Sliding Delta Guitar Tabs.

The defining characteristic of Delta blues is it's instrument and an emphasis on rhythm and "bottleneck" slide; other than this, Delta blues is not substantially different from that of blues performed elsewhere. Researchers differ as to whether they agree there is any substantial difference between blues that originated in this region and in other parts of the country. 

The slide guitar technique was made popular by African American blues artists. The first musician to be recorded using the style was Sylvester Weaver who recorded two solo pieces "Guitar Blues" and "Guitar Rag" in 1923.

Some of the blues artists who most prominently used the slide include gospel singer Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Son House, and Robert Johnson as well as Casey Bill Weldon of the Memphis Jug Band.

The sound has since become commonplace in country and Hawaiian music. It is also used in rock by bands that have been heavily influenced by the blues, such as The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, and Pink Floyd, whose original singer Syd Barrett used a Zippo rather than an actual slide on the song See Emily Play.

While the Allmans were the first to bring slide guitar to a wide audience, The Rolling Stones used it as early as their 1963 recording of the John Lennon/Paul McCartney song "I Wanna Be Your Man". Guitarist Brian Jones played slide in a very blues-oriented style. His successor, Mick Taylor also displayed his own slide guitar skills while with the band, using a bottleneck on studio recordings and during live performances.

Arguably the first influential classic electric blues slide guitarist is Elmore James, whose riff in the song "Dust My Broom" is copied from Robert Johnson and is held in particularly high regard. Blues legend Muddy Waters was also very influential, particularly in developing the electric Chicago blues slide guitar from the acoustic Mississippi Delta slide guitar.

Duane Allman played a key role in bringing slide guitar into rock music, through his work with the Allman Brothers Band. Duane Allman shows his skill in playing slide guitar in the 1971 live album At Fillmore East and with Derek and the Dominos' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album.

Beginning in the late 1960s, Allman used an empty glass Coricidin medicine bottle, which he wore over his ring finger, as a slide; this was later picked up by other slide guitarists such as Bonnie Raitt, Rory Gallagher, and Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Such bottles eventually went out of production in the early 1980s (although replicas have been produced since 1985).

Bonnie Raitt also showcases the slide guitar, much like her long-time friend and slide guitarist, Lowell George (using an 11/16 spark plug socket), as well as studio and solo artist Ry Cooder and George Harrison.Other noted slide players include Jerry Douglas, Junior Brown, Sonny Landreth, Joe Perry, Rod Price, Dave Hole and Mick Taylor.

Modern examples of slide guitar play include: Eric Sardinas, Dan Auerbach of the The Black Keys, Joe Bonamassa, Beck Hansen, Derek Trucks, Ben Harper, Warren Haynes and Rich Robinson have also become a prominent slide guitarists in modern rock music. 

 List of early Delta Slide Mississipi Blues artists

See a full range of assorted artist and style guitar tabs

White Pages Guitar Tabs  or  Ultimate Guitar Tabs