The Roots Of It All: Acoustic Blues, Vol. 4, 1980's.90's, 2000's & 2010's

" Blues greats like TajMahal, James 'Son' Thomas, Homesick James, John Hammond, and Keb' Mo, alongside lesser know artists like Guitar Frank, John Dee Holeman, Precious Bryant, a.m.o. Any concern that interest in acoustic blues guitar would recede in the face of the loss of many of its leading
figures and so much electric blues and blues-rock was permanently put to rest by a new legion of disciples, and the discovery of yet more older musicians that somehow eluded discovery during the postwar era (and in a few notable cases, pre-war days). Certified legends Robert Lockwood, Jr., Henry Townsend, and Sam Chatmon were happily still in business.

Younger '60s/'70s discoveries TajMahal, John Hammond, Geoff Muldaur, David Bromberg, and Bonnie Raitt were now joined by the next generation of acoustic pickers, who brought fresh ideas to the table ? along with a
deeply ingrained sense of tradition. As the blues underwent a major resurgence during the '80s and '90s with the genre finding its way into advertising campaigns and mainstream films such as 'Crossroads,' young acoustic players with exciting new ideas emerged. In the cases of Keb' Mo and Alvin Youngblood Hart, their debut CDs were released on a major label, underscoring the genre's renewed commercial potential. Corey Harris was every bit their artistic equal, albeit without major label backing.

The acoustic movement remains very much alive today, thanks to a constant infusion of new blood and established visionaries such as Otis Taylor dedicated to escorting the approach into uncharted waters. Let there be
no doubt: acoustic blues as we've traced it over the course of this eight-disc series won't go anywhere anytime soon."