Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search of Blind Willie McTell

by Michael Gray

The great pre-war blues musician Blind Willie McTell was one of the most gifted artists of his generation, with an exquisite voice and a sublime talent for the 12-string guitar. Yet he never achieved stardom, and until now little has been written about his extraordinary life. In this odyssey to the American South, Gray evokes the turbulent history of McTell's time and place and peels back the many layers of his compelling, sometimes tragic but ultimately uplifting story. Part biography, part travelogue, part social history, ... Read More

The great pre-war blues musician Blind Willie McTell was one of the most gifted artists of his generation, with an exquisite voice and a sublime talent for the 12-string guitar. Yet he never achieved stardom, and until now little has been written about his extraordinary life. In this odyssey to the American South, Gray evokes the turbulent history of McTell's time and place and peels back the many layers of his compelling, sometimes tragic but ultimately uplifting story. Part biography, part travelogue, part social history, this is an atmospheric, unforgettable tale. Read Less