America’s great national music is the blues. Without the blues, there would be no rock and roll, and no hip-hop. The first generation of the blues masters (Robert Johnson) is pretty much the exclusive territory of college professors and fawning Brits, and latter-day giants like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf have virtually disappeared into the catalogs of countless rockers from the 1960s and 1970s. It’s tough to hear the blues on the radio, too, unless you venture over to the far left side of the FM dial (think NPR).
No question: the blues is definitely an endangered art form, although not totally extinct. Modern artists like Marcia Ball and Jimmie Vaughan keep the faith in Texas, and up in Chicago luminaries like Lonnie Brooks (with his sons) and John Primer are fighting the good fight. You have Elmore James Jr., son of the great guitarist, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards too. Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and sometimes John Mayer put the blues on a national stage.
So let’s celebrate our great national resource with some classic blues artists. Pay attention, because later this week we will take a look at new albums by some current blues artists and see how they connect to the past.
MP3: I Just Wanna Make Love To You by Muddy Waters
MP3: Knockin’ At Your Door by Elmore James
MP3: Ball And Chain by Etta James
MP3: Hoodoo Man by Junior Wells
30 Days Out 