Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

10. Blind Willie JohnsonDark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground

I mean he was incredible, and his story was so sad. I actually cover one of his songs on my new record, ‘I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole’, or at least lyrically I cover it, I didn’t feel that I could do justice to the song itself as he performed it. His work is just incredible. The song ‘Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground’ is so incredibly evocative, in fact so amazing that it was shot into space. It says so much with so little and I think that’s one of the things that I most admire about him. Everything is just there and presented as it is and it has such weight to it. He’s just a magnificent artist.

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