OK, so I came to the party late. I didn't get to hear this guy until I bought that Cassandra Wilson record recently on vinyl (Blue Light at Dawn, which as I mentioned in the thread I started about that record is really spectacular sounding), and heard this guitar playing dude, on an old resonator, getting that gritty thing going. I looked 'em up. Chris Whitley. Out of Texas. Dead. Lung cancer at a young age. He looked the part- gaunt, every record he did was different, and Dirt Floor is apparently a very simple recording, and the only one, so I gather, that got the 'audiophile' treatment. In vinyl it is out of print. I sorta tortured this guy, but he had and still has copies. They are a hundred bucks, sealed.
It's his label, Messenger Records, in NYC. The have a web site. If you buy from him, tell him I sent ya (It may help you get the record a little quicker). I have no financial interest, etc.
One other side note- Albert Porter turned me onto Black Dub, that cool kinda funk/blues/rock record by Daniel Lanois, who not only produced it, but plays in the band. What I didn't connect with was that the female singer- young, good voice, was the daughter of a well-known Texas guitarist. Turns out her name is Trixie Whitley. Chris Whitley's daughter.
So, it's actually two recommendations. In one.
PS. Yes, Myles, this is the one you were trying to remember the name of in the Cassandra Wilson thread, your recollection is good, in that you recognized the guitarist's name and knew Classic had done a release of it (on 45).
It's his label, Messenger Records, in NYC. The have a web site. If you buy from him, tell him I sent ya (It may help you get the record a little quicker). I have no financial interest, etc.
One other side note- Albert Porter turned me onto Black Dub, that cool kinda funk/blues/rock record by Daniel Lanois, who not only produced it, but plays in the band. What I didn't connect with was that the female singer- young, good voice, was the daughter of a well-known Texas guitarist. Turns out her name is Trixie Whitley. Chris Whitley's daughter.
So, it's actually two recommendations. In one.
PS. Yes, Myles, this is the one you were trying to remember the name of in the Cassandra Wilson thread, your recollection is good, in that you recognized the guitarist's name and knew Classic had done a release of it (on 45).
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