There are far fewer women playing acoustic blues then men, and especially young women. So, it’s a true delight to find a new generation of female performers who are not only keeping the music vibrant but play with beauty and elegance. One such fine performer is a young woman over in York, England. She is just 22 years old, a delightful and rising talent. In many ways, she has a great future in acoustic blues. You might not yet know her, but she is one to keep your eyes and ears on. She’s still playing relatively locally and small time, but we predict that won’t last long. This bard is going places soon. There is much to love and admire.
We “discovered” this relatively unknown singer by literally stumbling upon the homemade videos she posted on YouTube of her singing and it took a bit of time to find her as she actually didn’t have her real name on them, so she kept well-hidden. Just a few views of her films convince one of her amazing talent, with her beautiful voice and sophisticated instrumentation. She showcases the intricate and lovely fingerpicking style in the Piedmont tradition, with alternating bass and exquisite lead lines interplaying. Coupled with her sweet voice and evident love for the genre, it’s immediately impressive that she is outright superb and exciting. Those of us who love the acoustic blues and worried about whether there would be a new generation can rejoice. Elsie Franklin is right in there, holding down the fort. The first impression is her fluid guitar virtuosity and fine voice. She convinces with her gentle subtlety, an unpretentious musical elegance and natural, almost innocent style.
Thecountryblues.com reached the young chanteuse via phone on April 19, 2020 in the middle of a global pandemic to let her tell her own story:
Elsie Franklin: “I’ve been playing pretty much all my life. I first learned to play guitar when I was about 7, just simple stuff really. And then, as I got older, I got more into blues music. My dad Adam Franklin is a professional blues guitarist who occasionally toured and recorded with Del Rey, so I grew up with blues, either the type of music he plays or listens to. I just love it. I think [acoustic blues] is one of the most fun and raw kinds of music there is.
I just finished university, so I just started working part-time and doing music alongside. It’s not full-time work for me yet, but I’m working towards making it my full-time career. That’s my goal, really, just play gigs and busk.
I studied English literature and creative writing. I graduated last November, so I’ve just been trying to build up my music career a bit more. I play a lot in York and I do a lot of busking in the city as well. Yeah, local pubs and stuff. For my guitar style, my primary inspiration is Memphis Minnie and Del Rey in particular. I would love to be able to sing and play like Sister Rosetta Tharpe does. She’s one of my favorites.
I’m actually from the south of England, so I started out doing gigs down south. I’m from Brighton actually. I moved out to York in the last year or so I’ve done a few gigs in the south of England –not loads of stuff, because I’m quite young. Mostly it’s York at the moment, but starting to stretch out a bit more.
Among contemporary singers, I love Gillian Welch. I’ve always loved Gillian Welch’s songwriting and singing. Who else? I love the Irish born English singer-songwriter Edwina Hayes who is based around the north of England. Steve James is a big inspiration to me. I love his playing.
I’m planning on bringing out an album soon. I actually had plans to record in March, but unfortunately the circumstances wouldn’t allow me to do that. I’m hoping once the quarantine is lifted over here I’ll be able to get the recording done and bring it out hopefully this year. It will be acoustic as I stick to acoustic playing mostly.
Mostly I play my National Resonator 14 Fret Steel at the moment. That’s the only one I use at the moment. I find it’s loud enough to busk in town squares without amplification, and it’s just such a lovely sound.
I play mostly covers at the moment and I am starting to write more originals that I have been playing recently. I actually do a couple of Ruthie Foster numbers. She does a song called Small Town Blues – that’s one of my favorites to play – such a lot of fun. And Gillian Welch – I play a lot of her songs – and Elvis Presley Blues is one of my favorites to play by her. I love her so much. I wish she’d come do a tour in England, but she hasn’t been over here in so long.
I was actually in the US last year. I went over to New York for Richard Thompson’s Frets & Refrains guitar camp. I traveled over to New York with my guitar, and that was a lot of fun. I did have plans to go back to New York – I’ve got a few friends over there – to do some playing – but obviously the quarantine came in. So, I don’t think that’s going to be possible for a long time. I love coming over to America.
It was Steve James and Del Rey who wrote my recommendations to go to Frets & Refrains. I spoke to them afterwards and thanked them and everything, and they said, Yeah, you should definitely consider going to a different blues camp instead of going to the same camp again. Del suggested the Augusta Blues Week. I’d love to go to that – probably next year. Sounds great, yeah.
I love this kind of acoustic blues music. I think if you have that passion for old blues stuff that it comes out in your playing. You can really hear when someone really enjoys the music and really listens to how it’s played. I want people to know that I really work hard and love what I play. I want to sound like Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and all those old female players. I have a real passion for the female side of this kind of music, because I feel like women have such a great influence on it, and yet you meet a lot of blues players and all they talk about is Robert Johnson and players like that – male players – Big Bill Broonzy. They don’t have as much of an influence from the female players and I think that’s such a shame because they were so great.
I’ve always been influenced by female players. Another contemporary one is Sue Foley. I love Holly Golightly as well -she’s great. I’ve always just heard the female players and just wanted to sound like them.
I do a lot of street busking. Well, in York there’s a few people who don’t respond at all. But the people who do enjoy it tend to comment on how they like my voice a lot and how authentic my blues playing is. That’s my favorite compliment to get when people who obviously listen to blues music and come up to me and say, Wow, that sounds so authentic. Another compliment I get a lot is how I don’t use amplification when I’m busking. A lot of people really appreciate that. I mean that’s how the old female singers used to do it – you know, they start by singing in church and then they sing on the street. I think it makes your voice a lot stronger. So, yeah, I guess people appreciate the sort of acoustic-ness of it. Busking is good training.”
You hear her EP here: https://elsiefranklinblues.bandcamp.com/releases
Also, check out her Facebook video.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=928863190897494&id=100013214651851
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=928863190897494&id=100013214651851