Nervous Niven presents: Poor Black Mattie – half bottle version. The North Mississippi Hill Country classic played on a 1970s Yamaha FG-150 acoustic flat-top guitar. Being a huge fan of RL Burnside Ive been obsessed with how to play "Poor Black Mattie" and close relatives for about three 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 was worked out by ear, listening to as many RL Burnside recordings of Poor Black Mattie as I could find. I have so far located at least eight of his Poor Black Mattie releases no two of which are played quite the same way. If youve never heard him before check out Robert Belfour and his take on "Black Mattie", he is truly astounding! Do you want another Poor Black Mattie guitar lesson on you tube? Would you like to learn how to play Poor Black Mattie based on my interpretation?

Related posts:

  1. LESSON #5. Black Mattie made Easy ~ A Beginner’s Guide. The Second Bar. RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black...
  2. Black Mattie made Easy ~ A Beginner’s Guide… LESSON #4. The First Bar (part two). RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black...
  3. Black Mattie made Easy ~ A Beginner’s Guide… Lesson #3. The First Bar (part one). RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black...
  4. LESSON #6. Black Mattie made Easy ~ A Beginner’s Guide. The Signature Lick. RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black...
  5. LESSON #2. Black Mattie made Easy ~ A Beginner’s Guide. Background (getting started). RL Burnside Guitar Lesson: Learn how to play Poor Black...

24 thoughts on “Poor Black Mattie ~ RL Burnside… Wanna play these licks!”

  2. frenzexperiment
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    Fantastic! I wish I had an uncle like you!Greetings from Italy!

  3. TheSpottytoad
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    @urgelboogie… This is played in "Open G" tuning – DGDGBD.

  4. martin malo
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    Please please …somebody can tell me what is this crazy tuning «?????
    

  5. magnvsmarcvs
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    make the lesson (anything from the Burnside) , and save us all …

  7. lambdalex
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    The duolian version sounds great, but thisone even better, considering the fact that the sound is closer to the original acoustic versions of R.L. Burnside…
    Thanks for sharing !!

  8. FIRECRACKER392
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    ,
    Yes he makes it look too easy & im gettin a complex and kinda sick before i get started,, the meds aint helpin ! lol ….
    I like his forefinger pickin the best,,, that would look cool with Hookers 3 finger style , haha
    Meanwhile if i dont bust up $4,000 worth of guitars, i`ll just keep watchin , maybe i find a place to start in.. 🙂

  9. TheSpottytoad
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    … It’s funny you should mention "Jumper on the Line" as it was the first thing I ever heard by R.L. Burnside. I discovered him when I was watching a documentary called "Deep Blues". The footage completely blew me away and I still haven’t picked my jaw up off the floor. It took me 7 or 8 years to find a way to get started with that riff and although R.L. makes it look easy I don’t recommend it for beginners.

    My first realizable VIDEO upload will be "Jumper on the Line".

  10. FIRECRACKER392
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    Well that & jumper on the line is my favorite,, but they sound alot the same,, but im just almost a beginner though,, hehe

  11. FIRECRACKER392
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    Hi,
    yes id love to know this riff,, i have 3 guitars & never played in my life,, so if you would help a beginner,, im your man,,, thats my favorite guitar beat of any..Thanks,,,, Tony

  12. marvinpeasley
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    Maybe im the only one but the singing reminds me a lot of Bob dylan. This could be one of his songs from the early days. I like it. Nice job

  13. TheSpottytoad
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    Thanks… Your version is great, love that growly guitar sound.

  17. TheSpottytoad
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    Glad you think so, thanks very much for your enthusiasm.

    I want to be sure that enough people really want to see a tutorial based on my interpretation of "Poor Black Mattie" before I put a lesson together… All I can say is keep voting.

  18. derin111
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    I watched quite a few videos of people doing versions of this song on You Tube…some are very good I think…but this is by far and away the best I’ve heard!
    PLEASE just borrow that video camera now and lesson now….PLEASE! I just can’t get it to sound right.
    Thanks for posting this.

  20. blueskyearth
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    This the best version!!! The one on the duolian is great but to have that Burnside sound I think that a wood body flat top like this is the best.

  21. TheWilltrim
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    great cover timing perfect like to see burnsides blues being respected one of the greats

  23. Neoskidaddle
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    Excelent, the real deal as far as covers go I reckon. I think a steep hill must have been climbed to get here.

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