Gindick's "Eyesight to the Blind"

For C harp. Inspired by Sonny Boy Williamson II, who is my blues hero. Most of the blues songs I do on U-tube are inspired by songs of his. And YES: There are some videos with him on U-tube that I highly recommend. I think a lot of harp players feel the same way I do: that Sonny Boy reaches through the grave and the years and that he lives on in us. Every blues player plays his songs. And if he doesn't, he probably does, and doesn't know they are Sonny Boy's. I love Sonny Boy's lyrics: they deal humorously with every day life, and love, and emotions. About 15 years ago, I went looking for Sonny Boy's grave, and ended up in a field outside a church out inthe country. And there it was, a nice headstone, set off by itself outside a clapboard country church. Willie "Rice" Miller, recording artist known as "Sonny Boy Williamson".

At least 30 rusted harmonicas sat on the edge of the stone, and I lay my Special 20 "A" harp there too. I don't know what it is about Sonny Boy, but he's the man in the harmonica spiritual sense (don't laugh cause there is a deep one.)

Anyway, hope you enjoy this song. It's a 12 bar
blues in G, with a quick IV.

By the way, Sonny Boy was born about 1890 in
Tutweiler, and that is where his grave is.
He died in the early 60's. We call him Sonny Boy Williamson II because he took the name of the Chicago player Sonny Boy "John Lee" Williamson, whom we refer to as Sonny Boy Williamson I.)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Blues
• Harmonica
• Gindick
• Sonny
• Boy

[OrinocoJim]

Man, I really like your performance!

[JamCamp06]

Thank you, Jimmy. Come to Jam Camp.

[FerhadKanni]

mannnnnnnnnnnnnn...you play so fucking good..greets from Azerbaijan..

[yaxi99]

I like your style.

[Davett53]

Sonny boy II is the first blues harp player i had ever heard

in the early 70's. he jammed with the Yardbirds on an album.

He had passed on by then, but he inspired me to pick the harp.

[Davett53]

great version! interesting that all the blues harpists since the

1970's & until now, are all white. any people of color picking up

the blues harp?

[twig43]

man you can jam

[alliax]

Huge, thank you for putting it on youtube.

[ronnie102150]

I was raised in the projects of north ft worth in the 50's and 60's we had NO color barrier my brothers and I sat on our poarch on a warm summer night and could hear that sound coming out of a little corner juke joint one of the highlights of my life thanks I got sitting on my poarch wit nutten todo but soak up some soul from the hurtin I be hearin down da road thanks again