In 1961, Bob Dylan recorded “Fixin’ to Die” for his debut album, released the following year. The album liner notes indicate that it “was learned from an old recording by Bukka White”. However, Dylan’s arrangement uses a slightly different melody line and some new lyrics.
Album version:
The urgency and intensity of Dylan’s performance gets me every time, I love it. Continue reading The Songs he didn’t write: Bob Dylan Fixin’ To Die
Alvin Youngblood Hart (born Gregory Edward Hart, March 2, 1963 in Oakland, California, United States) is a Grammy Award-winning American musician.
Hart was born in Oakland, California, and spent some time in Carroll County, Mississippi, in his youth, where he was influenced by the Mississippi Country Blues performed by his relatives. Hart is known as one of the world’s foremost practitioners of country blues. He is also known as a faithful torchbearer for the 1960s and 1970s guitar rock of his youth, as well as Western Swing and vintage country. His music has been compared to a list of diverse artists ranging from Lead Belly, Spade Cooley to acoustic and electric guitar as well as banjo and sometimes the mandolin. Bluesman Taj Mahal once said about Hart: “The boy has got thunder in his hands.” Hart himself said, “I guess my big break came when I opened for Taj Mahal for four nights at Yoshi’s.”
Continue reading March 02: Alvin Youngblood Hart was born in 1963 – here playing Dylan’s Just like a woman
Jonny Lang (born Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr.; January 29, 1981) is an American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. He has five albums that charted on the top 50 of the Billboard 200 chart and has won a Grammy Award for Turn Around.
Let us listen to a couple of his Dylan versions.
Continue reading January 29: Jonny Lang was born in 1981 – Here playing Bob Dylan songs
“See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” is a blues song recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1927 that became “one of his most famous compositions”. Son House used the melody on his 1930 recording of “Mississippi County Farm Blues”.
Bob Dylan recorded the song for his 1962 debut album Bob Dylan. He recorded it again with the Band, which is included on The Basement Tapes (complete) as One Kind Favor.
It is also available on the “semi official” releases:
“Minnesota Hotel Tape,” Dec 22, 1961,
Second Gaslight Tape, late 1962
and Second McKenzies’ Tape, Apr 1963 Continue reading The songs he didn’t write: Bob Dylan See that my grave is kept clean (Blind Lemmon Jefferson)
..His talent takes many forms. He is one of the most compelling white blues singers ever recorded. He is a songwriter of exceptional facility and cleverness. He is an uncommonly skillful guitar player and harmonica player.
~Stacy Williams (“Bob Dylan” LP. liner notes)Dylan’s first album can hardly be faulted. It is a brilliant debut, a performer’s tour de force,….
~Michael Gray (BD Encyclopedia)
Talkin’ New York: