Page 9 - BiTS_04_APRIL_2026

Paul Geremia

21 April 1944 - 14 March 2026

Paul Geremia, the revered American country‑blues
troubadour whose fierce devotion to acoustic tradition
made him one of the most respected interpreters of early
blues, died yesterday at the age of 81. A scholar, storyteller,
and master guitarist, Geremia spent nearly six decades
carrying forward the spirit of Blind Lemon Jefferson,
Blind Blake, Scrapper Blackwell, and the great
pre‑war blues stylists who shaped his musical
identity.

Born April 21, 1944, in Providence, Rhode Island,
Geremia grew up in an Italian‑American family
where music—opera, folk, and the sounds of
early blues—formed a constant backdrop. He
began with harmonica at age 12 before
discovering the guitar, the instrument that would
define his life’s work.

Geremia recorded his first album in 1968,
launching a career marked by un-
compromising authenticity. He never
recorded with an electric guitar, choosing
instead to honour the acoustic textures of the
early bluesmen he studied so intensely. Over
the course of 11 albums, he became known for
his intricate fingerpicking, slide work, and a voice
that carried the grain and grit of the tradition he
championed.

His performances were as much storytelling sessions as concerts—rich with anecdotes about
the legendary artists he had met, studied, or admired. Acoustic Guitar magazine once called
him “possibly the greatest living performer of the East Coast and Texas fingerpicking and
slide styles,” a testament to both his technical mastery and his interpretive depth.

Geremia’s work earned him widespread respect among musicians, scholars, and blues
devotees. His rendition of Fred McDowell’s ‘Get Right Church’ opened the
Grammy‑nominated compilation “Preachin’ the Blues” in 2002, and several of his albums
received W.C. Handy Award nominations. In 2013, he was inducted into the Rhode Island
Music Hall of Fame, cementing his status as one of New England’s most important musical
voices.

A passionate bridge to the early blues tradition, he was a musician’s musician—unyielding
in his artistic principles, generous with his knowledge, and beloved for the warmth and wit
he brought to every stage.

Ian K McKenzie