The East Coast, from Florida up to Virginia, gave birth to a vibrant fingerstyle blues tradition, documented on recordings from the mid-1920s up into the 1970s and 1980s. In "East Coast Fingerstyle Blues", John Miller has selected some of the most interesting and exciting recorded performances from that period to present to you, with transcriptions of the performances in TAB and standard notation, lyrics to the songs provided, playing tips that will help you get the songs up and running as soon as possible, and links to the original recorded performances, so that your own playing can be informed by the playing of the masters.

A particular focus of the book is the repertoire of three of the strongest practitioners of East Coast Blues-Buddy Moss, Blind Willie McTell and Blind Boy Fuller. You'll also find two songs each by Luke Jordan and William Moore, a Blind Blake tune and a host of songs from artists who qualify for the designation "talent deserving of wider recognition": Peg Leg Howell, Carl Martin, Floyd Council, Virgil Childers, Sonny Jones, Gabriel Brown, Ralph Willis, Willie Trice and Henry Johnson, many of whose songs are being made available for the first time.

Titles and Artists included: PEG LEG HOWELL Walking Blues LUKE JORDAN Cocaine Blues, If I Call You Mama WILLIAM MOORE Barbershop Rag, Ragtime Millionaire BLIND BLAKE Hard Road Blues BLIND WILLIE McTELL Writin' Paper Blues, Drive Away Blues, Stomp Down Rider CARL MARTIN Old Time Blues BUDDY MOSS Unkind Woman, Some Lonesome Day, Too Doggone Jealous, Baby, You're the One For Me BLIND BOY FULLER I Crave My Pigmeat. Mamie, Walking My Troubles Away, Worn Out Engine FLOYD COUNCIL Runaway Man Blues VIRGIL CHILDERS Dago Blues SONNY JONES Dough Roller GABRIEL BROWN Going My Way RALPH WILLIS Just A Note WILLIE TRICE Good Time Boogie HENRY JOHNSON Crow Jane

Level 2/3 • 144 pages • Direct download link to audio files.

Review: I picked up a copy a bit ago and had to pop back here to say 'thanks'. It's an exceptional book - expertly researched, extensive notes and bios and the notation is spot on. All that would be irrelevant if the song selection wasn't up to snuff, but it's chock full of outstanding tunes. I've yet to run into a song that wasn't a ton of fun to play. Big time kudos for including the more obscure tunes (my personal favorites). I'm not sure why more publications don't focus on those "forgotten" players and songs, but for me they are well worth learning and adding to the repertoire.

In any case, thank you so much John, for this incredible book and labor of love. I can already tell this book will have a permanent residence on my music stand for a long time to come. – Warren Ellis/The Woodshed