Huddie Ledbetter (23 January 1888-6 December 1949) was a leading American blues singer and guitarist. His songbook contained a large number of standard folk tunes, most adapted from previous sources. Though many of his posthumous releases list him as "Leadbelly," he himself spelled it "Lead Belly." This is also the usage on most of his original records, tombstone, as well as of the Lead Belly Foundation.
Songs of life and love, ancient and modern. From Brighton on the southcoast of England. Played by Jon, sometimes on his little old nylon string guitar. Thirteen low-fi demos of HTC's songs are included in the collection of demos 'Harry Smith was my Father' available to listen and download via Bandcamp. We would be delighted to hear from people who like them. There's also a charming review by Common Folk Meadow blog.
Blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist Catfish Keith has established himself as one of the most exciting country blues performers of our time. Catfish's innovative style of foot-stomping, deep delta blues and American roots music has spellbound audiences the world over. A two-time W. C. Handy Award nominee for BEST ACOUSTIC BLUES ALBUM, Catfish has eleven NUMBER ONE independent radio chart-topping albums to his credit, and packs houses all over the world with his dynamic stage show.
Alvin "Youngblood" Hart (born 1963 in Oakland, California) is an American musician. Influenced in early childhood by the Mississippi Country Blues performed by older relatives, Hart is known as one of the world's foremost practitioners of that genre. Hart is also known as a faithful torchbearer for the 60's & 70's guitar rock of his youth, as well as Western Swing and vintage Country. His music has been compared to a list of diverse artists ranging from Leadbelly, Spade Cooley to Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy.
Guy Davis (May 12, 1952- ) is an award winning blues guitarist, actor, and musician. In 1995, he released his Red House records debut "Stomp Down Rider", an album that captured Davis live. Since then, he has released numerous albums, incl. "Call Down the Thunder", "You Don't Know My Mind" and "Butt Naked Free". In 2010, he appeared in the Broadway Revival of "Finian's Rainbow", composing and performing the "Dance of the Golden Crock", a duet for harmonica and ballet dancer.
Woody Mann is an American Blues Guitar player, using a picking style. Woody was first taught to play the blues by the Rev Gary Davis. Woody still plays many of his songs in tribute and has expanded his range over many styles including Jazz, and syncopated guitar picking.
Woody has collaborated with many names in the Jazz and Blues industry from the British White Blues singer Jo-Ann Kelly, Son House and Dori Previn.
Woody holds guitar tutorials and is currently still playing live.
Awesome National guitar-driven alt.blues that owes as much to trash country, punk and rockabilly as it does pre-war Delta blues - check him out at http://www.davearcari.com
www.magdapiskorczyk.com MAGDA PISKORCZYK (pronounce: peas-CORE-chick) is a singer with a mature, low and unusual voice timbre. Described in France as "la voix noire et au costume blanc" (Black voice in a white costume). She is a guitar, bass guitar and percussion player, as well as a song writer. Magda performs music of Afro-American and African heritage. She is a two-time Semifinalist of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA. Readers of the Polish blues quarterly chose her the Female Vocalist of the Year 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011.
There are two bands going under the name of the Spikedrivers:
1. Formed in 1992: one of the most original, innovative and exciting blues bands around, their combination of gutsy slide guitar, rock-solid bass, infectious grooves and highly distinctive vocals, creates a sound that is uniquely their own. They take you on a journey, from southern juke-joints and lazy front porches to the huge open spaces of dust bowls and railroad tracks disappearing into the distance.