Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, Bukka White, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Blake, The Carter Family, Barbeque Bob, Didier Hebert, Sam McGee, Uncle Dave Macon, Two Poor Boys, "Uncle Bunt" Stephens, Son House
Sounds Like
Leo Kottke, Sandy Bull, Peter Lang, Robbie Basho, Jack Rose, John Renbourn, Preston Reed, Will Ackerman, Mark Fosson
John Fahey (1939 - 2001) was an American guitarist and composer, and one of the first guitarists to perform solo works for the steel-string acoustic guitar. His music defies categorization, drawing inspiration from American folk music, blues, classical music, Brazilian music, and Indian music. In several of his later works, he experimented with dissonance and noise; these later works have been compared with musique concrète and industrial music.
He founded the Takoma Records label (named after his birthplace, Takoma Park, Maryland) in the 1960s, which helped launch the career of fellow fingerstyle guitarists Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, and Robbie Basho. In 1996, Fahey formed Revenant Records which supports folk and blues artists.
In later years, Fahey was much admired and cited as an influence by a new generation of musicians, probably as much for the resoluteness with which he followed his individual path as for his interest in alternate tunings. Supporters include Sonic Youth, Nels Cline, and Jim O'Rourke, who recorded and produced Fahey's 1997 album Womblife.
Fahey was also noted for his writing skills, having written voluminous liner notes which (among other things) satirized the folk music scholarship of his day. He is the author of three books: How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life and Vampire Vultures, (two books of essays, autobiographical fiction, and letters), and Charley Patton, an analysis of the famous Delta bluesman.
In the early 1960's John went in search of the blues musicians who he had heard on 78 rpm "race records" he collected. He and fellow collectors finally tracked down and brought back to prominence great musicians like Bukka White, Mississippi John Hurt and Skip James. The generation which heard and saw those players owe John a huge debt.
He received his B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from American University, and an M.A. in Folklore and Mythology from UCLA.
* Check out the LYRICS section of the songs for info on them.
Hi there, thanks for the add and thanks for putting this tribute for John up!I connect so much with his music,he has inspired me so much and his spirit lives on in our celebration of him!, Peace from Joseph.
Although the human's feet only occupy a small part of the earth, it is by the space he does not occupy, that man can walk on the immense earth . Although human intelligence only reaches a parcel of the total truth, it is by what it does not reach, that man can understand what is the sky. Tchouang Tze
Hi, Thanks to exist and be alive ! XXX Peace and Love Lehmon
i listened to one of your albums today from start to finish...hey there...i'm a singer songwriter guitarist from melbourne australia...songs from my new cd 'in the breeze' and photo videos are up and ready to listen to and look at...let me know what you think!
