Black Ace, B.K.Turner, Delta blues

nelson · From: Madison, WI

Can anyone tell me anything about
BK Turner AKA the black ace, besides
just a bio.

I am interested in any tunings he might
have used (just open G?) or other
techniques.

Short of that, any tips, links or suggestions on playing Delta blues on my Fender lap steel would be appreciated.

-Nelson-

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 14 March 2000 at 09:13 AM.]

Andy Alford · Posted 14 Mar 2000 3:48 am

He played a metal body National.Unlike most Delta Blues Players he played it on his lap.There is a cd of his work.It was recorded on a tape player in the 60s at his house.If you are into the blues study the father of rock in roll Robert Johnson.There is a box set of his work.

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Hi Nelson. I've gotten closer to the Ace's sound using Open D/E than with G/A. Andy is correct in that the Ace played a squareneck tricone, giving him a distinctive tone. He also used a medicine bottle for a slide.

As for Delta stuff on your lap steel you might want to check out Charlie Patton who played his "bottleneck" pieces on his lap.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

The Black Ace - I Am The Boss Card In Your Hand was one of the first releases on Arhoolie Records. The CD reissue of the 1960 recordings is one of my favorites.
I've been able to get close to some of his songs (such as "Bad Times Stomp")using open E tuning. Try turning down the treble on your Fender lap steel, just about to where the "wah" starts.

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

nick allen · From: France

The pre-war Black Ace tracks are all in either A or E - the 60s tracks are all in G or D - presumably because his voice got lower with age.
There is tablature for the song "Black Ace" in the book Bottleneck Blues Guitar by Woody Mann (Oak Publications), in low-bass G tuning.
Other notable blues lap-sliders were Oscar 'Buddy' Woods and Casey Bill Weldon (supposedly Black Ace learned the style from Woods). See tablature of one tune from each in Stacy Phillips' The Dobro Book (G tuning).
As far as Delta blues in general, a lot of the bottleneck work could convert to lap steel fairly directly (I have read that Bukka White actually played "upright" bottleneck on a squarenecked National...).
And for anyone into acoustic lap-slide blues, I have to put in a plug for David Lindley (of course!!) and Kelly Joe Phelps (both playing in D/E type tuning, whatever the key...).
Nick

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Bukka played bottleneck most of the time but I did see him on a Stefan Grossman tape play "Poor Boy" on his lap with a long metal rod, he just held in his fist off the neck and played chords, "damping? We don't need no stinkin' damping" Bukka was one of a kind.

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