning. Lonnie Johnson is unique in his playing techniques as well as use of a D G D G B E tuning. Buddy Moss's recordings influenced generations of Piedmont guitarists, especially Blind Boy Fuller. Bo Carter had one of the most unusual tonal approaches for playing blues, ragtime and novelty songs. And lastly there is Tommy McClennan. His recordings sound "rough and tumble", but once you explore the intricacies of his playing you will discover a powerful blues guitarist.

• Rev. Gary Davis
  • Cincinnati Flow
  • Piece without Words
  • Children of Zion
  • Twelve Gates to The City
• Bo Carter
  • Let's Get Drunk Again
  • Nobody's Business
  • Honey
  • What You Want Your Daddy to Do
• Buddy Moss
  • Oh Lordy Mama
  • Sleepless Night
  • Someday Baby (I'll Have Mine)
• Josh White
  • Crying Blues
  • Bad Depression Blues
  • High Brown Cheater
  • My Soul Is Gonna Live With God
  • Pure Religion Hallilu
• Lonnie Johnson
  • Away Down In the Alley Blues
  • Stomping 'Em Along Slow
  • Blue Ghost Blues
  • There Is No Justice
  • Helena Blues
  • Sittin' On A Log
  • Corn Bread Blues
• Tommy McClennan
  • Blues as I Can Be
  • I'm Goin', Don't You Know
  • Love With a Feeling
  • New Highway No.51
  • Drop Down Mama

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK:
1) Listen over and over to the original recordings available via the download link for this collection.
2) Get a program that can control digital audio files. Use this with the transcriptions and the recordings.
3) Be patient!! Practice, practice and practice some more!!