blues mandolin - Dark Night Blues - Blind Willie McTell

A mandolin version of one of Blind Willie McTell's best songs.
'Nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell', said Bob Dylan. It's the kind thing that could be said about many blues originals, but you can guess what Dylan might mean. McTell's singing carries overtones - of wistfulness, of resignation, of cocky salaciousness - that distance him from a Son House or Blind Lemon Jefferson.
This is the only song, recorded early in his career, that hints to the consequences of his blindness and it's full of strong and dark imagery.

The mandolin accompaniment does not reflect McTell's 12-string playing but owes a lot to players like Yank Rachell, Johnny Young or contemporary musicians like Steve James or Rich DelGrosso.

I'm playing a mandolin made by Daniel Brauchli, now living in Tasmania. H also made one of my lapslide guitars.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mandolin
• acoustic
• blues
• blind
• willie
• mctell
• steve
• james
• rich
• delgrosso
• yank
• rachell
• johnny
• young
• daddystovepipe
• daniel
• brauchli

[blindbluesguy]

It took me three+ years on mandolin to even come close to your tremelo... Amazing... And you have a voice too...

I regard your videos as a great resource for learning as well as pure enjoyment and look forward to any additional videos.

[daddystovepipe]

Thanks bbg - stay tuned...more to come!

[papitored]

wow, you should try playing a puertorican CUATRO guitar, very similar sound. you would rock on it!

[MrFisherman02]

mandolin and blues great combination.

[feggers1]

Hey I really appreciate your playing and the obvious heart felt playing...Thank you for your gifts shared .....

[lightningr0d]

nice tremolo, you know Italian mandolin too

[NorthTulsaBoy]

@NunzOnDrugs

And Johnny Young.

Don't forget him, he was great !

[NunzOnDrugs]

Nice adaptation of a great song. You don't hear blues mandolin except on old Yank Rachell records and Ry Cooder's first three or four albums.

[Aldren88]

very nice... hey that's what i want to play next time i go camping with friends!

[MissDixie71]

Howdy Daddy Stovepipe, Loving your tunes all the way from Sydney, Australia. My own Dad used to play too! I can feel the blues coming through strong.