Bishop Perry Tillis - In Times Like These

From 50 Miles of Elbow Room:

Perry Tillis was born in Alabama in 1919. He led the life of a travelling blues singer in his early years before finding religion and leaving that life behind. Bengt Olsson made the first recordings of Bishop Perry Tillis in 1971 which appeared on a few collections on labels such as Flyright and were eventually issued on CD by the Birdman label a few years back. On these tracks he shows a light touch and a passionate delivery that has a hypnotic effect on the listener.

Bishop Tillis apparently continued to refine this aesthetic over the years, continuing to go further with it, channeling spirits, communicating with the angels, and making something truly cosmic, very raw, far out, and transportational. A field recording from the mid-‘90s (heard on the “Traditional Music from Alabama’s Wiregrass” CD on Alabama Traditions which is also in stock here for cheap) showed a brief glimpse of this heavier approach. Video footage from roundabout the same time also exists and it is exceptionally raucous (the great Brian Turner of WFMU played some of the audio on his program and identified the track as “TOTAL INSANITY I AM NOT KIDDING YOU” on his playlist).

In his last years, Tillis continued to make home recordings on a boombox, selections of which make up this LP that is full of honest, raw, free, spirit song that sounds like the beginning of all music, born from the urge to GET IT OUT. An informative insert penned by Amos Harvey provides the listener with some context and grounding, but you’ve really just got to let go and dive in.