Blind Joe Taggart was a seminal figure in the world of early gospel blues, with a recording career that spanned the late 1920s to the early 1930s. Born in 1892, his early life is somewhat obscured by time, but it's widely recognized that despite—or perhaps because of—his visual impairment, Taggart became proficient with the guitar, developing a distinct playing style that melded raw slide techniques with the fervor of Southern evangelism. His religious convictions were a driving force in his music, which was punctuated by his gritty vocal delivery and often addressed themes of sin, redemption, and judgement, quintessential to the gospel blues genre.

Taggart's recorded legacy includes a number of 78 rpm records that are highly valued by collectors and blues enthusiasts to this day. Despite the hardships of being a traveling musician, Blind Joe Taggart made his mark with songs like "I Ain't No Sinner Now" and "Waded in the Water Trying to Get Home". His contributions to the blues canon have been compiled in collections such as "Blind Joe Taggart Vol. 1 (1926-1928)" and "Blind Joe Taggart Vol. 2 (1929-1934)," which showcase the breadth and depth of his work from his early to peak recording years. One of his notable tracks, "Mean Tempered Man," exemplifies the soulful intensity and the divine fire that he was able to capture in his music, making him an enduring figure in the pantheon of early American blues artists.

Genres

Country Gospel

Deep Delta Blues

Jug Band

Traditional Blues

Vintage Country Folk

Latest Release

Everybody's Got to Be Satisfied

Blind Joe Taggart

Album - 10 Tracks - Released August 23, 2024