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Video by GtrWorkShp on YouTube · Josh White - Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out

Josh White

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Josh White (1914–1969) was a towering figure in American music, blending blues, jazz, and folk into a sophisticated style that broke racial barriers. A virtuoso guitarist and a charismatic social activist, he became the first African American artist to give a White House command performance and earned the first million-selling record by a Black folk singer. White’s technical mastery relied on a unique, percussive fingerpicking style that demanded a guitar with both clarity and structural resilience. In the mid-1960s, this need led to a historic collaboration with Charles Kaman, the aerospace engineer who founded Ovation Guitars. White became the first major artist to embrace the revolutionary Lyrachord round-back design. While traditionalists were skeptical of "plastic" guitars, White valued the instrument's projection and its ability to withstand the rigors of constant touring. His feedback was instrumental in refining the brand's early models. In 1967, Ovation honored this partnership by releasing the Josh White Model, the company’s first-ever signature guitar. It featured a deep bowl, a classic slotted headstock, and a rich tone that bridged the gap between nylon-string warmth and steel-string power. Through White’s endorsement, Ovation gained the "street cred" it needed to become a staple of the modern acoustic era. Biography generated with the assistance of AI

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