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Blues legend Taj Mahal shares rare stories about Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and the unreleased Bill Withers song that shaped his stunning new record.
Topics Include:
Taj Mahal discusses his new album, Time, and its origins
Reveals his decades-long friendship and mutual respect with Bill Withers
Explains how Bill Withers heard and loved this unreleased demo
Bill Withers' wife gave final approval before the song's release
Withers walked away from music rather than change his sound
Why the industry pushed Withers to sound more commercial
Taj shares why vinyl beats digital for capturing real sound
Breaks down the "bell curve" problem with digital audio quality
Approaches albums as full journeys, not three-minute singles
Reveals how effortlessly he sequences songs like a live set
Traces his musical roots to a tight-knit 1940s community
Recalls learning piano, clarinet, trombone before finding the guitar
Explains how guitar evolved from rhythm to lead instrument
Names the blues legends who shaped his earliest influences
Credits Ray Charles as one of his deepest musical influences
Shares rare stories of jamming with Jimi Hendrix live
Discusses bootlegs, tape trading, and the ethics of live recordings
Compares the Grateful Dead's bootleg policy to other artists
Tells the wild story of Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus
Recalls dancing Stones and Clapton watching him at the Whisky
Explains how British rockers reintroduced blues to American audiences
Describes his first-class trip to London and Stones' hospitality
Reveals why Labor of Love was released only on vinyl
Shares the surprising stat: vinyl never drops below 6% globally
Talks new tour dates and hopes to return to Australia
Photo by Mike Coeyman
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About The Vinyl Guide
If you like records, just starting a collection or are an uber-nerd with a house-full of vinyl, this is the podcast for you. Nate Goyer is The Vinyl Guide and discusses all things music and record-related.