General Question

Steve_A's avatar

Can you tell me of some great underground and unknown blues artist?

Asked by Steve_A (5130points) September 9th, 2010

I am not looking for SRV, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson or the like.

I want something unheard of for the most part.

Got anything for me?

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23 Answers

john65pennington's avatar

This is a great question for Lucille, Lucille, Lucille to answer. she is a blues lover and knows artists that i have never heard of. Lucy, are you listening?

Steve_A's avatar

@john65pennington Oh for sure I know she’ll be around :D

john65pennington's avatar

How about Arthur Gunter or Lightnin’ Hopkins. these two artists are about as early and funky as it gets. visit Youtube for more information.

kenmc's avatar

Robert Lockwood, Jr.
Son House
Luther Alison
Albert King
Howlin’ Wolf
Ledbelly
JB Lenoir
John Lee Hooker
Memphis Slim
Rev. Guy Davis (if I’m remembering his name right)

More to come if they come to mind.

Steve_A's avatar

@boots Heard all those expect Memphis Slim , Robert Lockwood, Jr and Ledbelly. Checking them out.

Get some more for me :D

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

Here’s a tune for you

:)

fundevogel's avatar

I don’t know if ther’re underground enough, but I love James Booker and Jelly Roll Morton.

john65pennington's avatar

Slim Harpo, Muddy Waters, Little Walter and many more. see Youtube.

aprilsimnel's avatar

Lightnin’ Hopkins
Koko Taylor
Lucille Bogan (from 1935, but, whoa, Nelly, this is TOTALLY NSFW!!!)
Pinetop Smith (He’s the first guy to record the boogie-woogie, which he claimed to have created, and the first guy to ask the musical question: “See the girl with the red dress on?”)

Jeruba's avatar

How unknown is unknown? Chris Smither. Not a great big name, but very well known in some spheres. One of the great bluesmen who have the advantage of still being alive.

@boots, did you mean Rev. Gary Davis?

Don’t forget Mississippi John Hurt.

kenmc's avatar

@Jeruba Yes, that’s who I meant… Like I said, I wasn’t sure if the name was right.

weeveeship's avatar

Norman Blake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_YB9SC7AV4
“Church Street Blues” is one of my favorite songs.

Jeruba's avatar

And Dave Van Ronk.

Steve_A's avatar

Thats a lotta blues! Thanks all.

BluRhino's avatar

These are not unknowns, but check them out too..Michael Burks, Luther Allison, Walter Trout, The Charles Ford Band (Robben Fords’ brothers) The Soul Prophets..I could go on forever..

Aster's avatar

Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed (I have their LP’s lol )

Ben_Dover's avatar

@Aster We do know some of the oldies!
Here’s a Bo diddly story (I mentioned him up above, too)
I was walking home from school one day and was just outside a theater that put on plays and had a large stage etc… (Wilshire and LaBrea, L.A.)...I heard some outrageous sweet guitar rifts… Nowhere to get in, so I went around back and found an exit door left unlocked. Sneaking in I found a seat near the front…and watched Bo Diddly and his band practicing for a performance!!! This must have been in the late 60s or early 70s.

Aster's avatar

That is really cool !

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