This rich portrait tells the story of Reverend Gary Davis, perhaps the greatest blues, ragtime and gospel musician of the 20th century. Tracing his journey from the tobacco warehouses of the rural South to the streets of Harlem, the film is a loving biography of an artist whose unique style and remarkable skills on guitar made him an icon of the 1960s New York folk scene and inspired a generation of musicians. Harlem Street Singer celebrates the beauty and spirituality of his music as well as the human qualities that made Reverend Davis a much beloved teacher and minister. Featuring performances and interviews with musicians he influenced and taught, including Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane, David Bromberg, Stefan Grossman, John Cohen, Happy Traum, Woody Mann, John Hammond, Roy Book Binder and Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary, this is the story of an American master whose legacy continues to live on in today’s music scene.
