Davis recorded a few songs in the 1930s but felt cheated by his record company, and didn't repeat the experience for almost 20 years, surviving instead as a live performer at parties and as a street busker. He included gospel songs in his repertoire in part so that the police would be less likely to roust him off his streetcorners, but as time went by he began to take the spiritual side more seriously, eventually converting to Christianity in the mid-1930s and becoming a Baptist minister. When he did record again in the mid-1950s, it was mainly gospel songs—though his secular material, like "Cocaine Blues" remained at least as popular, if not moreso, than his spiritual songs. Davis moved to New York City with his second wife in 1940, where he worked as a minister and guitar teacher, and when he was swept up in the rediscovery of old-school blues singers in the early 1960s, he became important not just as an influence through his recordings, but as a firsthand teacher of many of the next generation of blues and folk musicians. more
Rev. Gary Davis - Ragtime Guitar
Label/Year: Kicking Mule 106 (1974) / Transatlantic 244 (1971)
rec. 1962 - 1970 at Rev. Davis' house
Side A:
- Cincinnati Flow Rag
- West Coast Blues
- Buck Rag
- St. Louis Tickle
- Two Step Candyman
Side B:
- Walkin' Dog Blues
- Italian Rag
- C-Rag
- Waltz Time Candyman
- Make Believe Stunt
note; snagging the youtube versions i found is key.
...
2/3/11
Rev. Gary Davis - Ragtime Guitar
Davis recorded a few songs in the 1930s but felt cheated by his record company, and didn't repeat the experience for almost 20 years, surviving instead as a live performer at parties and as a street busker. He included gospel songs in his repertoire in part so that the police would be less likely to roust him off his streetcorners, but as time went by he began to take the spiritual side more seriously, eventually converting to Christianity in the mid-1930s and becoming a Baptist minister. When he did record again in the mid-1950s, it was mainly gospel songs—though his secular material, like "Cocaine Blues" remained at least as popular, if not moreso, than his spiritual songs. Davis moved to New York City with his second wife in 1940, where he worked as a minister and guitar teacher, and when he was swept up in the rediscovery of old-school blues singers in the early 1960s, he became important not just as an influence through his recordings, but as a firsthand teacher of many of the next generation of blues and folk musicians. more
Rev. Gary Davis - Ragtime Guitar
Label/Year: Kicking Mule 106 (1974) / Transatlantic 244 (1971)
rec. 1962 - 1970 at Rev. Davis' house
Side A:
- Cincinnati Flow Rag
- West Coast Blues
- Buck Rag
- St. Louis Tickle
- Two Step Candyman
Side B:
- Walkin' Dog Blues
- Italian Rag
- C-Rag
- Waltz Time Candyman
- Make Believe Stunt
note; snagging the youtube versions i found is key.
...
