“What I miss about that music from the past—and even more so today, in the age of AI where more and more music is created by robots—is, first and foremost, the human element. It was music made by real people. That implies a dynamic quality and a vitality that a robot simply cannot achieve. The mood during a recording session, imperceptible little errors: all of that gives it life.”…

“Klezmer and Chassidic music, much like the blues, often possess a bittersweet quality. Even the most joyous melodies can carry an undercurrent of sadness, longing, or pain. Without getting too technical, many klezmer melodies draw on scales that feature a flatted fifth, echoing the “blue note” so characteristic of the blues. This note can be bent, stretched, and inflected, lending the music an expressive…

“We need blues music! We need county music! We need Jazz music! We need Soul music! We can communicate through the above… It’s a sense of the inner being excited of something beyond what we can explain.”

Mark Feltham: Harmonica Gentleman

Mark Feltham is an English professional musician, best known for…

“Therefore, I believe the true appeal of the blues lies in its freedom, its spontaneity, and its inventiveness. It blends the spontaneous expression of African culture with European musical structure. Think about it: if you go to a gospel church service, everyone stands up and yells "Amen!" whereas in a traditional European Christian service, people tend to sit on their hands and remain passive.”…

“Probably that my musical identity is much broader than I once thought it was. When you’re younger, there’s often enormous pressure to define yourself. Are you a blues artist? A folk artist? A singer-songwriter? Americana? Acoustic? Electric? The industry likes boxes because boxes are useful for selling things. I’ve gradually become much less interested in the box.”…

“If you are playing from your heart and speaking the truth about your life and experiences, you will connect with listeners.”

Donna Herula: Cold Feet, …Hot Blues!

Hailed for her “superlative guitar prowess” (Living Blues Magazine), Donna Herula is an…

“The blues is deeply personal and family-oriented for me. I’ve been around this music for probably 90% of my life simply because my grandmother was so heavily involved in it. Naturally, I am biased toward it, but I also truly understand it. To me, the blues represents life.”

Brian Needham: Theresa's…

“I think it is a wonderful privilege to have reached out into the wider world, to have experienced so many different cultures, and I feel incredibly honoured to have had that opportunity. For that, I have Rory to thank.”

Dónal Gallagher: Edged in Blue…

“Detroit’s musical legacy was built primarily on a combination of Motown’s soul music and high energy rock & roll. My music was directly influenced by the songs of Dennis Edwards (of The Temptations ‘psychedelic soul era’), Wilson Pickett, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Mitch Ryder, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, The Rockets, and The Romantics. John Lee Hooker also spent time living and recording in Detroit.”…

“Playing traditional blues music and string band music on festival stages enables us to expand our audience. We're hoping to bring the love of blues music to more audiences. We are always encouraging young people to get involved in the music scene. It's such a great community to be part of as a musician.”

Cedar County Cobras: …