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I first heard John Hurt in 1966, about a month after his death. I'd read about him and heard talk about him, but had no idea how just how much of a lasting effect he'd have on my playing and overall musical outlook until I dropped the needle on the record and sat back to listen. Four bars into 'Coffee Blues' I was drop-jawed and bug-eyed. This was not the harsh, haunted Delta blues I was familiar with; this was elegantly melodic and funny. It was subtle and gentle, and it swung. The solid bass lines anchoring the melodies and solos picked on the treble strings, words not spoken but understood. This was the way I wanted to play. That's what I set out to do then and haven't strayed very far from since. My right hand work is purely the result of Mississippi John Hurt. I suppose I'm not alone in that. 'I never did learn to play his songs note for note. He'd already done that, so I didn't see the point. But I did try to incorporate a good deal of his licks or variations on his licks to keep the bounce and feel of his playing and, at the same time, bring a little of myself to the music. 'One of the strengths of John Hurt's songs is that they can and have been done in a variety of styles -- from solo to jug band, blues band, country band, old-timey, bluegrass, whatever suits your fancy. We've tried to do a little of that here. And while some of the tunes may pre-date John Hurt himself, he always managed to make the songs his own. To me, they've always been John Hurt songs.' --Bill Morrissey