Arthur “Blind” Blake (c. 1896 – 1 December 1934) was an American blues and ragtime guitarist and singer who recorded prolifically for Paramount Records from 1926 to 1932. Although promotional materials listed his birthplace as Jacksonville, Florida, his 1934 death certificate indicates he was born in Newport News, Virginia, to Winter and Alice Blake (Wikipedia). Little is known about his early years, but in the mid‐1920s he emerged as one of Paramount’s star artists, and his debut solo record “Early Morning Blues” / “West Coast Blues” demonstrated his unique guitar style (Blues Foundation)
Blake is celebrated for his extraordinarily intricate finger-picking technique, which emulated the sound of ragtime piano and helped define the Piedmont blues style (Tim.Blackcat). Among his best‐known works are “Diddie Wah Diddie”, “Police Dog Blues” and “Southern Rag”. After Paramount collapsed in 1932, Blake disappeared from the recording scene and is believed to have spent his final years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 1 December 1934 (Milwaukee Record).
10 Licks
Lick 1. Blind Blake - ‘Georgia Bound’
Lick 2. Blind Blake - ‘West Coast Blues’
Lick 3. Blind Blake - ‘Tampa Bound’
Lick 4. Blind Blake - ‘One Time Blues’
Lick 5. Blind Blake - Sea Board Stomp
Lick 6. Blind Blake - He's In The Jailhouse Now
Lick 7. Blind Blake - ‘Leavin' Gal Blues’
Lick 8. Leadbelly - ‘Kansas City Papa’
Lick 9. Blind Blake - ‘Detroit Bound Blues’
Lick 10. Blind Blake - ‘Diddie Wah Diddie’
Licks Transposed
Lick 1. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 2. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 3. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 4. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 5. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 6. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 7. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 8. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 9. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Lick 10. Blind Blake - Key of C, G and E
Solo Using Blind Blake Licks
Backing Track
Blind Blake Backing Track - Key of C
Essential Listening
Album cover: Spotify
Blind Blake - The Very Best of
Released in 2007 (originally in 1925).
Features songs such as Police Dog Blues, Hastings Street, Diddie Wah Diddie and more.
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