Protege of Gospel Blues Great Reverend Gary Davis Seeks to Preserve Legacy

Stefan Grossman sees himself as a "bridge." In the early 1960s, Grossman studied with blues and gospel singer Rev. Gary Davis, who sang on the streets of Harlem and taught at his home in the Bronx. Davis' fingerpicking style influenced guitarists, some of whom went on to major careers in American roots music.

Grossman has made it his life's work to pass on Rev. Davis' teachings. "I want to pass on the joy of playing this music to others, just as Rev. Davis passed it on to me," he says.

Grossman was 15 years old when he started making the trek from Brooklyn to the Bronx to study with Rev. Davis. When he first called Davis, he got the same reminder that all of the blind Baptist minister's students received: "Bring your money, honey."