More detail:
Bryant was born in Talbot County, Georgia. She was the third child of nine and first became interested in singing by performing at her local Baptist church with her sisters. Bryant learned to play guitar from her father and uncle before dropping out of high school in eleventh grade and beginning to perform wherever she could. Her uncle was blues musician George Henry Bussey. She was first recorded by folklorist George Mitchell in 1967, who described her as "Georgia musical treasure." In 1983, she performed at the Chattahoochee Folk Festival, and soon began playing at local, regional, and international venues to a growing fanbase. In 1995, Bryant met Tim Duffy and became involved with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, who assisted her in booking global tours and shows and increasing her following through events like Blues to Bop in Lugano, Switzerland, Port Townsend Blues Festival, and Chicken Raid in Atlanta, Georgia. Bryant released three solo albums. Her 2002 debut, Fool Me Good, was nominated for two Blues Music Awards, in the categories Acoustic Blues Album of the Year and Best New Artist Debut. In 2006, she was nominated for a similar award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year, as were Koko Taylor, Maria Muldaur and the winner of the award, Etta James. Her song "Morning Train" was featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 film Black Snake Moan.
Bryant died on January 12, 2013, in Columbus, Georgia, of complications from diabetes and congestive heart failure.
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By Jesse Jarnow
Born Precious Bussey in Talbot County, GA, on January 4, 1942, Precious Bryant has performed rural acoustic blues throughout her native state for over 30 years in a variety of settings, from the Baptist church to folk festivals to clubs and concert halls. As a female practitioner of a rapidly fading folk style, Bryant has a unique musical voice, if only by virtue of survival.
Growing up in a close-knit Georgia family, Bryant was surrounded by myriad musical forms from a very young age, her mother a piano player and her father a traditional blues musician. Her uncle, George Henry Bussey, instructed her on guitar and began to teach her the rudiments of what became an extensive blues repertoire. By the age of nine, Bryant was playing regularly in the church, accompanying her seven sisters on guitar. The church appearances naturally led to appearances at other local events.
Though her material was largely traditional, taken from the fertile breeding ground of the lower Chattahoochee River Valley, she also absorbed contemporary influences, including Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James. In the late '60s, Bryant came to the attention of folklorist George Mitchell, who recorded her and encouraged her to make increasingly public performances. Eventually, she agreed to perform at the Chattahoochee Folk Festival and was a smashing success, laying the groundwork for numerous tours in the United States and abroad, including notable appearances at the Blues to Bop Festival in Switzerland and the Alabama Folk Festival in Montgomery. With an engaging stage presence, Bryant helped pass along stories of the music's origins as well as the songs themselves.
In 2001, she recorded her debut record for Atlanta's Terminus Records at the home of old friends Cathy and Fred Fussell, in a living room draped with thick carpets, quilts, and curtains. The vibe of the album is familial and instantly warm. She continued to perform for friends while making an occasional appearance at a local club or festival.