One of the inspirations for my recent course entitled Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed was Big Bill Broonzy. Broonzy was one of the originators when it came to acoustic blues guitar, so I wanted to throw a little bit of attention towards this great blues guitar icon by sharing some of his recordings. There are a lot of recordings to choose from fortunately, so I found about five performances that I hope you’ll enjoy. The first video features some footage of the master playing the songs, “Worried Man Blues,” “Hey, Hey,” and “How You Want It Done.” Then the next two feature recordings of “St. Louis Blues” and “Baby Please Don’t Go.” All in all, there’s a lot here to enjoy so I’ll get right into it.

The first video actually features footage from the DVD entitled “A Musical Journey: The Films of Pete, Toshi and Dan Seeger.” Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-pShRISHnQ.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/N-pShRISHnQ” height=”420″ rel=”0″]

The next video features a few still images, but is really just a recording of Bill’s classic song, “St. Louis Blues.” This song is featured in my course called Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed. Check out the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bwwj_d4Sr4.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/7bwwj_d4Sr4″ height=”420″ rel=”0″]

Lastly, here’s another recording from Big Bill Broonzy of a song called, “Baby Please Don’t Go.” Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JttvoGmGijU.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/JttvoGmGijU” height=”420″ rel=”0″]

I hope you enjoyed all these recordings from the great Big Bill Broonzy. If you’re interested in working on your acoustic blues guitar chops and learning to play like Big Bill, check out my course called Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed at http://bluesguitarunleashed.com/get-acoustic-blues-guitar-unleashed/.

Thanks,

Griff


    62 replies to "Acoustic Blues Guitar With Big Bill Broonzy"

    • Jesse Grillo

      I am hoping you write once more very soon! Any additional suggestions or hints? I bookmarked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back soon. Wow, that is a really cool way of thinking about it!

    • Love every bit of your article. Thanks again.

    • Micha Scheunemann

      Unbelievably individual friendly website. Great details available on few clicks on.|

    • Saul Korzybski

      Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog andwished to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts.In any case I will be subscribing to your rss feed andI hope you write again soon!

    • Elmer Romanski

      Superb read, I emphatically accepted this on a isolated who was doing a insignificant investigation on that. With he really bought me eat because I located it for him smile As a result agree to me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!

    • B. Stewart

      Thougly enjoyed the video. A most sincere THANK YOU! Just when I get feeling like I’m not making any progress you send out a lesson or something like this and it reinvigorates me and makes me want to keep on keeping on.
      There were some fingering in these videos that to me were jaw dropping good. I will have to play them many times to try and figure out how he did them. But it gets back to the guitar and practting agin.

      Thanks for doing what you do Griff.

    • trevor herd

      first time replying srry about that. absolutely amazed how much time you take to help all your students what little time you have in between family life and band life you must have a 48 hour day all your advice and video clips are the greatest thing since sliced bread thank you so much trevor from belfast northern ireland

    • John

      Thank you. I started lesson 4 of bgu today. can’t wait to increase my skill to take me to the next level. I can’t believe how far I have come. hearing blues music from greats like big Bill makes my heart ache with desire to learn. 🙂

    • Jon

      Hi Griff great stuff. I was playing this style back when i was around 20 on an old nylon string acoustic along with some hillbilly flatpickin etc. folks didnt really understand where i was coming from or what i was doing. Well reknowned picker Dave Diprose gave me some pointers and told me to save my money and buy the best guitar i could. I did. Anyhow, me being 20 and in Australia is about as far away from the essence of blues that you can get. 28 years later and im mostly playing a PRS through a Mesa Lonestar through various conglomerations of pedals and trying to again find the essence of da blues. Id completely forgotten where i came from and you have given me a nudge and reminded me thanks to these vids.
      Many thanks…..
      NB, Anyone can play the blues, but not eveyone can play the blues.

    • ozzy

      I love Robert Johnson more than any of the other original blues masters but Big Bill Broozy is not far behind Mr Johnson in my heart. I have a t-shirt of Robert Johnson ( the pic that’s on the cover of his album ) that I love to wear and I’m always amazed by just how many ppl ask me who he is. It’s crazy. But anyway, I listen to his album of songs on a regular basis and just can’t seem to get enough of it. Eric Clapton did a wonderful job recording Roberts songs on his album ME AND MR. JOHNSON. I love the fact that you, Griff, love Robert also. It’s not like I thought you didn’t but it was nice to hear you acknowlege it I guess. Loved this e-mail. Hope you get to put together something on Mr Johnson one day. Thanks for all you do and God bless you and your family

    • Wade Sprague

      Wow! How much fun was that stuff? Should have had more recognition.
      Thanks Griff! Very good for getting the creative juices going.

    • Bruce

      Thanks Griff for letting me know of Big Bill Broonzey , l just love his strong rythmatic style . l’ve been humming, “Babe don’t leave me now” all day long , now l’ll play this, n some others all the time now.

    • ANDREW SMALL

      Another great piece of blues history.
      Thanks.
      Andrew from AUS.

    • Art

      You did it again Griff; another outstanding video for sure. I watched then bought the CD & DVD entitled “10 Days Out” with Kenny Waynd Shepard. Many great blues players I had never heard of till then. Made me want to move to the south and immerse myself with all of those blues players like folks do when studying a foreign language. Thanks again Griff

    • Ed

      Thanks Griff
      What a special treat. I had never heard of Big Bill Broonzy until I saw this. Instant fan. Loved it!!!

    • wayne cheverie

      Hey Griff good choices always loved listening to big bill love that sound good music to the ears,thanks wayne.

    • Walter Peters

      Thank You; Griff that Music is So Pure and that makes it SO GOOD….THANK YOU>>>>>>
      Wal of the`RAPIDS“CEDAR`that is….>>>>>….. LATERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

    • Daniel M Lehman

      About 40 years ago I heard Broonzy play “See See Rider” (the last part of the “St. Louis Blues” selection here is his “See See Rider”). I thought to myself. “That’s the way a guitar is supposed to sound.” I threw away my flat picks, bought finger picks, and never tried flat picking again.
      thanks
      Dan

    • raulz

      Thanks a lot Griff. I love old blues.

    • james goodlad

      wow great just love i wish can play just awe bit

      regard james

    • Paul Warner

      I had never heard of this guy until today and I must say that is about the rawest acoustic guitar playing I have ever heard. This guy had great riffs which makes you want to learn them and incorporate them wherever you can when you are playing. Very sad that these giants of the blues didn’t get the recognition they deserved other than musicians copying them.
      So many people commenting mentioned the Rolling Stones and still to this day I listen to some of their earlier big hits where you here Brian Jones in the background laying down great blues riffs, which he must have imitated from these past blues stars. Life goes by much too quickly and we miss too much great stuff such as people like “Big” Bill.

    • Brad Allen

      Thanks for the heads up.

    • Dar Guitar

      thanks for sharing again & congrads on coming 2nd love you inf0 & teaching Dar

    • jim

      I want the course just so I can learn St Louis Blues. I think that’s about as standard as a standard can get for the acoustic blues guitar. Thanks for that history lesson. Now I gotta go grab my guitar and play a blues in E and let my little finger jump around!

    • Marty S.

      Thanks Griff, congrats on your IBC 2nd place! I too was reminded of Clapton’s performance of “Hey, Hey” on his Unplugged album. Your e-mail also mentioned a reminder to support local musicians.

      Thanks for all you do Griff!

      Marty S.

    • WildBill from Sonoma County

      Hey Griff, to tag onto your thoughts on supporting other musicians AND finding people to play with, howzabout adding a page on your site where folks can post their jamming needs and possibly a list of songs or song types they play or wish to play?
      You have a built-in audience, and with the background your team has in building web pages, this s/b a piece of cake, and VERY beneficial to your acolytes.
      Up here in No Calif it is really difficult to find folks to play with. Craigs List is about the only venue that gets enough hits to yield possible linkages to other players.

      • jim

        WildBill,

        When you buy one of Griff’s courses (and they’re all good), one of the best benefits is that you get to join his Forum (website) There’s over 20,000 blues guitar related topics with over 250,000 posts from thousands of like-minded blues guitarists.

      • deejaid

        Hey WildBill, Jim is right. When you buy one of Griff’s courses, you get an invitation to join the BGU Forum. It’s a great community of Students of the blues and there is even a section where you can post if you are looking for someone to jam with.

        My first purchase from Griff was Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed and it is a fantastic course. I never imagined I’d be able to play some of the songs I am now playing thanks to Griff’s teaching.

        By the way, I’m in the Green Valley area of Solano Co. and yes, acoustic blues players are hard to find, but we are out there.

    • bill (england)

      my dad used to sing ‘goodnight irene’ when i was a sprog. i’m not sure if he knew who Big Bill was but, i was bitten by that bug. dad was a good singer and had a repertoire that included a few tunes of that ilk, tho’ no instrument ability. when the ‘Stones’ et al bought us the blues and the players in England i was a bit ahead of the game. still lurv the stuff.GREAT!!! well done again Griff.

    • IAN

      After reading a few comments it is apparent that most people don’t know how to connect to play together. If it was somehow possible to put up a site or add to yours people that want to gig in each major city or state perhaps people could find oneanother and create an avenue to play?
      what do you think?

    • Colin Campbell

      Thanks Griff for the videos as it reminds all us students we should aspire to play at least one good acoustic blues.

    • mike z.

      Griff,congrats on your taking second place, but to me and I am sure to all of us, you are number 1 . I really enjoyed Big Bill. Great that you passed those recordings on to us. I have your Acoustic Blues course, and I am about half way through it. I can see improvement already. Thank you for being a great teacher. Mike Z.

    • WELDON RANSOME

      Hi Griff congratations on the blues challenge for coming in 2nd.You deserve it cause you are a great teacher and I love all the music you send me so you keep up the good work with your band and thank you for all the music.Have a great day Cheers

    • 601blues

      Hey Griff, congrads on the Blues challenge! You mentioned a number of Bands, I’am at the other end of the spectrum, I live in Middle Mississippi, Originally from New Orleans, Moved up here 20+ years ago to get my Sons outta the City, and Thought I would get closer to the Blues, I have in a since, But found I do miss the excitement and fellowship with so many different artist In the New Orleans area, always a Jam or Gig, Around here its almost dead, very few Players and when you do find some, its a challenge when they are intermediate or Know nothing about the Blues styles, I found you Have Musicians, which cover tunes and just want to gig, and their playing is based on a copy of different artist, and to play from the heart or to explore is out of the question to most, An artist can explore and develop new music and sound, or if they do a cover,which I do at times, Can Make it their own with a new twist, Which I see you do at times, I know I can ramble on, But with your course and experience, What I look for is different notes or phrases [lic’s] to be able to expand my musical vocabulary, To be able to express the Story I trying to tell clearly with interest, So your encouragement with the different styles and phrasing is Great, to me each time I learn a new Lick its just adding another word to my vocabulary Thanks

    • tony

      In its day that was amazing stuff . My dad would have hated it he was more country the hee haw boys . Went to my dads work one day cause I had a calf all stitched together and he had to keep an eye on me . The thing is we were on our way to his job and I asked if I could listen to the radio and changed his station and a rolling stones song was playing . Maybe brown sugar from sticky fingers He asked who it was and He could not believe I knew who It was . Anyway its because my oldest brother had the record and dad did not know this . He played guitar pretty well and actually made a recording at the radio music hall New york city. His partner did not show so he did it alone two sides of a 45 record Unfortunatly it is lost . I still play a piece of something he did . but I think he stole it from Johnnie Cash. As always Griff you get some of best of on here and thats cool. Think I heard some of this Guys stuff but was not born yet just two when it came to be . C ya . hey so how does Johnnie Cash get the train type sound in almost all his music ?

    • Abe

      Great stuff thanks for sharing ..

      • cuervo

        If you want a delicious filter for this awesome music, snag Muddy Waters “Plays Big Bill Broonzy”. One of my all-time favorite albums.

    • geoff

      Congratulations on 2nd , , two you and the boys. Love the email, keep them coming, cheers

      • jim pyron

        As one whose been on the ABGU course for about 6 months these videos display what I hope to achieve one day. No hesitation, no plunkety plunk. Just a smile on my face playing music I can share with everyone!

        • GuitarzN

          I picture the same but from a park or my front porch with my foot or tooe’s tapping to keep time!

    • JimJ

      Thank you Griff for including these videos~!

      I read an interview of Clapton where he says that Big Bill was one of his influences.

      After that I was sold on Mr. Broonzy.

      We are all fortunate that Big Bill lived while video was able to capture this fine artist.

      “Hey hey” is my favorite~!

      Jim
      12/10/2012

    • Donny Dunders

      Hey Griff, I am so glad to see this shout out to Big Bill. I have been listening to his great playing and incredible voice since I ‘discovered’ his old records in the music listening archive while in college! For me that was back in 1968! BB really was smooth. One record I have has a trumpet playing on it that really blends delta and city blues. He was great and remains great. Don

    • Johnny NH

      GREAT STUFF !! Thanks for sharin’ this Griff. Big Bill has always got my foot a’ tappin’. I’m on here now ordering your Acoustic Blues Vid Now!!. The Delta Blues one is Phenomenal and I’m gettin’ better at the slide stuff. Thanks for all you give us in these little snippets…I’m sure a lot of the folks on here get a lot out of it, especially for those who can’t quite swing it cash-wise, considering how we’re all gonna be up the monetary crap creek for 4 more years!!…The Blues will help us all get through it. Thanks Again and enjoy your Holidays…

    • bill

      i love that music. that sounds a little like me……….but….

    • LancasterRay

      WOW!Great stuff.If only I could play like this guy.Unfortunately I’ve started too late in life and am now affected by arthritis in my hands which is hampering my achieving any great standard which is very annoying.However,I’ll soldier on,I really enjoy your videos for which I am very grateful but it’s getting harder to practice because of the developing condition.Many thanks Griff for what you have sent so far,if only I could turn the clock back.

    • John H

      Hi Griff,
      I’ve had that track of Baby Please Don’t Go for more than 30 years, originally on LP which I moved to CD and now on my iPod. Great stuff, thanks for the other two tracks. All three tracks now on a released CD called Steeped in the Blues Tradition. I do love the big curl on the top of the guitar body at the beginning of the St Louis Blues video!

    • Dan Stibor

      Many years ago, RCA released an LP collection called Bluebird Blues. I have a copy. It has a lot of blues artists from the 30s, 40s, and 50s on it. There are cuts by Big Bill Broonzy, as well as Willie McTell, Tampa Red (GREAT bottleneck guitarist), Tommie McClennan, Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry, and more. The sidemen (and women) are also incredible. They include people like Lil Hardin Armstrong (Louie’s ex). Great album. It introduced a folkie like me to a whole new world.
      The “new” musical worlds that were opening up to me came as I traveled back in time. If memory serves, the next music I “discovered” was that of the Carter Family.

    • chris

      Many thanks Griff for sharing your knowledge.
      If you haven’t yet checked out Daddy Stovepipe’s channel on Youtube, you are in for a treat. He teaches a lot of this stuff.
      Keep up the good work! Love your theory stuff like kittle chords etc.

    • Art

      Awesome Stuff, especially “Baby Please Don’t Go”.

    • roger

      brilliant. thanks griff. if only i could strum like that. roger……………………

    • Bill

      I was lucky enough to be around when the beach boys ran elvis and peter paul and mary off the airwaves. Heard and enjoyed the english invasion. was so disappointed when I heard the song covered by all those bands. We ate it up and the movement scared the country into anti drug, anti music, anti hippie rules and regulations. We probably drank more than we smoked or swallowed but the liquor stores were left alone. It was amazing what Eric and his animals did with this song…. Too bad all those scaredy cats at the top of government were anti blues too. Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed and others finally got royalties.

    • John

      Big Bill eh!! Try to get hold of’ ‘Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill’; It used to be on a label called Marble Arch. I bought it in 1965, Take Care.
      John

    • George

      I guess its an age thing but surprised that big Bill is not better known. It’s probably because he was regarded as a manufactured blues singer in the 50’s and 60’s a time when a lot of the older original blues guys were still alive who had suffered the great depression etc. He was great and the biggest influence on me and his ‘Guitar shuffle’ is still my party piece.

    • Raun Maynard

      Sweet! Especially liked the first video where you can see what he’s doing. I love the way you teach an approach to understanding the blues form that isn’t dependant on just learning chords and licks but helps me to understand and “see” all the notes and possibilities in a song. I’m far from a master, but am finally starting to feel the blues form…when I start working on any of the blues songs in your videos, I often wander my way into making up my own stuff just playing around with the chords and scales. Hey, I by passed all the scales early in my learning process but now want to establish a better foundation in these pentatonic “boxes” but need a reference chart of the boxes up and down the neck….do you have any good charts for that? Sorry, I haven’t been able to afford your blues program yet, but I sure am enjoying following your lessons. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
      Raun Maynard
      raunman@yahoo.com
      (949)547-7050

    • Greg

      When I was a young man in the ’60s, I used to go to the library and check out albums about once a week. Big Bill was easily my favorite, and although I had heard some blues growing up, it was Bill’s guitar playing that really turned me on to the blues. In fact, I had pretty much given up on Rock ‘n’ Roll, until the Rolling Stones and the underground movement in music started featuring bands that were “blues based”.

      Thanks for the great post!

    • Alex Merola

      Nice acoustic blues. Also like his See See Rider

    • Ron

      I recognized “Baby Please Don’t Go” from a Van Morrison album I have. Found a number of videos, circa 1964, from “Them” covering the tune. The best one I found was John Lee Hooker and Van Morrison doing a cover of the tune while sitting on an old dock at a pond. Nothing but guitar and harp. Just coolass. http://youtu.be/52PS8sYNmuQ

    • gord goodwin

      Hi Griff,
      I was attracted to blues music very early on and was fortunate to have an album given to me when I was 17 by Sonny Boy Williamson. It was very traditional and didn’t have alot of “sound effects” but rather was done with just the playing of the instuments. I learned to appreciate it all.
      Thanks so much for all you do. Gord.

    • Russ

      Good stuff.

    • lee

      love it music to my ears.

    • Erik Grandell

      wow Griff! some great videos you have shared with us! Thank you! Big Bill must be one of the best blues guitarists no one has ever heard of!

    • Jeff Schwisow

      Wow, that’s very cool! One of my favourite acoustic blues albums is Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album (okay Keb Mo is pretty high up as well) and I recognised “Hey, Hey” straightaway from that album. Then I realised how heavily influenced that Slowhand’s acoustic style is by Big Bill’s style of playing. I honestly had never heard of him before but man a dig the way he plays an acoustic guitar. Hope my work with the ABGU course turns my playing into something remotely close.

      Jeff.

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