Virginia Piedmont Blues: The Lives and Art of Two Virginia Bluesmen

This book follows up on Pearson's collection of biographies of blues musicians, entitled "Sounds So Good To Me." That phrase, in fact, is from a story that John Cephas told Pearson, and it appears once again in this fuller account of Cephas's life story. "Virginia Piedmont Blues" gives the life histories of Archie Edwards and John Cephas, as told in their own words and edited together by Pearson. Both biographies are interesting and compelling reading. They provide a much more comprehensive understanding of life history than Pearson provides in his earlier book, and both bluesmen are fine storytellers. This book is especially valuable because its focus is on the Piedmont tradition of country blues playing. This style is more commonly played in the area between Washington DC down into Georgia, from where it gets its name, and it is unfortunate that these players generally are not as well-known as the more prominent musicians who play Delta blues. The Piedmont style features intricate techniques of finger-picking, rich vocals, and ornate harmonica playing, and the range of genres encompassed within the style is an ample mixture of old-time string band tunes, blues ballads, popular songs of the 19th century, British broadsides, ragtime, and other eclectic forms. Pearson provides an excellent characterization of this style, and he tracks out its influences on contemporary music. He then allows Edwards and Cephas to tell their life histories, following each narrative with a rich discussion of many of the tunes in their repertoires. Having such a large number of lyrics available, along with well-documented annotations, is an important resource for anyone interested in blues music. The book ends with a conclusion that draws together key points in his discussion. It's an excellent read for anyone interested in the blues, and it serves as a fine introduction to this unique style of guitar playing. It serves as a good follow up to "Sound so good to me," and the book fleshes out the vibrant context for Pearson's subsequent book on blues and storytelling, "Jook Right On."