Blind Joe Taggart

Blind Joe Taggart (born 16th August 1892 as Joel Taggart Washington ; died 15. January 1961 ) was an early American blues guitarist and singer, about whose life little is known. Most of what is known about Taggart comes from Josh White , who served as a guide to the near- blind musician and was ill-treated by him. White's answer is correspondingly negative.

Taggart was a typical representative of the traveling, music-making preachers of the 1920s. He suffered from cataracts but was not completely blind when White met him in Greenville , South Carolina . At that time he called himself Joel Taggart .

Taggart made his first recordings for Vocalion in 1926 . There are several recordings of Taggart with Emma, ​​probably his wife, and James and Bertha, probably his children. Taggart also recorded under various pseudonyms , such as Blind Joe Amos, Blind Jeremiah Taylor, Blind Tim Russell and Blind Joe Donnel. Taggart may have been Blind Percy or played in his blind band. It is unclear whether he was Six Cylinder Smith , since he was not blind, or whether Smith only accompanied Taggart on the harmonica.

Each pseudonym stands for its own style of music, which shows Taggart's versatility. Another reason for using the pseudonyms was religious: they served the preacher Taggart as protection from God when he played disreputable music.

Taggart's music is said to contain references to the oldest roots of country blues , going back to the time of the American Civil War . Examples are the pieces Been Listening All Day and Goin 'to Rest Where Jesus Is .

Web links

• Biography at Allmusic Guide (English)