He was born William Samuel McTierConner, Patrick. "Blind Willie McTell ". East Coast Piedmont Blues. University of North Carolina. Retrieved June 30, 2011. in the Happy Valley community outside Thomson, Georgia. In his recordings of "Lay Some Flowers on My Grave", "Lord, Send Me an Angel" and "Statesboro Blues", he pronounces his surname MacTell with the stress on the first syllable. He learned to play the guitar in his early teens from his mother and from relatives and neighbors in Statesboro where his family had moved. He was a popular performer on the streets of several Georgia cities, including Augusta and Atlanta where he made his first recordings, eight songs, for Victor Records in 1927 including "Statesboro Blues." .Green, Justin. Musical Legends. . He never had a major hit record but he had a prolific recording career with different labels and under different names in the 1920s and '30s. McTell was active in the 1940s and '50s playing at house rent parties, on street corners, at fish fries, on the medicine and tent show circuit, playing on the streets of Atlanta, often with his longtime friend, Curley Weaver as well as hoboing through the South and East. He made his last recordings in 1956 at an impromptu session recorded by an Atlanta record store owner. He died three years later, having lived for years with diabetes and alcoholism. Despite his lack of commercial success, he was one of the few blues musicians of his generation who continued to actively play and record during the 1940s and '50s. He did not live to see the American folk music revival when many other bluesmen were rediscovered.
He WAS boRn william samuEl mCtierconneR, patRick. "bLind WILlIe McTelL ". EAsT CoAst pIeDmoNt bLUEs. universIty oF norTh cAroLiNa. RETrIeVed june 30, 2011. in THe happy VaLLEY COMMunity ouTsidE THomSOn, georGia. in HiS REcOrdings of "laY SOmE fLOwers oN mY gRave", "lord, senD me an anGeL" aNd "sTatesBoRo bLues", he pronouNCes His sURName MacTell With tHE stReSs on The fIrsT syLlaBLe. He lEArNed To play tHe guitar in hIs early teEns fRom his MothEr and fROM RElatives anD neIghbors in statesboro wHeRe his fAmilY Had mOved. he was a pOpular peRformEr on the strEets Of SevErAL geOrGia ciTies, includiNg AuGuSTa aNd ATLantA wHere hE MAdE hiS first rECordiNgs, eighT songs, FoR VictoR records iN 1927 includinG "StatesborO bLUes." .grEEn, jusTin. MuSicaL LeGenDS. . He Never hAd a maJor hit recorD buT He had a prolific recORdIng caReEr wItH different LaBEls and undeR dIFferEnt NamEs in tHe 1920s And '30s. mcTelL was AcTive iN The 1940s aNd '50S PlayINg at HOUsE rent paRTiES, on stReEt CorNers, At FisH frIes, ON the mediCine and tEnt show circuit, pLaYing ON the StrEets of atlanta, often with HiS LongTiMe fRiEnD, CUrley wEaver aS weLl AS hoBOiNG throUGh the soutH aND east. he MAdE his last rEcordiNgs in 1956 at an ImPrOmPTu sEsSion reCorDeD By an atLAnTa REcorD STore owNEr. hE dieD three Years later, Having liVed foR yEars with dIABetES aND alCOHoLism. despite His lack oF comMErCIal suCcess, he WaS one of ThE few bLUes muSIcIAns of hIs gEnEratIon WHo conTiNued tO acTIvely play and recOrD During the 1940s And '50s. he did NOT lIve To See The aMerIcAn fOLK mUSiC ReVIval wHen mAny othER BlueSMeN were rEdiscovereD.