Sue Foley

One Guitar Woman

Stony Plains Records

“One Guitar Woman” is a sequel to 2005’s “Blues Guitar Women”. That two-CD set included a Contemporary Blues session and a Traditional Blues session and the performances included supporting musicians. This time Sue plays everything solo on this “a tribute to the female pioneers of guitar”. “They were massively talented, and they all possessed courage and vision which transformed both their cultures and the story of the guitar”.

Sue Foley has released thirteen previous albums in the Blues Music Award category of Traditional Female Artist of the Year, which she has won three consecutive times. Once again she is nominated for this award in 2024. The album and liner notes were completed in January and will be released on March 29th.

Two songs are from Elizabeth Cotten. Freight Train was a song that every aspiring guitarist tried to learn. The family of Pete and Mike Seeger employed Cotton as a housekeeper and discovered her musical talent. Cotten’s method of playing upside down and left handed made her almost impossible to accurately copy. Also from her is “Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie” which I am hearing for the very first time.

Memphis Minnie was born in New Orleans as Lizzie “Kid” Douglas in 1897. She passed away in 1973 in relative obscurity. Her creative force foreshadowed the evolution of electric Chicago blues, R n’ B, and rock and roll. “In My Girlish Days” is the only song which appears on both of these must have collections. “Ain’t Nothing in Rambling” includes reflective lyrical content, her rough demeanor, and spending time as a prostitute.

Maybelle Carter, the matriarch of country music and mother-in-law to Johnny Cash left an indelible mark. Included are “Lonesome Homesick Blues” and “Maybelle’s Guitar”. Sue states that the Carter “scratch”, her blues style is the most difficult to play and states that her 1928 Gibson L5 is the “most important single guitar in the entire history of country Music”.

Lydia Mendoza was born in 1915 Houston, Texas. The revered “Mother of Tejano Music” wrote “Mal Hombre” in 1934. Sue sings in Spanish but rewrote two verses in English.

Elvie Thomas and Geeshie Wiley only wrote and recorded six songs, all in the 1920’s, but left an enduring stamp on classic country blues. Sue includes “Motherless Child Blues” and “Last Kind Words Blues.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe born 1915 is known as the “Godmother of Rock and Roll”. In the 1930’s and 40’s Tharpe was the first gospel artist to crossover into popular music. Tharpe was famous for her sensational stage presence and would perform guitar windmills, duck-walk, and gyrate her body. Chuck Berry once stated “my whole career has been one long Sister Rosetta Tharpe impersonation”. In 2018 Tharpe was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Ida Presti was nicknamed Ida Prestissimo by Andres Segovia. Her father made her stretch her fingers and practice guitar for hours and hours. She along with her second husband formed the Presti-Lagoya duo performing over 2000 concerts. Her “Romance in A Minor” by Nicolas Paganini is included. Sue calls her “one of the greatest guitarists in the history of the instrument”.

Last is “La Malaguena” learned from Maria Rosario Pilar Martina Molina Baeza a.k.a. Charo. Classically trained at Andres Segovia’s school in Spain she was influenced by the gypsies who camped on her family’s property. She also excelled in acting, singing and comedy. She appeared on both Jonny Carson’s Tonight Show and Laugh-In and was known for her persona, distinct accent and trademark catchphrase “cuchi-cuchi”.

These guitarists forged the “path for all female guitarists, leaving us not just the trail, but a map of directions and the wisdom to navigate it”.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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