I’m a 17 year old kid from Van Nuys California and i love this guy. I feel very emotionally connected with him. He visited me in my dreams twice. Played a song ive never heard from him and showed me around sequoia. Anyway tonight makes half a century without him and I’m going to the hill where he died in Topanga canyon. Gonna have a few drinks and joints in his memory there. Long live the blind owl. 50 years and still going
WOW. 1990-something I was waking up early in the 11th grade to listen to the House of Blues Radio Hour with Elwood Blues on the radio. I loved listening to the Blues, but there was always a riff I couldn't get out of my head from the Blues Brothers movie. The band is driving up to their Country AND Western gig. That riff haunted me. And I started listening to everything I could get my hands on. Best was Target's discount cassette bin. I started listening to everyone, from Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago to London. I got a great sprawling lesson, and found I really got where John Lee Hooker was coming from. I really like "boogie", it sounded very close the riff I had playing the back of my head. After a five or six months I couldn't listen anymore, and HAD to play. I bought a Honer harmonica (in A, but I didn't know they came in more keys). I was in Block Buster Music when I found the 2 disc album Hooker n' Heat, and was tickled to find Hooker backed by a band! Hooker is on the album saying "I really dig this kid's harmonica". Year after my graduation from high school, I was at Naropa Institute for a one credit course in Blues Music. Teacher was supposed to be Taj Mahal, but he couldn't make it that summer and convinced his teacher Dave Mayers to fly to Boulder to teach the weekend class. Mr. Mayers took me aside and listened to my playing and said: "you have all these different sounds going on at once. Choose one guy and copy him." I thought, "ok, what about that guy who played harp that John Lee Hooker liked so much?" Canned Heat, Canned Heat. On the way home I went to a used CD store and found a "Best of Canned Heat" and plugged it into the store player and skipped through the ten songs. It was a survey. But the last song started playing. IT WAS THE RIFF! The one from the movie five years before! I started crying right there in the used record shop. "Fried Hockey Boogie" rhythm guitar: Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson. Couple years later I thought "Why did I never look at the movie credits for the songs?"
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! What a gem. I've been listening to Hooker and Heat and trying to copy the Owl. His sound is incredible. This is a wonderful bit of history. What a lovely bloke. Thanks again.
Alan Wilson was a music major in Boston during the early 60's when Son House was found living in Rochester, NY. House gave up music and hadn't played guitar for years, but the Blues was a interest specialty if Alan. He worked with House and re-taught him how to play his iconic masterpieces archived with the library of congress and helped bring his playing back to performance level. John Lee Hooker was known to improv freely during live performances but said Wilson was the only harmonica player able to keep up with him. He was only starting to become popularly recognized by the public for his talents and contributions to preserving traditional american music. He was on course for becoming a music icon for his contributions to reviving careers and as an individual artist himself. Losing him at 27 ended more possibilities than we could ever imagine.
This is a remarkably important and precious archive of American music ! What an amazing insight into Alan Wilsons personality and harmonica techniques as the lesson moves from the C harp to the A harp demonstrating his talent and patience with his student. I am an ardent fan of his work and wish I could have known him. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Great comment.Alan was such a genius-and such a kind fellow.Just got back from a ten day London vacation.Brought Alan`s "London Blues" experience to mind.I have some thoughts on that experience if you`d like to hear them.
So cool I live a then next town over from his birthplace in Arlington I cruise his streets and listen to his music Occasionally I see an older guy freeze in their tracks like they’d seen a ghost Like literally freeze and turn around and watch me drive away I also cruise by club 47 in Cambridge And collect pine cones from trees in his area I’m trying to grow a dawn redwood and a giant sequoia Which would please Al If Robert Johnson learned from Son House and Alan taught Son House to play again,where does that put Al? He is what is called a musicians musician Forever under appreciated He didn’t have the Jim Morrison looks And incidentally The Doors and Canned Heat played for frat parties a number of times when they where both starting out It’s impossible to quantify the influence they may have had on The Doors
This is a treat to come across ty Wow I have to wonder who the student is/was A female friend got me into the harmonica 72-73 & to this day Im still playing Always carry one with me Needing to get a new one or two cuz I "bends" them out Maybe Ozzy got his idea for "The Wizard" with the help of Alan?hmmm
Just lower your bottom jaw and inhale while say "Ohhhhhh Eeeeeee Ohhhhhh Eeeeeee" and just keep doing it over and over until your throat muscles figure it out. Thats how you get that allusive 2 hole bend. Practice inhaling slowly.
I’m a 17 year old kid from Van Nuys California and i love this guy. I feel very emotionally connected with him. He visited me in my dreams twice. Played a song ive never heard from him and showed me around sequoia. Anyway tonight makes half a century without him and I’m going to the hill where he died in Topanga canyon. Gonna have a few drinks and joints in his memory there. Long live the blind owl. 50 years and still going
where was bob hites house in topanga?
@@coop6687 701 N Topanga Canyon
@@luisherrera2193 wow thanks so much man
@@coop6687 no problem. Make sure to play some Canned Heat or John Lee Hooker if you visit him! He’s around, trust me.
@@luisherrera2193 Death Bed Blues on repeat
How am i just now finding this… wow…. absolutely a miracle to be able to hear this🙏🏻 always thinking of you Alan ❤️
A free lesson with one of the truly great blues harmonica players!!! Are you kidding me? WOW, thank you Miss Fanny.
WOW. 1990-something I was waking up early in the 11th grade to listen to the House of Blues Radio Hour with Elwood Blues on the radio. I loved listening to the Blues, but there was always a riff I couldn't get out of my head from the Blues Brothers movie. The band is driving up to their Country AND Western gig. That riff haunted me. And I started listening to everything I could get my hands on. Best was Target's discount cassette bin. I started listening to everyone, from Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago to London. I got a great sprawling lesson, and found I really got where John Lee Hooker was coming from. I really like "boogie", it sounded very close the riff I had playing the back of my head. After a five or six months I couldn't listen anymore, and HAD to play. I bought a Honer harmonica (in A, but I didn't know they came in more keys). I was in Block Buster Music when I found the 2 disc album Hooker n' Heat, and was tickled to find Hooker backed by a band! Hooker is on the album saying "I really dig this kid's harmonica". Year after my graduation from high school, I was at Naropa Institute for a one credit course in Blues Music. Teacher was supposed to be Taj Mahal, but he couldn't make it that summer and convinced his teacher Dave Mayers to fly to Boulder to teach the weekend class. Mr. Mayers took me aside and listened to my playing and said: "you have all these different sounds going on at once. Choose one guy and copy him." I thought, "ok, what about that guy who played harp that John Lee Hooker liked so much?" Canned Heat, Canned Heat. On the way home I went to a used CD store and found a "Best of Canned Heat" and plugged it into the store player and skipped through the ten songs. It was a survey. But the last song started playing. IT WAS THE RIFF! The one from the movie five years before! I started crying right there in the used record shop. "Fried Hockey Boogie" rhythm guitar: Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson. Couple years later I thought "Why did I never look at the movie credits for the songs?"
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
What a gem. I've been listening to Hooker and Heat and trying to copy the Owl. His sound is incredible.
This is a wonderful bit of history.
What a lovely bloke.
Thanks again.
Al had the most beautiful harmonica-playing lips….and I love the sound of his sweet Massachusetts modulation🩵🩷💜
Alan Wilson was a music major in Boston during the early 60's when Son House was found living in Rochester, NY. House gave up music and hadn't played guitar for years, but the Blues was a interest specialty if Alan. He worked with House and re-taught him how to play his iconic masterpieces archived with the library of congress and helped bring his playing back to performance level. John Lee Hooker was known to improv freely during live performances but said Wilson was the only harmonica player able to keep up with him. He was only starting to become popularly recognized by the public for his talents and contributions to preserving traditional american music. He was on course for becoming a music icon for his contributions to reviving careers and as an individual artist himself. Losing him at 27 ended more possibilities than we could ever imagine.
This is a remarkably important and precious archive of American music ! What an amazing insight into
Alan Wilsons personality and harmonica techniques as the lesson moves from the C harp to the A harp demonstrating his talent and patience with his student. I am an ardent fan of his work and wish I could have known him. Thank you for sharing this with us.
aww thank you! it makes me so happy to hear your appreciation of Alan's talents
Great comment.Alan was such a genius-and such a kind fellow.Just got back from a ten day London vacation.Brought Alan`s "London Blues" experience to mind.I have some thoughts on that experience if you`d like to hear them.
in tears.....
thank you so much for this up load!
Wish there was video also, to see his actions,in addition to his instruction
So cool
I live a then next town over from his birthplace in Arlington
I cruise his streets and listen to his music
Occasionally I see an older guy freeze in their tracks like they’d seen a ghost
Like literally freeze and turn around and watch me drive away
I also cruise by club 47 in Cambridge
And collect pine cones from trees in his area
I’m trying to grow a dawn redwood and a giant sequoia
Which would please Al
If Robert Johnson learned from Son House and Alan taught Son House to play again,where does that put Al?
He is what is called a musicians musician
Forever under appreciated
He didn’t have the Jim Morrison looks
And incidentally The Doors and Canned Heat played for frat parties a number of times when they where both starting out
It’s impossible to quantify the influence they may have had on The Doors
Thanks for posting this Miss Fanny :-)
The Blind 🦉 has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a Legendary Musician.
So Cool! Listen to his accent.
Priceless!!!
This is pretty gnarly. Thank you very much.
Alan harmonica lesson
Yes it was great. thanks so much!
been playing harmonica and a Blind Owl fan for a long time and I'm just now finding this?
Christine Silverlinings :D im so so soooo glad you enjoyed it my love :)
My heart 😊
A-mazing.
Thanks!
This is a treat to come across ty Wow I have to wonder who the student is/was
A female friend got me into the harmonica 72-73 & to this day Im still playing Always carry one with me Needing to get a new one or two cuz I "bends" them out Maybe Ozzy got his idea for "The Wizard" with the help of Alan?hmmm
amazing thank u!
It looks like they have taken it down for download :( , would someone out there be able to send me with the full 40min audio!
appreciated thank you
does anybody have the full version or can link me to a working download?
Did you ever get it
Who did he do this lesson with
Just lower your bottom jaw and inhale while say "Ohhhhhh Eeeeeee Ohhhhhh Eeeeeee" and just keep doing it over and over until your throat muscles figure it out. Thats how you get that allusive 2 hole bend. Practice inhaling slowly.
Omg this is exists?!?!?!
see