Record Company: Shanachie Entertainment

Elizabeth Cotten and Jesse Fuller are examples of musicians whose styles were well formed in the first decade of this century and reflect a range of influences. Few traditional musicians projected as charming a sound as Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten. She was born in North Carolina in 1892 and started playing at age 12. As she was left-handed and played the guitar upside-down, her thumb picking the treble strings, herfingers the bass, her unique style became known as "Cotton-picking."

Jesse Fuller, born in 1896, joined a circus in 1920 and in his travels learned many traditional songs. Eventually he became a popular one-man-band with acclaim in the 50s for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues".


Elizabeth Cotten:

• Freight Train
• Sweet Bye And Bye
• Vastopol
• Geoge Buck
• Washington Blues
• I'm Going Away

Jesse Fuller:

• John Henry
• Red River Blues
• San Francisco Bay blues
• Take This Hammer
• Linin' Track
• Running Wild
• High Sheriff