If this 1956 Big Bill Broonzy performance of “When Did You Leave Heaven” doesn’t feature a song as familiar as his oft-covered “Key to the Highway,” there’s no denying the two songs share a wry, intelligent viewpoint. Such an attitude was undoubtedly honed during the man’s unusual career arc covering country music and an urban style of blues. At the same time, the Mississippi native’s return to his traditional folk-blues roots in the 1950s ultimately marked him as one of the key figures in that elemental music’s renaissance in the Sixties. In much more practical terms, the versatility Broonzy gleaned from such an eclectic approach lies at the heart of his deceptively relaxed presence in this video: the instrumental accompaniment alternately carries and supports the drawl of the man’s vocal delivery.
