Say no to the devil : the life and musical genius of Rev. Gary Davis /

The Reverend Gary Davis (1896-1972) was an American blues and gospel musician whose guitar playing and compositions were admired by some folk and rock musicians (some of whom studied with Davis). The present volume is a journalistic biography, researched very well, that describes the progress of Davis's complicated life in great detail. The sheer number of sources Zack consulted and cites lends the book authority. However, the book's title, especially the "musical genius" part, leads one to expect careful analysis of Davis's musical output: what were the "genius" aspects? where did they come from? how did they work? Alas, this sort of consideration is largely absent. (Presumably, if Bob Dylan and Alan Lomax thought Davis a genius, then Davis was a genius. End of story.) Forgoing musical analysis means that though the book may enthrall nonspecialists--some Rolling Stone readers, for example--it holds rather less appeal for scholars of the blues and gospel. But as the first book-length study of Davis the volume is welcome. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers. --Bruce J. Murray, Miami University

Journalist Zack (New York Times; Forbes; Acoustic Guitar) presents a detailed but readable account of the extraordinary life of Gary Davis, the blind son of poor sharecroppers in South Carolina. He taught himself how to play the harmonica, banjo, and guitar by the age of seven. His style was a combination of blues and ragtime using Piedmont finger picking. Davis became a street singer and evangelist in North Carolina. A talent scout invited him to come to New York to record, and he performed with Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and other folk singers in Greenwich Village. Davis never gained the name recognition of Lead Belly or Woody Guthrie, but he influenced British and U.S. performers from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones. VERDICT This book will satisfy blues aficionados and those interested in roots music and early 20th--century culture. Readers looking for further exploration will enjoy Alec Wilkinson's The Protest Singer, John -Szwed's Alan Lomax, and -Robert -Shelton's No Direction Home.--Elizabeth D. Eisen, Appleton P.L., WI © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.