Country Rag Blues

History

This lane emerged naturally wherever ragtime repertoire and rural blues practice overlapped, especially across the East Coast and Georgia-Piedmont recording circuits. Blind Blake is the textbook model, but Blind Willie McTell, Buddy Moss, Curley Weaver, Barbecue Bob, and Blind Boy Fuller all worked repertory in which rag guitar, country-blues narration, and dance rhythm were inseparable.

Defining artists

• Blind BlakeSpotifyYouTube
• Blind Willie McTellSpotifyYouTube
• Buddy MossSpotifyYouTube
• Curley WeaverSpotifyYouTube
• Barbecue BobSpotifyYouTube
• Blind Boy FullerSpotifyYouTube

Essential listening

• Diddie Wa Diddie — Blind BlakeSpotifyYouTube
• Travelin' Blues — Blind Willie McTellSpotifyYouTube
• Red River Blues — Buddy MossSpotifyYouTube
• No No Blues — Curley WeaverSpotifyYouTube
• Barbecue Blues — Barbecue BobSpotifyYouTube
• Truckin' My Blues Away — Blind Boy FullerSpotifyYouTube

Sources

• Library of Congress, History of Ragtime
• Music Maker Foundation, “Discover the Piedmont Blues”
• North Carolina Music Office on Blind Boy Fuller’s ragtime links
• New Georgia Encyclopedia on Blind Willie McTell