Earnest “Guitar” Roy gets his time in the spotlight

We started Music Maker in 1994 because we were inspired by the talents and needs of a small group of blues artists here in North Carolina. We thought these musicians of humble means had more to contribute to our culture – and we weren’t wrong. Since then, this work has since taken us all across the country and around the world. Three decades, 200 albums, and more than 500 artists later, we feel this mission is more needed than ever.

Our partner artists carry with them authentic American traditions, carried forward from their families and communities for generations. Yet each artist brings their own experience and personality to the work. This isn’t artificial intelligence. This is the genuine article.

You won’t meet anyone more down-to-earth than Earnest “Guitar” Roy. Earnest grew up playing the blues in Clarksdale, MS, where his father taught him to play at age 5. By 14, he developed his own blues-jazz playing style and became a regular on Soul Train. He went on to share the stage with blues legends Albert King and Sam Carr.

But when Tim met Earnest in Clarksdale this April, he was alone and without work. Recently divorced and retired from his 35-year job as a long-haul truck driver, he didn’t have reliable transportation to get himself to and from gigs – much less the grocery store or doctor’s appointments. Earnest hungers to share his music with the world, but he struggles to be heard in an industry that often sidelines the bearers of America’s musical traditions. “I have a good name,” Earnest told Tim, “but no one knows what it is.”

Thanks to generous music lovers like you, Earnest is finally getting his time in the spotlight. Their gifts helped us grant him a 2014 Ford Escape, so he could take on more gigs and share the blues with audiences across the country. We provided him with a 24-track Tascam recorder so he can record demos of new songs and booked him at Telluride Blues & Brews Festival this September. Music Maker also brought him to our studio in Fountain, NC, where he cut a brilliant record produced by Jimbo Mathus and Bruce Watson.

Now, because of Music Maker’s incredible supporters, Earnest is not without a musical family. He stays in touch with Jimbo and Bruce, and performs with fellow Music Maker artists like Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen and Albert White.

Donors like you made this possible for Earnest – and with your continued support, we can do the same for others.

Discovering new talent has been one of our greatest joys over the last 30 years. Your contributions make all the difference to our community of artists. Please consider making a gift to Music Maker Foundation this fall to help artists like Earnest make their voices heard. Together, we can make these artists’ voices heard and document their songs for the next generation – while bringing the eldest some comfort in their final years.

It is such a great honor to serve the bearers of America’s musical traditions. Thank you for making it possible.