"I would encourage the younger generation of today to stop listening to crap like Kanye West and Justine Bieber and open their hearts and souls to real musicianship and encourage them to download Jimi Hendrix ‘Are you experienced’."

Ritchie Dave Porter: A Knight Storyteller

Ritchie Dave Porter was born on January 18th 1970 in Birmingham UK, the…

"I think the impact of blues and rock on socio-cultural occasions is exclusively positive. Generations and generations continue to grow and form through that influence, which means reducing exclusivity and prejudice. This is especially important for the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment in which we live and operate. Nothing connects the world like music."

4 Hombres & Flowery: Peace And…

"In terms of affecting people, I think the biggest compliment I receive as a photographer is that one of my images moved someone enough to go and investigate the music or see live the artist who they saw in the image. In terms of socio-cultural impacts, if my work contributes to the promotion, encouragement or participation in cultural activities such as concerts or festivals, that can only be a good thing for all."…

"Sad but true. I think the blues genre is a world of opportunity for women. Even older artists. It’s about Soul, you know. Just wear your heart on your sleeve and don’t worry so much about the wrinkles."

Kelly Zirbes: Heart of Love, Soul of Blues

Kelly’s Lot was formed in 1994 by Kelly Zirbes (likes to go by Kelly Z), a folk singer &…

"Right now, and for the past few years, it seems we are all so divided. Politics, Racism, and now the pandemic. Music, too, has gotten pretty isolated as well. So much of it is single artists making beats on a midi, recording on their own and releasing it. All the juice has been boiled off."

Robert Billard: The Blues of Life 

For 30 years, the two…

"The blues elevates me from despair to connectedness with all people. I guess you could say it helps me be a better person."

Kat Danser: Goin' Gone And Beyond...

Kat Danser’s music is a steel belted radial easily flexing between a dusty gravel road and a fresh coat of…

"The vibe and tone of the old guitars is truly special! I will never tire of the rawness and in the moment trueness of the early Blues! One take, no digital tools, just the truth in the moment! I think that’s what moves me the most about the old school Blues."

Chris Gill: The Healing Power of Music

Long time Mississippi blues artist Chris Gill has…

"The blues is living history; a kind of music that is felt deep in one’s soul, and in the collective soul of mankind."

Halley DeVestern: Big Apple's Soul Groove!

One of the best Blues bands in New York City, The Halley DeVestern Band sounds something like Janis Joplin backed by Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Mothers of Invention with just a hint of…

"My feeling is that the Blues should make people aware of the oppression and inequalities that people suffered in the past, and still do to this day. These are the things that gave birth to this music and should be talked about in an open and honest manner and we should be working for solutions and not brushing these issues under the carpet..."

Dik Banovich: Run Back To The…

"Because it (Blues) connects with people on an emotional level and gives expression to pain and joys that we all feel in our lives. I wish for blues music to stay alive without ever losing its own roots."

Rob Stone: Nothing But The Blues

Long renowned as a blues harmonica wailer and forceful vocalist, Rob Stone combines tough Chicago blues…

"The tradition is so big and the history so long, there is so much honesty and connection within the songs and stories, the blues holds it all. It's really a kind of gift. A means by which we can recognize and acknowledge whatever is happening and find the way forward."

Rob Lutes: Journey Into The Unknown

Since the release of his first album…

"Music has always been a place for people to find common ground. And to also point out where things aren’t going so well. We still have so far to go, and yet music is a fantastic bridge that brings people together. Think of protest songs, sea shanty’s, certainly gospel songs that preach unity. It has and always will be part of our culture."

Cathy Grier: Buried Alive In…

"Roots music was the original protest music. While it spoke on an individual level about the challenges faced by everyday people, it also spoke on a societal level about injustice in all areas."

Clint Morgan: Under The Blues Law

Americana singer/songwriter and Blues Pianist Clint Morgan, a charter member of the International Blues Foundation, has…

"Much music seems to have lost the 'sacred' quality or aura it had in the late 60’s. I think this is through digitization and mass proliferation of it. It’s like a tap now that cannot be turned off, music."

Gary Lucas: The Sounds Of Human Psyche

Gary Lucas is a world class guitar hero, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and composer, an international…

"The message is immediately accessible in heart and soul. So, I think the music that was being created that addressed these issues was had a huge impact on the thinking of that generation and deeply motivated activism and getting involved to go down and go on civil rights marches in the south and protest the Vietnam War and everything since."

Maria Muldaur: Let’s Get Happy…

"The similarities are easy because everybody around the world is looking for the same things in life, like happiness, health and joy for their family and friends and their community, that is universal."

Mark Johnson: Playing For Change

Mark Johnson is a Grammy award-winning producer/engineer and award-winning film director. For the past 20 years,…

"Gospel and Blues will forever generate a core based following because of what they mean emotionally from a race of people."

Dexter Allen: The Blues Stronghold 

Mixture of Blues, Soul, R&B and Funk with blues being the stronghold. Dexter Allen born in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and raised on a farm and grew up understanding that life can…

"I think Jazz is a non-term. Like the term Love, which inherently encapsulates the best and worst of us. Can Jazz be a state of mind? I guess in a popular culture way, it can. Jazz being freedom of expression and lessons of the past, together in a mindset of understanding."

Lewis Achenbach: Jazz Occurrence

Chicago artist Lewis Achenbach is a…

"The cultural history of the Blues is a microcosm of American history. So many great things about this country have come about as a result of the voices and actions of the underprivileged or disenfranchised."

Shakin' Woods: The Blues Sessions

Shakin’ Woods is a blues band from the Washington, DC region, formed in 2019. The band consists of…

"The blues is a music of sharing that we play with our guts or that we listen to with this feeling that touches us deep inside. The blues creates emotions and therefore when you feel them with several people, it inevitably creates strong links. Obviously, blues is a music that brings people together."

Same Player Shoot Again: King Blues

In 2018,…