I'm writing this just after returning from a wonderful show at the Narrows starring the extraordinary blues guitarist and singer, Rory Block.
I hadn't seen Rory since about 1981 when my wife and I attended her show at a little coffee house in Pittsfield, MA called "The Brewery," which is apparently long gone. Rory says that she used to tell bawdy tales back then during her performance; I don't remember any of those, but, I told her after the show, I do remember her very high heels--still her trademark. In fact it was a little tricky as she walked down the Narrows' loading dock steps after the show. Her husband had to hold her hand as she balanced on some very high and very thin heels.
Anyway, she asked the audience that if they are going to the upcoming John Hammond show (Saturday, March 19th. Get your tickets before it's too late!), please remind him that she's still following the advice he gave her decades ago about what to use as the "slider" when playing slide guitar.
As she tells it, the guys who played slide in the old days would simply break a bottle, and use the bottleneck as a slide. Her fingers, though, are much smaller so it didn't work well for her. John Hammond told her to buy a socket wrench and use the socket that best fit her fingers.
And that's how she's still sliding up and down the neck of her guitar. It works!
Written by Steve the Emcee
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