Arnold Shultz

Arnold Shultz ( born February 1886, Ohio County, Kentucky, † April 1931 in Butler County, Kentucky), also sometimes spelled Schultz, was an American blues and old-time musicians. Shultz is attributed to a large influence on the mandolin player Bill Monroe and the development of the " thumb- style" on the guitar.

Life

Shultz was born in 1886 as son of a born into slavery black worker. His father had adopted the last name of its owner. Shultz's entire family played stringed instruments and traveled as a musical group by the Ohio County. Shultz learned fiddle and in 1900 to play the guitar by his uncle. However, his repertoire was not limited to blues, but also extended to Old- Time Music, the music of the white rural population. Shultz's cousin remembered as Shultz pieces like Old Hen Cackle Waggoner and played on the fiddle.

Shultz lived primarily in Ohio County, where he met a young Bill Monroe in Rosine 1923. Shultz worked 1923-1925 as miners in Rosine and lived in a small hut on the railway track. Monroe was a talented boy who had just learned mandolin and guitar and played with his uncle, Uncle Pen Vandiver at square dances. Shultz made ​​Monroe the traditional African-American music, the work- songs and the blues accessible and influenced him with his guitar playing. Monroe remembered it as follows: "People loved Arnold so well all through Kentucky. If he what playing a guitar, they'd go gang up around him. " Monroe began performing with Shultz and accompanied him on the guitar. The young Monroe and Shultz made ​​friends quickly: " I used to listen to him talk and he would tell us about the contests did he had been in and how tough I admired him ... They what that much did I never forgot alot of the things he did would say. "

One day - an exact date is not known - left Shultz Monroe's home town with a train and traveled back home. He died in 1931 on his grave stone in Morgantown is written:. . " Hey what famous for his guitar picking - dedicated to picking thumb and finger cording "

Arnold Shultz's life was back next to his legacy as a musician also some legends. He is said to have on Showboats who crossed on the Green River played; he is said to have played with Louis Armstrong and together at the end of his life he was allegedly poisoned by a jealous white musicians. However, none of these statements have been proven.

Influence

Although Shultz never made ​​recordings, he is regarded as an influential musician. In addition to Monroe Shultz also influenced the guitarist Ike Everly, father of the Everly Brothers, and Moses Rager and through this Merle Travis, one of the most virtuosic guitarists in the country music. Shultz developed a style with strong bass lines, while chording and plucking a melody. Nowadays this style is mainly associated with the guitarist Travis and Chet Atkins.

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