When A Guitar Plays The Blues

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When A Guitar Plays The Blues album cover
Album Information

Total Tracks: 9   Total Length: 42:16

eMusic Features

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Contemporary Blues

By John Morthland, eMusic Contributor

By the early 1960s, blues was largely abandoned by its original African-American audience. But by the late '60s, the form had been embraced by young white fans. So the sound mutated, and continues to do so. White blues has more of a rock feel, with the British giving it a distinct (though hard to define) elan all their own. Meanwhile, in pursuit of the new audience, most surviving black veterans (and the few young African-Americans… more »

They Say All Music Guide

Roy Buchanan was always one of the most respected guitarists in his field, ever since the ’70s. However, he hit a rough patch in the early ’80s, falling out of favor and finding record contracts hard to find. He made a startling comeback in 1985 with When a Guitar Plays the Blues, his first record for Alligator Records. Though the record still suffers the slightly antiseptic formula of Alligator Records, Buchanan shines throughout, making it clear why this brought him back to the spotlight in 1985. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine