Post by Michael Messer on Dec 13, 2006 15:56:28 GMT
Snakehips, no worries. Louisiana Red is probably one of the best exponents around of the Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Earl Hooker slide styles, I have enormous respect for Red. I know Red's slide playing and approach almost as well as he does! Not only have I taught classes, hung out and played music with him, but along with Muddy he was one of the guiding lights at the beginning of my discovery of the blues. I bought an album called 'Louisiana Red Sings the Blues' and almost wore it out learning the licks & rhythms.
Red's Lightning Hopkins stuff is also wonderful. In my opinion Louisiana Red is one of the most important blues players alive today. I have seen him deliver the real deal on a few occasions. In 2003 I was going to record and produce a Louisiana Red record, but sadly due to business people screwing up, the deal fell through and we never made the record. I don't think Red has ever been recorded properly, none of his albums capture how great he is.
It may be of interest that some of Red's Earl Hooker style songs are played in a drop D tuning DADGBE and sometimes down a step from there. This he claims was how Hooker played some of his tunes. I should add that I have known Red to play any tune in any tuning, so as much as he knows about certain blues artists, he also gets carried away sometimes and plays songs different. So take care when studying his playing!
When I first started getting seriously into trying to copy Muddy's playing he was becoming a big star touring & recording with Johnny Winter. So I was lucky and saw him playing slide guitar quite early on in my musical development. I can remember on a few occasions rushing home from seeing Muddy, Johnny Winter & the band, plugging in the electric guitar and trying to play what I had just heard. It was a wonderful period for Muddy and during the 'Blue Sky' period he made some great records. 'I'm Ready' is probably the best of the Blue Sky stuff. Although he was slowed down by his age & a road accident, he could really deliver ....he was serious. I love all of Muddy's records, but if I had to pick a period it would be the Aristoctrat & classic Chess recordings. It is during this period from the mid forties for about ten years that Muddy Waters cultivated his music and cut some of the best blues/American folk records of all time.
Shine On,
Michael.
Red's Lightning Hopkins stuff is also wonderful. In my opinion Louisiana Red is one of the most important blues players alive today. I have seen him deliver the real deal on a few occasions. In 2003 I was going to record and produce a Louisiana Red record, but sadly due to business people screwing up, the deal fell through and we never made the record. I don't think Red has ever been recorded properly, none of his albums capture how great he is.
It may be of interest that some of Red's Earl Hooker style songs are played in a drop D tuning DADGBE and sometimes down a step from there. This he claims was how Hooker played some of his tunes. I should add that I have known Red to play any tune in any tuning, so as much as he knows about certain blues artists, he also gets carried away sometimes and plays songs different. So take care when studying his playing!
When I first started getting seriously into trying to copy Muddy's playing he was becoming a big star touring & recording with Johnny Winter. So I was lucky and saw him playing slide guitar quite early on in my musical development. I can remember on a few occasions rushing home from seeing Muddy, Johnny Winter & the band, plugging in the electric guitar and trying to play what I had just heard. It was a wonderful period for Muddy and during the 'Blue Sky' period he made some great records. 'I'm Ready' is probably the best of the Blue Sky stuff. Although he was slowed down by his age & a road accident, he could really deliver ....he was serious. I love all of Muddy's records, but if I had to pick a period it would be the Aristoctrat & classic Chess recordings. It is during this period from the mid forties for about ten years that Muddy Waters cultivated his music and cut some of the best blues/American folk records of all time.
Shine On,
Michael.