One of the main reasons that I learned to play the harmonica was because of Sonny Terry. I actually became aware of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee via Sonny Terry's music which I listened to first. But then after I bought a couple of their CDs I learned to love Brownie McGee too. I really enjoy his performance in the video below.
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee- Born And Livin' With The Blues
Other Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Videos @ YouTube
Corn Bread & Peas - This video includes some interesting commentary.
Key To The Highway
Easy Rider - Note the harmonica work on this song. This is from the Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest DVD mentioned below and is a delightfully display of blues mastery. These guys tear this one up.
Sun Gonna Shine In My Back Door
A great source of some great video of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee is the DVD Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest - with Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and Mississippi John Hurt, Hedy West, & Paul Cadwell (see link below). This is a great DVD because it also has music by Mississippi John Hurt.
file under;
music, blues, video
4 comments:
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee were the reason for my first visit to a bar in the mid-70s. They were coming to the El Mocambo, here in Toronto. I was a teenaged blues freak. A buddy and I really wanted to see the show, but there was the little problem of being under-aged. We had an idea, though. We figured, if we wore blue blazers, we'd look older, old enough to get past the bouncers and in to see the show.
In the fullness of time, I see that we must have been a sight for sore eyes. But the bouncers and the waiters took pity on us. We must have had that, "I'm a blues freak deer in the headlights" look about us. They even served us a pitcher of Labatts 50.
Sonny & Brownie blew us away. They were nothing short of fantastic. We were sitting close to the stage, maybe 10 feet from the performers. I had never seen anything like Sonny in my life. He could squeeze sounds out of his harp that seemed impossible. It remains one of the most memorable music shows I've had the opportunity to attend. Those too generated so much joy of life in their music..... A few years later, I saw them again at the Ontario Place Forum. It was really weird. They weren't getting along at all. It was like there was the Sonny set and the Brownie set. They hardly sang together at all. The magic just wasn't there at all. It was still a treat to see them again, but I realized that on my first venture to the ElMo, I had witnessed something very special that we likely weren't ever going to see again.
Thanks for posting these. I haven't listened to Sonny & Brownie for a long time. You really brought back some memories.
mister anchovy, that is a great story. Again, I never got to see these guys live, but I wish I had. I could never understand why they did not get along during the end, but I guess it was all the touring they were doing. And I've always thought that Brownie McGhee did not get as much credit as he should in the blues world. I love his guitar playing and his singing. And as you said Sonny Terry was amazing on the harmonica, which is why he is one of my all time favorite harmonica players.
Wow! Great site!
My fav of this duo is whoopin the doop! These guys still sound as cool today
darcy, thanks for coming by. And thanks for your kind words.
da goddess, I have not been to a blues show in SD in a while. But I used to go to Blind Lemons down in PB all the time. Also have caught some good shows at Humphery's By The Bay. You are right, we may have met.
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