Prior to his death in 2001 from a diabetes-related viral infection, Fahey put out over 40 albums in as many years of innovative and eclectic guitar music. Weaned on the blues styles of the Mississippi Delta masters (and releasing early records under the satirical name Blind Joe Death), he was a restless talent forever exploring just how far six steel strings could take him. Though he was never what you’d call a household name, Fahey’s influence is heard loud and clear in the likes of Ry Cooder, Leo Kottke, veteran blues-hounds Canned Heat, or even Jimi Hendrix.
Railroad I first appeared in 1983: twangily instrumental laments to the almost mythical trains of frontier America (Fresco Leaving Birmingham, Enigmas & Perplexities Of The Norfolk & Western, etc). Less experimental than some of Fahey’s dalliances with classical themes or the semidissonant sounds of a mystical India, it’s perhaps an ideal starting point from which to further investigate his vast catalogue, recalling as it does the traditional elements of his first recordings. A masterclass in musicianship, where subtle picking, discreet slide-playing, and surprising chord structures say more than words ever could.
