I saw him live ,at Penn State in 1967, with Waterman hovering over him, in a small auditorium, only about 25 guys attending,; I was so close to him, and what I heard and saw changed the musical and cultural arc of my life. If not a god, he is one of God's dearest prophets.
This performance is an excerpt from the documentary film "Devil Got My Woman, Blues at Newport" directed by folklorist Alan Lomax. At Lomax's request in 1966 the Newport Folk Festival Board set up a replica of a Southern juke-joint in which the older Blues performers could play and be filmed. For several, including Son House and Skip James, it was early in their return to live performance after decades of not playing music. The 61-minute film is available on DVD from Rounder/Universal. As it's a legitimate licensed release, it's possible that the various performers' estates may receive compensation.
This was the same show where House got very drunk and started Heckling Howlin Wolf as he was beginning to perform, i think that really messed with Wolf coz Son House was obviously a man he looked up to very very much. Dick Waterman talked about how he was very vigilant in controlling House's Alcoholism while he was his manager and this must've been one of the few times where Waterman lost control. curious to see all the footage from this film to see how that whole scene played out
I saw him in 1967 together with Skip James , Bukka White, Sonny Terry and Browny McGee in Amsterdam concert hall. And what is more; I recorded it with one of the first cassette decks “ borrowed” it from my father..still have those recordings..
This is so haunting, beautiful and rare at the same time. Robert Johnson was Definitely chasing this type of blues playing. First time ever heard a guitar cry in black and white footage!
This is from a tour of the world by SON HOUSE, circa 1941/1942. Recorded in the back room of Clarks' country store in Robinsonville by Lake Cormorant in Mississippi, with John Lomax, this is the only recording of Son House with a band.
I would know from the start it was Most likely the ghost of Son, or I somehow drifted back in time because no one alive in modern days can play and sing with this pure feeling style and emotion.
@@freedomisntfree2089 jack white is the only person who even comes close IMO so its definitely no surprise that son was his first music inspiration lol
@@NR-ur1dn I like Jack White. But still Son had more aggression and more blues emotion in his playing in other words Jack loves it and plays it but there is a big generation gap of many years. Son lived it during his time. Different feelings
Amen, no one plays like this anymore. Our loss, this is magnificent, I feel more from ten seconds of this than all modern music. We don't even have a good poser copying stuff like this. The torch was passed, and dropped on the side of the road in the ditch. And NOBODY has what it takes to pick it up and carry it on. RIP Son, thanks for the soul strafing blast of gut wrenching angst.
"no one plays like this anymore"and"We don't even have a good poser copying stuff like this",totally agree with you,we are far,very very far from that powerful,intense,moving and beautiful original blues stuff...not mentioning the voice style completely lost today,and maybe it is kind of natural:other times,other story, other music...to me this is forever in the Music Paradise,a kind of eternal and timeless place for our beloved players who bring tears in our eyes when we listen to them...and I find today we have fantastic players in all styles,they just do something different and,no doubt to me,great!
I just recently discovered him at a African American music historical museum in Nashville, TN when I saw him I immediately had chills. He looks identical to my grandfather and his brothers. I believe he is a ancestor of mines. ♥️ I feel blessed to experience these live performances of him. Blessing on to him ♥️
and that's what i call blues ! the truly blues music because he sang with his soul c'mon i'm only 30 years old, i'm a white dominican american man and how come u gonna call this gem a scary ? ( instead I would call it a rare gem)
Had the honor tonight of seeing this for the first time. Thank you for filming, whoever you are, long dead though you may be, and thank you for posting, mr vevo, and not giving me commercials. Besides stopping me in my tracks and blowing my mind with its naked powerful beauty, it reminded me of what keith once said about all guitar players just being singers at heart. And this guy is a singer.
@@mickfunny4185 FUNNY MICK NOPE!...CANT STAND DENTURES NEITHER..BOYS KINDA LOADED HERE I HAVE TA GET LIKE THAT TA REALLY GIT IT OUT. BUT HIS GUITAR SOUNDS AS SHIT FACED AS PO SON IS WELL WELL WELL..I DONT SOUND AS GOOD AS I THINK I DO WHEN LOADED..BEST PLAY IF POSSIBLE.... SOBER
He quit playing guitar for like 20 years apparently so he probably lost a lot of the technical act of playing blues, but his performance as a whole, if he was loaded or not, made it great.
I don't quite remember when I bought a brand new, shrink wrapped Son House LP record with this song on it; I think it was around 1976. It was right after I had bought a Mississippi Fred McDowell ("I Do NOT PLAY NO ROCK and ROLL) for $1.00 at the Foothill College Bookstore, back in 1975. I love the Blues & I love Son House on this particular song; among some others by Son House. In 2014, I started taking Blues Bass Guitar lessons for about 7 years; playing with Blues bands at a Downtown club in Sunday Jam sessions (until Covid came along & shut everything down, that is...). Oh well. I just want to say that the "REAL" 'Blues feeling' that I've been able to achieve or have with my own Bass-playing was acquired by my first listening to Son House & Guitar players who "influenced" Son House.
That's the best Fred McDowell record, and my favorite. And Son House, while not my favorite blues man, is the greatest of them all, I don't care what anyone says. Without him, there would be no idea of bottleneck slide. No Johnsons, no Howlin' Wolf's, no Leadbellys. It started with him and I am so happy it didn't die with him.
I don't know how Vevo operates, but Son House died in 88, which means his music is still in copyright. Therefore, if there is an estate of Son House (relatives and so on), they should be receiving royalties from this. If so, it's preferable to the unofficial uploads from which they will receive nothing at all.
Would you sit right down and you can write to me, I said little girl if you ever get lonesome mind, I said you can sit right down and you can write to me I said I can read your little writing now baby, oh yeah I don't what in this old world it be. You know if i dont ever nomore see you honey, You will forever be on my mind I said what if I never no more, Oh honey you will forever be on my mind You know every time I think about you, Dear god i just cant keep from crying, You know it so hard to love Someone looking over you, I said its so hard to love Ah someone is over you You know it dont look like it be satifaction boy, Oh i dont care what in this ole world you do. You know the blues is nothing but an unwanted ole heart desease, I said is the blues nothing but a Ah but a an unwanted ole heart desease, You know look like the better one you be doggin around boy is so dog gone hard to please, You know somtimes i wish i had my whole heart in my hand, You know Somtimes i always wanted I had my whole heart in my hand, Then my suger somthin Wouldve known how to treat a man.
Yeah he was a heavy drinker. But intoxicated or not your soul controls you and not the drink. He's soul felt bluesy on this this particular day many moons away. I can hear him missing notes yeah but it was the spirit had it's day.
