Blues, Rags & Hollers: The Koerner, Ray & Glover Story

[bruce8420]

John Koerner also played a 7-string guitar. Dave Ray was unsurpassed (in'63-'64 anyway) on the 12 string. At that time, he was the only one I ever heard of that played a 12 bottleneck.

[jonny1251]

@bruce8420 Is the 7 string you are referring to just this 12 string but strung up with 7 strings?

[bruce8420]

@jonny1251 No, a 7 string has just has the second string doubled with a tenor guitar A string. There is only one extra tuning peg. There's a picture of him playing it on the cover of "Lots More Blues, Rags and Hollers". It has a whole different sound. If you can find the album I just mentioned, listen to the song "Banjo Thing". It's played almost entirely on the top two strings.

[gfwtgfwt]

I saw Koerner once at a bar in New Haven. I can still remember him pulling out this little multi-colored umbrella-thingie, and sticking it on his head. He then looked around calmly and explained "This is my joke-telling hat..." I guess he is still playing his 7-string guitar in this clip....

[MaabudZ]

What a treat. These guys were some of the first to turn me on to country blues in '63 I think. I saw Koerner live once but never the others.