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Ramblin' on My Mind

On "Ramblin' on My Mind," Johnson showcased a heavy, driving "walking bass" boogie pattern on the lower strings of his acoustic guitar while simultaneously plucking out sharp, whining lead lines on top. It was the first...

RecordedNovember 23, 1936, Gunter Hotel (Room 414), San Antonio, Texas
LabelVocalion
Show PlacementShow 1 (track order 28)

On "Ramblin' on My Mind," Johnson showcased a heavy, driving "walking bass" boogie pattern on the lower strings of his acoustic guitar while simultaneously plucking out sharp, whining lead lines on top. It was the first time this rolling piano-style boogie was so effectively translated to guitar on a recording. This exact rhythm technique would soon become the foundational backbone of the entire postwar electric blues explosion.