Tag: Robert Johnson

The Rolling Stone is Wrong. Part One.

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The other day, I went on the Rolling Stone’s website for the first time. I usually just read the print version, but I went on the website to see what it was like. While on there, I saw an advertisment for a bunch of lists named things like “100 Greatest Guitarists“, “500 Greatest Songs” and “100 Greatest Singers”. So I looked at them. And they were wrong.

So let’s do some correcting.

The Actual Greatest Guitarists

1.     Rolling Stone says: Jimi Hendrix

        Jack Beverly Says: Eric Clapton

        What you’re all probably saying: But, but, but its Hendrix! Wahh how could you not pick Hendrix?

         Because Eric Clapton was born, that’s why. While yes, it is true that Hendrix has a much more unique sound when he plays, it’s also a fact that only one person has yet to hit a bad note playing guitar. Seriously, listen to any solo he does, it’s all perfect. Having been in bands like Cream, the Bluesbreakers, the Yardbirds, Derek and the Dominoes, Bonnie and Delanie’s tour group, Dave Mason’s tour group and even his massively successful solo career has made him the greatest guitar player ever.

          Key Track:

2.    Rolling Stone says: Eric Clapton

       Jack Beverly says: Jimi Hendrix

       Yeah yeah, get over the fact he’s in second. Jimi Hendrix was one of those people that took something that had been around forever and changed it to influence everyone that came after him. I really can’t say much more than that, just listen.

            Key Track:

3.     Rolling Stone says: Jimmy Page

        Jack Beverly sez: Robert Johnson

        I actually feel bad putting Robert Johnson this far down. In terms of influence, he’s higher than first place. His style has been copied by literally everyone on this planet that has ever played a guitar post the 1930’s. Rock n Roll came from this one man’s guitar. He was a God ahead of his time.

         Key Track:

Blues-y Blues

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In the past, I’ve blogged about all-time greatest guitar player Robert Johnson. But I mean, its pretty hard to cover the blues in just one blog. In this one, I’ll try to go over just a few of my favorite blues players.

Firstly, I want to just bring up Sister Rosetta Tharpe. If you could, picture Chuck Berry as a Baptist woman. Except instead of an ES3-35, she had an SG. Yeah. Like this guy.

It’s pretty hard to get much cooler than Angus Young or Sister Tharpe. Set your sights high kids! Don’t believe me?


Now you do.

Now, I always think about what my “desert island” albums would be (5 albums I can take to be stranded on a desert island with), and they always change. But one constant is Super Blues.

Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Little Walter and Otis Spann. I really don’t see what else needs to be said about this album. If you don’t have it, go get it. Well, I mean, only if you like music I guess.

Okay, one last person, but just because his new album just came out. Gary Clark Jr. takes the cake for one of the best NEW blues artists going right now. Blak and Blu came out on Oct. 25th, and, consequently, is the only album I’ve ever pre-ordered.  Clark has some serious soul in this album, swinging between R&B to old school blues. Go get it, but here’s a taste (at the Crossroads festival no less).

Influential Oldies

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It’s safe to say I was born into the wrong decade.

If I could pick a time to grow up in, it would be the 1920s-30s.  My favorite music comes from around then.

The king of blues, and pretty much music, was around in the twenties and thirties. Robert Johnson, or the greatest and most influential guitar player to date recorded most of his music in 1936. When you hear him play, you hear just how ahead of his time he was. This is either because of how good he was, or because everyone has copied his style. Even Cream capitalized on his success. If you ask any successful guitar player who influenced them, you can trace it all the way back to Robert Johnson, because he started it all.

My other favorite blues guitar player from around then was Robert Johnson’s old friend Son House. Son House…was Son House. He kind of just recorded what he wanted when he wanted. Screw rhythm, Son House is playing. “Grinnin’ in your Face” is basically just him clapping around the beat and singing off key and tempo. But, it’s still a top twenty five song…ever. Death Letter Blues combines is stomping, clapping and singing with some slide guitar. How bad could that be?

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