Blues, Stomps, & Rags #5
My previous posts have featured blues players from the early 20th century, though Yank Rachel lived and performed until the late 20th century. This week's blues musician is contemporary blues mandolinist, Rich DelGrosso, playing with his group, "The Ragpicker String Band." DelGrosso, the author of the instructional book, Mandolin Blues, also gives online lessons He lives in Houston, but grew up in Detroit, a city with a lively blues scene. He was influenced by and played with both his fellow Detroit resident Howard Armstrong and Yank Rachel, who lived in Indiana. Mandolin Blues is valuable both for its music lessons and for its history of blues mandolin.
Here's something mellow featuring Rich DelGrosso:
(If the connections don't work, try "Ragpicker String Band, Honey Babe" on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UURpSRU6G9U
And more hard-edged:
(If the connections don't work, try "Rich DelGrosso, Google Blues" on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3aVqFWYMNE
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
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