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Born in Shelby Mississippi, Henry Townsend ventured north as did many of the great Delta Blues musicians of the 1930's and 40's, eventually settling in St. Louis, Missouri. Having spent many years as an accompanying musician with legends like, Big Joe Williams, Roosevelt Sykes, and Sonny Boy Williamson, Henry never achieved the level of success many of his friends did. How unfortunate, not only for Henry Townsend, but also for fans of acoustic delta blues everywhere. Henry is a very talented composer / guitarist deserving of a wide audience. His style is evidence of his delta roots, picking, plucking, and slapping his guitar with metric precision, reminding me of Mississippi John Hurt's "Stagolee" style of acoustic blues.
Henry's current release "Cairo Blues" is a superb example of Henry's talents as a musician and songwriter. Backed by veteran guitarist Mike Stewart, who like Henry, has played and recorded with many legends like, Sleepy John Estes, Honeyboy Edwards, and Sunnyland Slim to name a few, along with Henry Brown on keyboards, and Vernell Townsend, (Henry's wife) providing vocals on "Why do we need each other?"
This thirteen-track CD of original Henry Townsend songs leaves you wanting more.
This review is copyright © 2000 by Michael Evan, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
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