Sometimes I gotta just sit back in my favorite chair, crank up some good blues tunes, and listen… and I mean LISTEN to all the little things going on in the track. I have a feeling you can relate… Well, when I have time to sit and listen to music, there are A LOT of guitarists to consider plugging in and trust me, depending on the day I’ve had, my list can be pretty long. One of the great slide guitarists that doesn’t come to mind for a lot of people first is Ry Cooder. Ry can surely play the blues, in addition to a lot of other styles as well, he can write great songs, and has played on stage with some of the best names music history has to offer. So this post is dedicated to the great Ry Cooder, and features three of his “bluesier” recordings – including a collaboration with David Lindley on “Mercury Blues,” a solo recording called “Feelin’ Bad Blues,” and another all star collaboration recording with the great Taj Mahal called “By & By (Poor Me).”
I encourage you to get your best sounding speakers, or your best set of headphones, find your favorite chair, crank it up, and really listen. You know I’ll be doing the same!
Here’s a live recording of the classic song “Mercury Blues,” written by KC Douglas and recorded by this pair – Ry Cooder and David Lindley in 1990. Enjoy the recording at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPpJYvLsBco.
[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/ZPpJYvLsBco” height=”420″ rel=”0″]
Next up is one of Ry’s famous solo recordings, this one being featured on the movie Crossroads. Check out his stellar slide guitar work on “Feelin’ Bad Blues,” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwYGZlBw9Y. This one’s sure to set your blues right!
[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/JIwYGZlBw9Y” height=”420″ rel=”0″]
Lastly, Ry is joined by another great blues man, Taj Mahal. Check out their little ditty “By & By (Poor Me)” for so low down, dirty blues at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2mSa6LDytY.
[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/V2mSa6LDytY” height=”420″ rel=”0″]
That’s it for this listening party. If there are any more from Ry you want to add, or anybody else for that matter, just leave them in the comments below.
Thanks and all the best in the blues my friend,
Griff
10 replies to "Slide Guitar Listening Party With Ry Cooder"
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That was some good music it’s amazing how he puts it to life like he does..
The music in “Crossroads” blew me away. Feeling Bad Blues was the best track of the whole movie. I just read form one of the bloggers that the soundtrack is available. Gonna get that one. I saw your slide course and ordered it to get the delta blues part, I think a man with a crippled left hand can play that. Thanks for tis Griff.
it was 1976 and on this song Lindley played a fiddle/violin. Sound quality
is kinda jaded….but it exists:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_-zQxrvYQg
wow…haven’t seen or heard from Lindley since the ‘Soundstage’ program where he and
Jackson Browne played…late 70’s, early eighties maybe…he played a small lap-steel me
thinks…man that last clip w/Taj Mahal was the s**t…old school done very well…so much
of Robert Johnson in there a lot of places…great musician-ship indeed! Great listening…
Thankx Griff.
This is great. I have always liked Ry cooter but I never heard him very much.
Listening to these cuts have lead me to roy Rogers on the slide guitar. Any comments about him?
the day after I saw the movie Crossroads, I was out buying the soundtrack. Absolutely amazing playing that still blows me away
great, blues at its best. loved listening thanks Griff….Question, is there any particular style guitar best suited for slide?
Thanks Dale
good stuff as usual griff. one question, i am a bgu member and i was wondering if you could recommend a teacher of your calibur on slide? i mean no offense but i can tell,slide is not your native language.i love slide and harp blues.and i finally have a guitar i can dedicate to slide.thanks for any info you can pass on.
Really Cool. Have you done a lesson set on slide, Griff? That would be neat! Such a great sound. Thanks