Blind Willie McTell (1903-1959) was one of the most gifted musicians of his generation, with an exquisite voice and a sublime talent for the 12-string guitar. As Bob Dylan wrote, "Nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell"--yet his repertoire was infinitely wider than just the blues. Though blind from birth, McTell never behaved as if he were handicapped by his lack of sight, and he exploded every stereotype about blues musicians. Why, then, did he drift in and out of the public eye, being "rediscovered" time and again through chance meetings; and why, until now, has so little been written about the life of this extraordinary man? Michael Gray has traveled throughout the South and beyond to unearth the fascinating story of McTell's life, uncovering the secrets of his ancestry, the hardships he suffered, and the successes he enjoyed at a time when recording contracts didn't allow musicians to stop singing on the street corner. He gives readers an intimate portrait of a remarkable man, showing how his life connects to the tumultuous sweep of American history. Part biography, part travelogue, part social history, this is an atmospheric, unforgettable tale.