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JOHN
LONG "LOST & FOUND"
Source: Colorado Blues
Society
Date: 04/2006
Writer: David McIntyre |
It must
have been somewhere around the mid-seventies when
I finally threw my hands up in the air and declared
that pop music was officially dead. What was a
music junkie to do? I had a great idea - I would
check out the record collection at the public
library and research all the older American Blues
and jazz I could find. One day I come across an
obviously home made tape of Johnny Long a local
Blues Singer. So I get it home and put it on the
player and am immediately mesmerized by this black
blues singer who I guess to be about 50 or so,
well lived years. Shortly after I see an advertisement
for a Johnny Long show. I go to see this guy who
has gathered a stone fan in me after devouring
his music for about six months. You can imagine
my disappointment when a young white guy in a
suit and big hat came on stage appearing to be
an opener. This kid got ready to play after much
wiggling around and out came this old masters
voice as his hands danced around the fret-board
with a natural ease that few possess. I had envisioned
a 50-60 year old black man that wore overalls
mostly just cause they were comfortable. Here
is a white guy younger than me touching me with
his old soul. I got to know Johnny Long over the
years and miss him and his music very much. I
have waited for this CD for 20years – I
would ask Johnny about putting his music out and
he would off-handedly say “when it’s
ready” Dave “when it’s ready”.
Thank you everyone one at Delta Grove Records
for documenting this artist so well. He is a treasure
in this day and age to not be effected by the
world he lives, but rather the one doing the effecting.
John Long is a bluesman in the true sense of the
word not a man who plays the blues. If anyone
is the epitome of pre-war acoustic blues it is
Johnny –he has been transported back to
the era and lives in that time. The music is the
real acoustic blues from Johnny’s great
(Joe Calicott falsetto) to his own growling vocal
bass lines to his dizzying guitar work. If you
are a fan of acoustic blues don’t hesitate
to purchase this CD another one like this could
take twenty more years. That’s ok though
the music is certainly timeless. My favorites
are “Hokum Blues” and “Greyhound
Driver.” |
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