John Fahey

John Aloysius Fahey was an American fingerstyle guitarist and composer who played the steel-string acoustic guitar as a solo instrument. His style has been influential and has been described as foundational for the genre of American primitive guitar, a term borrowed from painting and referring mainly to the self-taught nature of the music and its minimalist style. Fahey borrowed from the folk and blues traditions in American roots music, having compiled many forgotten early recordings in these genres. He would later incorporate 20th-century classical, Portuguese, Brazilian, and Indian influences into his work.

Country

United States

Category

Musicians

Type

Singer / Musician

Status

deceased

Dates

Lived 1939 to 2001 · aged 61

Written about in

14 languages