This workshop will look at slide, or bottleneck, guitar styles practiced and popularized in the pre-WWII blues and gospel era, notably by East Coast, Delta, and Texas players. Various open tunings will be examined, as will right and left-hand techniques, phrasing, tone, and interpretation. The repertoires of Blind Willie McTell, Blind Willie Johnson, Booker T. Washington “Bukka” White, Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Son House, and others will be discussed and taught. Ellis has recorded and performed much slide guitar in my career and authored the chapter on Delta blues for the multidisciplinary book, Defining the Delta (University of Arkansas Press).

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