Fortunately, anyone who has ever gone through any hardship can play/sing the blues. And since we’re all human, just about everybody can sing the blues. I came across a fun article that asks that potent question, “Are you blues material?” The article appeared on the Times-Standard and I will provide the link to the full article along with a little snippet. Playing the blues is just like telling a story. There are good stories and bad stories, happy ones and sad ones, and they all can be twisted and turned into a blues song. So pick up that old six string, start jotting down some lyrics, and write what’s on your mind. You’ll end up finding that at the very least it’s a therapeutic process.
Here’s the article I was referring to above. Do you think you have what it takes to be blues material? Check out the full article at http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_21502578/are-you-blues-material.
Ever wonder what it takes to sing the blues? From what I learned at Blues By The Bay, a person must first attend the School of Hard Knocks. Musicians Muddy Waters and Marvin Gaye can tell you a thing or two about sadness and despair. So can Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Guitar Shorty and John Hooker Jr. Even Elvis experienced a bit of misery. He had to drive around in an old car with no chauffeur before he hit it big.
Female musicians probably know more about pain and heartache than anyone. Janis Joplin sang the blues in a voice so raw it could wear a scree-carved groove in your soul. So did Bettye Lavette, Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt.
Singing the blues has little to do with sex, skin color or whether you’re old and blind and running low on teeth. It’s all about those troubling experiences that lay deep in our minds like river snags. Good blues music originates from a rusty stop sign peppered with bullet holes, a homicide chalk outline, a lonesome train whistle or a constellation of buzzards circling in the sky. The blues comes from tar blackened lungs, a tricycle with a missing back wheel, the calcified bones of some small luckless animal and a pickup that’s gone teats up in the ditch.
Blues music is for everyone. Designed to share stories and make you feel good when you’ve got the blues. I hope you enjoyed this article; maybe you can use it for some inspiration in your own blues journey.
Thanks,
Griff
4 replies to "Do You Have What It Takes To Sing The Blues?"
Ive thought quite a lot about this subject, i definitely did at one time think blues in all its elements was pretty much the reserve of the great black artists. and or black Americans in general, but that clearly isnt the case. Take so many wonderful artists of all races and denominations and the amazing blues that emanates from them and its clear that blues doesnt have favourites. I now wonder if music begets the blues or blues begets music. So many artistes have experienced terrible tragedy after become musicians and blues musicians in particular, this forum isnt sufficiennt to name them all, but most of us bluesies can name several.
most of us have experienced sadness, bereavement, job losses etc, so as the article states all of us are capable of experiencing the blues and those so inclined can/could sing/write about it. However to date although i can play a little and sing/write a bit, i dont for myself seem to have yet found my soul. I will keep looking and hope ” someday after a while, i WONT be sorry” and my soul will find me. cheers Griff for your generosity. hg
I’m rapidly going blind from cataracts and you are saying that is NOT enough?!
Hey Griff, I’ve posted lyrics on the BGU forum written when I was at my lowest ebb. In musical terms I’m very much a Blues new boy, but what I wrote was from the heart and I had great feedback from our BGU friends.
The Blues is misunderstood by so many who don’t “get it”, those who do get it are lifted up from some pretty dire situations. The Blues is quite literally therapy for the soul. I know this because listening to the Blues and playing it in my own cack handed way has most definitely saved me from self destruction.
Keep it coming big man.
inspirational, so darn true! Blues is the best therapy for the soul and for sorting out our heads after a not so good day.
Thank you Griff. Acoustic blues is an amazing course by the way, it just gets better and better.