Wow I never knew there were so many great blues players. If you listen to those rock guys they always say Robert Johnson was the best. Truth is he was just one out of hundreds that were great.
who is best is a matter of personal taste in the end, Big Joe and so many others had much stronger voices and much more drive in their music than RJ. I drove Big Joe to the studio and watched this performance at Ch. 9 on the UW campus in Seattle in 1971.
I knew Joe and can guarantee that he was a true gentleman, a person who gave his whole life to music that he freely shared with everyone. He cared a lot for his fellow musicians too. He might show up in clothes he had worn for several days and nights after some hard travel and hard drinking, and sometimes he'd shyly pull his John the Conqueror root from his pocket so that you would know he wasn't completely without resources. I have also seen him cleaned up beautifully, proudly wearing his ASCAP button in his suit lapel. His self-invented nine-string guitar which he played with such skill and passion still rings in my head, and his voice and energy still hang in the air. I don't think he really guessed how much musical richness he gave us, and I wish there was a monument somewhere to his sweet spirit.
Barbara Dane -- thank you so much for your personal recollections. I've appreciated his music for around 50-years. To me, he sounds more honest and true compared to many others. Please share other stories about him.
He was the master of fast blues his licks are so ahead of there time.He is so unique and rare nobody plays like him unless they wanna mimick his licks I cant stop listening and trying to play his licks
Hes great , but lightnin Hopkins is my favorite. And everybody stole licks from lightnin. But hey they alll prolly borrowed licks from eachother just as musicians have always done in self taught roots music communities.
the man wanted to play 9-string electric blues but they didn't build 9-string electric instruments and all existing blues music was performed for 6-string acoustic guitars... so Big Joe built his guitar and invented his own completely unique sound... this video is as important to human culture as the footage of man first landing on the Moon. thank god for this.
On Stefan Wirz' website, the story Big Joe Williams told was that during a break in performing, people kept messing with his guitar, so he decided to put extra strings on it to mess them up.
Not to disparage or take away from this great musician's uniqueness, but I do know that Regal at least had a 9-stringed guitar (top three courses doubled) around the time that he started playing his 9'er; at least according to photographs. I also had a home-made 9 string at one point, but I had octaves on the bass strings. This is arguably more interesting!
Wow I never knew there were so many great blues players. If you listen to those rock guys they always say Robert Johnson was the best. Truth is he was just one out of hundreds that were great.
who is best is a matter of personal taste in the end, Big Joe and so many others had much stronger voices and much more drive in their music than RJ. I drove Big Joe to the studio and watched this performance at Ch. 9 on the UW campus in Seattle in 1971.
I knew Joe and can guarantee that he was a true gentleman, a person who gave his whole life to music that he freely shared with everyone. He cared a lot for his fellow musicians too. He might show up in clothes he had worn for several days and nights after some hard travel and hard drinking, and sometimes he'd shyly pull his John the Conqueror root from his pocket so that you would know he wasn't completely without resources. I have also seen him cleaned up beautifully, proudly wearing his ASCAP button in his suit lapel. His self-invented nine-string guitar which he played with such skill and passion still rings in my head, and his voice and energy still hang in the air. I don't think he really guessed how much musical richness he gave us, and I wish there was a monument somewhere to his sweet spirit.
Barbara Dane -- thank you so much for your personal recollections. I've appreciated his music for around 50-years. To me, he sounds more honest and true compared to many others. Please share other stories about him.
A hard but well lived life magnificently distilled here.
ITS so aw some to be able to know such greatness!! I was lucky to have had some great New York moments meeting some greatness as well ......
The Answer from The lady herself! Thanks for your comment and your commitment to music. Real music that is👍
The Answer from The lady herself! Thanks for your comment and your commitment to music. Real music that is👍
He was the master of fast blues his licks are so ahead of there time.He is so unique and rare nobody plays like him unless they wanna mimick his licks I cant stop listening and trying to play his licks
Hes great , but lightnin Hopkins is my favorite. And everybody stole licks from lightnin. But hey they alll prolly borrowed licks from eachother just as musicians have always done in self taught roots music communities.
The Blues! The Legend 💥🎸
Oh yeah this is greatness this is gold
Its like god came down and picked up that guitar this is deep wowe
the man wanted to play 9-string electric blues but they didn't build 9-string electric instruments and all existing blues music was performed for 6-string acoustic guitars... so Big Joe built his guitar and invented his own completely unique sound... this video is as important to human culture as the footage of man first landing on the Moon. thank god for this.
On Stefan Wirz' website, the story Big Joe Williams told was that during a break in performing, people kept messing with his guitar, so he decided to put extra strings on it to mess them up.
Unreal! What an amazing musician was Big Joe. About 6:00 in he really hits his stride! Wow
Wow , love the sound of real blues music, very unique playing. To bad it's hard to find musicians play like this ,music from the heart and soul
Ry Cooder has build himself a 9 string guitar and sings a song from Big Joe. He is actually coming close. Search on CZcams.
Gotta love his guitar! He was a man with a unique style.
This channel is a gem
He is the missing link found again we love him
wow hes a rocker!!!!
Detta var ju otroligt bra.!
Listen to that guitar! Wow.
Love it!
Not to disparage or take away from this great musician's uniqueness, but I do know that Regal at least had a 9-stringed guitar (top three courses doubled) around the time that he started playing his 9'er; at least according to photographs.
I also had a home-made 9 string at one point, but I had octaves on the bass strings. This is arguably more interesting!
awesome
wow channel
thank you and best wishes
Sounds more like a Banjo I think
👋👋👋👋👋👋👋✌💙
How do you find out Big Joe’s life story? He was amazing ❤
Paul Butterfield wrote a nice little booklet about Big Joe and his experience with him. That gives a lot more details.
he born age1903
And lived until 1982. He died at 79 years, 2 months, 1 day old. He lived to an old age, so he's lucky.
Amazing. Is he playing in open G? Anyone knows??
open A with the capo
@@danvitale1825 Thanks!
Open G DGDGBE