Talkin' About My Time

Recorded by renowned folklorist Bruce Jackson, this early release from the Folk-Legacy label features Eugene Rhodes, a blues musician who at the time of recording was serving a 10-to-25-year sentence at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Having traveled through the South as a one-man-band since the 1920s, Rhodes learned the blues from the likes of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Boy Fuller, and Buddy Moss—anecdotes about his experiences with these bluesmen are mentioned on the album and in the liner notes. Having played his repertoire for many years, Rhodes’ delivery is relaxed and gentle, what he describes as a “smooth blues” sung over a skillfully plucked 6- and 12-string guitar. The songs included in this collection are direct but insightful, offering evocative phrases and stirring imagery to bring out the depth of emotion that is at the heart of blues music.