Seasick Steve: Cheap Guitar Blues

The ultimate harvest of cheap guitar love comes from those beloved purveyors of primal American Blues. I do declare that I love this brother! If there is an ambassador for cheap guitars...it's Seasick Steve!

If you fancied yourself a true rock musician in the 70's...you studied ya some blues! My older brother gave me a Big Bill Broonzy record when I was in 7th grade and told me " If you wanna play rock...ya gotta listen to this first". That Big Bill record was just him playing and singing solo. It was earthy, primitive—and beautiful. I had thought that raw style was basically a lost art until I heard Seasick Steve. He definitely stepped out of the past somewhere in Mississippi...and it's a wonderful thang! In true blues style, he brings it on a cheap guitar—one with only three strings!

You really can't cheat the blues. It's a subtle "feel" thing that you can't fake. This guy has it. He's paid for it the hard way—for sure—but he's the real deal.

I love this vid. He tells the story of acquiring this cheap guitar and then he brings it...fer shizzle! This clip is from Steve's performance at the 2006 Belladrum Festival in Scotland. Steve's new CD, 'Doghouse Music' was just released in Europe. You can find out about this and other news on his website.

You can also check Steve out at iTunes.

I bought this record. It may a bit too raw for most people—but I prefer my cheap guitars straight...with no chaser.