Ellen McIlwaine September 26, 2009

In 1966, encouraged by folk singer Patrick Sky she went to Greenwich Village, bought from Guild Guitars the "loaner" steel-stringed acoustic used by Mississippi John Hurt and Richie Havens among others during their repairs, and met Richie, Dave Van Ronk and Odetta, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, etc. From the Blue Flames who backed up John Hammond she met Jimi Hendrix and they became friends, playing and struggling on the New York scene. After returning to Atlanta in 1967 she formed her own group, Fear Itself. In 1970 the group dissolved and Ellen began playing solo.