I borrowed that title from the legendary Buddy Guy. I wanted to say something about blues music and I was searching for a title, and well, it’s one of his songs, and it’s better than anything I could come up with, so there you go. I’ll get back to Buddy Guy in a few minutes.
I’m not really qualified to define the blues. I’ve been told that you have to live it in order to play it or sing it, and I can’t say I’ve lived it. I just know that I love it.
There’s an old story that Robert Johnson was standing at the crossroads out in the country somewhere in Mississippi, where he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for mad guitar skills. Johnson went on to record a grand total of 29 country blues songs, combining the sounds of Son House, Charlie Patton, and others with the variety of sounds he heard during his travels around the Deep South, and created his own style of blues playing. He only lived 27 years, but what he left behind still lives.
When people talk about the blues, Robert Johnson’s name always seems to come up. Others mentioned would be John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Lead Belly, Willie Dixon, and B.B. King. And the music changed over the years, becoming electrified, and incorporating elements of rock. Mainstream music fans are certainly familiar with a B.B. King song that happened to cross over and become a well-known hit, “The Thrill Is Gone.”
One of my favorites has always been “Boom Boom Boom” by John Lee Hooker.
And listen to this one from the great Muddy Waters.
You might notice that every single bluesman I’ve mentioned so far has long since passed away. Add some other greats like Albert King, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Elmore James, Mississippi John Hurt, Albert Collins, R.L. Burnside, Junior Wells, and Jimmy Reed to that list.
There are so many others I could name…the list goes on and on. “The road goes on forever,” as they say. With all of those dearly departed music makers no longer with us, thank goodness there are others who’ve taken on the responsibility (and the great pleasure) of
keeping the genre alive. It’s remarkable that it took a bunch of young, white Englishmen, who were part of The British Invasion in the 60’s, to put the proper spotlight on so much great music that had been right here in America all along. Future music icons, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards started listening to blues from across the pond in their teenage years, and the love for that music fueled their early careers. Just listen to this from The Rolling Stones.
They weren’t the only ones. Eric Burdon and The Animals idolized those great African American artists in the United States, too. Same goes for John Mayall and Jeff Beck. And don’t forget Robert Plant and guitar genius, Jimmy Page, who drew heavily on the blues for their success.
All of that brings me to Eric Clapton, who has become one of the most famous guitarists in the world. He wouldn’t be anywhere without his reliance on those old blues masters, from whom he learned so much.
Now back to Buddy Guy, who’s been right here in America all along. I would call him the Master of the Chicago Blues. He’s 85 now, still performing at concerts, and still recording great stuff. I’ve seen Buddy Guy a couple of times live, and the man’s still got it!
The late, great Jimi Hendrix, considered by many, including yours truly, to be the best guitar player in history, owes a lot of his success to the blues, as well.
Any discussion of the blues would have to include the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, who came out of Texas with a style that was equal parts blues and rock and roll. Stevie Ray was another artist who left us way too soon.
Bonnie Raitt not only plays one of the best slide guitars you’ve ever heard, but she has been singlehandedly responsible for increasing the exposure of so many older blues artists who otherwise might not have been exposed to white audiences.
The Allman Brothers Band came along and introduced rock fans, and the world to some of the most magnificent music and one of the greatest guitarists ever to grace the stage, the inimitable Duane Allman. Here’s a whole stage of talented players performing the blues.
There are so many musicians out there today who are keeping this great genre alive for younger generations. It’s fair to say that rock music still incorporates elements of blues music, rather than the other way around. Just listen to Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Gary Clark, Jr.
I could keep adding to the list, but I’ve got to go and listen to some Marcus King, and Tedeschi Trucks band music. I’ll start with this one:
Hey now. The legendary Buddy Guy is still out there sharing his music with the world. And once in a while, he showcases this one. I hope you enjoy it!
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