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Blind, Black and Blue

The blind musicians at the heart of an American musical revolution.

In the early 20th Century, a generation of musicians redefined the life experience of black and of disabled Americans. Drawing on the indignities of slavery and segregation, Blind 鈥淲illie鈥 McTell, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller and the Reverend Gary Davis, among many others, first earned a living playing on the streets, before taking their distinctive blues sound into the recording studio. Many of them became big stars and some were lucky enough to enjoy a second period of success in the folk-blues renaissance of the 1960s.

Their blindness was no coincidence. The disability was seen by many in wider society as a curse, a belief which reduced their chances of earning a conventional living 鈥 already hampered by being black in a severely segregated country 鈥 even further. And for the poor, with no access to health care, relatively minor conditions such as conjunctivitis could lead to loss of sight. Music was a means of feeding the family and the influence of these modern pioneers can still be heard today.

As a blind person himself, 成人快手 correspondent, Gary O鈥橠onoghue was eager to find out more about the music and the men responsible for a musical revolution.

Produced by Lee Kumutat who is also blind, as is the sound engineer who mixed it, Peter Bosher.

(Photo: Gary O鈥橠onoghue crouches by the headstone of Blind Willie McTell)

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 2 Sep 2018 21:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 28 Apr 2018 18:06GMT
  • Sun 29 Apr 2018 11:06GMT
  • Sat 1 Sep 2018 13:06GMT
  • Sun 2 Sep 2018 19:06GMT
  • Sun 2 Sep 2018 21:06GMT