Hello all, and welcome to another edition of What I'm Listening To! This season, I was thinking of Black History Month, specifically the influences that African Americans have had on music. When talking about this, the first is obvious: The Blues! So, I thought I'd give you five of my favorite Blues artists/songs. Without further ado, let's dive in!
"The Thrill is Gone" - B. B. King (Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: B. B. King)
I can't stress how much I love B. B. King, not just as a unique musical voice, but much more importantly, how he makes his guitar sing. He could pull out emotions from his musical instrument that no one else could, and did it so effortlessly. I encourage you to watch the Youtube video of this song Live at Montreux 1993. The reason is the cameraman zooms in on his hands during the song, and it's just a thing of beauty.
Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: B.b. King
"I'd Rather Go Blind" - Etta James (20th Century Masters...best of Etta James)
The thing I love about the Blues is it's soulful, sad, and powerful. Step into the scene Etta James, my favorite female blues singer of all time. Although "At Last" is her biggest hit by far, it's this one that I think encapsulates everything I described earlier. Sing it, Etta.
20th Century Masters: the Millennium Collection: Best of Etta James (reissue)
"Boom Boom" - John Lee Hooker (John Lee Hooker)
Talk about another great guitarist/singing great! John Lee Hooker was born in the Mississippi Delta area, but it wasn't until he moved to Detroit that he got his music career to start off. This is by far and away his most prominent song, even playing it on the big screen in the movie "The Blues Brothers". I always find myself rocking to this upbeat blues superhit!
"Mannish Boy" - Muddy Waters (Muddy Waters: The Montreux Years)
Besides having a really sweet name, Muddy Waters is in the top tier of male blues musicians. His style influenced many artists, including George Thorogood. If you listen to this song, you can see exactly where the music for "Bad to the Bone" comes from. Muddy has a different style than either B. B. King or John Lee Hooker, and that's what I also enjoy about the Blues. Often times, influences are from the same source, but the regional influences also affect differences in style of play.
Muddy Waters: the Montreux Years (live)
"If Trouble Was Money" - Gary Clark Jr. (Gary Clark Jr. Live)
For my last choice, I chose a modern blues musician who I just adore. I was introduced to Gary in college by one of my friends, and I just can't get enough of his style. It's classic blues, with touches of other musical genres. His Live album is in my top 5 of vinyl I own, and this song is my favorite on it.
I hope you enjoyed my picks, and as always, if it sounds good, listen to it!
