In Search of Blind Joe Death: The Saga of John Fahey 2012
Distributed by First Run Features, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036; 212-243-0600
Produced by Tamarak Productions
Directed by James Cullingham
DVD, color, 57 min. plus bonus features
General Adult
Music
Date Entered: 03/14/2014
Reviewed by Bonnie Jo Dopp, Librarian Emerita, University of MarylandJohn Fahey (1939-2001) was, among other things, a self-taught, influential American guitarist whose musical interests included classical, blues, jazz, folk, rock, electric, and ‘outsider’ styles. Canadian journalist and filmmaker James Cullingham’s admiring, lively biographical film (whose title echoes that of Fahey’s first album, named for an alter-ego character Fahey invented) draws mainly on Fahey’s recordings, writings and recorded interviews and interviews with people who knew and worked with him or were influenced by his singular virtuoso musicianship.
An abused white suburban child who found solace in recordings of America’s southern black blues singers and a kind of salvation in honing his skills on the guitar, Fahey also earned a graduate degree in musicology, founded a couple of record companies, had marital problems, painted pictures, led the peripatetic life of a field researcher (haunting garage sales for 78 r.p.m. records and used guitars) and performing artist, and took poor care of his own health. He died at 61 and will probably always be remembered as “The Father of American Primitive Guitar.” ‘Saga’ is not too strong a label for his personal story. Eighteen interviewees are credited, among them Peter Townshend (The Who), guitarist Chris Funk, and Fahey’s former wife Melody. Bonus tracks include full interviews by Townshend, Funk, Fahey’s business partner Dean Blackwood, and record collector Joe Bussard and seven complete performances of some of Fahey’s music and/or musical tributes to Fahey, including George Winston on harmonica. Episodic editing keeps the viewer involved, wondering not so much ‘what happens next?’ as ‘what new aspect of this guy will be revealed next?’ Recommended to anyone interested in American music and to students of solo guitar music. And of course, all John Fahey fans need to see this.