i'm 69 and i have those Fred Mc Dowell vynil records since the mid sixties. But now i can see him playing on RUclips, so this is amazing. RUclips is a gift for people like me
RUclips is a total fucking goldmine for music obsessives like us. We've got to make sure that fuckin millionaire artists like Taylor Swift and Jack White don't totally castrate the thing with their anti-youtube campaigning-- Jack, you think yer gettin ripped off? You live the life of fucking riley, takin the sound of people like R.L. Burnside straight to the bank. YOU fuckin OWE these guys money-- we don't owe you jack-squat, you patrician blues thief. And the less said about the likes of Taylor Swift, the better.
Not sure what Jack White has to do with anything....seems likely that blues music was a communal thing that became a commercial thing. That's not Jack White's fault. You rarely hear great artists run other artists down. RL Burnside in phenomenal; Jack White should be commended for listening to and being influenced by great music!
Ahhh, I only went after Jack White cause he's been quoted speaking out against RUclips... I could just as easily have slagged Trent Reznor fer the same reason... these rich cats is taking the music industry's position on resources like RUclips, when they should be backing it-- I've discovered SO MANY artists on RUclips whose shows I have subsequently attended. And as fer great artists not runnin other artists down-- has there ever been a rock n roller so fond of slagging his fellow artists than Jack White... Jeez Christ, if'n he ain't insulting the Black Keys, he's pummelling the singer of the Von Bondies PHYSICALLY-- White has a looong history of being an asshole... however, I AM admittedly a fan of his music. Ultimately it matters little to me whether my fave artists are jerks in real life.
We are fortunate to have these videos of master musicians such as Fred McDowell. I'm grateful to those who had the foresight to capture this priceless performance before it was too late.
I was working on building a deck out side and decided to listen to some old blues. I hit Fred in a live concert at Gaslight on you tube and was blown away from the sound and wondered why I hadn't heard about him. He was the best and I just love the style and his gentle manner!!! And a Christian with no shame about it to boot.... I suppose if the devil came to me and said, "give me your soul and you will play just like Fred did" I just might say yes if I was drunk!
If I didn’t see this video and could only hear it, I’d swear it was Bukka White and Blind Willie Johnson having a jam together! This guy is a top tier bluesman. Thanks for the upload and keeping his memory alive.
I was working at Chris Strachwitz's Down Home Music store when this film first came out on a VHS tape. Someone put it on and all work came to a grinding halt as all of us stood mesmerized watching this consummate musician work his regal magic.
I have listened to this song over and over over and then some. I for the life of me ...cannot find a mistake. Not anywhere. Not that I want to. But most songs have at least one or two Suttle mistakes you can hear if you listen close enough. I can't hear one in this song. I've watched his hand work. It's like his thumb and his forefinger have two separate brains working together. Added a third brain on the his neck hand. I dont play guitar. But I know enough to understand that what he has is an insane amount of talent. Talent that even today's so called artist don't posses. I'm not sure why this song isn't considered the best blues song ever made...but it damn well should be.
Awesome sound ! Now listen too Roscoe Holcomb play the banjo. You will quickly hear the close relationship between the "white" mountain music and the blues of the same era. Good stuff.
the more I watch this.... the more I am mystified. not just as a guitar player. but... as a human. it seems an unassailable uniqueness, ala Robert Johnson, I feel like im in a church in a weird country, mesmerized by a strange guitar earth god.
every time I see pt1 and pt2. I feel great happiness, and jealousy. I comment every time. I notice things. masterful things. his speed. his accuracy, his sound and voice.
can not get over his style. I wanna talk to bonnie raitt. guitar lessons may or may not help . this kind of shit comes from nature. totally mind blowing. still.
wormcloud i am italian but i don’t know what is the brand that made it. Could you please tell me the name?! In Italy we have such a good tradition also for early echo machines, sound machines and like you said before fuzz and pedals, back in the days when music sounds were made by analog machines. Nowadays i miss that kind of analog stuff...
That is exactly what I thought. I listen to the live performance at Gaslight of him for first time and said I have to watch him o you tube on a different video where it shows him playing and see how many guitars are playing with him. He can't be making all that sound by himself, and so beautifully done.......
There's a cool RUclips of Sherman Cooper (Como, Ms) talking about Fred... Look it up... It's cool... Sherman is pretty cool, too... He has a "Potato House" that stays a nice cool (without AC) in the hottest days of summer... Keith Richards stayed in it when he'd come to steal songs at Junior Kimbrough's Juke Joint before it burned down... Now as for what Fred is doing??? It's pretty much laying on the #1 chord and letting his thumb do most of the work... It's called North Mississippi Hill Country Blues, also known as the "hypnotic boogie"... He's like the grandfather of that style blues and people like R.L. Burnside learned it from him as did T-Model Ford, Kenny Brown and others... Fun groove...
most inspiring/ flabbergasting ! few have a mojo hand. fred was born with it. very few come to mind as more amazing. Segovia, r.johnson, and fred McDowell. like Picasso monet van gogh.... you can only look up .... but cant reach.
This was recorded at KTCS TV on the University of Washington campus in 1970, I believe. I was a concert promoter for the folklore society and we drove Fred to the studio. Fred was a real gentleman with a sardonic sence of humor. He was willing to show you his guitar moves, in open G he made his four chord by playing the C7 position. While some of the great bluesmen showed signs that they had been traumatised, Fred had a modern personality. We tried to get as many gigs as we could for these men so that they could go back South with $3-4K which was good money, especially in the country blues boom of that era. I never made a nickel doing this, I was just so blessed to be around and learn from the greats.
It was recorded by ethnomusicologists at the Univ. of Washington for the Seattle Folklore Society. I think I was there for this, Fred was a very friendly, personable guy with some magnetism, he was basically a farmer and family man who loved music and learned from older men.
im tempted to comment everytime I see this, why hold back? my bowels don't! - and let me clarify..... this is a benchmark in "one dude with guitar history"... go ahead study the best close ups of his playing ever recorded, and try to understand, this is a nearly UN-repeatable performance, first of all try to find that guitar, after watching this for 2 years and only now understanding a mojo hand is when you can fart all this business out without hitting a single sour note or sounding weird, and that's not to mention his oddly perfectly barked out and superbly timed singing which is a whole other topic. oh, to feel mediocre.
i'm 69 and i have those Fred Mc Dowell vynil records since the mid sixties. But now i can see him playing on RUclips, so this is amazing. RUclips is a gift for people like me
For people like me it's a time capsule!
RUclips is a total fucking goldmine for music obsessives like us. We've got to make sure that fuckin millionaire artists like Taylor Swift and Jack White don't totally castrate the thing with their anti-youtube campaigning-- Jack, you think yer gettin ripped off? You live the life of fucking riley, takin the sound of people like R.L. Burnside straight to the bank. YOU fuckin OWE these guys money-- we don't owe you jack-squat, you patrician blues thief. And the less said about the likes of Taylor Swift, the better.
Jack Who??
Not sure what Jack White has to do with anything....seems likely that blues music was a communal thing that became a commercial thing. That's not Jack White's fault. You rarely hear great artists run other artists down. RL Burnside in phenomenal; Jack White should be commended for listening to and being influenced by great music!
Ahhh, I only went after Jack White cause he's been quoted speaking out against RUclips... I could just as easily have slagged Trent Reznor fer the same reason... these rich cats is taking the music industry's position on resources like RUclips, when they should be backing it-- I've discovered SO MANY artists on RUclips whose shows I have subsequently attended. And as fer great artists not runnin other artists down-- has there ever been a rock n roller so fond of slagging his fellow artists than Jack White... Jeez Christ, if'n he ain't insulting the Black Keys, he's pummelling the singer of the Von Bondies PHYSICALLY-- White has a looong history of being an asshole... however, I AM admittedly a fan of his music. Ultimately it matters little to me whether my fave artists are jerks in real life.
HE'S PLAYING RYTHM, LEAD SLIDE AND SINGING SIMULTANEOUSLY !!! ...
... YES SIR !!!
He needs some bass drums to play with his feet. Lol I bet he could of tho
We are fortunate to have these videos of master musicians such as Fred McDowell. I'm grateful to those who had the foresight to capture this priceless performance before it was too late.
Thanks
true
Thanks for the wonderful music Fred. Such a gifted bluesman.
I was working on building a deck out side and decided to listen to some old blues. I hit Fred in a live concert at Gaslight on you tube and was blown away from the sound and wondered why I hadn't heard about him. He was the best and I just love the style and his gentle manner!!! And a Christian with no shame about it to boot....
I suppose if the devil came to me and said, "give me your soul and you will play just like Fred did" I just might say yes if I was drunk!
There aren't words to explain how cool this man was.
No words, but I have to say he may be tied with Lighnin' Hopkins as the coolest person ever.
This dude was Arctic cool. Your chilly baby! Lol :-)
@@DrBlowfins that was the name I thought of straight away
If I didn’t see this video and could only hear it, I’d swear it was Bukka White and Blind Willie Johnson having a jam together! This guy is a top tier bluesman. Thanks for the upload and keeping his memory alive.
as real as it gets. we owe so much to artists like Fred, Lightnin', Sister Rosetta.
Mississippi Fred and Furry Lewis, my two new favorites
Fred McDowell and Son House are my favorites. Truly amazing, undescribable guitar players.
I was working at Chris Strachwitz's Down Home Music store when this film first came out on a VHS tape. Someone put it on and all work came to a grinding halt as all of us stood mesmerized watching this consummate musician work his regal magic.
Just as great as the greatest.
My God. What an absolute master of his craft! Looks like I'm getting into Fred McDowell now!
Same here friend
As well you should, my friend.
Might as well !!!
Jesus his style was just... I can't even describe it. Watching him play the guitar is magical.
Mr McDowell was just simply amazing!
tEhBoOn I wish I was amazing as Mr. McDowell!! HE WAS AWSOME!!
Those 4 thumbs down. My guess? Trump voters and-or Bieber fans.
Elation! Period !
Lord have mercy!!!!!
I have listened to this song over and over over and then some. I for the life of me ...cannot find a mistake. Not anywhere. Not that I want to. But most songs have at least one or two Suttle mistakes you can hear if you listen close enough. I can't hear one in this song. I've watched his hand work. It's like his thumb and his forefinger have two separate brains working together. Added a third brain on the his neck hand. I dont play guitar. But I know enough to understand that what he has is an insane amount of talent. Talent that even today's so called artist don't posses. I'm not sure why this song isn't considered the best blues song ever made...but it damn well should be.
That transition to the last song... my God that was fine and smooth
Awesome sound ! Now listen too Roscoe Holcomb play the banjo. You will quickly hear the close relationship between the "white" mountain music and the blues of the same era. Good stuff.
+ChadCanfield Amen!
the more I watch this.... the more I am mystified. not just as a guitar player. but... as a human. it seems an unassailable uniqueness, ala Robert Johnson, I feel like im in a church in a weird country, mesmerized by a strange guitar earth god.
every time I see pt1 and pt2. I feel great happiness, and jealousy. I comment every time. I notice things. masterful things. his speed. his accuracy, his sound and voice.
this is some serious playing there !!!
fred mcdowell gives me a eargasm
I can see Keith Richards listening to this. Way way long time ago cause you know he did. ... Mick too....
That Tone and the feeling, hits you like a freight train.This is Blues
He never got the credit he should have. Listen to the feeling in his guitar and voice , grate
You and your guitar are awesome Fred.
too bad the blues isn’t about guitars....
@@dariusjackson142 l
P
Pl
Tout simplement magnifique ! Que du plaisir à entendre malheureusement tout le malheur de l esclavage
Live with the Blues and the Blues will Live with You, 72 years for me, How about You???
iT'S LOVED ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW.
I love it when Fred let's the guitar sing for him
I’m 76 and I also have these songs on vinyl, gettin, a little scratchy !!!!
thank you for the music 👍👍..... it's a life saver
priceless footage
I love Fred McDowell!
Wow, words can not describe what I am experiencing right here on youtube!
2018 still watching
Just SHOWS, Death Cannot Destroy Great Music--Master of the Slid Guitar--Fred McDowell-1906-1972...VIP...
Excellent!! Thank you for sharing all these awesome blues masters!!
He don’t play no rock n roll ❤️
what a groove, love the tone and rhythm
Super Legend!!!! LOVE!!!!!
Beautiful!
Can yall imagine what Blues heaven would be like with all the great ones up there jammin
ya gotta respect the concentration and intensity with witch he plays!
Been into him since 1972....
If I could *like* this vid a thousand times, i would! Stupendous, gets you right in the feels.
6:00 min got damn Yezusss... Blues moon and spiritual trip
just brilliant,loved it
can not get over his style. I wanna talk to bonnie raitt. guitar lessons may or may not help . this kind of shit comes from nature. totally mind blowing. still.
Me ensina atocar esse hino bem lento pra mim aprender prá mim tocar na igreja que lindo
Absolute legend
That guy is a bad ass guitar player big time
This is so awesome, really let the guitar sing.
that's an Italian guitar I believe. early Italian guitars and amps have a sharp and unique sound. the pedals from the 60s from Italy are fuzz gold
wormcloud i am italian but i don’t know what is the brand that made it. Could you please tell me the name?!
In Italy we have such a good tradition also for early echo machines, sound machines and like you said before fuzz and pedals, back in the days when music sounds were made by analog machines.
Nowadays i miss that kind of analog stuff...
I'm still wondering what guitar that might be. Anyone?
Jimmi who? Jimi himself said Fred Mcdowell and Elmore James were two of his biggest influences
I've never heard that.
Don’t ever say “Jimi who” ever again in your life you know who he is pleb.
I have just awoken from a 9 min trance...
Damn. At the end I was crying.
Simply Great!!!
Just so good !!!
So möchte ich gerne spielen. Genial !!!! RIP
Sounds like, about four guitars. It's amazing that there is only one.
Mr. Theodore yep he definitely had a very unique sound. Just blows my mind
That is exactly what I thought. I listen to the live performance at Gaslight of him for first time and said I have to watch him o you tube on a different video where it shows him playing and see how many guitars are playing with him. He can't be making all that sound by himself, and so beautifully done.......
Awsome puts others in the shade,when he plays baby please dont go you need to be standing up because you cannot stand still
He was better than most blues men I have seen in my 45 years. Muddy waters and robert johnson have Nothing on him!
They‘re all amazing. Very different styles between the three of them.
I'm so thankful someone had the presence of mind to record Mississippi Fred on film. Most of white America couldn't have cared less.
black people never came to the Folklore Society concerts I helped promote, white people saved the blues, you should know that!
0:00-3:40 Spike Driver Blues
3:41-7:22 Mojo Hand
7:24-9:00:00 When I Lay My Burden Down.
0:00-3:40 John Henry
Brazilian Atlantis technically same thing but preciate it
I'd love to see film of the Folk life festival of 74, 76 which was blues music on the Mall in DC. Anyone know if it's available
Thanks for this, awesome slide guitar, you've got a great blies video collection
There's a cool RUclips of Sherman Cooper (Como, Ms) talking about Fred... Look it up... It's cool... Sherman is pretty cool, too... He has a "Potato House" that stays a nice cool (without AC) in the hottest days of summer... Keith Richards stayed in it when he'd come to steal songs at Junior Kimbrough's Juke Joint before it burned down...
Now as for what Fred is doing??? It's pretty much laying on the #1 chord and letting his thumb do most of the work... It's called North Mississippi Hill Country Blues, also known as the "hypnotic boogie"... He's like the grandfather of that style blues and people like R.L. Burnside learned it from him as did T-Model Ford, Kenny Brown and others... Fun groove...
Love this
Instinctual blues (the best one).
most inspiring/ flabbergasting ! few have a mojo hand. fred was born with it. very few come to mind as more amazing. Segovia, r.johnson, and fred McDowell. like Picasso monet van gogh.... you can only look up .... but cant reach.
Tout simplement un bijoux
O Rodrigo ensino nus a tocar esse hino grandioso és tu bem lento prá gente aprender ficarei muito grato
his eyes and lips twitch in time to the beat.. cool.
Try some of this Elvis,can ya dig it.
One number fred mcdowell
The only way I play guitar now is with slide thanks to Fred.
Music is love
Did I just die and go to heaven?
Great man
Blown away
Jesus, keep his fingers warm. For if I get to Heaven, it's his song I want to trumpet me home.
Eight years and only 80.000 views. The world is going the wrong direction.
Top of the food chain right here. There is so much going on.
First record I got was 45 and came from Ernies record mart in Galantan Tenn played on WLAC radio station 50,000 watts.
What a masterpiece
folkseattle youre the man!
This was recorded at KTCS TV on the University of Washington campus in 1970, I believe. I was a concert promoter for the folklore society and we drove Fred to the studio. Fred was a real gentleman with a sardonic sence of humor. He was willing to show you his guitar moves, in open G he made his four chord by playing the C7 position. While some of the great bluesmen showed signs that they had been traumatised, Fred had a modern personality. We tried to get as many gigs as we could for these men so that they could go back South with $3-4K which was good money, especially in the country blues boom of that era. I never made a nickel doing this, I was just so blessed to be around and learn from the greats.
Just great
0:00 John Henry
3:43 Goin' Down To Louisiana
7:20 When I Lay My Burden Down
i like how you made a little choice thing here ,,its cool
Thanks
Absolutely fucking yes upon yes !
Why can't people record like this anymore (the camera angle) it's doing wonders for my understanding Fred's technique
It was recorded by ethnomusicologists at the Univ. of Washington for the Seattle Folklore Society. I think I was there for this, Fred was a very friendly, personable guy with some magnetism, he was basically a farmer and family man who loved music and learned from older men.
Who in their right mind would give thumbs down to this. That's a shame that some people just don't get it.
they don't like his kentucky colonel tie
Someone who can play the guitar better... of course.... (I hope you can detect the note of sarcasm)
im tempted to comment everytime I see this, why hold back? my bowels don't! - and let me clarify..... this is a benchmark in "one dude with guitar history"... go ahead study the best close ups of his playing ever recorded, and try to understand, this is a nearly UN-repeatable performance, first of all try to find that guitar, after watching this for 2 years and only now understanding a mojo hand is when you can fart all this business out without hitting a single sour note or sounding weird, and that's not to mention his oddly perfectly barked out and superbly timed singing which is a whole other topic. oh, to feel mediocre.
These are the sounds of insufferable pain and heartache.
I think so too.....but also a man who can endure all and still radiate love and giving
Hes got the world in his hands and dont know it
Fried, dyed and laid to the side baby.
Ouaaaaaaah un dieux !
I would like to buy an LP from Fred McDowell because he's soo great! Don't know where to start though...some 'tips' would be great?
Practically anything he is on.🎸🥃👍
Ok, thanks
@@lucapantalone1571 check out, I DONT PLAY NO ROCK N ROLL👍🎸🥃
his stuff on Arhoolie
@@davisworth5114 Ok David, thanks a lot for the info!
went to looozyanna. had a real hard time finding a mojo hand for sale.
I want to be him
0:00 john henry
3:42 mojo hand blues
Cookin with canned heat
2 finger freight train