Charley Patton: Expanded Edition

The Father of the Delta Blues, Charley Patton (1891-1934) was born and raised around Mississippi`s cotton plantations. During the 1920s, he was the first of the region`s great stars, performing for packed houses throughout the South and making popular recordings in New York City. His music -- ranging from blues and ballads to ragtime and gospel -- is distinctive for his gravelly, high-energy singing and the propulsive beat of his guitar. Patton had a lively stage presence, originating many of the guitar-playing antics now associated with Jimi Hendrix and other latter-day musicians. His influence, among both his contemporaries and subsequent blues artists, is incalculable. Noted guitarist John Fahey presents a textual and musicological examination of Patton`s music. This new edition of the original 1970 publication is enhanced by Fahey`s notes from the Grammy-winning, out-of-print box set Screamin` and Hollerin` the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton. Available for the first time outside the set, Fahey`s reconsideration of Patton`s music offers fresh perspectives and key corrections of the historical record.