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Mance Lipscomb (1895-1976) was a blues singer, guitarist, and songster from Navasota, Texas. The son of an ex-slave, Lipscomb supported himself as a tenant farmer for most of his life. He learned music at an early age and performed blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, and folk music. He was known for his "dead-thumb" guitar picking technique and expressive voice. He performed at various folk and blues festivals and clubs around the country and became an important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1960s.

Fred McDowell (1906-1972) was a hill country blues singer and guitar player from Rossville, Tennessee. He first started performing at the age of 14 at dances around Rossville. He worked on farms and mills until 1959 when his music was recorded for the first time. His Mississippi style blues was massively popular and he performed at festivals and clubs around the world.