02/07/2008
Cedell Davis: The Tenacious Delta Blues Whipping Boy
If you are a musician, and you're having a rough time of it, Cedell Davis will help keep things in perspective. This old-timer blues man has been through some shit. As a kid his favorite toys were the guitar and harmonica. By the time he was 10, polio crippled his dominant right hand, forcing him to relearn the guitar. He got used to playing left handed (with the help of a butter knife) and developed his own style of tuning. During the 40s and 50s, Cedell played a lot of shows around the Delta until 1957, when he was trampled down during a nightclub stampede. The bones in his legs were broken so badly, he would never walk again. Between his wheelchair and his butter knife, Cedell kept on keeping on.
Mr. Davis is still alive and kicking. His music can be picked up over at label Iggy Pop loves, Fat Possum.
Posted by Emily on 02/07/2008 5:28 PM in Blues
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