Re: [Harp-L] Blues And C&W

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aeskow@xxxxxxx wrote:
<And in reference to a recent series of threads, it's important to point 
<out that the black influence--specifically, the African one--on country 
<music and bluegrass can hardly be overstated..."

I worked with Charlie McCoy on a project for Oak Publications in 1980, 
and the first thing McCoy told me was that when he came to Nashville, he 
was mainly a guitar player, and secondly a harmonica player whose 
playing was completely out of Little Walter. He told me that he still 
listened to Little Walter whenever his own playing was stuck in a rut, 
and he always found something to inspire him there.

The second thing he told me was that he discovered after a little while 
that Walter's style was not right for Nashville, and at that point 
Charlie -- who is a very, very smart guy -- set out to develop the 
smoother style that defined country harmonica for decades.

By the way, I forgot to mention Mike Stevens, whose playing has been 
heard on dozens of Grand Ole Opry broadcasts, in my previous list of 
prominent country harmonica players.


Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com