The Best Of Blind Willie McTell Clearance

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Blind Willie McTell was a rare artist, a blues singer and a master of the 12-string guitar with a style so idiosyncratic no one has come close to duplicating it. His time was always slightly off-verses of 10, 11 or 14 bars were not uncommon-and this makes his music sound startling and unpredictable even today. He played without finger picks and incorporated elements of ragtime, fancy country picking, sanctified gospel fire and country blues into an instantly recognizable, highly syncopated style that delighted casual listeners and probably turned other guitarists green with envy. McTell’s whine is slightly nasal, a raw blues moan that can chill the soul or imply a chuckling self-depreciation. And though his repertoire drew on traditional blues, his arrangements practically reinvented his material, as he added new verses and time changes. “Statesboro Blues,” a folk hit in the ’60s, is full of unexpected stops and starts on the 12-string and set off by an erratic vocal that adds another dimension of rhythm. “Come on Around to My House Mama,” is a sweet driving song of seduction with an idiosyncratic guitar solo, while “Travelin’ Blues” showcases McTell’s virtuosity on the 12-string.