blues), and many of the songs he plays are traditional, but he plays this acoustic type of music with a style, speed, and quality that has evolved and progressed in the modern age. Though probably best known for his fluid renditions of classic fiddle tunes transcribed for the guitar ("Fiddler's Dram/Whiskey Before Breakfast"), Blake has also written songs that have become bluegrass and folk standards, such as "Ginseng Sullivan", "Slow Train through Georgia", "Billy Gray", and "Church Street Blues". Blake has also written and published songs of a political nature, such as “Don’t Be Afraid of the Neo-Cons.” Blake is known for his tastefully simple-sounding style, saying, “I’m more interested in the music and the tone than I am the licks.” Although known as one of the most prominent steel-string guitar flatpickers, Blake is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. Other instruments he plays include the mandolin, 6-string banjo, fiddle, dobro, banjo and viola. He is known for his loose, right-hand guitar technique, which arose out of his mandolin technique. Also well known is his devotion to 12-fret guitars, including Martin 00s, 000s, D18s, D28s, and Gibsons, like his 1929 12-fret Nick Lucas special. Collaborations Blake has collaborated with Tony Rice on the albums, "Blake and Rice," and "Blake and Rice 2," which include many tunes, including some of Blake's originals. Blake also released an album with Mike Compton called, "Gallop to Georgia," which showcases many Old-Time tunes. Awards and honors Blake played on the album Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, which won five Grammy Awards, and on the soundtrack O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Norman & Nancy Blake received Grammy nominations in the Best Traditional Folk Recording category for Blind Dog, Just Gimme Somethin' I'm Used To, While Passing Along This Way, and The Hobo's Last Ride. In 1986 Norman Blake was chosen Best Multi-Instrumentalist by the readers of Frets magazine. Discography Home in Sulphur Springs (Rounder, 1972) The Fields of November (Flying Fish, 1974) Old and New (Flying Fish, 1975) Norman Blake and Red Rector (Country, 1976) Whiskey Before Breakfast (Rounder, 1976) Live at McCabe's (Takoma, 1976) Norman Blake/Tut Taylor/Sam Bush/Butch Robins/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Jethro Burns (Flying Fish, 1976) Blackberry Blossom (Flying Fish, 1977) Directions (Takoma, 1978) Rising Fawn String Ensemble (Rounder, 1979) Full Moon on the Farm (Rounder, 1981) Original Underground Music from the Mysterious South (Rounder, 1983)