My headline is not talking about the inevitable destruction of both manmade and natural monuments as depicted in the trailers for the movie 2012 (I apologize for the bait & switch). For the few uninitiated, the movie is based on the prediction of the world’s near-demise from the ending of the Mayan calendar in that year. Question: If the Mayans could predict the future, how come they couldn’t they foresee their own demise?
No, I am talking about the national treasures we have in our living Blues legends.
When I was growing up in Chicago, my band in high school learned about the legendary Blues musicians primarily through the recordings of British band like the Stones, Yardbirds and Cream who we emulated. The more we tried to be like our heroes, the more we discovered the artists they emulated, namely great Chicago Bluesman like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon and their young protégé named Buddy Guy. One of the greatest moments in my life was when my band was asked to open a Muddy Waters concert, and we got to meet the greatest of the great. He had such an aura about him, but he was very cordial and encouraging to us nonetheless. Watching a primarily white suburban teenage audience react in such a frenzied way, I thought to myself, “So this is where it all began.” After that I became a dedicated Blues aficionado.
Years later, because of my occupation, I was able to meet many of the Bluesman that I held in such high esteem. While working on a project in Atlanta, the guitarist in my band, Manny Alvarez, found out that Homesick James was playing a local club. Not only did we witness a gifted performer and one of the last surviving musicians who knew Robert Johnson (some credit Homesick with writing “Sweet Home Chicago”), but we even got the thrill of meeting him after the show. Years later, when my wife Bettina and I worked together on the Fender Catalina Island Blues Festival from 1997 – 2001, we made it a point to showcase many of the great Bluesmen alongside many of the younger artists they influenced. Robert Jr. Lockwood (Robert Johnson’s stepson) played one of our acoustic shows and he was still incredible in his eighties. Of the artists I mentioned above, Muddy, of course, left us a while back, but Robert Jr. and Homesick just passed away in this decade. I felt so fortunate to see those artists and so today, I try to connect with the greats that are still out there.
@9:25 am
I hear you Del. Having been in a small-town blues band for several years I made a point of seeing many of the greats. Buddy and BB multiple times, Bobby Bland, Jr. Wells, Koko, Etta…saw the “Muddy Waters Tribute Band” and that was a real treat, w/ Willie “Big Eyes” Smith (of course being a drummer I really enjoyed him) and Pinetop Perkins. Crazy seeing Pinetop because it took him about 5 minutes to shuffle to the stage but once he sat down what came out of his fingertips was pure magic. Muddy and Albert King had passed “before my time” and one of the legends I regret missing was John Lee, though he had stopped touring extensively at the time I was really getting into blues music. Would love to have seen Otis Rush but I know with the demons he battled before his stroke it would have been a crapshoot.
But I will echo your sentiment. BB and Buddy are still actively touring and putting on great shows. Go see them before it’s too late!