Blind Owl Blues

The Mysterious Life and Death of Blues Legend Alan Wilson

By: Rebecca Davis

Narrated by: Nick Marinovich

This is the long-awaited story of Alan Wilson, musical genius and co-founder of Canned Heat. Biographer Rebecca Davis journeys through his artistic innovations, tormented personal life, obsessive love of nature, and mysterious death. A key figure in the 1960s "blues revival", Wilson participated in the rediscovery of Son House, and wrote scholarly analyses of House and Robert Pete Williams. He went on to co-found pioneering blues-rock band Canned Heat, becoming an unlikely rock star. Known as "Blind Owl", he was responsible for the hit songs "Going Up the Country" and "On the Road Again".

©2013 Rebecca Davis (P)2022 Rebecca Davis

Good listen

Good to to get a bit better understanding of the creative force behind Canned Heat
RIP Alan Wilson , thank you for the great music

Ain’t nothin’ but the blues

Being a big Canned Heat fan from ‘back in the day’ (I hate that phrase, but there you are), I was so excited to discover this book. So much good information though really poorly edited. My immediate struggle with it was because of the awful narration. If you’re telling a story about a blues man, it should be told by someone who sounds like they’ve experienced, or played, the blues themselves. A touch roadworn and weary. This guy no lie sounds like a 1960’s AM top-forty disc jockey. Practically sounds like Casey Kasem. The only way I could make it through was setting the speed at x.8 to slow the guy down and lower the pitch at least a bit so I wasn’t constantly expecting him to break into a commercial.
But it’s worth it. A must read for Heat and blues fans, and especially fans of the great Alan Wilson.

Alan Wilson was a beautiful, sensitive soul

An absolutely marvelous look at one of music's most extraordinary and soulful talents. Highly recommended!

Canned Heat: Goin up the Country

a well researched must listen for any Canned Heat Fan, and broadly late 60's blues revival/woodstock-era enthusiasts. most people only know of one song, now ubiquitous, but beyond distinctive vox, Blind Owl was blues man, and savant on both guitar and blues harp. narrator was annoying and spoke like robot and book obviously wasn't written by a skilled academic, but once you get past that, definitely some cool info. about a very unique American treasure.