Eleanor Ellis might be based in Washington, D.C., but her blues is universal. On "Comin' a Time," Ellis expertly drifts in and out of blues styles from all over as she covers tunes by Skip James, Sleepy John Estes, Tommy Johnson, Mance Lipscomb, Mississippi John Hurt and several other legendary blues figures. And no matter whether she's interpreting Delta, Piedmont or Texas blues she sounds earthy and earnest.
I first learned about Ellis many years ago when I read a story about her helping a fabulous old blueswoman named Flora Molton. On "Comin' a Time," released a couple of years ago, Ellis covers one of Molton's songs, "Sun's Gonna Shine One Day." It's riveting. So are her covers of a couple of Memphis Minnie's tunes. Ellis seems to have a special empathy for the blueswomen who came before her. She seems to understand the pain old bluesmen poured into their songs, too.
I guess that's why she's one of our finest interpreters of classic country blues. Give her music a listen and I'm betting you'll agree.
