Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Sylvester Weaver

Born in 1897 in Jefferson County, Sylvester Weaver was one of the greatest and most creative early Blues guitarists, with a jaunty, unpredictable, brittle style (predating the quirkiness of Tom Waits guitarist Marc Ribot) on songs like the immortal and truly bizarre "Me and My Tapeworm," which should be required listening for any students of real American music.

At the peak of his career, he abruptly quit the music business and moved back home to Kentucky, leaving a short recording legacy that spanned only from 1923 to 1927. When the blues revival occurred in the 50s and all the old guard were seeing new fame, Weaver stayed home and preferred to remain obscure.

He was buried without a proper headstone in the Louisville Cemetery in 1960, but funds for one were raised by the Kentuckiana Blues Society in 1992.

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