Blind Willie McTell

Blind Willie McTell was born William Samuel McTell in Georgia in 1901. He lost his sight as a child but learned guitar early, performing publicly by the 1920s. His recordings from that period have a raw, unpolished quality that feels immediate even now.

McTell's music drew from blues, gospel, and folk traditions. He sang in a haunting voice over intricate guitar patterns, writing songs like 'You Was Born To Die' and 'Broke Down Engine' that spoke plainly about mortality and hardship. His lyrics sometimes got him in trouble with authorities, but he kept recording through the 1920s and beyond.

What remains are those early sides, where his playing and singing feel less like performance and more like someone telling you something directly. The songs hold up because they don't try to be anthems, they're just there, weathered and specific.