Blind Blake

Arthur Blake, known as Blind Blake, was the most technically accomplished ragtime-blues guitarist of the pre-war era and the primary architect of the Piedmont fingerpicking style. Very little is known about his biography (even his birthplace is disputed) but his recordings for Paramount Records between 1926 and 1932 (roughly 80 sides) display a virtuosity that remains staggering nearly a century later. His right-hand technique produced a syncopated, piano-like sound that mimicked ragtime in a way no other guitarist could match, earning him the nickname 'King of Ragtime Guitar.' Recordings like 'West Coast Blues,' 'Diddie Wa Diddie,' and 'Too Tight' influenced generations of fingerstyle players from Rev. Gary Davis to Jorma Kaukonen. The circumstances of his death remain uncertain; he is believed to have died around 1934, possibly in Milwaukee.