Why Blues History? Music Is Our History.
When I tell people that I write a blog on Blues History, musicly minded people will understand but I have to explain to others that music is our history. Every stage of history that I can think of has a particular type of music that identifies it.
With blues music, there are several stages of history that each have a style of blues that fits right in to the events of the day. I heard Fruitland Jackson being interviewed on a radio program in St. Louis, Mo. and he was talking about how the new blues men need to include songs about current world situations. He talked about writing songs about riding on jet plane or talking about cell phones.
It seems to me that the blues has often kept up with changes in social situations. Jimmy Thackery has a song about a “Cool Guitar.” The main idea is “I’m gonna sell that bitches car and buy me a cool guitar.” A line form Muddy Waters “Long Distance Call”< My telephone keeps ringing, sounds like a long distance call.” I’ve always wondered how a long distance call might sound.
Hound Dog Taylor sang bout wigs and talked about the prices of the wigs. That can kind of show you how things change. Hand me down my walking cane refers to men coming back from war. All of these things are direct references to history and it appears to me that the, blues history, music history and world events are all part of the same thing.
I would like to hear from readers. How do you see blues history,music history and world events come together. Or maybe social situations and blues music. I am compiling a list and intend to create a set of music that relates to current events both now and songs that related to current events in the past. Please pass on suggestions.
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