Two "Lost" 1969 Concerts of Rev. Gary Davis See The Light: "Let Us Get Together" feat. previously unreleased shows from Portland & Seattle

 

Legendary gospel and blues artist Rev. Gary Davis (1896 - 1972) comes back to life via these two excellent live recordings from 1969, now available from Sunset Blvd. Records.

You can get a Double CD or MP3 version, or stream it here.

Davis, blind since infancy, played guitar in the 1930s on the streets of Durham, North Carolina with artists like Blind Boy Fuller and Bull City Red. He recorded a few songs in New York in 1935, and later moved there. He played at the memorial concert for Lead Belly in 1950, and as the folk revival blossomed in late 50s and early 60s, he found himself giving private lessons (for the princely sum of $5) to many young guitarists in the New York Metro area, including a young Harry Chapin and his brother Tom Chapin. He would play on the street in New York, show up at places like Izzy Young's The Folklore Center in Greenwich Village, and even the Sunday folk hang-out in Washington Square Park. He began recording again, and as his fame grew, played The Newport Folk Festival twice and toured the U.S. and Europe extensively.

His songs "Death Don't Have No Mercy", "Cocaine", "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", and "Samson and Delilah (If I Had My Way, I Would Tear This Whole Building Down)" have been recorded by artists such as The Grateful Dead, Jorma Kaukonen, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul And Mary, and Jackson Browne.

These two live 1969 shows (Disc 1 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon and Disc 2 from Seattle, Washington) show The Reverend in fine form, albeit it slowed by age and playing a 12-string guitar for a fuller sound.

Both long-time fans and new listeners will find these shows to be a delight.