RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black Mattie by RL Burnside. Open G Tutorial – Play "Po Black Mattie", play "Coal Black Mattie". Play RL Burnside riffs & licks. Nervous Niven presents a course of guitar lessons on RL Burnsides "Poor Black Mattie" AKA "Po Black Mattie" AKA "Poor Black Maddie". Being a huge fan of RL Burnside Ive been obsessed with how to play "Poor Black Mattie" and close relatives for several years now. Im a bit long in the tooth to be picking up new skills but I take encouragement from the fact that RL Burnside couldnt play a note till after he turned 22 when he picked up a guitar for the very first time. My interpretation of how to play RL Burnsides Poor Black Mattie is worked out by ear, listening to as many RL Burnside recordings of Poor Black Mattie as I can find. I have so far located at least eight of his Poor Black Mattie solo releases no two of which are played quite the same way. This course of video lessons is aimed at players who are beginners and have no experience whatsoever.