Who is/was the best blueser inside the US?

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I don't know whether he could be rated anywhere near the top, but the guy I want to have a beer with the most is Elvin Bishop. I've got a couple of his cds and half the songs are outright jokes. He seems like the kind of guy you'd like to have around, even if he drinks all your beer.
 

caveman

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Interviewer : what is your opinion on British rock ?
Rudy Potrudi (singer of garage band the Fuzztones) : there is no such thing as British rock !

I feel a bit the same about blues, not such a fan of Clapton, Page or Beck.

Tough call to name just one, but it would be either
John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters or Howling Wolf for me.
 

kitniyatran

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I could think of a few, but they'd be neither white, nor rockstars from the 1960's through today.
"Tough call to name just one, but it would be either
John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters or Howling Wolf for me.
"
would be a start, plus there's all the acoustic guys, like Robert Johnson, who'd probably top my list on talent alone; guitar playing, songwriting, singing; the man had it all. Ask Clapton or Keith Richards.
 

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I never got Robert Johnson. :cry:
Blind Lemon Jefferson was pretty hot though.

BB is fantastic once his hands warm up. I saw Alberts King and Collins.
Beyond BB, I couldn't tell you. All my favorites have passed away. :(
 

coastie99

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On any particular day, I may prefer to listen to (say) Son House rather than (say) Fred McDowell.

On any particular day, I may be re-visiting (say) Blind Willie Johnson, or (say) Scrapper Blackwell.

But "the best ?"

There is no such thing !
 

BigV

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Default said:
I don't know whether he could be rated anywhere near the top, but the guy I want to have a beer with the most is Elvin Bishop. I've got a couple of his cds and half the songs are outright jokes. He seems like the kind of guy you'd like to have around, even if he drinks all your beer.

Funny....In 1995, Elvin played a little blues joint here at the beach in San Diego where my Date for the show just happened to be a friend of the owner of the club.

"So, would you like to meet Elvin after the show"?...he asks me

"Yeah, that would be great"...I reply

So the show ends and the owner comes to the table to get me and take me backstage for the introduction. The moment happens and Scott says, "Elvin, this is my friend V".... So, I stick out my hand and say something like this.. "Hey, nice to meet you, I'm a big fan of your music. I was at the Cow Palace on New Year's night in '74 when you jammed with the Allman Brothers and you put on a good show...Thanks"

Elvin shook my hand and said.. "Nice to meet you"....turned his back and walked out the back door.

I looked over at Scott and he just shrugged his shoulders...
 

Jeff

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coastie99 said:
On any particular day, I may prefer to listen to (say) Son House rather than (say) Fred McDowell.

On any particular day, I may be re-visiting (say) Blind Willie Johnson, or (say) Scrapper Blackwell.

But "the best ?"

There is no such thing !

Amen !!

I listen to a couple Robert Cray discs regularly, disco blues maybe but he's got some nice licks. Not likely he'll be voted best inside, still I like a lot of his stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyARwzjJee0
 

Walter Broes

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There's no "best anything", of course, except Belgian chocolate.

Blues guitar players, I love 50's B.B. King (anyone else notice how his playing really changed drastically around the early 60's?), Johnny Guitar Watson, Ike Turner, Gatemouth Brown, Albert Collins, Hubert Sumlin, Guitar Slim, and for more contemporary players I love Mike "Hollywood Fats" Mann, and Jimmie Vaughn.

Some blues singers I love would include BB again, Muddy Waters, Bobby Bland, Otis Rush, Magic Sam,...
 

kitniyatran

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MandoSquirrel said:
I could think of a few,
I'm as likely to go to Blind Willie Johnson as anyone. Amazing.
Richards & Clapton have both commented on asking about the Second guitarist on first hearing Robert Johnson. He's one of those that has been so influential & copied that it's easy to miss how great he was in light of being the "original". Granted, some of his material came from his predecessors, such as Charlie Patton.
Best is really subjective, & mutable, day by day, hour by hour.
There are also Skip James, Son House , Fred McDowel, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Big Mama Thornton, Sippy Wallace, Ma Rainey, Lightnin Hopkins, etc.
 

Bikerdoc

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Voice: Bonnie Rait
Slide: Bonnie Rait
Down right blues lead: Bonnie Rait
Looks: Bonnie Rait

And then there's Bonnie Rait!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol:
 

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Bikerdoc said:
Voice: Bonnie Rait
Slide: Bonnie Rait
Down right blues lead: Bonnie Rait
Looks: Bonnie Rait

And then there's Bonnie Rait!!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol:

As performed for wmmr, back in the day, Sigma Studio circa 1972.

http://www.spacebrothers.com/audio/blenderblues.mp3

Bonnie Raitt
Blender Blues

Let me be your blender, baby
Don’t ya know I can whip, chop and puree
Won’t you let me be your blender, baby
Honey, I can whip, chop and puree
I’m gonna whip you to a jelly honey
I’m gonna chop it up today.

Model is so special, honey
Gives you everything you need
Guaranteed to blend it right.
It’s built for comfort, not for speed
My motor’s most unique
There’s a style for every size
You push the right track, honey,
Sit back and watch me Osterize

Let me be your blender, baby
I can whip, chop, grate, cube and puree
I’m gonna whip you to a jelly
I’m gonna chop you up today.

If you bring the right ingredients
I’ll make any sauce you choose
I’ll hollandaise or mayonnaise
Any recipe you use
I can whip some waffle batter
I can blend some dough for buns
And if we get done blending,
We might even get some cooking done

Let me be your blender, baby
I got a cookbook all my own.
I call it a thousand and one ways, baby,
to make my little motor moan.

Start off slow and easy, honey.
I get up to a fine puree.
You work those gears just right,
We’ll make a real love soufflé.
My motor never quits
I don’t know how long you’re gonna last
If you don’t want your cubes diced, honey,
You’d better push that button fast.

Let me be your blender, baby.
I whip the freshest cream in town.
Don’t you know what they’re saying about me, baby.
Can’t no one bear my Waring down.
 

mellowgerman

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I know not many share this opinion... but i don't care. Jorma Kaukonen!!! listen to the hot tuna live at berkely 1969. best blues disk out there IMO. oldschool blues.
 

mellowgerman

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I know not many share this opinion... but i don't care. Jorma Kaukonen!!! listen to the hot tuna live at berkely 1969. best blues disk out there IMO. oldschool blues.
 
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