Here's some tab/music in the style of Blind Lemon.

Try the approach below with any of Lemon's lyric's ... the idea here is to understand the style/approach of the player ... not to necessarily replicate a particular song note for note.

If you like this kind of stuff ... I'll post more.

If you have specific questions about a guitar lick, riff, solo ... in country or urban blues ... be specific ... and I'll do my best to notate it for you, as close as possible ... as my time allows.

Please remember what Brownie McGhee used to tell all of us who 'studied' with him ... "The blues is a feeling." There's much more to this than just putting your fingers in the right place.

Enjoy,

Hawkeye

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... continued from my previous post ... In the Style of Blind Lemon, part 2.

Hawkeye

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i have printed this off and i am going to have a bash at learning it, more please hawkeye.

"The blues is a feeling. There's much more to this than just putting your fingers in the right place. . ."

Ooooh -- why do I feel a Sheba Potts-Wright song coming on???

jaycee,

The first four bars/measures are the intro ala Lemon ... followed by the 12 bars of the song ala Lemon.
I will let this post rest on your mind and fingers for a while ... and then I will post more "In The Style of ..." tabs/music/workshops ... each under seperate headings here at the BBF Trading Post ...
so as not to confuse folks if they have questions/problems with/about a specific post/style.
Give it a go ... and let me know how you're doing.
Try MAtchbox Blues, Black Horse Blues, Yo-Yo Blues ... and other lemon lyrics using these ... useful stepping stones.
Cheers,
Hawkeye
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jazzmanchgo,

<<Ooooh -- why do I feel a Sheba Potts-Wright song coming on??? >>

Well, ... it certainly is more than ... putting your fingers in the right place.
Let the mood ... move you.

Hawkeye

If there are requests for more such notation of a particular artist's style ... lick/riff, turnaround, solo, song, chord usage, etc. ... post it here or send me a PM ... and I'll try to oblige as time allows.

Cheers,

Hawkeye

You are something, Hawkeye! (To me this looks like the Rosetta Stone )

<<You are something, Hawkeye! (To me this looks like the Rosetta Stone>>

Sassie,

Well ... thanks for that kind comment ... maybe the (Sister) Rosetta (Tharpe) Stone.

I have a 'duty' to pass on what little I know ... none of the blues folks who I was lucky enough to learn from every asked me for a nickel ... they all knew that SOMEBODY has to carry on the blues tradition(s) ... they never ever questioned my motives or my skin color ... ... Mance, Lightinin', Bukka, Furry, Son, Yank, Louie Blueie,Sam Chatmon, Charles Brown, Brownie, John Jackson, so many ... never said, "Put your fingers here and do this" ... they freely played for me up close and let me watch and absorb ... more like, "I'm gonna play now, so pay attention!"
My humble way of repaying African American culture and all those bluesers who went before me ... who freely gave me skills to make my way through life as a musician ... is by doing what they did ... sharing the music I love with whomever expresses an interest.

I can't promise that I'll be able to post such information on a regular basis ... as my touring season is rapidly approaching ... but I'll do my best to post and respond as time allows.

Thanks again for the kind comment, Sass.

Hawkeye

p.s.
Well, in truth ... Bukka did ask me one time to bring him a 1/2 pint of peach brandy ... and Lightinin' did make me pay for the eight-ball game of pool that we played together, after he kicked my a** at the game.

Thanks Hawkeye

Deadeye,

You're most welcome.
Let me know if I can be of any help in any way.

Cheers,

Hawkeye

Thank you very much. I have also printed out this song. Can't wait to get to it.

Take your time ... play one measure until you have it right, and then add the next measure ... play slooooowly ... you must crawl before you walk ... the quickest way to get intimidated and discouraged is by trying to play at the tempo that you hear Blind Lemon play ... play sloooooowly so that you can hit all the notes ... speed will come as you get more accomplished and dexterious. The biggest mistake guitar students make is trying to run before they can crawl .... craaaawl through this and as you get better, you can add speed. Please heed this message ... it's okay to play so slowly that you are successful!!!! ... try to play fast too soon, and you'll bury yourself.

The example above is 16 measures ... the first four measures are the intro.
Then you start the 12 bar blues form.
Note that most 12 bar blues songs go;
I-IV-I-V-IV-I
(in A that would be A-D-A-E-D-A) for the chord changes.
But ... in the example I have provided you with here the 12 bar form goes:
I-IV-I-V-V-I
A-D-A-E-E-I

... sometimes 12 bar blues songs hang on the V for two measures and don't go to the IV on the way home to the I... sometimes they do

Have fun ... and go sloooowly... or you will defeat yourself.

Hawkeye

Great thread Hawkeye!......looking forward to more. And I respect the reason you're doing it. No personal choices myself as to what you post, just gonna eat up whatever you do post. Fun stuff. Thanks......

justpickin'

Truly, my pleasure.

I'm posting a Fred McDowell style song as a separate thread in just a few minutes. I'm keeping the posts for these as separate threads ... so that there is less confusion and it's easier for me to answer any questions that may arise about a particular style/post.

Again, thanks so much.

Hawkeye