Delta Blues: Fifty Years of Fingerstyle Dedication

There has been tremendous renewed interest in Delta blues guitar and the artists that played this revolutionary style in the 1920s and 30s—a period when this approach to the fretboard was entirely new to guitarists of that era.

A Connection with Rory Block

Rory Block is a dear friend and a truly tremendous delta blues fingerstyle guitar artist. She was kind enough to give me a mention in her book, When a Woman Gets the Blues, and more significantly, she devoted an entire chapter to our time together as guitarists who both shared a deep love for Delta blues guitar.

What makes this style so distinctive is its foundation: the monotonic bass or alternating bass pattern. It's a technique that requires precision, feel, and an intimate understanding of the instrument.

Fifty Years of Transcription

I have spent the last 50 years carefully tabbing out many of these Delta blues songs by the masters:

• Charlie Patton - The founding voice of Delta blues
• Robert Johnson - The legendary crossroads myth and musical genius
• Mississippi John Hurt - The gentle but powerful fingerpicking innovator
• Blind Blake - The master of precision and complexity

My approach is straightforward: I listen carefully to the original recordings and write down as much as I can, as closely as I can to what is actually being played by the artist on the record. This meticulous work preserves not just the notes, but the feeling and intention of these legendary musicians.

The Joy of Teaching

It is a genuine pleasure to teach this unique and beautiful style of guitar playing. The Delta blues tradition represents American musical innovation at its finest—raw, honest, and deeply moving. I hope to continue creating more and more accurate tabs of these songs, keeping this tradition alive for new generations of guitarists.

The Delta blues tradition teaches us that guitar is not just an instrument, but a voice—one that can whisper, cry, and sing with the depth of human experience.

(Thoughtfully edited by Ellen 😄)