Thanks for the responses. Stewie's posting of T-Bone's Piedmont Blues site is great. Almost the only good one. And thanks for the steer to "Red River Blues", I have to order a copy. I've seen the article in "Nothing but the Blues"--my library has it and it's great--fabulous pictures too. I''l look for that Weaver CD.

Fortunato, unfortunately I'm 3,000 miles away, otherwise I'd be there like a shot. Thanks for the responses Rick, looks like about three threads worth of stuff in those (Jug Band as string band, the sources of Robert Johnson, Washboard Sam, more). About the Wolf: I'm a four decade fanatic about him. And as to style, he was one of Charlie Patton's students, lived on the same plantation when he was a youth. All of Charlie's showmanship rubbed off on him. So he's sorta deepest Delta with a very origial twist. 'Course he had that voice like no other. Dick Justice huh? I'll hunt him. I'd heard Sam McGee (fabulous), and of Frank Hutchison, more stuff to watch for.

Van Lingle--Thanks, another CD I gotta get (like everybody else here I'm only 4,000 behind).

The first instrument I played was the five string banjo and I'm convinced that that african instrument and its fingerings are the direct ancestor of blues guitar playing (no I don't have 'evidence'). The 'three against four' 12/8 time of the blues seems to me to be descended from those sources. And all that 'lead index finger' too.

Wheee! Now I gotta go look at what you steered me to. More questions later.