Anyone heard of Blind Willie Johnson? (singer, blues, bass, gospel)

digglefallen · 03-30-2008, 02:24 PM

I've just recently discovered him. Hes a really good 30s/40s acoustic bluesman. He uses a really deep bass voice, and he was one of the first pioneers of slide guitar. Just wondering if anyone else listens to him? Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed is a great tune!

mightyprojet · 04-15-2008, 12:12 PM

BWJ was amazing!I like his music more than Robert Johnson.He was`nt a blues singer but his guitar playing was definitely deep in the blues.Incredible slide player and powerful voice.

bsmix · 05-22-2008, 01:26 PM

Yea what an awesome voice. It makes the music seem darker, and it's mainly gospel. I was really confused at first, with Blind Willie McTell. Turns out there were several different blind blues guitarists back then. 3 or 4 were named Blind Willie something

pheurton · 05-27-2008, 04:16 PM

I think blind lemon jefferson is another.

sl1ck · 05-28-2008, 09:23 AM

I think he's a pretty good old bluesman. I don't listen to him all that much, but thats mainly because I prefer other styles of blues.

clutnuckle · 02-05-2011, 11:50 AM

Utterly passionate, devout and sincere. His music carries more conviction than virtually anything else. While he's religious and all, his music is not inaccessible to atheists and agnostics. On the contrary, the constant in all of us, whether we practice religion or not, is passion, and every single song this man has ever made portrays that. This is all coming from a man who was blinded by his stepmother at the age of 7 and died from pneumonia after sleeping in bundled newspapers on the ruins of his house that had burned down. Yet after all of these shortcomings that would make him want to give up and stop believing, he will not. He stays humbled and true to himself. The strongest personality traits I've ever seen. Remarkable man.

~~James~~ · 02-05-2011, 11:55 AM

The best Blues artist by far imo. As clutnuckle said, he had such a sad story but he kept on making music throughout.

metalheadmike · 04-12-2012, 07:26 PM

Great Blues. Got a couple albums. The music's old. But damn these guys could play

VanDerGraaf · 04-23-2012, 02:50 AM

anyone really into blues should know this dude almost as much as robert johnson. in high school i was obsessed with old school "chain gang" acoustic blues. leadbelly is my favourite, the original version of black betty (famous cover by ram jam) is amazing, just leadbelly giving the beat with his foot and howling the words, legendary in the world of minimalism

cLoCkWeRk · 04-23-2012, 07:28 AM

One of the best blues artists that I have heard.

03-30-2008, 02:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
digglefallen Groupie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 20	Anyone heard of Blind Willie Johnson? I've just recently discovered him. Hes a really good 30s/40s acoustic bluesman. He uses a really deep bass voice, and he was one of the first pioneers of slide guitar. Just wondering if anyone else listens to him? Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed is a great tune!

05-22-2008, 01:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
bsmix Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Posts: 179	Yea what an awesome voice. It makes the music seem darker, and it's mainly gospel. I was really confused at first, with Blind Willie McTell. Turns out there were several different blind blues guitarists back then. 3 or 4 were named Blind Willie something __________________ a music nazi....is still a nazi

05-28-2008, 09:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
sl1ck Wish Fulfillment Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 99	I think he's a pretty good old bluesman. I don't listen to him all that much, but thats mainly because I prefer other styles of blues. __________________ Last.FM RYM

04-15-2008, 12:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
mightyprojet Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 52	BWJ was amazing!I like his music more than Robert Johnson.He was`nt a blues singer but his guitar playing was definitely deep in the blues.Incredible slide player and powerful voice.

05-27-2008, 04:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
pheurton n/a Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 990	I think blind lemon jefferson is another.

02-05-2011, 11:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
clutnuckle Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: -_-_-_-_~__~-~_-`_`-~_-`-~-~ Posts: 1,276	Utterly passionate, devout and sincere. His music carries more conviction than virtually anything else. While he's religious and all, his music is not inaccessible to atheists and agnostics. On the contrary, the constant in all of us, whether we practice religion or not, is passion, and every single song this man has ever made portrays that. This is all coming from a man who was blinded by his stepmother at the age of 7 and died from pneumonia after sleeping in bundled newspapers on the ruins of his house that had burned down. Yet after all of these shortcomings that would make him want to give up and stop believing, he will not. He stays humbled and true to himself. The strongest personality traits I've ever seen. Remarkable man.

02-05-2011, 11:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
~~James~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,483	The best Blues artist by far imo. As clutnuckle said, he had such a sad story but he kept on making music throughout.

04-12-2012, 07:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
metalheadmike Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 127	Great Blues. Got a couple albums. The music's old. But damn these guys could play

04-23-2012, 02:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
VanDerGraaf Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 54	anyone really into blues should know this dude almost as much as robert johnson. in high school i was obsessed with old school "chain gang" acoustic blues. leadbelly is my favourite, the original version of black betty (famous cover by ram jam) is amazing, just leadbelly giving the beat with his foot and howling the words, legendary in the world of minimalism

04-23-2012, 07:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
cLoCkWeRk Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Nestled in the North Carolina mountains. Posts: 65	One of the best blues artists that I have heard.