Down South Blues - Danny Ward plays Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney

Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney was an incredible ragtime blues guitarist that several old bluesmen regard as the best guitarist who never recorded.
Actually he was recorded in the 1960s when he was rediscovered... what they meant was he never was recorded in the country blues boom years of the 1930s.
Luckily there are a few videos and an album of his incredible playing... even though he says he hadn't picked up a guitar in 20 years or so.
Anyway.. I try to approximate his style on 'Down South Blues' I never aim to play note for note... rather I prefer to get the spirit of the music. I play this on a 1930s stella guitar... the original oscar schmidt made blues machines.

A few notes about the key etc....
Old Hacksaw Harney played this in E postion but tuned down 2 steps to a D. This is what I've done too. So you're hearing the key of D but played in E chords. Basically its a 3 chord trick... E, A, and B but when you consider all the 7ths, 9ths, diminished and other chords I don't even know the names of but which are in this piece I guess it can no longer be called basic.. this is true of so much old country blues guitar playing.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• danny
• ward
• country
• blues
• ragtime
• richard
• hacksaw
• harney
• stella
• oscar
• schmidt
• down
• south

[daddystovepipe]

Wonderful picking.

btw Harney recorded with his brother in the 20ies under the name "Can and Pet"

check out his discography

wirz.de/music/harnefrm.htm

[guitardan102938]

@daddystovepipe Thanks Carl for the info and link... you know your stuff!

Of Hacksaw's music I've only heard 'Down South Blues' and the two videos 'Sweet Man' and 'Shanty in Shanty Town' I'll see if I can get hold of more of his music... love it!

[RascalKyng]

Does your Stella have any overspray? Also, what would you value yours? $900?

Reagrds...

[m1sh99]

Most excellent playing. Very cool vibe!! What size is that Stella? It appears to be a parlor.

[darranbarker7]

wow, excellent! in the 20 years ive known this tune, your the first to get anywhere close to it. im gunna be practising this for weeks now

thanks for posting

your the dude!

[JesseMathews]

Boogie woogie!, very nice man great playing as usual :)

[hypnosync1]

Great playing. Those fingers must be well calloused.

[flamethroa]

My favorite blues guitar player on Youtube!! Awsome as ever ,keep on pickin guitardan.