John Fahey was one damn amazing guitarist. I had the rare pleasure of seeing him play at a “Guitar Summit” show at UCLA’s Royce Hall back in the late 70’s. He was last to play, and only had 30 minutes. Needless to say, in that short amount of time he stole the show!
His style still defies a solid category… not quite folk or blues. Just Google his name and even if you don’t care for his music, you may gain an appreciation of the mans talent. His recording career is extensive, yet his popularity never made it beyond “cult” status.

Like many creative souls, John Fahey had his personal demons to deal with. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

“By the mid-1970s Fahey’s output had slowed and he was beginning to suffer from a drinking problem. He lost his home in the dissolution of his first marriage, remarried, divorced again, and moved to Salem, Oregon in 1981 to live with his third wife. In 1986, Fahey contracted Epstein-Barr syndrome, a long-lasting viral infection similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, which exacerbated his diabetes and other health issues. He broke up with his third wife and his life began to spiral downwards. He made what appeared to be his last album in 1990, and silence descended.

Although he won his five-year battle with Epstein-Barr, Fahey spent much of the early 1990s living in poverty, mostly in cheap motels. Gigs had dried up, due to his health problems. He paid his rent by pawning his guitars and reselling rare records he found in thrift stores.”

I’m glad to see someone had the foresight to record this rare live performance.