Homespun

"Rory Block has been an inspiration to me since we started out years ago. Her guitar playing, singing and songwriting are some of the most soulful in traditional and modern blues." Bonnie Raitt

This terrific lesson in fingerstyle blues guitar, just released from the Homespun archives in digital format, features blues great Rory Block breaking down her award-winning strumming, pounding and string-snapping techniques, along with her more delicate fingerpicking stylings. She transmits the power of Delta blues with clarity, deep respect for the original artists and an obvious love of her material.

Rory starts her exploration of traditional blues styles with Hawkins' Blues in open G tuning. During a detailed break-down, she teaches rolls, jumps, intros, bass runs and a variety of rhythm patterns typical of Buddy Boy Hawkins, Tommy Johnson and other Mississippi Delta masters.

Lottie Kimbrough's rollicking Rolling Log, in dropped D tuning, includies sliding, bent-note licks, alternating bass notes and instrumental breaks.

Rory then pulls out her socket wrench slide to perform an energetic rendition of Robert Johnson's classic Terraplane Blues, highlighting this blues master's high octave slide and trademark rhythm patterns.

Bye, Bye Blues, a Tommy Johnson tune in standard tuning, showcases percussive string snapping, pounding and string-bending guitar style typical of Delta players of the early 20th Century. 

Rory closes the session with a stirring performance of Mississippi Blues by Willie Brown, one of the most popular pieces in the blues fingerpicking canon.