When most people hear "the blues", the first image that probably pops into their mind is a middle aged African American man plucking away at his acoustic guitar on a porch somewhere in Louisiana. While many of the genre's forefathers may have fit that mold, it is a restrictive and inaccurate view of a diverse and rich form of music that is the root for almost all modern music. Those that maintain this stereotypical view of the blues and assume it is "grandpa music" are missing out on a lot.

Since the electrification of the guitar shot it to the forefront of three and four piece bands, music entered an evolutionary time warp not unlike that the quantum leaps in science and technology occurring at the same time.

Some of the pioneers during the 50's were B.B. King, Albert King, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson. Chuck Berry was among the first to take the blues and kick it up a notch, speeding up the tempo and creating many rock riffs and techniques that are standard vocabulary today.

By the 60's and 70's, the blues had traveled across the pond to Britain. Bands like Cream, the Who, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin all traced their roots back to the blues forefathers. Even Angus Young of AC/DC, considered metal by many(the band always maintains that they are a rock band, not metal) has a very bluesy style of playing.

By the 80's, "Blues-Rock" had become indistinguishable from "Hard Rock". It wasn't until artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan came along and took blues back to it's roots.

Some modern bands that have bluesy overtones include the Black Keys and the White Stripes.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Crossroads Guitar Festival

The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a day long concert put on by Eric Clapton featuring "the past, present and future of music". The first was held in 2004, then in 2007, and again in 2010. The proceeds go to fund the Crossroads center for rehabilitation of those fighting alcohol or drug habits. In addition to the concert, several of Eric Clapton's amps and guitars were auctioned off for a total of 2.5 million (2010)

I think that the Crossroads Guitar Festival is one of the best concert events out there. The Living Legend himself is leading a collaborative colossus. If Eric Clapton invites you to play at his event, you can rest assured that you have just about reached the pinnacle of blues stardom. The guest list ranges from greats like B.B. King and Clapton to the newer generation of blues guitarists. The concert is a veritable smorgasbord of artists.

I think it's important because there are some fine guitarists out there that just aren't that famous. The Festival allows people to get a glimpse of artists they might never have heard of otherwise.
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