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All tracks recorded by Blind Blake, vocals and acoustic guitar with 2 unknown, rattlebones, 6, banjo, ?Jimmy Bertrand, xylophone, vocal, A poss. George 'Bullet' Williams, harmonica, B Alex Robinson, piano, Gposs. Aletha Dickerson, piano. NB. On J& KBlind Blake was billed as 'Blind Arthur' All recordings made and issued by , with the poor sound quality that implies! Restoration and XR remastering by Andrew Rose at Pristine Audio, March 2009 Cover artwork based on the only known photograph of Blind Blake

Total duration: 79:52 ©2009 Pristine Audio.

SARL Pristine Audio, Le Bourg, 24610 St. Méard de Gurçon, France - Tel. +33 (0)5 53 82 18 57 - Internet: www.pristineclassical.com B N L O I N

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"Blind" Blake (born Arthur Blake, circa 1893, Jacksonville, Florida; died: circa 1933) was an influential singer and guitarist. He is often called "The King Of Ragtime Guitar".

Blind Blake recorded about 80 tracks for Paramount Records in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He was one of the most accomplished guitarists of his genre with a surprisingly diverse range of material. He is best known for his distinct guitar sound that was comparable in sound and style to a ragtime piano.

Little is known about his life. His birthplace was listed as Jacksonville, Florida by Paramount Records but that is not firmly established. On one recording he slipped into a Geechee dialect, prompting speculation that he was from the Georgia coastal region. Nothing is definitely known of his death and even his name is not certain. According to many sources, his real name was Arthur Phelps, although concrete evidence for this claim is lacking. Recent research has discovered that many of Blind Blake's recordings were copyrighted under the name "Arthur Blake", and in his two-part recording with , "Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It", the following dialogue is heard:

Jackson: W hat is your right name?

Blake: My name is Arthur Blake!

There is only one surviving photograph of him in existence.

His first recordings were made in 1926 and his records sold very well. His first solo record was "Early Morning Blues" with "W est Coast Blues" on the B-side. Both are considered excellent examples of his ragtime-based guitar style and are prototypes for the burgeoning . Blake made his last recordings in 1932, the end of his career aided by Paramount's bankruptcy. It is often said that the later recordings have much less sparkle

and, allegedly, Blind Blake was drinking heavily in his final years. It is likely that this led to his early death at only 40 years. (The exact circumstances P A

of his death are not known; said in an interview that he had heard Blake was killed by a streetcar.) B S L E

0 U 0 L His complex and intricate finger picking has inspired Reverend Gary Davis, , , Ralph McTell and many others. French 7

B

E singer/songwriter Francis Cabrel refers to Blind Blake in the song "Cent Ans de Plus" on the 1999 album "Hors-Saison." Cabrel cites the artist as one K H A G

L of a number of blues influences, including Charley Patton, Son House, , , Howlin' W olf, W illie Dixon and Ma U B O Rainey. D D

N I O L N B NOTES FROM W IKIPEDIA - FULL NOTES ON THIS RECORDING CAN BE FOUND AT W W W .PRISTINECLASSICAL.COM