Bringing Back the Delta Blues

Have you picked up the latest Leadbelly CD? How about Big Mama Thorton? Robert Johnson, maybe? No? That's probably because they've been dead for decades. So what's a fan of that Delta Blues sound supposed to do? Well, fret no more. C.W. Stoneking has the goods for what ails ya'.

Now, you're probably thinking, how much can a Melbourne, Australia-native, raised in the Aboriginal community of Papunya, no less, know about the songs of the Mississippi Delta? Seriously, is this guy just a poser? Well, as an aficionado of the blues myself, all I can say is give the tracks from his latest LP, King Hokum, a listen and judge for yourself. While the lyrics are borderline unintelligible, the sound is spot on. The strumming acoustic guitar and that rumbling growl of his sing about dodo birds, lost loves and the joys of living in the country. If that ain't the blues, I don't know what is.

CW will be playing Johnny Brendas in Philly on April 21st. Meet me at the crossroads just before dawn, hitch a ride with Old Scratch and I’ll see you there.

Dodo Blues
Goin To The Country