Norman Blake

On this day, March 10th, 2024, we at Grateful Web honor the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Norman Blake, a musician whose influence has seeped deeply into the roots of American folk and bluegrass music. As we celebrate his birthday, it's a moment to reflect on the indelible mark he has left on the world of music through his distinctive playing style, his impressive longevity in the industry, and his remarkable body of work.

New song out today from octogenarian Norman Blake, a legend of American music. "Time" is pretty special, I think it's kind of Norman's thesis statement for his new album Day by Day, coming Oct 22 on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. It's got a deep biblical feel to it, basically it's his musings on time and his long love of the American past. Have a listen and more info on the album below. The new song is out now across all streaming platforms.

American guitarist Norman Blake is one of the great unsung heroes of 20th century folk music. Over the course of his long career, he’s been at the forefront of multiple revivals of American roots music, from his time in the late 60s and 70s as the house guitarist for Johnny Cash and his playing on Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, to his work creating newgrass with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and in the 2000s reinventing bluegrass for a new generation with T Bone Burnett on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

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