Highway 61: The Blues Highway
HIghway 61 is the longest road I know
It runs from Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico
Son Thomas, ” Highway 61 Blues”
The History of Blues Music: Part 2
The Blues sub-genre sometimes referred to as Country Blues was a reflection of the lives of the people in the rural South. The ex-slaves were no longer under the legal ownership of the rich farm owners but they were just as much under their control. Sharecroppers found it hard to break even and rarely made enough money to get ahead financially. The music they developed in the Mississippi Delta is often referred to as “Delta Blues.” Many people who were fortunate to have been trained on musical instruments found life to be better traveling from community to community performing songs that focused on a better life, sex, love, and life’s trials. Most of the early musicians were men.
The Sunflower River Blues Festival: Part 2
The second Sunflower River Blues Festival I attended went much better weather-wise. I remembe Charlie Musslewhite playing in the acoustic stage and provided a great performance. I believe this was one of my favorite concerts of all time. There were lots of local musicians that played sets and there was a local guy named Mr. Tater that – well I guess you just have to hear Mr. Tater to understand his music. I don’t know how to begin to describe it. I do know that he has been recorded. I don’t know if the recording is still available.
