Reverend Gary Davis Children of Zion

[@LopanArchipelago]

Never fails that you stumble across something that stops you dead and reminds you of what we are here for.

[@angiel2045]

I listen to a lot of old blues, my favorite varies day to day and mood to mood, but I have to say Rev. Gary Davis has the most bone chilling, spine tingling sound. Simply haunting.

[@remdyxx]

i remember when i watched it for a first time one year ago, i simply had no words, was soo blown away by this song and Gary Davis. man what a master he was. since then i cant stop listening his tunes

[@kenostrow6413]

He was so prolific also! Song after song, all wonderful

[@Odin029]

I have to give Pete Seeger credit, trying to accompany Rev Davis on this song. Because that's about as powerful as one man and a guitar can get. I wouldn't have had my guitar in the building if Rev. Davis was there.

[@nilespayne3736]

Odin029 lmao!

[@davisworth5114]

I sat up all night with Rev. Davis after a concert in Seattle in 1971, there were about five of us young fans trying to pick up on the Rev, we were playing in G and everybody got to play a chorus, we went around the circle, Gary appeared to be napping but when it was his turn he played something great and then nodded off again, Gary Davis was good hearted but led a difficult life in his younger days, I feel honored to have met him. He is an American treasure, order his CD "Pure Religion".

[@davisworth5114]

@@samuelsholder2789 sorry pal, he played with a lot of people, he gave guitar lessons in NYC for years, no doubt you have never heard of "folk music", everyone plays, maybe even you!

[@lynettekomidar2819]

@@davisworth5114 great stuff with Roy Bookbinder

[@lynettekomidar2819]

I getcha, however he did teach and loved playing with other.

[@eugeniosteve30]

Rev. Gary Davis is a real master, this hymn is a very well balanced voice, inspired words with his fantastic voices both as vocal and as a jumbo essential guitar rolling. I enjoy it more and more every time I can listen the rev. Gary Davis.

[@thomasgary1219]

I've read that Gary Davis taught Blind Boy Fuller all these cool guitar licks and It's so sad that Fuller died young. It would be so cool to see a recording like this of Fuller.

[@troopers8]

He says Amen 52 times in this song. Wow. An amazing, and as Pete Seeger called it "Epic" of a song. Spectacular!

[@bojanboskovic6744]

Amen, brother!

[@tom474e]

Love watching Gary Davis perform, He puts a lot of power and soul into his music. And his guitar playing is amazing. Thanks for putting this video up.

[@randallmoore1907]

He makes it look so easy. Hats off to Brother Davis.

[@davisworth5114]

Reverend Davis.

[@peterfilardo9380]

listening to this TV program live at about the age of 13 was a life-changing moment, musically, and more

[@owsley66a]

Pete Seeger, Donovan and Shawn Phillips watching the master in silent respect

[@samuelsholder2789]

facts idk how gary davis plays guitttar without beign able to see fretboard, also idk why he tryna play bnajo

[@samuelsholder2789]

yeah i gotta turn it off now

[@tonyschram1260]

I wish Seager would have been more respectful and not picked the banjo, that had do be annoying!

[@peterfilardo9380]

i remember watching this live on TV asa junior high school kid -- it was a profound experience and musically transformative

[@Sebastian-gd6ok]

such a beautiful instrumentalist and singer

[@freeunion]

amazing atmosphere; amazing chord changes

[@TheKarlKarlThe]

This may be the most haunting blues song I've ever heard. Totally creeps me out every time.

[@davisworth5114]

it's not a blues.

[@r.menzel8020]

Rev. Gary Davis is the real thing. ❤️🙏🏼

[@tonyschram1260]

You can see the smoke coming off the finger board, definitely one the great guitar players of all time

[@saullouis]

Pete should be proud. The Rev was a one of a kind.

[@jovesheerwater]

What a master. So incredibly musical apart from everything else. Me and Phil Green saw him in Earls Court in '62. I just wanted to hug him, he was so pure and beautiful. We're so lucky. Thanks.

[@joarimuspapim8807]

Pure ! someting sound like a native american soul song, and with this twelves strings guitar maybe the twelves apostles : )

[@bojanboskovic6744]

Amen!

[@mikepiercey3845]

one of my favorite reverend songs, I also love Jorma kaukonens cover on the hot tuna album "Steady as She goes"

[@nathaniel.7172]

Rev. Gary davis is like a tank rollin

[@nathaniel.7172]

Gonna blow the building down

[@zamba3612]

As we consider who goes to Mars and beyond, we need to carve out a special place for people like Gary Davis. #elonmusk

[@melvinwren]

love how pete didnt wanna be rude and end this possibility of a never ending song. he just eventually joins in. both performances on this episode.

[@ComradeCrusty]

fell in love with this song, and the reverend (he is the blues) when godspeed put a lithograph of that steam train coming for us all in 1997...infinity.....smiles.....

[@xerkS7]

Stunning !

[@ThePSPL]

Amen

[@lynettekomidar]

America's top folklorist and a staunch political activist/ the greatest freedom fighter. "This Land is Your Land" "We Shall Overcome" and so on. Long Live Donovan

[@seadawgg65]

@ justin kropa - 🎶🎸 Daaaang Justin, this is the only blues music I've heard played on a 12-string!! 👏WOW!! 😎Thanx 4 sharing!!

[@davisworth5114]

Try Blind Willie McTell.

[@jesussaves5786]

0:32 Who else can wipe their nose mid-pick? WHO???

[@ErwinS81]

i tried once, but to no avail..

[@divingduck1970]

I can!

[@ultimateazhole]

he could probably do a full pick and wipe or flick mid pick, and not miss a lick with that pick, all while fingering a 12 string Proper string AND fling management AMEN

[@samuelsholder2789]

they do say he is a master of timing

[@hg3895]

@Genaro Capablanca God bless you sir, you are loved :-)

[@davidrussell4104]

I just read about this man. He was a mentor to Tom Winslow, a fine artist I met a few times at festivals.

[@Sawdust5764]

Serious question..... Who wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Hot Tuna?

[@Ismellbadandlooklikeshit]

Hot tuna?

[@haroldsteinblatt2567]

Hot Tuna opened the door for me and, no doubt, countless others.

[@Hikaru109Ichijyo]

blues as gospel, wow, first time seeing this . . . this is awesome well hillsong stuff uses contemporary rock / alt rock so I guess

[@Bigchurchmusic]

There are two types of people in the world, believers and unbelievers.

[@professorfunk847]

Great job!

[@wabben77]

it's in standard tuning.... davis said special tunings are like cheating :).

[@rscottenglish]

Not sure about that ...I maybe wrong but sounds like a minor pentatonic scale. On the piano it's F#, G#,B, C#, D#,

[@lionelstoodley]

It's standard tuning played in the key of Am - 3 chords Am, C and another one that I can't name, but just play ( x3111x ) - he's not tuned to concert pitch, though.

[@wabben77]

Davis was known among blues men for frequently using C# as a main part of his songs. I'm not sure if it's entirely minor pentatonic though, because I'm not musically trained. I just remember reading that about C# and Gary Davis. Hope that was helpful to you.

[@divingduck1970]

It's in standard tuning but tuned a half step down like a lot of 12 strings are.

[@davisworth5114]

@@lionelstoodley never tune a 12 string to concert, tune it an octave low in D.

[@amoruzz]

👍👍

[@YanivMasel]

i'm pretty sure it's standard tuning. the chords are simply Am and C. rev. gary davis looked down on open tunings, he considered them cheating

[@lazlosata1781]

Where did you get that info though?

[@YanivMasel]

@@lazlosata1781 can't remember. Maybe from an audio series about the delta blues I listened to years ago by Pete Seeger..? About the tuning you can see his hand positions and fingers.

[@davisworth5114]

Evidence?

[@YanivMasel]

@@davisworth5114 search this page for open tuning acousticguitar.com/video-lesson-play-like-reverend-gary-davis/

[@christaylor2070]

@@davisworth5114 Stefan Grossman mentions it several times on his guitar instruction videos, he spent a lot of time with Rev Gary so i guess he knows

[@alcuin18]

Is that a 12-string guitar?

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

Yes.

[@divingduck1970]

Epic.

[@zakcook7516]

does anyone know what tuning its in ??

[@lionelstoodley]

Regular tuning in Am

[@djashtrey]

Donovan thinks to himself, damn I thought I was a good guitar player..

[@davisworth5114]

Donovan taught the Beatles to finger pick.

[@sheddingmyvelvet]

David O'Beirn yeah and?

[@jimmc35]

wipes nose. Glorious stuff.

[@douglasnorris109]

Wow.

[@zakcook7516]

does anyone have chords/tabs to this anything?????

[@ewompruak107]

zak cook I wish, I've been learning it by ear

[@davisworth5114]

Steffan Grossman!

[@Justin-rm8fz]

Heavy

[@joejjohnston]

Haunting.

[@samarveggente540]

who's the banjo man?

[@51pcmurphy]

The two nerds mentioned below are Keith Richards and Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones showing their respect.

[@susangrossman410]

***** I THOUGHT that looked liked Donovan! How cool!

[@AnthonyPearson4JesusofNazareth]

🤗

[@libertymaida7012]

Cool i love it

[@Marciawanderer]

Pete Seeger! and Donovan sitting next to him? ... but I can't quite see the guy on the left.

[@Jezter49]

young guys these days! If you LISTEN, you can pick up the tuning...

[@lynettekomidar2819]

How's that bass!!!??

[@RealDiaz]

Pete had no business trying to accompany this legend. You can tell it is annoying the Rev

[@jerryjames4090]

Really, you think so, I don't seem to notice that. I just notice Donovan looking clueless and irrelevant, and Shawn Phillips looking mesmerized and engaged

[@davisworth5114]

No, the Rev. is not annoyed or he would have said so, his accompaniment was spot on, this is folk music.

[@RealDiaz]

@@davisworth5114 He is annoyed and now I am annoyed by you. You twit

[@greglopez9704]

He's a big human tree made of musik

[@alcuin18]

Is it even possible to learn how to play like this? lol

[@davisworth5114]

Yes, contact Steffan Grossman music.

[@sheddingmyvelvet]

A gift from god probably

[@o.sabiolouco]

hahah!

[@chelsiepheenix5036]

this is bADASS

[@o.sabiolouco]

I believe its earl scruggs