According to most accounts Blind Willie McTell was born in 1901, in
Thomson, GA. He attended schools for the blind, locally and in New York.
He read Braille and may have had some musical education. In the '20s he
took up 12-string guitar. Others used it just for resonant strumming,
but McTell had a complex picking technique. His first recordings were in
1927 for a Victor field trip. Most notable is Mama 'Taint Long Fo' Day,
featuring superb slide work. The session yielded two releases. Neither
was a hit but Victor recorded four more McTell sides when they returned
to Atlanta a year later. Blind Willie's most famous song, Statesboro
Blues, was recorded for Victor in 1928. His playing is masterly - his
keening voice perfect for the material. Perhaps this is why the hitless
McTell recorded so regularly. Willie also recorded for Columbia - as
'Blind Sammie'. Many bluesmen did this - but few so distinctively.
Either Victor didn't recognize their artist or ignored any similarities.
Would Victor willingly have missed Atlanta Strut, with its imitations
of bass, cornet, mandolin and trombone' Blind Willie, Blind Sammie and -
another alias - Georgia Bill on OKeh continued to record into the early
1930s.
As the decade wore on, Willie returned to 'scuffling' for tips.
In 1940 john and Ruby Lomax visited Atlanta. Willie, popular in town,
was easily found. The Lomaxes recorded him talking and singing for two
hours. Notable is Dying Crapshooters Blues - closely related to The
Streets Of Laredo. The heartfelt gambling references suggest Willie
himself suffered betting losses. The monologues give insights into a
society long gone. He cut three more postwar sessions but by then he
performed only religious material under his own name. The Blues were
billed as by 'Barrelhouse Sammy.'
In the 1950s, Blind Willie was still
singing and playing around Atlanta. He died in 1959. Accounts of his
later years vary. In one version he was the pastor of a local church.
1. Writin' Paper Blues
2. Stole Rider Blues
3. Mama 'Tain't Long Fo' Day
4. Mr. McTell Got The Blues
5. Mr. McTell Got The Blues
6. Three Women Blues
7. Dark Night Blues
8. Statesboro Blues
9. Loving Talking Blues
10. Atlanta Strut
11. Travelin' Blues
12. Come On Around To My House Mama
13. Kind Mama
14. Teasing Brown
15. Drive Away Blues
16. This Is Not The Stove To Brown Your Bread
17. Love Changing Blues
18. Talkin' To Myself
19. Razor Ball
20. Southern Can Is Mine
21. Broke Down Engine Blues
22. Stomp Down Rider
23. Scarey Day Blues
Disc B
1. Rough Alley Blues
2. Experience Blues
3. Painful Blues
4. Low Rider's Blues
5. Georgia Rag
6. Low Down Blues
7. Rollin' Mama Blues
8. Lonesome Day Blues
9. Mama Let Me Scoop For You
10. Searching The Desert For The Blues
11. Warm It Up To Me
12. It's Your Time To Worry
13. It's A Good Little Thing
14. You Was Born To Die
15. Lord Have Mercy If You Please
16. Don't You See How This World Made A Change
17. Savannah Mama
18. Broke Down Engine
19. Broke Down Engine No. 2
20. My Baby's Gone
21. Love-Makin' Mama
22. Death Room Blues
23. Death Cell Blues
24. Lord Send Me An Angel
Disc C
1. B And O Blues No. 2
2. B And O Blues No. 2
3. Weary Hearted Blues
4. Bell Street Lightnin'
5. Southern Can Mama
6. Runnin' Me Crazy
7. East St. Louis Blues (Fare You Well)
8. Ain't It Grand To Be A Christian
9. We Got To Meet Death One Day
10. We Got To Meet Death One Day
11. Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around
12. I Got Religion I'm So Glad
13. Dying Gambler
14. God Don't Like It
15. Bell Street Blues
16. Let Me Play With Yo' Yo-Yo
17. Lay Some Flowers On My Grave
18. Ticket Agent Blues
19. Cold Winter Day
20. Your Time To Worry
21. Cooling Board Blues
22. Hillbilly Willie's Blues
Disc D
1. Just As Well Get Ready You Got To Die/Climbing High Mountains/Tryin' To Get Home
2. Monologue On Accidents
3. Boll Weevil
4. Delia
5. Dying Crapshooter's Blues
6. Will Fox
7. I Got To Cross The River Jordan
8. Monologue On Old Songs/Old Time Religion/Amen
9. Amazing Grace
10. Monologues On: History Of The Blues/Life As Maker Of Records/On Himself
11. King Edward Blues
12. Murderer's Home Blues
13. Kill-It-Kid Rag
14. Chainey
15. I Got To Cross The River Of Jordan
