Norman Blake: The Vault Sessions

[Queequeg]

Legendary guitarist Norman Blake is still working at age 88.

Other instruemts: mandolin, six-string banjo, fiddle, dobro, banjo, viola, harmonica.
from Wikipedia:
For 10 years, he toured and recorded with country singer Johnny Cash[4] and continued to play with Cash intermittently over the next 30 years.[2] He was asked by Bob Dylan to play on the country-folk album Nashville Skyline, then became a member of the house band on Johnny Cash's TV show.[1][3] Kris Kristofferson, one of the guests, hired Blake to tour with him. Blake recorded with folk singer Joan Baez and appeared on her hit song "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".[4] In 1971, he became a member of the bluegrass group Aero-plain, led by multi-instrumentalist John Hartford with fiddler Vassar Clements, a short-lived project.

Blake also played dobro on the 1972 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

I attended his workshop in Cleveland, Ohio back in 1991.

[Silence Dogood]

Working at 88 is impressive.  Blake did an album with a lesser-known Texas guitarist called Rich O'Brien that I like a lot. 

https://folkways.si.edu/norman-blake/rich-o-brien/be-ready-boys

Rich is one of my favorite guitarists.  There is lots of Mexican-flavored stuff in his playing.  He's got two brilliant solo albums that some here might enjoy.  Sadly Rich died a couple years ago.  We lived in close proximity and I had been trying to get in touch with him for a guitar lesson or two for a while.  It never worked out. 

https://folkways.si.edu/rich-o-brien/southwestern-souvenirs

https://folkways.si.edu/rich-o-brien/seasons-roads-and-faces

[Queequeg]

Working at 88 is impressive.  Blake did an album with a lesser-known Texas guitarist called Rich O'Brien that I like a lot. 

https://folkways.si.edu/norman-blake/rich-o-brien/be-ready-boys

Rich is one of my favorite guitarists.  There is lots of Mexican-flavored stuff in his playing.  He's got two brilliant solo albums that some here might enjoy.  Sadly Rich died a couple years ago.  We lived in close proximity and I had been trying to get in touch with him for a guitar lesson or two for a while.  It never worked out. 

https://folkways.si.edu/rich-o-brien/southwestern-souvenirs

https://folkways.si.edu/rich-o-brien/seasons-roads-and-faces

Thanks for these links.
I was not familiar with Rich O'Brien.
I really enjoyed listening to several of his tunes.
 

[mike in lytle]

Blake did an album with a lesser-known Texas guitarist called Rich O'Brien that I like a lot.
Rich is one of my favorite guitarists.

You have very good taste.
Mike

[Silence Dogood]

Thanks for these links.
I was not familiar with Rich O'Brien.
I really enjoyed listening to several of his tunes.
 

Let me recommend a couple in particular to get an appreciation for his Tex-Mex flavored playing:
Under Fiesta Stars
Santa Rosa Serenade

For a tear-jerker track with Rich on vox, check out Old Town Taos. 

[Silence Dogood]

You have very good taste.
Mike

Thank you!  More people should know about Rich.  He didn't do many solo albums but played quite a bit on other recordings.  He's all over Red Steagall's albums, for example.  Insanely tasty playing!

[Queequeg]

Silence, I listened to the tunes you recommended and this one last night.
Very, very nice. And played on historic, vintage instruments.
Thanks again.

[Silence Dogood]

Silence, I listened to the tunes you recommended and this one last night.
Very, very nice. And played on historic, vintage instruments.
Thanks again.

That album with Norman Blake is really good, and as you say, played on old guitars.  Blake's vox are pretty rough to my ears but he's a great player.  Their styles compliment each other well.  Rich was fluent in gypsy jazz, swing, country, etc.  If you really want to go down the Rich O'Brien rabbit hole, check out Red Steagall's TV shows (Somewhere West of Wall Street and In The Bunkhouse).  Rich was part of the house band.  It's worth watching just to see him play.  Sure wish I could have met him!