Biography
Born on 10 February 1920 in Chestnut Mountain, Virginia, Tinsley picked up the guitar at age 11 and began performing at social gatherings once he reached 18. His repertoire and playing style drew heavily from the recordings of Blind Boy Fuller and Buddy Moss, while he also created original blues pieces, among them a number prompted by a 1949 episode in which he shot and injured his stepfather. A 1952 78 rpm release made with Fred Holland on a regional label sold poorly, prompting him to abandon blues performance by 1955. Encouraged by blues researchers, he returned to playing in 1977, producing several engaging recordings and making a pair of trips to Europe, although a disagreement with a Danish promoter marred the first of those journeys.