Gypsy Carns

Nashville's Gypsy Carns continues his evangelical mission in fiery, heartfelt fashion on Gospel Train Coming (Trailer Trash Music 06). There's no mistaking Carns' devotion and passion as he delivers Blind Willie Johnson's "God Don't Never Change," Fred McDowell's "Bye & Bye Goin' To See the King," Rev. Edward W. Clayborn's "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You," and Son House's "John the Revelator," with a more delicate turn on Rev. Pearly Brown's "Oh, What a Morning." His own songs extend the tradition: The shuffling "Satan Don't Pay My Bills" offers the sincere testimony of a saved man, while "Prayin' Blues" plays off Robert Johnson's "Crossroad Blues," advising "Don't go down to the crossroads /Many men have come and gone / They say you meet the devil / Sell your soul and move on." (A stunning version of Johnson's "Preachin' Blues" is here, too.) Insistent rhythms, slashing resonator guitar, and shouted vocals dominate this solo effort. All who hear it will take notice. - Blues Revue

Gospel Train Coming
Artist: Gypsy Carns
Label: Trailer Trash Music
Length: 12 tracks/36:02

Billing himself as the “Blues Preacher”, Gypsy Carns offers up a stirring version of his faith at the place where blues and gospel music intersect. Many of the classic country blues musicians labored with struggle to decide between singing praises to the good Lord or earning a living performing the Devil’s music. For some the answer was to play blues but sing gospel lyrics. Carns covers tunes by some of these greats including Robert Johnson ("Preachin’ Blues"), Son House ("John the Revelator"), Mississippi Fred McDowell ("Bye & Bye," "Going to See the King"), Rev. Gary Davis ("Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning") and Blind Willie Johnson ("God Don’t Never Change" & "Soul of a Man"). He fills out the setlist with three original songs.

Carns handles all of the guitars plus harmonica and the vocals. His singing voice is snarling and gruff one minute – then he shifts to higher pitch where his voice smoothes out for a lighter sound. Many of the tracks feature the dobro, a guitar with resonator plates played with a slide that creates an otherworldly, eerie sound in keeping with the battle between good and evil played out on the disc.

The title track opens the disc with a roar with Carns imitating train sounds on the dobro with blasts from a harmonica surrounding an energetic vocal. “Prayin’ Blues” is one of Carns’ original songs with a driving arrangement for a tale of the Devil, crossroads and a gypsy woman. It is a compelling performance in spite of the use of well-worn themes. Carns tones it down on another of his songs, “Satan Don’t Pay My Bills”, which is one of the highlights of the disc. The lyrics serve as a description of the state of Gypsy’s faith journey.

Several of the songs suffer in comparison to the original versions. Carns doesn’t offer any new arrangements and his vocals sometimes lack the nuance of his mentors. But his guitar/dobro work brims with energy and passion that always make for an interesting listen.

This type of music is rarely played and recorded any more. To hear it performed with such conviction is a rare treat. Carns has fashioned a fitting testimony to the musicians that inspired him and to his own faith. Consider joining him on the gospel train – it’s a joyous ride !!!!

Mark Thompson

- The Phantom Tollbooth

12 Songs in all. Authentic Gospel blues in the vein of Glenn Kaiser, Darrell Mansfield, Rev Dan Smith, Rev. Gary Davis, etc... Gypsy co-penned the Grammy nominated "It's a Dirty Job" that Koko Taylor recorded.

Silvertone & 12 String Acoustics, Dobros, Harp, and gritty, feel good vocals are a signature of Gypsy Carns. As of late, God has been opening doors for him to play in places the Gospel isn't allowed. He is just finishing a tour in China, playing clubs. This artist is all about sharing the Gospel... In fact, he just put all of his songs online to download free at his web site www.gypsycarns.com . And if you want his latest CD free, all you have to do is write him and he will send a copy- no charge. Gypsy is the host of Whitedove Radio's Blues show.
Review by Mark Blair Glunt & R.A. - TrueLifeRadio.com

Gypsy Carns, aka, The Blues Preacher astounded Shanghai in early July. Sponsored by Gibson Guitars, this four-date tour of the city's live venues left audiences open-mouthed and craving for more. Carns 'Howlin' Wolf-like vocals, wailing blues harp, stomping percussion and 12 string Dobro bottleneck prowess add up to what a blues critic called "a one-man wrecking crew." Indeed, his style of Delta blues with Jesus' lyrics, backed by relentless energy made for an altogether cataclysmic experience. If this is Christian Rock, then hallelujah brother."

- City Scene, Shanghai, China

Spiritual Blues singer and guitarist Gypsy "The General" Carns flew in and out of Israel for 3 days.
I organized a show at the new Lavontine 7 music club in downtown Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, and his buddy Richard in Jerusalem organized a gig at the Maabada Bar in the Holy City.
Gypsy arrived with his blue Dobro guitar, his "stomp box" and a few other accessories.
I had been listening to some of Gypsy's CDs for the past 6 months or so, and I could tell that the man has deep roots in the traditional slide guitar and delta Blues and Gospel, but experiencing "the General" live on stage is a whole different ballgame.
You must see the man live on stage to feel the enormous power and energy that he puts into his show. His slide guitar playing is impeccable, and his vocals are very strong too.
All this is combined with a black ski hat and reflector sunglasses, leather boots with spurs, and 2 sets of little bells tied to each leg for percussion as he plays "bass drum" by stomping on his wooden "stomp box".
I had the pleasure of doing a guest spot with my National steel body guitar - we sang 2 Blind Willie Johnson classics, "God Don't Never Change" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine".
The following night, we repeated the show at the Maabada Bar club in Jerusalem, extending the show to 2 hours or more, and Gypsy called me up for 2 different guest spots.
Quite an honor and a special experience to be on stage and jam with the General.
You can get information on Gypsy and even download a number of his recordings at www.gypsycarns.com
- Blues For Peace

If Mike Rimmer's extensive interview with this Nashville blues phenomenon has already whetted your appetite no doubt you're taking steps to locate this gem. If, on the other hand, General Gypsy Carns is a new name to you I can do no better than to quote from Blues Review: "Gypsy Carns, a one-man wrecking crew who plays a 'stompbox' tambourine/kick drum combination, harp, 12-string resonator guitar.this is hammering, powerful stuff, driven by Carns' energy and rough-hewn vocals." This album, cut live in the studio - usually in one take - is grittily cathartic and truly moving as Carns' gargling-gravel voice and searing slide guitar bring new life to the old, old story. It's also something of a musical history lesson as Gypsy plucks gems from the ancient repertoire of Rev Edward W Clayborn, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Rev Pearly Brown, Blind Willie Johnson and others interspersed with a few hard hitting Carns originals like "Dark Eternally" and "Satan Don't Pay No Bills". Timeless stuff.

- Cross Rhythms Magazine - London, England

Mr Carns is a one man blues band who has previously been swooned about in Cross Rhythms with his albums 'Revelation Blues' and 'G Force' bringing forth fulsome praise from Mike Rimmer, who nailed this CCM maverick's gravel-voiced vocal style as "a modern day Blind Willie Johnson meets Howlin' Wolf." Clearly Rimmer's enthusiasm was appreciated; there's a song here dedicated to Mike, or as he's called on the sleevenotes. Michael 'Memphis' Rimmer! Perhaps this bias is why Rimmer didn't get this review? This man's passion, grit, authentic blues, power and gorgeously guttural voice take no prisoners. Like good rock, this recording is packed with emotion, power and intensity. Unlike rock, Gypsy achieves this simply through his dobros (guitar) and his voice. It would seem that this gospel journeyman has been sticking to this brilliantly basic formula for quite some time and the experience is reaping dividends musically and spiritually. He may just be as important and as influential to this generation as his predecessor Blind Willie Johnson was to his, so let's make sure he gets heard!
- Cross Rhythms Magazine - London, England

"Also known as The General of the Salvation Movement by a Spanish radio station, here is Gypsy Carns. A native of Anniston (Alabama), he made his debut in the Fifties. He began to play in the clubs in 1963 and recorded his first album has 1968. I do not know what grade he was in when he started, but the fact is he has employed his mind. White hair and sports a goatee. A Confederate uniform would be expected.. But no. Rather he has naked tattooed arms. One would expect a Strat or a Telecaster. Wrong again. It's a dobro. Then what? Good Southern rock and roll? Not completely. The gentleman has the voice but uses it to sing the merits of Heaven and of Redemption. He is also called, with good reason, The Blues Preacher. The title is without equivocation, as in the compositions "Satan Never Sleeps", "Lord, Bring Your Kingdom Down", "Save My Soul", "Holy Is The Son".

One can more simply let oneself be transported by the sound of this heavy delta blues which provides a tireless crusade between the United States and Europe. Many prestigious nominations mark the life of this artist, including two Grammy awards for a piece co-written for Koko Taylor. Without being a virtuoso of the six-string, Gypsy Carns sings, scrapes his guitar and handles the stompbox with energy, leaving no doubt as to the message he carries. It is rough music, very rooted, without artifice. It is the force of the preachers of other days, those who preach the eminent delivery of Jerusalem. With regard to the contents of the songs, one agrees or not, it is a personal business. Believers will find their account. The others also, those which like the blues of the delta in its raw version."
- Blues & Co Autrement Blues

"The return of the General, always with an air also on the edge….. The voice of a hard-rocker and words of a preacher with a rhythm similar to the percussion and auto-harp a la Joan Baez from the great epoch. It is in this way that the CD begins with Rainbow! The pieces continue in the same vein and if one takes the pleasure to listen to the whole thing, Gypsy Carns appears to get a little more brilliant with each disc. But, it should be said, the music is finally, in the fast pieces, little more than a vehicle (obligatory?) for the lyrics. The gentleman does not lack the quality of a musician, that’s already proven, but his emphasis (“I consider myself a modern-day pioneer of Christian blues) takes precedence. That is calmed a little when it calms itself (I’m Alright or Dark Eternity).Is there a parallel with its musical mission of evangelism?
- Le Cri Du Coyote - Paris, France

"The Festival of San Pietro Castle presented "General" Gypsy Carns in his first appearance in Italy and Europe, and who was first spoken about in our reviews concerning his two CD's in issue numbers 74 and 86. He is a one man band with dobro, harmonica, and stomp box and he expresses with fervor and impetus the conjugation of sacred music with blues. His concert was a fusion of spirituality and truth, he sang with conviction and played with passion, drawing continuously from the pieces on his last CD (including the gesture of offering it to the public free of charge) as well as his cover of "God Don't Never Change" by Blind Willie Johnson, "It's a Dirty Job" from the repertory of Koko Taylor and "Little Red Rooster", all spaced among small "sermons" where he thanked God, the organizers, the public, and this review."
- IL BLUES - Italy