Rediscovered
John Hurt's playful country blues was first heard in the late 1920s, when he  recorded a handful of poorly selling sides for Okeh Records. It wasn't until his  rediscovery during the 1960s folk revival that his remarkable talent was fully appreciated.  Hurt's rediscovery only lasted a few years--he died in 1966--but his legacy, preserved on  several albums recorded for Vanguard during that period, is indeed daunting. Hurt's  intricate fingerpicking style--evidenced here on popular pieces like "Make Me a Pallet on  Your Floor," "Richland Women Blues," "Salty Dog Blues," and "Candy Man"--went on  to influence a generation of urban folk and blues artists. His music remains a sweet  reminder of the pre-depression-era ragtime blues of which he was a humble and subtle  master.--Billy Altman