“I think it’s very important to spread the Blues, and as a living and breathing thing it’s important that it also continues to evolve while being informed of its past. It is the bedrock and foundation of all modern North American genres, and its influence permeates through many aspects of our lives. It is also so significant because it is a storytelling medium, in which we can learn from the lessons of the past, but also teach the generations of…

“To me, spirit and music are inseparable. Music is the closest I’ve ever come to touching the divine — it transcends language, borders, and time. Life, in the end, is about connection: to people, to self, to something larger. Music is how I participate in that.”

Ash Ravens: Joyride…

“My music will always be a mixture of my dad's life experiences and mine. His deep, deep blues came from what he went through, and mine comes from the era I was raised in. I try to keep it funky and moving so that people can have a good time when they hear it.”

Mud Morganfield: Deep Mud Chicago…

“People that come to Blues shows, don't have race issues, they're just there to enjoy the music!”

Carlos Showers: Sweet Home Chicago

Carlos Showers born in 1956 and raised in Chicago, his first musical instrument was the cornet, which he started playing in fifth grade. By his own admission, over the…

"Texas Blues and the overall music scene in Texas has such a devoted following because of all the hundreds of musicians who play every kind of genre of music on the planet. Blues is the foundation of all other music."

Kent “Omar” Dykes: Lone Star Bluesman

Austin, besides being the Texas state capital, is home to much of the best in American roots…

“To me the Blues is the purest and most honest way to express my feelings in lyrics and melodies and when I’m running out of words to express myself my guitar does the talking for me. I’ve learned a lot about myself on my musical journey and I believe that music / especially can be very therapeutic.”

Stefan Hillesheim: Pure & Clean Blues…

“I think it's great that the young guns are so into all of the history of the Blues. The come uppers are such great players and know so much it's amazing. I feel so lucky to have been a very small part of it. I think it's important in today's society to honor all of that history.”…

"I think that blues music is a release, from today's problems [I define blues as a sad story that when combined with the right music is uplifting], for the people and that's why its important. I feel that it was the same generations ago and as it has been around a long time there is a historic side of it that I hope will continue to grow in today's society."

Studebaker John: Nothin But The…

“My background is gospel in my father’s church, Blues is so closely related in my opinion, to me it’s free expression to really express how I feel. It just feels I can express myself more. The joys, pain, suffering, love and heartbreak.”

Kirk Fletcher: Keep On Pushing The Blues

The VizzTone label group has…

“Music can have a huge impact on society. Just look at the Blues Revival of the 1960s which led to the counter-cultural rock music which in turn affected politics and society in general. I want music to make people think and feel."

Bruce Katz: The Keys of American Music 

Bruce…

"It’s very important to preserve the blues, due to its historical role that it plays as a generator of many of the current rhythms and subgenres that have been derived from it, in popular music. It’s much more than just a musical genre and has become a culture throughout the world."

Jose Luis Garcia Fernandez:

Blues a la Carta & The…

"Es importante preservar el blues, por su papel histórico que juega como generador de muchos de los ritmos y subgéneros actuales que se han derivado a partir de él, en la música popular occidental. Es mucho más que solo un género musical y se ha convertido en una cultura a lo largo y ancho del mundo."

José Luis García Fernández:

Blues a la…

“Blues connects with all people who can feel sorrow and joy. The best way to fight off feeling the blues is to listen to the blues. The best blues music combines technique and feel. A person can learn how to play blues licks, just like a person can learn to play classical music from sheet music.”

Jeff Dale: What It Is? Blue Wave…

“Because it is beautiful, timeless sound, that is full of feeling… with a haunting quality that speaks to the spirit. The Bentonia blues is a kind of music that flows through the performer - it thins the veil between dimensions and connects us to something greater than ourselves.”

Ryan Lee Crosby: Blues at the Blue Front…

“I have learned about my heritage and what my dad and Junior were trying to pass on to me by teaching me to play music. Playing the blues means everything to me. It is a part of who I am, where I come from, not to mention it is how I feed my family so it is deeply ingrained in me.”

Garry Burnside: Hill Country Blues Time…

“I have so much respect for those who came before me, and I’ve had a lifelong obsession with both blues and soul… I have so many influences at this point that they all kind of merge together to create my own sound. It’s an amalgamation of so many different influences.“

Yates McKendree:…

“I miss how the musicians were more accessible back in the 70's. You could walk into their dressing room because the door was open and strike up a conversation with Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells. I hope the torch will continue to be passed on for the blues to the younger generation. I have faith in the future generations, I fear that we will not be able to pass this beautiful earth on to the children in a healthy…

"I miss the rawness of the old recordings. I don’t mind hearing mistakes, if the performance delivers the feeling it’s designed to."

Kevin McKendree: The Rock House Roll

Kevin McKendree was born with an inherent, obsessive love of music. He began to play the piano at the age of three. Teaching himself by ear, listening to records by Little…

“Honestly, I think almost all music created in the 20th and now the 21st century has a lot to thank the blues for. It’s hard to find any music that isn’t somehow influenced by blues music.“

Paul Pigat: Cousin Harley Plays the Blues…

"I believe music can heal and educate people. Music can be used for social change and can help break down walls bring people together."

Tom Hambridge: The Real Power of Music

Tom Hambridge is a Four-time Grammy™- winning producer, songwriter, & drummer for his production work on three of blues legend Buddy Guy’s most critically acclaimed…