Why You Should Listen to Son House | His Life and Music | Delta Blues

In this video, we look at the life and music of delta blues legend Son House and how he went from preachin' to preachen' the blues. His bottleneck slide guitar and powerful vocals put him at the forefront of the delta blues genre

Get my album Edward Phillips Plays the Country Blues:

Throw a tip in the Paypal bucket:

[FlaschDJ]

Somehow I don’t care about this history.
Listening to Death Letter Blues tells me all I need to know about this man.
What a FANTASTIC performer!

[LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts]

I saw Son House perform at Indiana University in about 1970 or 71. I had heard of him, but hadn't heard any of his recordings prior. Picture this: Son House slowly walks on stage to applause without his guitar. Dick Waterman (I think it was) said a few words about Son and handed him his guitar. Son got comfortable with the guitar for a moment. Then he rolled back his head and let loose a blues moan that made the hair stand up on the back of my head. He slapped his slide against the neck of the guitar in imitation. I can still feel the chill of that moan. I've never seen or heard anything like it before or since. I am glad I had the chance to attend.

[AnthonyRecenello]

By the way Edward, this is the first video essay I've seen on your channel. Not sure if you've done this before but PLEASE do more! This is so excellent.

[dylanwilliams]

It's a shame that Americans know so little of their incredible music history. Jazz & blues are easily some of the finest genres of music ever created imho. Thanks Edward. Love your channel.

[chrisjackson]

Son House rattles me right to my core. This is the sound of a soul laid bare and begging for redemption.

[AnthonyRecenello]

I was just listening to him this week. He’s a beast. To me he’s the reason why heavy rock music exists.

[TheGuitarMan]

Son House, Lightning Hopkins, Robert Johnson, Albert King, BB King, Muddy Waters are just a few of the legends to come out of the South

[pn]

@7:30 What a cool story - Canned Heat's Alan Wilson re-teaches Son House guitar he had forgotten! There's a movie in there. 'Fathers and Sons' indeed.

[vladtheimpaler]

Son is one of the greatest bluesman, and my absolute favorite. Love deep delta blues.

[jackhargreaves]

Son is an inspiration to heavy drinkers everywhere. Living to 86 yo with that lifestyle is pretty incredible.
I knew someone who gave Son accommodation for a while. He said Son lived on whiskey and milk - nothing else.

[robydeibeatcircus]

the great Son House ... thanks Alan Blind Owl Wilson for bringing Him back to the 60s !!! (R.I.P.)

[larrytron]

Son House was the ultimate master of delta blues. I really love his cover of Patton’s Pony Blues

[electricgypsyblues]

Aww Man, You have really done with this one. Its all here. I commend you for making such an informative video. Son House was it Brother

[gregarnold]

I'm a blues fan. First time I heard death letter it shook me haven't got over it to this day the blues is a life long education program it will show you yourself

[laurietongish]

Watch him play Death Letter Blues. It's some of the most amazing guitar playing I've ever seen. Makes me tear up just thinking of it.

[jdonland]

Something to note about House's birth year: Statements he made regarding his own age would seem to place it around 1886. It's not clear whether he was just exaggerating his age, was genuinely mistaken about it, or was really significantly older than his legal documents implied. If he really was born in 1886, he would have been 102 years old when he died, which seems somewhat unlikely given his lifelong alcoholism.

[alabastardmasterson]

The history is just as entertaining as the picking. This video should have exponentially more views

[r.l.six-musicandrecords]

If you haven't done one, please do one on Skip James.

[harigeorgeson]

This was really well done Edward. Son House was the real deal indeed.

[PaisleyPatchouli]

Another beautifully and lovingly presented biography of one of the most influential bluesmen of them all, Son House. Thanks!