Delta Blind Billy

Delta Blind Billy, or Blind Billy , was an American Delta blues artist and outlaw.[1] As a traveling bluesman in Mississippi, he performed with his contemporaries Arthur Big Boy Crudup and Papa Charlie McCoy.[2] One of his notable songs, "Hidden Man Blues", was an early variant of "Man of Constant Sorrow", with the following lyric: "Man of sorrow all my days / Left the home where I been raised."[3] He recorded his version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" in the 1930s.[4] His play on "Man of Constant Sorrow" suggests he traveled extensively, possibly through Appalachia. He is known for recording songs about being an outlaw, despite being legally blind.[5] Delta Blind Billy is not to be confused with the earlier musician, Blind Billy, who was a former slave.[6]

Legacy

Many version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" have been released and remains a popular song in folk/bluegrass circles.[7] The modern R&B artist Adia Victoria released the song "Sea of Sand" referencing Delta Blind Billy in the chorus.[8] As of March 2020, Italian Artists Vittorio Giacopini and Valerio Billeri are releasing an album and short story with illustrations on the "mysterious delta bluesman" Delta Blind Billy. [9]

References
  1. "Watch Delta Blind Billy Video". Ovguide.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  2. "In praise of … Delta bluesmen | Comment is free". The Guardian. 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  3. Zinn, Xavier (2011). Bob Dylan's Songs of the 1960's. Websters Digital Service. p. 32.
  4. Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2015). Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Black Dog and Leventhal. pp. 51–52.
  5. "Delta Blind Billy / Waitin Round For you Woman : Delta Blind Billy : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". Archive.org. 2001-03-10. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  6. "African–American History Month 2008 at the Library of Virginia". Lva.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  7. "Behind The Song: "Man Of Constant Sorrow" « American Songwriter". American Songwriter. 2011-06-30. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  8. Rhoades, Lindsey. "Adia Victoria | Baby's All Right | Music, Blues, Gothic, Singer-Songwriter | New York News, Food, Culture and Events". Village Voice. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  9. {{Cite web| url= https://www.eppela.com/it/projects/25890-la-trasfigurazione-di-delta-blind-billy
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