Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Rightly hailed as a blues legend, this compilation by the late, great Davis features 45 songs and is part of the 'Blues Characters' series. It acts as a perfect introduction to the one-time street musician's music if you have never encountered it before. One of the great blues preachers and also sometimes known simply as Blind Gary Davis, it was only in the later part of his life that he became better known from the late '50s onwards when the upsurge in interest in American folk and roots music helped the careers of many poor black artists to gain recognition. His distinctive ear-catching guitar playing meant that once discovered he influenced many guitar players of the '60s and '70s rock'n'roll era. These recordings capture him in his standard solo performances doing what he loved most, singing acoustic gospel blues. Classic songs like "I saw The Light", "Cocaine Blues", "Candy Man" and "The Great Change In Me" are some of the highlights here. Alongside bluesmen like John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, Reverend Gary Davis is one of the blues greats. If you've never discovered his repertoire, both gospel and secular, start here.

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