Level: 2/3
Tuning: Standard

Snooks Eaglin is one of my favorite guitarists. Particularly his first two solo records “New Orleans Street Singer” (1959) and “That’s All Right” (1961). He had all the right combinations of rawness, virtuosity, idiosyncratic style, and incredible energy. This tab is my interpretation of his scorching rendition of the New Orleans classic “High Society”, which I daresay might go down in history as his magnum opus! Since Snooks’ style was entirely unique (check whatever vids you can find of him on youtube and study his right hand - he looks almost like he’s playing clawhammer banjo!), I wouldn’t deign to play it exactly like he did. That said, I would suggest using this tab as a basic guide to learning the tune, after which one would want to focus heavily on the rhythmic attack (which I am still trying fully to get my head around!) that Snooks was so insanely good at. My rhythmic approach was to add some thumb drags à la Blind Blake here and there, and to add a little bit more alternating bass than Snooks’ version. In his case it’s never quite alternating bass, never quite full on strum, but definitely full on Snooks. There’s bits of flamenco, jazz, blues, a whole lotta swing - guess that’s the New Orleans sound for you!