"I would hope that the blues would continue to be primarily a storytelling medium, but I fear that “the blues” will morph and “evolve” into more commercially-appealing “blues-rock” with little to no reference to the traditional musical structures and storytelling qualities, and that the importance of lyrics will degrade into simplistic and meaningless stock “blues” cliches that serve only as a mere backdrop to endless instrumental noodling and unemotional…

"I miss the genuine honesty of it all. Because the original blues songs were written from their heart and soul and I’m afraid the majority today are just creating lyrics or just mimicking what they think the blues should be. But with this said it would be hard for them to write with the experiences of the original blues guys because times have changed and that type of struggling is hopefully non-existent."…

"Music is an art. It is culture. It is life evoked through a tune. It has social implications. Social implications mean political implications in our current world. Everything is intertwined in some way."

GravelRoad: Crooked Nation Blues

GravelRoad has been pushing the musical boundaries for over a decade and a half, forging a distinct sound that…

"The Blues speaks precisely of that, of the struggle for the same rights for all, there is no color, we are all human beings. Blues is the most direct music, which enters the heart."

Mariano Cardozo: Keeping the Blues Alive

Argentinian Mariano Cardozo is a hard worker blues producer, musician, manager and director of Baires Blues Productions.…

"I am always drawn to the places where music connects people who might seem different from each other or divided. I've been in many situations where there are divisions or differences among people in terms of their political views and cultural backgrounds, but it melts away (or at least gets set aside) when we play music together."

Sue Decker: Outskirts of Love…

"I met many wonderful musicians in Europe and Brazil. The blues is everywhere. The audience might not be the same of the one you get in Chicago, but the blues is definitely an international language!"

Breezy Rodio:

One Love, One World, One Language

Breezy Rodio impressed Chicago Blues…

"Blues and Jazz Music broke down the racial barriers between people of all races, denominations and cultures before anything else did, it brought about a common love and understanding that we are still working at, harmony is the key!!"

Sugar Blue: The Colors of The Blues…

"Well I think we all know that blues was created in the south by African Americans. Using a lot of their influences and speaking of their experiences. It comes from a lot of emotions. Truth be told I stay away from politics so I really don’t know. As far as racial implications, blues nowadays is loved by every color and every ethnicity at least in my experience. Like I said before, it is a healer."…

"Great art always reflects the sociopolitical happenings of its time. You can recognize the value of a culture based on the art being created."

Will Jacks: The Images of Mississippi

Will Jacks is a photographer, curator, storyteller, and educator of culture and relationships in the Mississippi Delta, the Lower Mississippi River region, and the…

"I’m not a big fan of modern contemporary pop music; just a personal preference. As far as modern blues music, I feel like it’s in a pretty good place. The blues tent has enough room for all tastes and styles. I would like to see more younger people follow the genre as fans to ensure we all have fans to enjoy the music we create moving forward."

Tom Craig: Get Ready For The…

“The impact has been significant of course.  Integrated bands helped lead the way… Butterfield made a huge contribution in 1965 when he showed up with and integrated band from Chicago.  Folk musicians in urban areas had an easy time crossing racial lines.  Once one sees this working (an audience), they think differently about their neighbors.”

Geoff Muldaur: The Dreamin’ Folk…

"I believe that every art form is a political statement. Rock music must have this alternate view. And I have to admit that I hate every right-wing guy out there."

Dustbowl: The Story of Mother Earth Rock

Greek band Dustbowl founded in May 2006. In Sept. 2008 their 1st album “Troublebound & Lonesome” has been released and in May…

"The Blues as we know it came out of the cotton fields of the Deep South of the US. It was born out of a clash of cultures and gave the poor a voice. Suddenly, people who had previously been unheard now had a voice and were singing about everyday things, instead of only about God."

Nigel McTrustry: Blues In The Box

Brisbane-based musician Nigel…

"What is clear is the capacity of the music to lift people’s spirits and deliver a positive impact on morale and wellbeing."

Rebecca Downes: Blues Rock Kingdom

Birmingham-based Rebecca and her band are a ‘must see’ live act that often leaves newcomers simply blown away by the power of the performance. With her co-writer Steve Birkett alongside…

"The people that created this music did so to express themselves and escape from the daily struggles of their lives that were made unnecessarily harsh through no fault of their own. We have a responsibility to recognize the situations that created this music and to be respectful of those of lived through it."

Screamin' John and TD Lind: Big Blues Men…

"It’s (Blues) great and powerful music that moves people - with soulful feeling, honesty, true stories and emotion."

Dave Specter: Blues From The Inside Out

Blues guitarist, bandleader and producer Dave Specter has earned an international reputation as one of the premier talents on the Chicago blues scene. Since 1985 Specter has performed…

"Music is a central cog in our socio-cultural identity from the individual to the global level. It helps us define ourselves and our humanity. It connects us with each other. I want it to keep doing that."

Wide Mouth Mason:

I Wanna Go With The Blues

Wide Mouth Mason is a soul power duo…

"Blues and especially jazz were pivotal in breaking down the color line and overcoming prejudice in this country. Rock played that role to a lesser degree, but it still was important in introducing white audiences to black musical forms."

David Dann: The King & His Blues Life

David Dann’s book “Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life in the…

"I don't know if it's a state of mind but I do think it's more than a musical genre. There is a lot of passion and truth in the blues."

Pedro Villarejo: The Art of Music

Pedro Villarejo is an artist from Spain who has illustrated comics, children's books, poetry, posters and television series among other things. His artistic training is…

"Blues is a Feeling, it’s Music that describes how you FEEL. The Black Musicians discovers how to put these feelings into song. But today the genre and art form are for everyone to express how they FEEL. Keep it real and enjoy the audience will love and respect that."

Rob Paparozzi: Harmonica Master

New Jersey-based frontman, singer, &…