[2018-06-08] Son House "Live At Oberlin College, April 15, 1965" (RockBeat)

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:44 pm

Description
Son House is one of the truly legendary figures in blues and folk music. He first came to prominence in 1930 when his first 78 RPM recordings for the Paramount label were issued. Like many of the greatest blues singers of the 20th century, Son was born and raised in the Delta region of Mississippi; his masterful and innovative slide guitar work was a major influence on many of the other great singers from that region including Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. Son stopped performing in the late 1940s as he did not relate to the new, powerful amplified blues band sound and felt no one cared to hear the old style, classic blues anymore. It wasn't until 1960 that Al Wilson, a devout blues aficionado, most famous for leading the rock group Canned Heat, tracked Son House down in Rochester, NY and encouraged him to perform once again. The time had finally come when a whole new generation of young people, both black and white, began to listen to and respond to the classic delta blues. Son began touring coast to coast to wild acclaim from fans far beyond that which he ever dreamed possible. From Carnegie Hall to The Care Au Go Go, his brilliant and innovative technique was admired like never before. Until his death in the late 1980s, Son House performed with all the old power and brilliance that gave him the name "Father of the Blues". This fantastic recording was taped "live" at one of the many successful Son House appearances and the existence of these recordings was only recently discovered. For the first time, not only his brilliant singing and slide guitar can be heard, but listeners are treated to a rare bit of candid banter about his lifetime of experiences as a blues man.

Tracklist
1. Introduction: It's So Hard
2. Judgement Day
3. New York Central
4. A True Friend Is Hard To Find
5. Preachin' Blues
6. Change Your Mind

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CCFRZDT/?tag=imwan-20

Willy Wilson · **Joined:** 22 Jan 2007 **Posts:** 939

A little off in their description as Son House didn't die until the late-1980's.

Kid Bailey · 16 Jul 2006

This is from the essay on House written for allmusic by the late, great Cub Koda:

" Hailed as the greatest living Delta singer still actively performing, nobody dared call himself the king of the blues as long as Son House was around.

He fell into ill health by the early '70s; what was later diagnosed as both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease first affected his memory and his ability to recall songs on-stage and, later, his hands, which shook so bad he finally had to give up the guitar and eventually leave performing altogether by 1976. He lived quietly in Detroit, MI, for another 12 years, passing away on October 19, 1988. His induction into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1980 was no less than his due. Son House was the blues. "

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:52 pm

Thanks, guys. I've corrected the label's description in the first post to read "Until his death in the late 1980s".

[2018-06-08] Son House "Live At Oberlin College, April 15, 1965" (RockBeat)

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