Another about the same flood.
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I love listening to all the little anecdotes about the old Blues players . some amazing storys.
Stefan Grossman has had a massive influence in the world of Blues. first found out about him in the late 60s he has a massive archive of Blues music and tells many brilliant little anecdotes.
One of his mentors was the Rev Gary Davis.
Stefan was studying under Rev and went to see him one day at his home.
He was sat on his chair with a guitar on his lap and the subject of slide guitar came up.
Slide guitars cheating the rev said. see that cigar case over there pass me it.
Stefan passed him the metal cigar case and the rev took out the cigar and put it too one side and put the case on one of his fingers.
The rev started telling a story about the wild west. it's been a very long time since i heard him tell this story but it was something like a man riding into a dusty little wild west town, as he talking he's playing a little slide guitar accompaniment that gave it that wild west mood. what was so amazing was every now and then he would tune down or tune up one of his strings without stopping playing. it all sounded amazing and part of the song.
So he's playing random little slide licks and talking about this fella getting off his horse and hows hes parched and decides to go and get a drink at the saloon.
He walks up to the old double saloon double doors but by the time hes got to this part the Rev has completely re tuned his guitar to alternative tuning.
He walks up and pushes the double doors open and the old barrel piano music from inside the saloon greeted him.
Stephen says as soon as he said this he exploded playing slide guitar and the alternative tuning and his incredible playing made it sound just like the old fast saloon songs they played those days.
After he finished he just put down the guitar and said no I don't like playing slide guitar it's cheating.
I think we've all seen players de tune the bottom string and it's been part of the song even Hendrix liked doing it but ive never heard of anyone doing what Stefan described the rev did that day.
Am also sure Stefan described what happened far better than i ever could. it blew me away the way he told it.
Have to take what the rev says with a pinch of salt, every time I hear a brilliant slide guitarist my hair stands up.
