Big Bill Broonzy 1957: 3 Songs

The great country blues singer and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy performs "Worried Man Blues," "Hey, Hey" and "How You Want It Done."
From the DVD "A Musical Journey: The Films of Pete, Toshi and Dan Seeger." More info at www.guitarvide...

[@stevetessier6568]

This was filmed the day before Bill, went into hospital, to be operated upon for the cancer.That took him away from us.My dad and Bill were extremely close and devoted friends. Bill was my beginning in blues sounds. He was the very very best man.As my Daddy often remarked. Rest in peace Bill.You were loved, and are loved by many many people always remembered.By those that you were so kind to.In this life.Especially by a little boy, who is now an old man, with a guitar singing your songs.To keep your legacy alive and vibrant....!!!!.

[@celticbastardson2599]

The "British Invasion" of British rock bands in the mid 1960s probably wouldn't have happened without Big Bill Broonzy's influence. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones always cites him as an influence, so does Eric Clapton, and others. Sounds like he happened to be a genuine, good man, even more importantly. Thanks for sharing that story with us. I'm blown away by the man's Delta blues style.

[@robertm7071]

Thank you for that touching and informative comment. It is always nice to have it confirmed that Bill coming across to me as a gentleman, was indeed true.

[@globnomulous]

Thank you for sharing this. Bless you.

[@globnomulous]

Also, is there anything else you'd be willing tell me (or us or the world or the internet) about yourself, your father, or Bill? There's so much history, so much that deserves to be remembered, and so little that's actually recorded. I've love to read anything you'd like to share.

[@greglarry11]

So glad someone filmed this and Big Bill took time to do it, though he may not have felt well.

[@peterellis6494]

I was thirteen and I was there at Circle Pines when Big Bill played this. Pete Seeger was there too. It's still reverberating sixty three years later, how good sound can sound....

[@dalelenat9936]

My friend Bob Shafritz from Philly was at Circle Pines that summer as well; do you remember him? He passed away about 20 years ago, so I would love to talk to someone who knew him. I knew his whole family many years ago--we were very close during high school and beyond. Richard Lenatsky

[@ivanleiva3428]

IM A CAMPER AT CPC RN. I see all the photos of big bill on the wall and after seeing this it really makes me wish I’d been able to see him play live. Great artist.

[@ajkaye5719]

Yeeehhaaaa

[@jbeezy8952]

You weren’t there!

[@petermoss208]

you guys are insane, that’s probably the craziest comments i’ve ever seen on youtube, Big Bill live…😳

[@joebonen353]

To me this is one of the most valuable videos on youtube.

[@awadaawada6738]

definitley is

[@gerbo17]

Too few people realize how valuable..

[@brentboggess3906]

Couldn't agree more.

[@cyrillewis8747]

Brent Boggess totally agree

[@elvisthunders3529]

Amen

[@vivis5616]

Although it was the day before his throat-cancer surgery, on that day he sang with a smile. He requested Pete Seegar(folk singer and the author of this video) who was visiting the tourist camp he was staying, to record him. Maybe he thought he would lose his voice after.... And he most likely did. The last performance of the Big B,

[@paulnebenzahl702]

Not a tourist camp, Circle Pines Center has been a center for cooperative education since 1938.

[@stanleymowatt3829]

Interesting information :)

[@thatskytech]

blabla . enjoy the music

[@Banzo_]

@@thatskytech the fact you took the time to scroll down to read comments and then actually commenting kinda contradicts your comment. Just saying

[@66tas95]

Really appreciate the little snippets of information you tube viewers give such as this performance and Big Bill's surgery. I have been a fan for forty years and didn't know this about Bill. Keep it coming, cheers from Australia.

[@jimswainston]

0:00 Worried Man Blues (aka Stump Blues) 2:43 Hey, Hey 4:10 How You Want It Done

[@alvykauffmann2356]

The first song is “Stump Blues,” featured on The Big Bill Broonzy Story, recorded in ‘57. Dialogue tracks of the conversations between Big Bill and Bill Randle have a fantastic description of the song and it’s history

[@jimswainston]

@@alvykauffmann2356 Thanks

[@TheBlankpaiges]

Wow! This audio is CLEAN for a late '50s field recording. Nice job, Pete Seeger, R.I.P.

[@FBlackRules]

Yes, Sir!

[@juana1483]

Is that a type of vodka? Any good or worth trying?

[@MrChris76ize]

Trebble is just awful, but it might just be my computer.

[@hannahstaelens6873]

After a hard days work this music brings me rest and peace in my mind. Blues is the most genuine and honest music.

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

Folk to, try it. Maybe Jean Richie?

[@NottMacRuairi]

It's amazing that he was in his mid fifties in this video, he looks much younger. Sadly he actually died just a year after this recording, from throat cancer.

[@stevemurdock7540]

Kind of Ironic to thumbs up your comment.. I didn’t know that’s how he went, nor when... and damn, that’s ironic too, what took him... being the singer he was just a year prior. what a natural bluesman he was and will always be to me. Thanks for the information.

[@edouardcarre4123]

For me, the greatest blues singer, with Lightning Hopkins!

[@mcampbell5158]

For all of us old people who lived most of their lives without KZbin. This is the stuff we were missing out on. Thank God for KZbin!! Awesome video.

[@samkitty5894]

Why didn't I discover this amazing artist already?

[@carmelcrowley158]

5 six pens on. Almost crying, old folks starting to howling , I'm a big boy

[@gorillaz111268]

I love your songs and I play in my guitars( Clapton style) greeting from caracas venezuela.

[@robsgirl6465]

This is amazing, considering he was 64 years old when the film was shot (he doesn't look a day over 40), and suffering from cancer, with only one year left to live, yet he sounds so perfectly wonderful. Simply amazing.

[@stephen25uk]

Thank the Lord that the Seegers recorded this great musician.

[@Vaga365]

The Rainbow series Pete put together is great too. You can easily find it here.

[@user-mv7to6kt8j]

This guy does not muck about with the guitar. Particularly in the second song, you can see that he makes it do whatever he wants. He has the idea and the guitar complies. Good man.

[@johncrow51]

Sam Smith Clapton must have been influenced by musicians like Big Bill. The guitar on Hey Hey is the exact same as Eric does it.

[@johncrow51]

Zach, I think there is mention of Eric's influences in an interview with Guitar Player or Rolling Stone. I am not really sure which one though.

[@danielmorris3687]

+Zachary Auster-Mehr I just finished Claptons autobiograghy and he talks about Broonzy and the big influence that he had on his playing. Keith Richards does the same in his autobioraghy too. In fact almost every English guitar player from that time who was into American blues looked up to and studied Broonzys music.

[@johncrow51]

WOW!!!

[@jct6895]

+Bernard John That's because it's the exact same song. Clapton covered it.

[@dagnabbit6187]

I hate to use that cliche but Big Bill Broonzy is an underrated Artist !

[@bonitapuercita3889]

He strikes me as a kind of genius I want to pair with Mississippi John Hurt. He has the ability to fill the world with his guitar and voice and an entirely original style that has a lot of heritage to it.

[@zeus-mt7wx]

This is a era of music that is rapidly disappearing,I just dream of these guys sitting on the porch playing cooking crawdads drinking whiskey & beer. Ohh how wish I could have been there. Thank you.

[@gedsoft3793]

Man these were professional musicians ... OK Robert Johnson & co had to be like hobos, but later but Bill, Minnie, Tampa, those ones, they were not rich but were full time. If you want your romantic ideal :) yes they existed too ... Peg Leg Howell, Little Hat Jones, Nappy Brown, King Solomon Hill, the fantastic great players who recorded a few sides and vanished again.

[@ajkaye5719]

Wow.. 😲😲😲

[@richardchambers3533]

Keith Richards has mentioned that Big Bill Broonzy had an Influence on the Stones

[@NS1.]

I'm not sure if non guitar players understand how impressive this actually is. His right hand is blowing my mind.

[@dtestify]

I've probably watched this 500 times since it was uploaded

[@awadaawada6738]

the most underrated blues man, a true legend

[@arnauc.6986]

Along with Lonnie Johnson i would say. I hear Lonnie's last job was as a dishwasher...

[@awadaawada6738]

Arnau C. Definitely lonnie johnson too, it's so sad, i never heard that about him

[@PowerOfSubmission]

I started listening to Big Bill Broonzy while I was on my first roadtrip after a while. My girlfriend was sitting next to me while we travelled across the country for the first time together. His music touched my heart and it makes me so happy that music can do this, no matter how old the song. Thank you Bill

[@tonyfreeman1339]

Magic fingers.

[@tomn9094]

A chat with Ronny Wood sent me here. Cheers.

[@BruceSeesall]

Amazing..Love..Blues...

[@seanbateson3398]

Absolute blues god amongst men.

[@seanbateson3398]

This guy - Big Bill Broonzy is amongst my greatest of personal heroes. he is an absolute Magician of the blues.

[@seanbateson3398]

Amen brotha , till we die tomorrow my brotha...

[@brunotitton]

i really hope that the 4 dislikes are because not all 3 songs are complete in the video. i dont see no other reason why someone could dislike this pure and true expression of music

[@715Tyler]

The way he plays the guitar has such a comforting sound, something even deeper than blues just pure emotion. Thanks for sharing

[@gmaildad2087]

This is so f..king good words can't describe

[@timothylee6859]

Amazing quality, sounds and looks great. we are lucky to have it.

[@tommytramp]

LOOK AT THAT THUMB GO !!! What an inspiration this man has been to my self and soooo many others!!!

[@bnhamilton]

Yes, and they never did get to do him like they done poor Shine!

[@thomasforeman2162]

Brilliant

[@davidwilcox4258]

That flat picking had me rocking.

[@victorjones7071]

When I tried to do it on my guitar, it sounded like I was choking a cat. The Masters always make it look easy.😂

[@josephgrady2129]

Worried man blues... been trying to play this one for ages now, he makes it look so simple

[@nathaniel.7172]

Where you at now? I actually play something about note for note the main thing in e, I didn't realize it's like the same, I worked it out from rising river blues by George carter an to my revelation its like the exact same thing basically, trying to work out the rest of what he's doin, looks simple but under the hood there's some technique goin on

[@josephgrady2129]

​@nathaniel.7172 seeing this 2 years on, I've progressed loads, it's all in the thumb of your string playing hand, you gotta have rhythm but more importantly feeling

[@kennethterrell7409]

Big Bill was a guitar virtuoso. And even teach him today, Unless another Stevie Ray comes out the wordworks, there won't be another. And MJH the same way. No one is coming up. Enjoy blues and enjoy Scrapple because no one has arisen in 40 years to replace them.

[@indiegemsthatjam3986]

So glad that Pete got a great view of the fretboard ... and left it there on Hey, Hey ... what a treasure

[@mistervicenteblues]

big bill was genial!

[@rievans57]

How humble and unassuming he is. Sitting on a porch, flies buzzing 'round his head while he lays down some incredible blues. No bling, bling just passion, artistry and talent. One of the fathers of modern music. Today's artists should tip their caps to artists like Big Bill Broonzy. Long may he live and long live the blues.

[@thomasdervogel2009]

Guitar master R.I.P.

[@usmessenger649]

ONE OF THE GREATEST BLUESMAN EVER,GUITARIST ,MUSICIANS WILL ALWAYS RESPECT,AND LEARN FROM THIS GREAT MUSIC.🎸😎🔊BOB.RIP BBB.

[@caioaugusto6819]

You can play like this if you want, You just need to try, to have patience and practice a lot! greetings from Brazil, strings brother.

[@gregtaras7789]

Incredible.

[@gangrel_76]

His smile is everything.

[@leer.2137]

🙏 ~ Amen Big Bill • I would have loved to have sat there, listening to whatever you had to sing about

[@CretinMike27]

I keep coming back to this. Beautiful, relaxed performance. A glimpse at how Big Bill played for himself and family and friends. Love it. I wish I could play or sing 1/4 that well.

[@giacomopandiani6290]

I’ve heard like an hour and a half long interview with songs. I think he must’ve been a really good man other than an incredible musician. Looks like a performance filmed in some place in heaven. Blessed footage of this massive bluesman. Reading the comments it’s also super interesting. Please, never delete this. It’s one of my favorite videos on YT. Knowing that this was filmed by Pete Seeger it’s unbelievable. I was looking for gold and I found diamonds. I often come back here.

[@zeus-mt7wx]

Here again after listening to Mead Lux Lewis & Jimmy Yancey Sorry to piss off you none understanding types but Me I am white grew up listening to boogie woogie, blues spent many nights at Champion Jack Dupree’s house in Halifax. Just wish I had the black sole.

[@dezertfox3130]

Thank god this was captured on film.

[@cosmicjohn09]

nice very nice.finger picking good.x.

[@barrywalker5118]

One of the best singers and blues guitarist of all time fantastic you don’t see these singers anymore sadly missed 😢❤❤

[@dantelyonheart6483]

Recorded this with throat cancer, absolutely a legend

[@rudigerabshalomdalitwestph2267]

just great - always great

[@Sabbatius527]

Whatching and listening Broonzy is a feast for my soul!

[@barristanselmy2758]

He's pretty solid aye.

[@jpruggieri1207]

His right hand was insane. What a beautiful human

[@sandienochs6132]

Real music.

[@drbekken]

Awesome guitar playing by a master musician.

[@maxwellescobar3089]

Big bill was amazing, one of my favourite guitarist..a man way ahead of his time.

[@l2string]

Alvin Lee said when he first heard Big Bill he knew he wanted to play the guitar...and put down the clarinet!

[@TheKnight1983]

Guitar legend "Alvin Lee" (19 December 1944 - March 6 2013) "My father was always playing this ethnic blues stuff around the house, and both my parents played. Then one day my father brought home Big Bill Broonzy, and there he was sitting in our living room playing, and blues was in my heart from the time I was 12 years old"

[@bornfedslaughter]

I'm so glad this video is online. He's one of the cleanest blues players in voice and technical ability.

[@pjk]

If you love a groove that is just pure balls to the wall, there aint much better than Big Bill. This style of playing is just propelled by the right thumb. Jorma Kaukonen is fond of saying, "your left hand is what you know; your right hand is who you are." And after being propelled by that incredible groove, Big Bill proves that he can do it with a flatpick too. I love how he is really digging in with that flatpick with this right hand. He has moved his right hand back towards the bridge which gives it that great tone.

[@wendyandgeoffpattison2610]

This is magical. What a great talent he was. Just a simple acoustic guitar and he makes it sing. Thanks for uploading.

[@Sabiniscool23]

So talented! Wish I could have heard him play in person:(

[@dtestify]

Perfect.

[@mancebo7]

The tone, the touch, the raw talent...

[@MezzMcGillicuddy1]

Why is it whenever I find a great, inspiring video on KZbin, I always make the mistake of reading the comments section. Seems that many people have not yet learned to simply enjoy life, they have to constantly make comparisons. They cannot praise one, without knocking another. They cannot experience something positive, without a big dose of something negative. And here I thought music was supposed to have something to do with feeling good.

[@Broonzied]

The day after this film was shot Bill had surgery for the throat cancer that took his life the following year. This is why Bill's voice is so soft.

[@mikegriffiths3440]

broonzied, where is the rest of this footage man?

[@pauldriver123]

There is only one word for this " Awsome" others can only aspire to be this great!

[@rodan2852]

I really do love the rag-time guitar and chain-gang way of singing with just a hint of the old spirituals for good measure. Every thing went to the dogs after Radio.

[@Funz2022]

The tune that Bill is playing at the end of the video, 'How You Want It Done?' was one he first recorded in 1930 (27 yrs earlier) & it's so great that we have this candid footage of him trying to remember one of his old tunes & stumbling a bit in the process . . . gold!

[@davisworth5114]

I think he stumbled because he doesn't do a lot of flat-picked tunes.

[@henryswank]

true national treasure.

[@TheWildhound]

One Moment for eternity.

[@ziggystardust48]

A Giant Amongst The Original Delta Blues Talents. Magnificent.

[@adcockbob]

My old Vietnam buddy Meadows, RIP, introduced me to Big Bill in 1967, I've been a fan ever since!

[@threeg6966]

Much love ❤️ and appreciation🎧 for blues 💙 legend, Big Bill Broonzy. 🎸

[@juiellineau]

this man was so influential to my favorites. Johnny Winter who died two days ago was my all time fav and I can hear Big Bills sound in Johnny. I just luv Bills melody lines, they got so much feel to them. thanx for the upload-peace,bro

[@DeclanPoehler]

Met Johnny at a local record store last year. I bet I was the only 16 year old there. Sadly I passed up on the opportunity to see his show later that night. RIP

[@juiellineau]

You've met the greatest blues guitar player to ever pick up an electric guitar.

[@spoonful1018]

My old friend Big Bill - one of the best guitarists ever

[@purplecowideal]

He loves what he’s doing. Absolutely!!

[@bnhamilton]

That's what makes him the best, and you can tell he knows it!

[@abkodo2]

I discover this genius musician, when I was student in Florence, Italy, in the early '60. My appreciation of his performance today is like it was 52/3 years ago!

[@myprettydogshell226]

His thumb is god. It's really valuable movie for me.

[@conradsunkiojack2538]

Very handsome guy too... Big Bill Broonzy was, and he could sing in a sweet voice 👌

[@crankbv1]

Big Bill's playing at about 2-45 is nothing short of awesome. I'm sure I once heard him playing it on a 12 string guitar many years ago although l could be mistaken.

[@14141818]

très agréable grand musicien bill

[@9903kateyes]

Another classic from Broonsy ; I love this medley.

[@andymacintyre4718]

The smile at 4mins 30ishs says it all

[@jonblake9163]

Guys like Big Bill taught Hank WIlliams the licks and song writing. Simple but everlasting.

[@MarcBrewer]

Beautiful post. Watching this it is hard to believe he would be dead in 400 days, so he must have already been sick.

[@carloseduardotupinambamace6909]

Rory Gallagher se inspirava em Big Billy Bronzy, e, nesses vídeos podemos perceber a semelhança não só do som, mas também, da expressão alegre no rosto.

[@thehauntedfisherman1792]

oh man, still loving this!!!!!! if you're feet aren't a tappin'.. and your heart ain't a saggin'.. welp then, this is the wrong place for you to be. True Guitar.

[@stewartfenton7660]

He looks so young and fit.

[@HowlinWilf13]

I love the music of Big Bill. I play my blues records to my 3 year old son, and he loves them too, especially Big Bill, Leadbelly and Memphis Slim!

[@mapsan1]

Some things never changes - as soul findings - no things so ever - just listening...

[@user-fg4hk8lx6k]

Вот с них весь рок и начелся Сильнейшие музыканты

[@bilrux]

I discovered Big Bill many years ago on a bargain LP, and he's been one of my main blues guitar heroes ever since. This set of three is a good selection. "Hey, Hey" is basically what he plays behind his "Walkin' Mules Blues" as he tells the story (KZbin it) . The third selection is a rather rare example of his use of a pick instead of his more frequent fingerstyle. Nobody had a steadier right thumb than Big Bill. What makes this set even cooler is the informal front porch setting, and Bill is clearly having fun.

[@joeolismith]

this man was is and forever will be such an inspiration. honest true soul.... music is the purest form of communication and this man nailed it!!!speaks volumes.thankyou mr broonzy.

[@stevedavis8329]

wow. tears clapton a new one with his second song.