Who was Mississippi John Hurt?

Listen to "Frankie and Albert" by clicking here.

"Frankie was a good girl, everybody know. She paid a hundred dollars for Albert's suit of clothes. He was her man... but he done her wrong."

Guitarists hearing songs like "Worried Blues" or "Monday Morning Blues" (iTunes music store) often wonder how many guitars are playing.

Also, you can watch some guitar instruction teaching how to play his songs (good luck) at homespun tapes. The 2 minute clip doesn't show the amazing songs.

One of the instructors was so influenced by John Hurt that he named his band after one of John's songs: "I just had to have... my lovin spoonful."

You can get the John Sebastian: Mississippi John Hurt Fingerpicking Blues DVD from Netflix, as soon as I return it.  ¶ 10:57 PM (0) comments

  Disappointed (waited 40 years and they didn't quite get it right)

After watching some of the PBS Dylan documentary, I ordered the new "Festival" DVD with performances from the Newport Folk Festival in the early 1960's ($11 from Amazon).

Sure, it was nice to see the scruffy Jim Kweskin Jug Band and waifish Joan Baez and Dylan in the raw, but I wanted to see the promised Mississippi John Hurt on video that I listened to on scratchy Newport Folk Festival vinyl records now promised on video with DVD-quality sound.

They only play half of "Candy Man" (the ultimate fingerpicking song) while they include plenty of philosophy from individuals in the crowd and musicians. Ah, well. Half a song of Mississippi John Hurt is enough to get my toes tapping. Magic.

You can hear the 86 seconds on YouTube. Search for "John Hurt".



Who's that fellow playing the clip beneath Mississippi John Hurt? Ain't no telling.  ¶ 7:34 AM (0) comments