Guitar Shorty (John Henry Fortescue)

John Henry Fortescue

b. January 24th, 1923 in Bellhaven (North Carolina)

d. May 26th, 1976 in Rocky Mount (North Carolina)

PLAY MY JUKE BOX

Flyright

June 1952

Il ne faut pas le confondre avec un autre Guitar Shorty (alias David Kearney). On ne connait quasiment rien de sa vie sinon qu'il vécut dans la pauvreté et l'alcoolisme. Il raconta de nombreuses histoires inventées aux chercheurs venus l'interviewer (il aurait soi-disant appris à Elvis Presley et aux Beatles comment jouer de la guitare). Quoi qu'il en soit, sa courte carrière mérite absolument d'être redécouverte. Son premier titre - "I love that woman" - est gravé en 1952 pour le label Savoy. Il est uniquement présent sur la version CD de cette anthologie Flyright.

He should not be confused with another Guitar Shorty (aka David Kearney). We know almost nothing about his life except that he lived in poverty and alcoholism. He told many invented stories to researchers who came to interview him (he supposedly taught Elvis Presley and the Beatles how to play the guitar). Anyway, his short career deserves to be rediscovered. His first title - "I love that woman" - was recorded in 1952 for the Savoy label. It is only present on the CD version of this Flyright anthology.

CAROLINA SLIDE GUITAR

Flyright

July 1970 - July 1971

Redécouvert en 1970 par Danny Mac Lean, Guitar Shorty trouve enfin l'opportunité de graver un disque complet. Superbe guitariste (avec un usage du bottleneck inhabituel pour un bluesman de la côte Est), chanteur très expressif, on découvre alors un bluesman très attachant. L'album est enregistré grâce à Danny Mac Lean et Ken Bass lors de trois séances distinctes. "I'm going home", "Hoogle de doo", "Going down to Georgia", "Near the cross", "I got troubles in my mind" sont des morceaux puissants et prenants.

Rediscovered in 1970 by Danny Mac Lean, Guitar Shorty finally finds the opportunity to cut a complete album. Superb guitarist (with an unusual bottleneck use for an East Coast bluesman), very expressive singer, we discover a very endearing bluesman. The album is recorded thanks to Danny Mac Lean and Ken Bass during three separate sessions. "I'm going home", "Hoogle de doo", "Going down to Georgia", "Near the cross", "I got troubles in my mind" are powerful and engaging songs.

ANOTHER MAN DONE GONE

Flyright

July 1971

Dans cette anthologie Flyright, on trouve le superbe "Mother's dead and gone" de Guitar Shorty issu d'une des séances du précédent album.

In this Flyright anthology, we find the superb "Mother's dead and gone" by Guitar Shorty from one of the sessions of the previous album.

ALONE IN HIS FIELD

Trix

October 1972 - April 1973

Pour ce second album, Guitar Shorty est cette fois placé sous la supervision de Pete Lowry et son label Trix. Le bluesman montre une nouvelle fois son style unique profondément original : très expressif parfois même excentrique, extraverti, et servi par un jeu de guitare puissant, irrésistible et plein de feeling. On retient notamment "Easter blues", "Boogie now", "Like a damn fool", "Jessie Jones", "Pull your dress down", "Working hard".

For this second album, Guitar Shorty is this time under the supervision of Pete Lowry and his label Trix. The bluesman once again shows his unique and deeply original style : very expressive, sometimes even eccentric, extroverted, and served by a powerful, irresistible and full of feeling guitar playing. We can notably point out "Easter blues", "Boogie now", "Like a damn fool", "Jessie Jones", "Pull your dress down", "Working hard".

CAROLINA COUNTRY BLUES

Flyright

March 1973

En public à l'Université de Caroline du Nord à Chapel Hill, Guitar Shorty interprète deux morceaux : "Hold on baby" et l'irrésistible "Scat boogie".

In public at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Guitar Shorty performs two pieces : "Hold on baby" and the irresistible "Scat boogie".