Junior Kimbrough - tuning ???

[PeteMac]

G'day guys,

I'm suddenly discovering the Mississippi Hill Country blues sound . . . and Junior Kimbrough is blowing me away ! (this is a style I've always liked, but never knew it had a "name"!)
I'm trying to get a handle on the sound of his tunings - I know it may be flat or sharp, depending on the night, etc. - but I'd like some sort of a clue on the "type" of tuning he used.

Any clues would be a big help.

Cheers,
Pete

[jbmando]

Sounds like standard tuning to me. I'm pretty sure he plays a lot of stuff in A on his guitar, whether it comes out G# depends on if it's tuned flat or not, but he seems to drone on the A string and riff on the top three strings. I'd say put some heavy strings on there and have at it.

[soultosoul13]

Originally Posted by jbmando

Sounds like standard tuning to me. I'm pretty sure he plays a lot of stuff in A on his guitar, whether it comes out G# depends on if it's tuned flat or not, but he seems to drone on the A string and riff on the top three strings. I'd say put some heavy strings on there and have at it.

agreed. most of juniors stuff is standard tuning. usually in the key of A so he can drone on that low A. i think he used open g on some stuff too (meet me in the city).
either way, junior is the balls.

[Jellyroll]

Love Junior! My band does a cover of meet me in the city with a buddy Dale Beavers who used to play with Junior. Next time I see him I'll ask. Meet me is in A though.

[PeteMac]

Thanks fellas.

I was getting close in standard, but I thought there may be something else.

Cheers

[soultosoul13]

Originally Posted by Jellyroll

Love Junior! My band does a cover of meet me in the city with a buddy Dale Beavers who used to play with Junior. Next time I see him I'll ask. Meet me is in A though.

could be open A

[Jellyroll]

Originally Posted by soultosoul13

could be open A

It's possible, but I am inclined to think it is standard tuning. Again, I will try and see if Dale knows, but I haven't seen him around lately.

[Indra]

I don't have an answer for the tuning question, but if you like Junior Kimbrough you should check out Richard Johnston. He plays Friday and Saturday nights out on Beale St, and he does a lot of Kimbrough tunes. He's pretty much amazing. Check him out on youtube!

[Mike Simpson]

If you are just discovering this style of Misissippi hill country music you ahould also be checking our RL Burnside, T Model Ford and Robert Belfour as well as several of the fat possum label musicians.


RL
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=33

T-model
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=33

Robert Belfour
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=37

[PeteMac]

Thanks Big Mike, I have been listening to R. L. B. almost continuously for the last week !!!
I'v also copped some T-Model Ford as well - I'm loving them all.
I'll check out Mr Balfour next.

It's funny how, for years I've liked this "kind" of blues, but never known it was a "style" or had a name - and so never knew to hunt it out. Bands like the Black Keys come along and that's what I get drawn to because the originals aren't put out in the mainstream (and before I got a computer, that's where they needed to be for me to find 'em.)
But this is the kind of thing I'm wanting to do live - a tripped out blues with nasty guitars and a solid beat you can dance away your blues to. It's all about the rhythm - and the fewer chords I can get away with, the better...

( ... I'll let ya know how I go with that !)

Pete

[soultosoul13]

Originally Posted by Big Mike Simpson

If you are just discovering this style of Misissippi hill country music you ahould also be checking our RL Burnside, T Model Ford and Robert Belfour as well as several of the fat possum label musicians.


RL
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=33

T-model
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=33

Robert Belfour
http://fatpossum.securesites.net/mm5...tegory_Code=37

....and Asie Payton, Paul "wine" Jones, Cedell Davis, ect, ect!!