In the collection
5 records
Played with
About
African-American blues, gospel singer and guitarist
Born: April 30, 1896 in Laurens County, SC, USA
Died: May 5, 1972 in Hammonton, NJ, USA
Born partially blind, Davis lost what little was left of his sight at a young age. Self-taught on the guitar, he assumed a unique multi-voice style produced solely with his thumb and index finger, playing ragtime, traditional, blues and original tunes in four-part harmony. He frequently performed on the streets of New York near Harlem, where he also came to be a well-known figure. In the 1930s occasionally accompanied his student Blind Boy Fuller or Bull City Red on recordings as a 2nd guitarist. In the 1950s in New York, he often collaborated with .
He has been an influence on dozens of musicians such as Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Donovan, Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder, David Bromberg, Wizz Jones and Blind Boy Fuller.