John95683
115 posts
Sep 26, 2013
7:05 PM
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What is the general consensus of opinion regarding Snooky Prior as a harp player? I rarely read anything about him on this forum, but I must admit that I like the guy. His playing seems "accessible" to me, that is, I can usually play along with him with some small degree of success, whereas I have no chance with Little Walter, Sugar Blue, Jason Ricci, or Adam Gussow, and most of the other big guys. I love Sonny Boy, but his timing always has me baffled. Those guys are just too good and too advanced for me to grasp very well.
Also, let us not forget, Snooky invented amplified harp, or so he claimed.
What say you all?
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Hondo
249 posts
Sep 26, 2013
8:29 PM
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I told my instructor that I gravitated to simple and powerful playing, to which he said, Ooh, Snooky Pryor is who you should study. On a side note, I have spent some time around his son Rip and he is a very nice guy.
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KingoBad
1393 posts
Sep 26, 2013
10:00 PM
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I have heard Jason tell the tale several times of how Snooky upstaged him by playing a single note and sticking his butt out simultaneously. I think there is much more to the man than his playing, and I like his playing too...
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Danny
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rbeetsme
1361 posts
Sep 27, 2013
5:43 AM
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Here's a shot I took of Snooky in 2000. Always a snappy dresser.
Last Edited by rbeetsme on Sep 27, 2013 5:50 AM
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The Iceman
1193 posts
Sep 27, 2013
6:45 AM
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There's something about maturity in a player...how he can command a room with one well placed note.
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The Iceman
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Joe_L
2335 posts
Sep 27, 2013
3:19 PM
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1. His name is Snooky Pryor, not Prior.
2. People on Internet forums tend to overlook him and his contribution, because most people don't dig that deep into blues history.
3. Like Junior Wells, some of what he does is very subtle. It may seem easily accessible, but there are few people that seem capable of doing his stuff justice. Only two people spring to mind, Rip Lee Pryor and RJ Mischo.
4. Snooky was around during the initiation of amplfication. It's conceivable. He was around at the time. He was part of the scene. He was a significant part of the scene. Why would you doubt that?
5. A friend of mine used to work with Big Walter. He told me that Snooky was the only harp player that made Big Walter nervous. It was because of his playing and his ability to work the crowd. For a period of time, these guys all played in front of people on the street for tips. Capturing the audience was key to making money.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by Joe_L on Sep 27, 2013 3:20 PM
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