Heroes of the Blues - The Very Best of Reverend Gary Davis

Rev. Gary Davis (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B0000AOV4H
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,942 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Samson & Delilah

2. Death Don't Have No Mercy

3. Cross & Evil Woman Blues

4. Can't Be Satisfied

5. Lord I Wish I Could See

6. Twelve Gates to the City

7. Out on the Ocean Sailing

8. Whistlin' Blues

9. Candy Man

10. How Happy I Am

11. I Belong to the Band - Hallelujah!

12. Bad Company (Brought Me Here)

13. Crucifixion

14. You Got to Move

15. Cocaine Blues

16. Soon My Work Will Be All Done

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

In the 1920’s, the prime of life, the Reverend Gary Davis was one of the two most renowned East Coast ragtime guitar players. Davis was partially blind at birth, and lost what little sight he had before he was an adult. Davis began playing at age six, and by the time he was twenty he was one of the most accomplished guitar players in blues. After spending the next 35 years in relative obscurity playing on the streets of Harlem, he again emerged as one of the giants of Blues, playing live to audiences of thousands. Davis was a major influence and teacher to Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Donovan, Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder and others.

Product Description

• Part of the Heroes of the Blues series • The only true cross-licensed best-of package for the Rev. Gary Davis • A complete complete career retrospective, covering all periods of his career and various record labels • Digitally re-mastered • Cover art by R. Crumb

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Blues and Origin of Many Blues Greats, July 27, 2008

By 

Gregg D. Armstrong "gregga" (Lake City, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues - The Very Best of Reverend Gary Davis (Audio CD)

The Reverend Gary Davis is one of the exemplars of the blues. Many of his songs have been picked up by other artists and groups. For instance, the Grateful Dead took his rendition of Samson and Delilah and made it one of their concert favorites. There are also many other blues and gospel songs to enjoy listening to. He sure plays the banjo and guitar with aplomb that preceded other great guitar players of the rock & roll and country traditions.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Old Blues Master At Work, December 1, 2008

By 

Alfred Johnson (boston, ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues - The Very Best of Reverend Gary Davis (Audio CD)

I have mentioned many of the old time black male country blues singers in this space, for example, Son House, Bukka White and Skip James. I have also mentioned the close connection between this rural music, the routine of life on the farm (mainly the Mississippi Delta plantations or sharecropping) and simple religious expression in their works. The blues singer under review meets all of those criteria and more. The Reverend Gary Davis, although not as well known in the country blues pantheon, has had many of his songs covered by the denizens of the folk revival of the 1960's and some rock groups, like The Grateful Dead, looking for a connection with their roots. Thus, by one of the ironies of fate his tradition lives on in popular music. I would also mention here that his work was prominently displayed in one of the "Masters Of The Blues" documentaries that I have reviewed in this space. That placement is insurance that that the Reverend's musical virtuosity is of the highest order. As an instrumentalist he steals the show in that film. Enough said.

Stick out songs here are the much-covered "Samson and Delilah", "Cocaine Blues" (from when it was legal, of course), "Twelve Keys To The City" and the gospelly "Blow Gabriel"

5.0 out of 5 stars Rev. Gary Davis Sings The Blues Away..., June 8, 2011

By 

R. Webb "minstrel man" (u.s.a.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues - The Very Best of Reverend Gary Davis (Audio CD)

Powerful and electrifying, Rev. Gary Davis, master of the guitar, amongst other great bluesman of the genre, Rev. Davis stands alone, aside from his religious song structure, an innovater on guitar, a strong vocalist with immense intensity, the rev. draws the listener right into the heart of the song... the songs featured here are some of the Reverend's best recorded 1930's and early 1960's sides, listening, it won't be hard to tell the time frame, the audio is excellent throughout this sixteen song set from Shout Factory, singer/songwriter Jim Croce also has a few recordings on this label... notable songs: "Sampson and Delilah", "Twelve Gates To The City", "Death Don't Have No Mercy", "Candy Man", Davis does some fine instrumental work on the old blues standards, "Cocaine", "Can't Be Satisfied", listen for the prime banjo pickin' on, "Out On The Ocean Sailing"... Rev. Gary Davis, essential, educational blues listening for everyone and aspiring musicians... the Heroes Of The Blues booklet covers are not to photographic, Gary Davis resembles more a cartooned bad Leroy Brown than a bluesman, the liner notes inside are real imformative covering Davis' life and career with recorded dates of each song.