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Big Joe Williams
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Big Joe Williams (born Joseph Lee Williams, October 16, 1903 - December 17, 1982) was an American blues musician and songwriter, known for his characteristic style of guitar-playing, his nine-string guitar, and his bizarre, cantankerous personality.
Born in Crawford, Mississippi, Williams performed frequently, wandering across the United States busking and playing stores, bars, alleys and work camps, as well as recording for Okeh, Bluebird Records, Delmark Records, Prestige Records and Vocalion.
Big Joe’s guitar playing is decidedly in the Delta Blues style, and yet is unique. He played driving rhythm and virtuosic lead lines simultaneously, and sang over it all. He played with picks both on his thumb and index finger, plus his guitar was very heavily modified.
Williams added a rudimentary electric pick-up, whose wires coiled all over the top of his guitar. He also added three extra strings, creating unison pairs for the first and second courses and an octave pair for the fourth course.
Born in Crawford, Mississippi, Williams performed frequently, wandering across the United States busking and playing stores, bars, alleys and work camps, as well as recording for Okeh, Bluebird Records, Delmark Records, Prestige Records and Vocalion.
Big Joe’s guitar playing is decidedly in the Delta Blues style, and yet is unique. He played driving rhythm and virtuosic lead lines simultaneously, and sang over it all. He played with picks both on his thumb and index finger, plus his guitar was very heavily modified.
Williams added a rudimentary electric pick-up, whose wires coiled all over the top of his guitar. He also added three extra strings, creating unison pairs for the first and second courses and an octave pair for the fourth course.
Top Albums
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Baby Please Don't Go
Big Joe Williams
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These Are My Blues
Big Joe Williams Buy- Download Album
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Chicago 63
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Top Tracks
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Baby Please Don't Go
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Peach Orchard Mama
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Baby, Please Don't Go
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Stepfather Blues
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Highway 49
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Providence Help the Poor People
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Brother James
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Meet Me Around the Corner
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Don't Want No Big Fat Woman
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Wild Cow Blues
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Rootin' Ground Hog
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I Know You Gonna Miss Me
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Stack O' Dollars
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Crawlin' King Snake
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Throw a Boogie Woogie
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Shoutbox
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JoshCIVM wrote:
...I think everyone was just a cracked nutcase. Which is what makes them so cool.
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Jim_Lithium wrote:
Pigmeatl - I think you got it wrong. I have the 'High Times Reader' book which includes a lenghty account by Michael Bloomfield called "Me and Big Joe" about his friendship and trips with the guy. They went to see Jazz Gillum together and he was the one who was living in a shack, stoking a raging fire in the middle of the summer.
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BluesRok wrote:
At the group Blues Artist of the Week, you can vote for up to 5 artist for the title each week, and play some great blues games! Hope to see you there!
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PigmeatI wrote:
I remember reading an account by Paul Butterfield about trying to locate Big Joe in the 60's when the blues revival took off. He was going to take him out on tour. He found Big Joe holed up in a shack in the middle of summer,fire blazing in the stove,every stitch of clothes he owned on, widows and doors sealed tight hollerin' about how the fire was keeping the Devil away. Butterfield got him out and spent some time with him,but I think Big Joe scared the living Hell out of him? Sometimes you need to let sleeping dogs lie.
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BlindWilliam wrote:
I'm'a build me a scaffold/and hang my doggone self. Bring your bags from the south over to Great Black Music. P E A C E > bw
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SYL2Oh wrote:
The many years spent on roads have fed the imagination of this guitarist whith the full game!
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Carlos44 wrote:
big man ;)
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safe-as-milk wrote:
history will favour me as the first person on the shoutbox. some of the best delta guitar work out there
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Recent Activity
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JeanRoyale tagged Big Joe Williams with delta blues and blues. 20 days ago
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Groups (9)
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BLUES council
61 members
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Pre-War Blues
206 members
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Smithsonian Folkways
155 members
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The Blues House
38 members
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El-P
38 members
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