Wow. Just give this kid a drinking problem and tell him that he has no chance of making any money with his music and he'll be the next blues champion.
This video got me thinking though. (Yes, sometimes I have a thought that's worth expressing - don't act shocked). I'm a blues fan - thanks Dad - and I thought "Hey, since I'm a fan, I get to have a say in who I think are the best blues artists of all time." That's right, a "Top" list.
Your thoughts right now: "Praise the good lord, you read my mind. I have this uncontested desire to read your opinion on blues artists. You'll probably be 100 percent right and change my life, musically, at first, but then you'll touch something deeper - a lost feeling of sorts. It will set me on a new path and in 17 years my face will grace the cover of Time Magazine as the Person of the Year."
You're welcome.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan: Yes, it is well documented that SRV is one of my favorite musicians of all time. But it is also well documented that SRV spearheaded the American space program, invented the internet and saved Texas from a gigantic flood, stemming from a meteor that hit in the Gulf of Mexico, sending a giant wave towards Texas' coast (get it?).* He even took a nursery rhyme and made it his bitch:
*Citation needed.
- Johnny Lee Hooker: A blues god. Need any more information? Ok. Well, how about he's a blues deity. Still not satisfied? Ok. JLH has about a billion albums (some were released after his death in 2001 and some are compilations, don't hold it against him), and I dare you to find something that has his name on it that is not enjoyable. The dude has made an impact on music as a whole and has been doing so for decades. And he was in the original Blues Brothers. I'm not saying any more - my words will only mud his reputation.
- Muddy Waters: Name sound familiar? If not, leave this page and and spend about 76 days on Grooveshark and come back. If you still are not appreciative ... then move to Canada. Waters is in the top-tier of American blues and his name has become synonymous with badass-ness and is considered the father of the Chicago-style blues. Some magazine, Rolling Stone, rated him as the 17th greatest artist of all time. Mmmm ... think something is there? I tell you what I'll do for you. Here's a song - listen. Five bucks you start acting like you've been possessed at a Pentecostal revival:
- BB King: Has there ever been a more popular blues artist? Probably not and there's a reason why. Not only does he have the key to the highway, but also the key to my heart. Honestly, listing to King makes me a better person - and for that we salute you Mr. BB King of My Heart. The Mississippi-born Legend of Legends holds many awards and accolades, but none more important than a guitar and a mic. That's all he needed and that's all I want. If I ever had a man crush, it's BB King.
We won't get you down BB, we won't get you down.
The list could go on: Clapton, Howlin Wolf, Buddy Guy, Robert Johnson and on and on and on.
Here's a good way to end it:
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