Chris Rodriques and the Abby the Spoon Lady - ANGELS IN HEAVEN

Someone (and I really wish I could remember who) send me this link a while ago.  

Abby the spoon lady started as a hobo. She travelled the US hitching rides on freight trains and seeing the country.  She taught herself the spoons so she could busk and make a little money.  She made it into a couple of documentaries and continues to advocate for buskers and free speech.  She has a number of videos online here and there but this is one of my favorites...

It's a little different but I hope you enjoy

Click here 
for Angels in Heaven (note that the percussion is a bell and old license plate tied to Chris' boot)

Click here 
if you want to hear a spoons solo.

Rev. Gary DAVIS - SAMSON AND DELILAH

 

Rev. Gary DAVIS

Rev. Gary Davis was born in 1896.  He travelled the south as a blues and gospel singer and was credited with a very unique finger picking style that went on to influence many.  He only used this thumb and first finger to play the guitar.  

While this post is about Samson and Delilah, I have included a link to Hard Walkin' Blues at the end of this post which shows a video of this unique stylings.

The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and many others credited 'Blind Gary' as the influence to a number of their songs.   

Samson and Delilah was covered by groups as diverse as the Grateful Dead and Peter Paul and Mary -  although for some reason the latter changed it's name to If I Had My Way.

LINK: Here is the original version of Samson and Delilah. 

LINK: Here is the Grateful Dead version

LINK: Here is Peter Paul & Mary version

LINK: Hard Walkin' Blues

Sister Rosetta Thorpe - DIDN'T IT RAIN

After a few weeks and a dozen posts, I can't thank you enough for your feedback.  Listening to, and finding new artists and songs has always been fun, but now it's a great distraction that I sometimes need.  I am very happy that people are submitting some song recommendations.  There is a Submit button in the right hand column.

This week I am posting a recommendation from my good friend Tony.  Tony and I have similar tastes in music, both live in the Toronto area and we take the opportunity to share music and go to the occasional concert together.  One of my highlights last year is when we saw  Wild Tchoupitoulas and others in the New Orleans Take Me To The River tour and then Joe Bonamassa in the same week. 
This year our musical outings are curtailed, so this blog this blog serves as a surrogate for sharing music and artists we like.
Tony send me a few recommendations, but this first one came from a comment he made on my Throw Back Thursday.  I put in ZZ Top's Blue Jean Blues from the '70s in last week.  While I thought that was 'throwing back' far enough Tony suggested going back another decade to 1964 and the roots of Rock 'n' Roll.
His recommendation is Sister Rosetta Thorpe's Didn't it Rain.  Sister Rosetta was a blues/gospel singer who really came into mainstream success in the '60s with her unique electric guitar playing and gospel/rock/soul songs.   Her performances heavily influenced the entire UK Blues movement and she is often referred to as the god-mother of Rock'n'Roll by people like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. You can also hear a lot of Sister Rosetta's influence in tunes by Elvis, Carl Perkins and Little Richard.. just to name a few
Tony also provided the interesting bit on Hugh Laurie Factoid below... thanks.

Click Here to watch Didn't it Rain

Factoid ... Hugh Laurie (yes "House") made album with this as the title track. The singers on his rendition are amazing: Gaby Moreno and Jean McClain. Hear this version here:  

Click here