Robert Pete Williams - Scrap Iron Blues

Robert Pete Williams, bluesman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, captured here in the process of improvising a new composition, Scrap Iron Blues, in 1971. Not only does he describe his current job, but he also explains the circumstances that led to his arrest for murder and incarceration in the notorious Angola Penitentiary.

[@jhonnybladez]

Black, White, Jewish, Latino, Philipino, and Indian, At some point or time everybodies got to have the blues. Humanity. Emotions.

[@Stevoblues]

RPW is my guitar hero. His soulful style looks so easy but I've never heard and player like him. It just seems to flow from this guy. Truly amazing. He's a musical treasure.

[@hilmarwensorra1215]

In very loving memory of Mr. Robert Williams (1914 - 1980 R.I.P. // gone but NOT forgotten).

[@datdamndueheadcox751]

That's my grandpa, thanks for the love

[@chrisdrummond8893]

His style is so doggone good.

[@russellsmith3567]

Those fingers are flying, this is music!!!!!

[@kidcalabria]

This guy was great. It's perhaps the most African type of Blues, like all Delta Blues. Listen to Ali Farka Toure', from Mali, it's very similiar to some West African music, that's where it comes from, in a very underground, subterranean, genetic kinda way. When it comes to real feeling thru music it beats any pop music any day.

[@alejandroabreha4516]

Dis not no African music boa. Dis black folk music. Ion know who you is but ain’t no African put nun down like disya. Dem traditional music is not like disya son.

[@nubbins40]

Such an inventive player!

[@darryld9719]

Priceless recording.....so thankful for the people that had the foresight to do such a thing.....preserving history and at the time they probably didn’t realize they were....you tube is amazing for these type videos...thanks to all the posters!

[@8sun52]

Everybody, go easy on the four down thumbs. They're huge Archies fans who idolize the deep/ heavy bad-ass music of "The Archies".

[@Natedorny]

Good luck finding someone that can play it like that

[@gabecarter]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGKbkHmviqyGp9ksi=eP2C84dGOWf7PCG6

[@AikiJoKen]

Rare to hear absolutely authentic blues. Brilliant.

[@LenaRiess]

Almost feel that Africa is so near when hearing that wonderful blues singer and player. Thanks Dave for the post!

[@alejandroabreha4516]

😂di hell is wrong wit chu white folks. Dis not no African music

[@larryhoffmanmusic9285]

Sam Charters characterizes Robert Pete as "the definition of the country bluesman - a poet of his own experience, his language and idiom coming from the hard country background that shaped him.”

[@tmsphere]

This is avantgarde.

[@TransiberianTube]

The 4 people who downvoted this have no idea what they are listening to or the significance of real blues and roots music... and the impact of musiciams like RPW... or John Lee Hooker had on some of the greatest guitar players of all time.. stevie ray, Steve vai, hendrix, clapton... bb king... smh... if you down voted this, you're clueless.

[@patriciakimbrell3734]

Great Blues 💙 Love your Music 💙🎸💙🎸💙🎸💙💙🌟💙🌟💙🌟💙🌟💙💙

[@Roqu3Quinc0t]

damn... this is pure gold

[@whawkins8636]

One of my favorites

[@MikeSchmitz-ht5rq]

Moved me so much!

[@geden1729]

I love his comment on not knowing how it sounds.

[@AndrewHepworth-si9ty]

Feel the passion man

[@bliesboi]

if u like RW try a guy named belton sutherland sounds alot like this (lonely blues) my favorite musician by far

[@knowmoore5536]

David Schulze Jr Sam Chatmon is another lonesome bluesman with timelessness on his side!!!

[@bliesboi]

Very true

[@pena.3302]

@@bliesboi yes.thanks..

[@cvlngnrr]

I heard Jimmy Page list Robert Pete Williams as one of his influences in an interview once but have not been able to find it in KZbin.

[@Richard-pt4vf]

Th ROOTS OF ROCK N Roll❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@likesingjamesloublank839]

scrap iron blues .... YEEEHHH !!!!!!

[@G8GT364CI]

Alan Wilson of the band 'Canned Heat' really liked him.

[@chrisszeliga1425]

As he notes in the closing comments, he was prone to making songs up right on the spot. The next time he played the same song, it might very well evolve further.

[@AusDavid12]

A few years back someone had some clips up on KZbin of Robert Pete Williams performing on TV shows from 1966 and 1969(?). There were 3 songs from what I remember and they were long songs. They were soon taken down and I have never seen them posted anywhere again. Anyone know about these clips?

[@datdamndueheadcox751]

That's my grandpa, I would like to know as well...

[@collinsterry0208]

He's from Maringouin, La not Baton Rouge. A small town in Iberville Parish not far from Baton Rouge

[@JakobSeidl]

Isn’t he from Zachary

[@toddanderson4299]

@@JakobSeidl I thought he was from Zachary, too.

[@MalxaAza]

Maringouin?... Isn't it the cajun word for mosquito? I have heard this word from canadian french before.

[@collinsterry0208]

Galliane fait ce qu'elle peut 🎯 Yes it is

[@MalxaAza]

@@collinsterry0208 Thanks....

[@JamesShelton59]

Oh mercy ❤️

[@johnmatthews304]

Oh yes!

[@plutoohno]

his voice is really reminiscent of a lot of african music.

[@nicolaskozapi9671]

voice of fact dream notes !

[@BordiniBlues85]

real blues deal

[@UnclePutte]

Wow. That's one bad town to live in. But the song that came of it ain't bad.

[@prutissbartlow8835]

Amen...and that now it was

[@loulout9554]

Superbe

[@ClutchzMuch]

RAW IS GOOD

[@NatureBeastDick]

I've been in love with this video for years. Never gets old. He totally does a metal riff in there lol. Listen for it.

[@umilityjpm-one5478]

SCRAP IRON BLUES

[@likesingjamesloublank839]

le blues de la ferraille ...... "why not"......

[@bba219]

this was obviously cut from a larger piece, does anyone know the source?

[@JnOProductions]

Trevor Clifford It's taken from a Documentary...French as I remember, maybe called "En remontant le Mississippi". If my memory is incorrect this should at least point you in the right direction

[@busessuck1]

ireland.onlinefilm.org/en_en/film/28528 www.imdb.com/title/tt0402160/

[@bba219]

+busessuck1 this guy was one serious fan of les blank, or maybe the other way around...either way they are remarkably similar

[@collinsterry0208]

Trevor Clifford it's my uncle. #maringouin, La

[@wheninroamful]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYuqaX6efNKZa7s

[@plutoohno]

oh... just wow. whats the name of the movie this is from?

[@gabecarter]

Out of the Black's into the Blues

[@QuintinPenola]

wonder what his tuning is

[@adamgledhill4752]

I have a friend in the states that used to hitch hike around and got to know a lot of these old blues guys, he was very good friends with people like son House, David Edwards and was mostly mentored by John Jackson for many years. As well as Paul Geremia. But he told me that when he met RPW he used all sorts of weird tunings. He had apparently first started playing as a way of begging and didn't know you were meant to even tune a guitar. It was some time before he learned that. But he could apparently just pick a guitar up however it was tuned and re adjust his fingering in accordance to how it happened to be tuned at the time. He said it mate his work very hard to work out. He often didn't bother to tune at all he said. Thr man was a bit of a genius and certainly doesn't get the credit he diserves. He had one hell of a tough life about as blue as it gets.

[@experimentalel7]

anyone know what tuning hes in?

[@gabecarter]

Standard

[@experimentalel7]

@@gabecarter thank you!!!

[@jamesreger2431]

This made me ad...apt into something far away from what i was assuming @ the time when ole Robert here said turn that page now ya hear...thank you

[@klmullins65]

that emblem on his hat looks like the stick figures from "Blair Witch Project "!

[@tonybelleo1895]

Grandma smoking.. Cigarette

[@rustywenzlawe6287]

Think this is open g?

[@rustywenzlawe6287]

D maybe?

[@MarkBiedron]

jes hi is

[@AndrewHepworth-si9ty]

Fuck the x factor no passion

[@shantolog]

He brought a knife to a gun fight... its honestly a sad but all to common situation.

[@aaronwalker5253]

I think you got that backwards

[@busessuck1]

@Stevoblues that's the case with most of these guitarists, you can play the same notes in the same tuning... it'll never sound as good

[@GoogleSuckMyCockk]

he is sooooo zajebisty;p

[@rvz77]

Kurwa no tak!