Sylvester Weaver

Sylvester Weaver ( born July 25, 1897 in Louisville, Kentucky, † April 4, 1960 ) was an American blues guitarist and pioneer of country blues.

On 23 October 1923 he played together with the blues singer Sara Martin in New York the 78 " Longing for Daddy Blues" / "I've Got to Go and Leave My Daddy Behind" one, two weeks later as a soloist the album " Guitar Blues " / " Guitar Rag "; Both recordings were released on Okeh. These images represent the first country-blues recordings ever dar. In particular, the (actually on a guitar banjo rehearsed ) piece "Guitar Rag " is still one of the classics of early blues, a processing of the 1930s by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was as " Steel Guitar Rag " to a country standard.

Until 1927 about 50 additional pieces took Weaver, partly with Sara Martin, partly as a soloist, on, in some recordings from 1927 he was accompanied by another guitarist, Walter Beasley and the singer Helen Humes. Weaver often made ​​use of the bottleneck style, where he used a pocket knife. His recordings have been successful on the record market in 1927, however, he withdrew from the business back to Louisville, where he lived until his death in 1960. Although from the 1950s many artists of the Country Blues learned again increasing interest in their music, Weaver died in obscurity. It was not until 1992 his complete works on two CDs, the same year received his ( previously anonymous ) grave at the instigation of the Louisville-based Kentucky Blues Society a grave stone. The KBS gives further every year since 1989 to Sylvester Weaver Award to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the blues.

Works

• Complete Recorded Works Vol 1 (1923-1927), 1992, Document Records
• Complete Recorded Works Vol 2 (1927 ), 1992, Document Records