Mississippi Fred McDowell:

I Do Not Play No Rock'n'Roll:(1969)

"...just the straight natural Blues, I do not play no Rock'n'Roll," are the words that greet you on this record, the seventh by Mississippi Fred McDowell. It's worth noting, because Fred always did, that he was actually from Tennessee. In any case, a more adept bottleneck slide player you will not find. To be fair, his style is rooted in the North Mississippi hill country tradition, which is very rhythmic. I think I first learned about McDowell through the Rolling Stones, who covered the song, You Gotta Move, on the album Sticky Fingers. In addition to the Stones, Bonnie Raitt has always sited McDowell as an influence, and his style can be heard in her playing. That said, the most directly connected, and influenced person might be R.L. Burnside. Burnside was a neighbor of McDowell's from the time he was young, and learned the craft of guitar playing at McDowell's feet. There is a sexiness in the rhythmic repetitiveness of the hill country style, it's almost trance like. Put this record on, and feel it.