Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell (born William Samuel McTier; May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1… Read Full Bio ↴Blind Willie McTell (born William Samuel McTier; May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1959) was a Piedmont and ragtime blues singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont blues, although, unlike his contemporaries, he came to use twelve-string guitars exclusively. McTell was also an adept slide guitarist, unusual among ragtime bluesmen. His vocal style, a smooth and often laid-back tenor, differed greatly from many of the harsher voice types employed by Delta bluesmen, such as Charley Patton. McTell embodied a variety of musical styles, including blues, ragtime, religious music and hokum.
Born in the town of Thomson, Georgia, McTell learned how to play guitar in his early teens. He soon became a street performer around several Georgia cities including Atlanta and Augusta, and first recorded in 1927 for Victor Records. Although he never produced a major hit record, McTell's recording career was prolific, recording for different labels under different names throughout the 1920s and 30s. In 1940, he was recorded by folklorist John A. Lomax and Ruby Terrill Lomax for the Library of Congress's folk song archive. He would remain active throughout the 1940s and 50s, playing on the streets of Atlanta, often with his longtime associate, Curley Weaver. Twice more he recorded professionally. McTell's last recordings originated during an impromptu session recorded by an Atlanta record store owner in 1956. McTell would die three years later after suffering for years from diabetes and alcoholism. Despite his mainly failed releases, McTell was one of the few archaic blues musicians that would actively play and record during the 1940s and 50s. However, McTell never lived to be "rediscovered" during the imminent American folk music revival, as many other bluesmen would.
McTell's influence extended over a wide variety of artists, including The Allman Brothers Band, who famously covered McTell's "Statesboro Blues", and Bob Dylan, who paid tribute to McTell in his 1983 song "Blind Willie McTell"; the refrain of which is, "And I know no one can sing the blues, like Blind Willie McTell". Other artists influenced by McTell include Taj Mahal, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Ralph McTell, Chris Smither and The White Stripes.
Born William Samuel McTier in Thomson, Georgia, blind in one eye, McTell had lost his remaining vision by late childhood. He attended schools for the blind in the states of Georgia, New York and Michigan and showed proficiency in music from an early age, first playing harmonica and accordion, learning to read and write music in Braille, and turning to the six-string guitar in his early teens. His family background was rich in music, both of his parents and an uncle played guitar; he is also a relation of bluesman and gospel pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey. His father left the family when McTell was still young, and, when his mother died in the 1920s, he left his hometown and became a wandering musician, or "songster". He began his recording career in 1927 for Victor Records in Atlanta.
McTell married Ruth Kate Williams, now better known as Kate McTell, in 1934. She accompanied him on stage and on several recordings before becoming a nurse in 1939. Most of their marriage from 1942 until his death was spent apart, with her living in Fort Gordon near Augusta and him working around Atlanta.
In the years before World War II, McTell traveled and performed widely, recording for a number of labels under many different names, including Blind Willie McTell (Victor and Decca), Blind Sammie (Columbia), Georgia Bill (Okeh), Hot Shot Willie (Victor), Blind Willie (Vocalion and Bluebird), Barrelhouse Sammie (Atlantic), and Pig & Whistle Red (Regal). The "Pig 'n Whistle" appellation was a reference to a chain of Atlanta barbecue restaurants, one of which was located on the south side of East Ponce de Leon between Boulevard and Moreland Avenue, which later became a Krispy Kreme. McTell would frequently played for tips in the parking lot of this location. He was also known to play behind the nearby building that later became Ray Lee's Blue Lantern Lounge. Like his fellow songster Lead Belly, who began his career as a street artist, McTell favored the somewhat unwieldy and unusual twelve-string guitar, whose greater volume made it suitable for outdoor playing.
In 1940 John A. Lomax and his wife, Ruby Terrill Lomax, Classics professor at the University of Texas at Austin, interviewed and recorded McTell for the Library of Congress's Folk Song Archive in a two-hour session held in their hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. These recordings document McTell's distinctive musical style, which bridges the gap between the raw country blues of the early part of the 20th century and the more conventionally melodious, Ragtime-influenced East-Coast Piedmont blues sound. Mr. and Mrs. Lomax also elicited from the singer a number of traditional songs (such as "The Boll Weevil" and "John Henry") as well as spirituals (such as "Amazing Grace"), which were not part of his usual commercial repertoire. In the interview, John A. Lomax is heard asking if McTell knows any "complaining" songs (an earlier term for protest songs), to which the singer replies somewhat uncomfortably and evasively that he does not. The Library of Congress paid McTell $10, the equivalent of $154.56 in 2011, for this two-hour session. The material from this 1940 session was issued in 1960 in LP and later in CD form, under the somewhat misleading title of "The Complete Library of Congress Recordings", notwithstanding the fact that it was in fact truncated, in that it omitted some of John A. Lomax's interactions with the singer and cut out entirely the contributions of Ruby Terrill Lomax.
Postwar, McTell recorded for Atlantic Records and Regal Records in 1949, but these recordings met with less commercial success than his previous works. He continued to perform around Atlanta, but his career was cut short by ill health, predominantly diabetes and alcoholism. In 1956, an Atlanta record store manager, Edward Rhodes, discovered McTell playing in the street for quarters and enticed him with a bottle of corn liquor into his store, where he captured a few final performances on a tape recorder. These were released posthumously on Prestige/Bluesville Records as Last Session. Beginning in 1957, McTell occupied himself as a preacher at Atlanta's Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
McTell died in Milledgeville, Georgia, of a stroke in 1959. He was buried at Jones Grove Church, near Thomson, Georgia, his birthplace. A fan paid to have a gravestone erected on his resting place. The name given on his gravestone is Eddie McTier. He was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1981, and into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
One of McTell's most famous songs, "Statesboro Blues," was frequently covered by The Allman Brothers Band and is considered one of their earliest signature songs. A short list of some of the artists who also perform it includes Taj Mahal, David Bromberg, The Devil Makes Three and Ralph McTell, who changed his name on account of liking the song. Ry Cooder covered McTell's "Married Man's a Fool" on his 1973 album, Paradise and Lunch.
Jack White of The White Stripes considers McTell an influence, as their 2000 album De Stijl was dedicated to him and featured a cover of his song "Southern Can Is Mine". The White Stripes also covered McTell's "Lord, Send Me an Angel", releasing it as a single in 2000.
In 2013 Jack White's Third Man Records teamed up with Document Records to reissue The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks.
Bob Dylan has paid tribute to McTell on at least four occasions: Firstly, in his 1965 song "Highway 61 Revisited", the second verse begins with "Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose", referring to one of Blind Willie McTell's many recording names; later in his song "Blind Willie McTell", recorded in 1983 but released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3; then with covers of McTell's "Broke Down Engine" and "Delia" on his 1993 album, World Gone Wrong; also, in his song "Po' Boy", on 2001's "Love & Theft", which contains the lyric, "had to go to Florida dodging them Georgia laws", which comes from McTell's "Kill It Kid".
Also, Bath-based band "Kill It Kid" is named after that song.
A blues bar in Atlanta is named after McTell and regularly features blues musicians and bands. The Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival is held annually in Thomson, Georgia.
Born in the town of Thomson, Georgia, McTell learned how to play guitar in his early teens. He soon became a street performer around several Georgia cities including Atlanta and Augusta, and first recorded in 1927 for Victor Records. Although he never produced a major hit record, McTell's recording career was prolific, recording for different labels under different names throughout the 1920s and 30s. In 1940, he was recorded by folklorist John A. Lomax and Ruby Terrill Lomax for the Library of Congress's folk song archive. He would remain active throughout the 1940s and 50s, playing on the streets of Atlanta, often with his longtime associate, Curley Weaver. Twice more he recorded professionally. McTell's last recordings originated during an impromptu session recorded by an Atlanta record store owner in 1956. McTell would die three years later after suffering for years from diabetes and alcoholism. Despite his mainly failed releases, McTell was one of the few archaic blues musicians that would actively play and record during the 1940s and 50s. However, McTell never lived to be "rediscovered" during the imminent American folk music revival, as many other bluesmen would.
McTell's influence extended over a wide variety of artists, including The Allman Brothers Band, who famously covered McTell's "Statesboro Blues", and Bob Dylan, who paid tribute to McTell in his 1983 song "Blind Willie McTell"; the refrain of which is, "And I know no one can sing the blues, like Blind Willie McTell". Other artists influenced by McTell include Taj Mahal, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Ralph McTell, Chris Smither and The White Stripes.
Born William Samuel McTier in Thomson, Georgia, blind in one eye, McTell had lost his remaining vision by late childhood. He attended schools for the blind in the states of Georgia, New York and Michigan and showed proficiency in music from an early age, first playing harmonica and accordion, learning to read and write music in Braille, and turning to the six-string guitar in his early teens. His family background was rich in music, both of his parents and an uncle played guitar; he is also a relation of bluesman and gospel pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey. His father left the family when McTell was still young, and, when his mother died in the 1920s, he left his hometown and became a wandering musician, or "songster". He began his recording career in 1927 for Victor Records in Atlanta.
McTell married Ruth Kate Williams, now better known as Kate McTell, in 1934. She accompanied him on stage and on several recordings before becoming a nurse in 1939. Most of their marriage from 1942 until his death was spent apart, with her living in Fort Gordon near Augusta and him working around Atlanta.
In the years before World War II, McTell traveled and performed widely, recording for a number of labels under many different names, including Blind Willie McTell (Victor and Decca), Blind Sammie (Columbia), Georgia Bill (Okeh), Hot Shot Willie (Victor), Blind Willie (Vocalion and Bluebird), Barrelhouse Sammie (Atlantic), and Pig & Whistle Red (Regal). The "Pig 'n Whistle" appellation was a reference to a chain of Atlanta barbecue restaurants, one of which was located on the south side of East Ponce de Leon between Boulevard and Moreland Avenue, which later became a Krispy Kreme. McTell would frequently played for tips in the parking lot of this location. He was also known to play behind the nearby building that later became Ray Lee's Blue Lantern Lounge. Like his fellow songster Lead Belly, who began his career as a street artist, McTell favored the somewhat unwieldy and unusual twelve-string guitar, whose greater volume made it suitable for outdoor playing.
In 1940 John A. Lomax and his wife, Ruby Terrill Lomax, Classics professor at the University of Texas at Austin, interviewed and recorded McTell for the Library of Congress's Folk Song Archive in a two-hour session held in their hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. These recordings document McTell's distinctive musical style, which bridges the gap between the raw country blues of the early part of the 20th century and the more conventionally melodious, Ragtime-influenced East-Coast Piedmont blues sound. Mr. and Mrs. Lomax also elicited from the singer a number of traditional songs (such as "The Boll Weevil" and "John Henry") as well as spirituals (such as "Amazing Grace"), which were not part of his usual commercial repertoire. In the interview, John A. Lomax is heard asking if McTell knows any "complaining" songs (an earlier term for protest songs), to which the singer replies somewhat uncomfortably and evasively that he does not. The Library of Congress paid McTell $10, the equivalent of $154.56 in 2011, for this two-hour session. The material from this 1940 session was issued in 1960 in LP and later in CD form, under the somewhat misleading title of "The Complete Library of Congress Recordings", notwithstanding the fact that it was in fact truncated, in that it omitted some of John A. Lomax's interactions with the singer and cut out entirely the contributions of Ruby Terrill Lomax.
Postwar, McTell recorded for Atlantic Records and Regal Records in 1949, but these recordings met with less commercial success than his previous works. He continued to perform around Atlanta, but his career was cut short by ill health, predominantly diabetes and alcoholism. In 1956, an Atlanta record store manager, Edward Rhodes, discovered McTell playing in the street for quarters and enticed him with a bottle of corn liquor into his store, where he captured a few final performances on a tape recorder. These were released posthumously on Prestige/Bluesville Records as Last Session. Beginning in 1957, McTell occupied himself as a preacher at Atlanta's Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
McTell died in Milledgeville, Georgia, of a stroke in 1959. He was buried at Jones Grove Church, near Thomson, Georgia, his birthplace. A fan paid to have a gravestone erected on his resting place. The name given on his gravestone is Eddie McTier. He was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1981, and into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990.
One of McTell's most famous songs, "Statesboro Blues," was frequently covered by The Allman Brothers Band and is considered one of their earliest signature songs. A short list of some of the artists who also perform it includes Taj Mahal, David Bromberg, The Devil Makes Three and Ralph McTell, who changed his name on account of liking the song. Ry Cooder covered McTell's "Married Man's a Fool" on his 1973 album, Paradise and Lunch.
Jack White of The White Stripes considers McTell an influence, as their 2000 album De Stijl was dedicated to him and featured a cover of his song "Southern Can Is Mine". The White Stripes also covered McTell's "Lord, Send Me an Angel", releasing it as a single in 2000.
In 2013 Jack White's Third Man Records teamed up with Document Records to reissue The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks.
Bob Dylan has paid tribute to McTell on at least four occasions: Firstly, in his 1965 song "Highway 61 Revisited", the second verse begins with "Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose", referring to one of Blind Willie McTell's many recording names; later in his song "Blind Willie McTell", recorded in 1983 but released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3; then with covers of McTell's "Broke Down Engine" and "Delia" on his 1993 album, World Gone Wrong; also, in his song "Po' Boy", on 2001's "Love & Theft", which contains the lyric, "had to go to Florida dodging them Georgia laws", which comes from McTell's "Kill It Kid".
Also, Bath-based band "Kill It Kid" is named after that song.
A blues bar in Atlanta is named after McTell and regularly features blues musicians and bands. The Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival is held annually in Thomson, Georgia.
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Blind Willie McTell Lyrics
A to Z Blues Look-a here mama. Can't get along. Honey I really tried to t…
Ain't It Grand To Be A Christian Ain't it grand to live a Christian, ain't it grand Ain't…
Atlanta Strut I gonna ---- -- gang of stags --- lot of --- tonight I…
Baby It Must Be Love Tell me honey, now tell me please Is my lover hard…
Bell St. Lightnin' I live down in Bell street alley, just as drunk…
Blues Around Midnight I get the blues round about Midnight Early with the rising…
Boll Weevil Boll weevil, boll weevil, where you get your great long bill…
Broke Down Engine Feel like a broke down engine, mama Ain't got no drivin'…
Broke Down Engine No. 2 Feel like a broke down engine, ain't got no drivin'…
Broke Down Engine No.2 Feel like a broke down engine, mama Ain't got no drivin'…
Brown Skin Woman Said my baby my baby Said she don't treat me good…
Chainey Chainey, Chainey, she’s dead and gone Left me here to…
Climbing High Mountains Why you just as well get ready You got to die,…
Cold Winter Day I did everything baby That I could do Fell on my…
Come On Around to My House Mama Come on around to my house mama, ain't nobody there…
Cooling Board Blues Undertaker, undertaker, please take it slow You're takin' t…
Dark Night Blues I got the dark night blues I'm feeling awful bad I got…
Death Cell Blues They got me 'cused for murder and I haven't even…
Death Room Blues Tombstones is my pillow, cold grounds is my bed Tombstones i…
Death Room Blues # 1 Tombstones is my pillow, cold grounds is my bed Tombstones …
Delia Delia, Delia, how can it be? You love that old rounder,…
Dirty Mistreater And you dirty mistreater You don't mean no one man no…
Don t You See How This World Made A Change Don't you see how this world made a change Don't you…
Don't Forget It Yeah Hello Central give me 2-8-9 I wants to talk to…
Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around Don't you let nobody turn you aroun',- turn you aroun', turn…
Don't You See How This World Made A Change Don't you see how this world made a change Don't you…
Dont Let Nobody Turn You Around Don't you let nobody turn you aroun',- turn you aroun', turn…
Dont You See How This World Made A Change Don't you see how this world made a change Don't you…
Drive Away Blues I believe that if I had my sweet woman's heart,…
Dyin' Crapshooter's Blues Little Jesse was a gambler, night and day He used crooked…
Dying Gambler Little Jesse was a gambler, night and day He used crooked…
Early Morning Blues My baby, my baby You don't treat me good no more My…
East St. Louis I walked all the way from East Saint Louis I never…
Experience Blues I once loved a man that did me knee no…
Fried Pie Blues I ain't going down, baby, that long road by myself Ain't…
Georgia Rag Down in Atlanta on Harris Street Everybody that you meet Can…
God Don't Like It Some say they done cut whisky out, but you can…
Good Little Thing Look a-here mama Just a word or two Said I get you To…
Hide Me In Thy Bosom Now hear me singing Hear the words that I'm saying Wash my…
Hillbilly Willie's Blues Roosevelt is a mighty fine man, darling Roosevelt is a might…
Honey It Must Be Love Tell me honey, now tell me please Is my lover hard…
How About You When a girl meets boy Life can be a joy But the…
I Got A Religion And I'm So Glad Well, I got religion and I'm (so glad) Well, I got…
I Got The Cross The River Jordan I got to cross that river of Jordan Lord, I got…
I Keep On Drinkin' Hard time, hard time 'bout to drive me wild Take a big…
I Keep On Drinking Hard time, hard time bout to drive me wild Take…
I'm so Glad Well, I got religion and I'm (so glad) Well, I got…
It s A Good Little Thing Look a-here mama Just a word or two Said I get you To…
It s Your Time To Worry I don't need nothing but my overalls I done trimmed these…
It's a Good Little Thing Look a-here mama Just a word or two Said I get you To…
It's My Desire It's my desire to do some good deed every day My…
It's Your Time to Worry I don't need nothing but my overalls I done trimmed these…
Its My Desire It's my desire to do some good deed every day My…
Its Your Time To Worry Rag I don't need nothing but my overalls I done trimmed these…
Just As Well Get Ready You Got to Die / Climbing High Mountains / Tryin' to Get Home Why you just as well get ready You got to die,…
Kill It Kid In Miami on old Sixth Avenue Whatever the men she went…
Kind Mama She's a real kind mama looking for another man She…
King Edward Blues spoken: McTell: I'm singin' a song that I made myself off…
Last Dime Blues Broke and ain't got a dime Everybody get in hard luck…
Lay Some Flowers On My Grave You must lay some flowers on my grave You must lay…
Let Me Play With Yo' Yo-Yo Mama let me play with yo' yo-yo I will let you…
Little Delia Delia was a gambler, gambled all around She was a gambling…
Lonesome Day Blues you can go you can stay but you'll come home…
Lord Have Mercy If You Please We will all cry together on our knees We will all…
Lord Mercy If You Please And we'll all mourn together, all I need All mourn together,…
Lord Send Me an Angel Good Lord, good Lord, send me an angel down Can't spare…
Love Changin' Blues My love don't change There's going to be some stealing My lo…
Love Changing Blues My love don't change There's going to be some stealing My …
Love Changin’ Blues My love don't change There's going to be some stealing done …
Love Makin' Mama You may fall from the mountain, drown in the deep…
Loving Talking Blues Don't get mad with me, mama, cuz I talk in…
Low Down Blues I ain't gonna be your low down doll no more I…
Low Rider s Blues You called me a lowrider I'm going back to tennessee I say…
Mama Wake up mama, don't you sleep so hard Wake up mama,…
Mama Let Me Scoop For You Started with red, she was 10 I cannot stand to see…
Mama T'Ain't Long Fo' Day Wake up mama, don't you sleep so hard Wake up mama,…
Mamma, Tain't Long 'fo Day Wake up mama don't you sleep so hard Wake up mama…
Motherless Children Have a Hard Time Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead, mother'…
Mr McTell Got the Blues I'm leaving town, baby going to leave my home I'm leaving…
Mr. McTell Got the Blues I'm leaving town: baby going to leave my home I'm going:…
Mr. McTell Got the Blues Pt. 1 I'm leaving town, baby going to leave my home I'm leaving…
Murderer's Home Blues I did all I could baby, satisfy your mind Well I…
My Baby Is Gone My baby's gone : and I'm almost in my grave But…
Oh Lawdy Mama Wanna go out, baby, too late at night. Lawdy mama,…
On the Cooling Board Undertaker, undertaker, please take it slow You're takin' th…
Painful Blues My heart is painful, my blues are pulling down My heart…
Pal Of Mine I am thinking today Of my loved one far away One that…
Pearly Gates I have changed my life for Jesus He's the one to…
Razor Ball Spoken: All right boys, let's talk about this razor ball Dow…
River Jordan I got to cross that river of Jordan Lord, I got…
Rollin' Mama Blues Now tell me baby How do you want your rollin' done? Now…
Rough Alley Blues Close down your windows and let down all your blinds Close…
Runnin' Me Crazy Said I'm almost crazy, and I'm all here by myself Said…
Savannah Mama Mmmmm, Lawdy, Lawdy, Lawd Mmmmm, Lawdy, Lawdy, Lawd Every …
Scarey Day Blues My good gal got a mojo, she's tryin' to keep it…
Scary Day Blue I wants to wait around here, baby, until your fried…
Searchin' the Desert for the Blues You may search the ocean, you might go 'cross the…
Sending Up My Timber There's a dream that I dreamed Of my heavenly home And I…
Southern Can Is Mine Now looka here mama let me tell you this If you…
Statesboro Blues Yes now, wake up mama, turn your lamp down low. Wake…
Statesboro Blues - Remastered 2003 Wake up mama, turn your lamp down low Wake up mama,…
Statesboro' Blues Yes now, wake up mama, turn your lamp down low. Wake…
Stole Rider Blues I'm going to grab me a train Ride the lonesome…
Stomp Down Rider When i first met you mama ...…
Talkin' To Myself Good Lord, good Lord, send me an Angel down "Can't spare…
Talkin' to You Mama I wonder why the rooster, crows early in the morning…
Teasing Brown I had a gal, of teasing brown But I did not…
The Dyin' Crapshooter's Blues Little Jesse was a gambler, night and day He used crooked…
The Dying Crapshooter's Blues Little Jesse was a gambler, night and day He used crooked…
The Razor Ball Spoken: All right boys, let's talk about this razor ball Dow…
This Is Not the Stove to Brown Your Bread Damn this high and still going up I'm gonna get mine…
Three Woman Blues Got three womens Yellow, brown and black I got three women…
Three Women Blues Got three womens Yellow, brown and black I got three womens …
Ticket Agent Good Lord good Lord : send me an angel down Can't…
Travelin Blues Let a poor man ride the blind Said I wouldn't mind…
Trick Aint Walking No More That trick ain't walking no more babe Tricks ain't walking n…
tryin' to get home Why you just as well get ready You got to die,…
Two Faced Woman Twofaced woman, trying to see her two days at one…
Wabash Cannonball From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore From…
Warm It Up For Me Take a little trip, up on a mountain top Show the…
Warm It Up to Me Take a little trip, up on a mountain top Show the…
Warm Up To Me Take a little trip, up on a mountain top Show the…
We Got To Meet Death One Day And we're going to meet old death one day And we're…
Weary Hearted Blues Looka here pretty mama, I'll tell you what I'll do I'll…
Wee Midnight Hours It was in the wee wee midnight hours, long about…
Will Fox Will Fox said to the fireman --- Go right to the end Will…
Writin' Paper Blues I wrote you a letter, mama Put it in your front…
Writin' Paper Blues - 2003 Remastered I wrote you a letter, mama Put it in your front…
You Can't Get Stuff No More Know that place, across town Man went over and closed it…
You Got to Die Why you just as well get ready You got to die,…
You Was Born to Die Spoken "oh, Play that thing boy, I know you're blue" Don't…
Your Time to Worry I don't need nothing but my overalls I done trimmed these…