country blues (1937)

This performance is surprising to those who have heard the story that Johnson sold his soul to the devil for his superior skills on the guitar. The guitar accompaniment is raw and earthy, not fluid and fast. His playing takes a backseat to his singing. The most interesting element here is the call-and-response technique. At times, Johnson uses his guitar and voice to fill between/answer the main phrases. Notice how he manipulates his voice during these fills by speaking, singing, or humming. His soundboth vocally and on guitaris the sound of country blues.
