Blind Boy Fuller
A Piedmont blues powerhouse whose driving guitar and sharp, sometimes raunchy, lyrics made him one of the best-selling blues artists of the 1930s.
1907–1941 (age 34)·American blues guitarist and singer·Birthday: July 10·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Blind Boy Fuller was a central force in the East Coast Piedmont blues scene, a style more rhythmic and ragtime-influenced than its Delta cousin. Blinded in his youth, he turned to music, developing a formidable fingerpicking technique and a vast repertoire. His recordings for the American Record Corporation in the 1930s sold remarkably well, speaking directly to the Black working-class experience with songs about women, work, and street life. Tracks like 'Truckin' My Blues Away' and 'Step It Up and Go' became anthems of resilience and movement. While his lyrics could be humorous or risqué, they were grounded in the realities of his time. His prolific output and commercial success helped define the sound of Piedmont blues and influenced a generation of musicians, including Brownie McGhee, who began his career as 'Blind Boy Fuller No. 2.'
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Blind was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Blind Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
Blind's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1941Died at 34
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
Key Achievements
- Recorded over 130 sides between 1935 and 1940, making him one of the most documented Piedmont blues artists of his era.
- His song 'Step It Up and Go' became a blues standard, covered by countless artists including Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead.
- Was a major influence on the subsequent careers of protégés Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, who formed a famous duo.
Did You Know?
His blindness was reportedly caused by an untreated case of neonatal conjunctivitis.
He was sometimes accompanied on recordings by washboard player Bull City Red (George Washington).
The famous bluesman Reverend Gary Davis was a close friend and occasional musical partner in the early part of Fuller's career.
“I'm going to do bad so the good Lord'll know I'm his.”
