Rory block

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Rory Block, 2014

Aurora "Rory" Block (* 6. November 1949 in Princeton , New Jersey ) is an American Blues - guitarist , singer and songwriter .

Life

Rory Block was born in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1949 and grew up in Manhattan . Her father Allan Block ran a sandals business in Greenwich Village in the 1960s , which, thanks to his activities as a musician, developed into one of the centers of the local folk music scene. The constant presence of folk artists in her parents' home made such an impression on her that she began to learn to play the guitar (initially classical guitar) as a child. Around the age of 14, she began to be particularly enthusiastic about the Delta Blues and studied the long-playing records with pre-war recordings of her black models, which were already available at the time, by transcribing the pieces and thus soon being able to replay them note by note. At the age of 15 she left her home to - together with Stefan Grossman - to meet the then newly "rediscovered" blues musicians such as Mississippi John Hurt , Reverend Gary Davis and Son House and through these contacts to perfect the traditional way of playing. She later moved to California , where she performed in clubs and coffee houses.

After she had temporarily interrupted her career to raise her two sons, she renewed her musical engagement in the 1970s with unsatisfactory success, as the record labels initially involved assigned her to the then rampant disco style. It wasn't until she signed a record deal with Rounder Records in 1981 , which encouraged her to remain true to her love of the blues, that changed. Since then, she has occupied a musical niche of her own by performing both traditional country blues on a variety of albums . including many pieces by Robert Johnson - as well as his own songs published.

Prices

Rory Block has won a total of four Handy Awards - two each for "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year" (1997, 1998) and two in the "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" category (1996, 1999).

Others

Private detective Carlotta Carlyle, heroine of the crime novels by Linda Barnes , is a fan of Rory Block.

In 2004, Martin presented a guitar developed in collaboration with Rory Block, the OM-40 Rory Block, as part of their signature series .

Discography

Albums

  • 1965 How to Play Blues Guitar , Elektra (under the pseudonym "Sunshine Kate")
  • 1975 Rory Block , RCA Victor 0733
  • 1976 Rory Block (I'm in Love) , Blue Goose Records 2022
  • 1977 Intoxication, So Bitter Sweet , Chrysalis 1157
  • 1978 How to Play the Blues Guitar , Kicking Mule Records 109 (re-release of the 1965 Elektra album)
  • 1979 You're the One , Chrysalis 1233
  • 1982 High Heeled Blues , Rounder 3061
  • 1983 Blue Horizon , Rounder 3073
  • 1983 Rhinestone & Steel Strings , Rounder 3085
  • 1986 I've Got a Rock in My Sock! , Rounder 3097
  • 1987 Best Blues and Originals , Rounder 11525
  • 1987 House of Hearts , Rounder 3104
  • 1991 Mama's Blues (live), Rounder 3117
  • 1992 Ain't IA Woman , Rounder 3120
  • 1994 Angel of Mercy , Rounder 3126
  • 1995 When A Woman Gets The Blues , Rounder 3139 (1996 "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year")
  • 1995 Turning Point , Munich 145
  • 1996 Tornado , Rounder 3140
  • 1997 Gone Woman Blues: The Country Blues Collection , Rounder 11575
  • 1997 The Early Tapes 1975–1976 , Alcazar
  • 1998 Confessions Of A Blues Singer , Rounder 3154 (1999 "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year")
  • 2002 I'm Every Woman , Rounder 3174
  • 2002 Women In (E) motion (live), Rounder
  • 2003 Last Fair Deal , Telarc CD-83593
  • 2004 Sisters & Brothers (with Eric Bibb and Maria Muldaur ), Telarc CD-83588
  • 2005 From The Dust , Telarc CD-83614
  • 2006 The Lady and Mr. Johnson , Rykodisc RCD 10872
  • 2008 Blues Walkin 'Like A Man: A Tribute to Son House, Stony Plain
  • 2008 Country Blues Guitar: Rare Archival Recording 1963-1971 Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop (with Stefan Grossman )
  • 2011 Shake Em 'on Down: A Tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowell, Stony Plain
  • 2012 I Belong to the Band: A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis, Stony Plain
  • 2013 Avalon: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt , Stony Plain
  • 2014 Hard Luck Child: A Tribute to Skip James, Stony Plain

DVDs

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rory Block | Biography & History | AllMusic. In: AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2016 .
  2. ^ Rory Block | Album Discography | AllMusic. In: AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Block, Rory
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Block, Aurora (real name); Sunshine Kate
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American folk and blues singer, singer-songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH November 6, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Princeton, New Jersey