tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post3918680059095254716..comments2024-02-26T18:33:23.422-08:00Comments on Blues is Black music!: Can White People Play the Blues ?nattyworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16675244641879900616noreply@blogger.comBlogger259125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-22955482815952493422024-02-26T18:33:23.422-08:002024-02-26T18:33:23.422-08:00This blog post is almost 10 years old, and I still...This blog post is almost 10 years old, and I still come back to reread it now and then. It is the best treatment of the subject that I have read. Thanks Corey. kuboaahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16963284220748883259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-47367514057861813922022-05-01T07:13:55.123-07:002022-05-01T07:13:55.123-07:00I don't own white blues on vinyl, it pales to...I don't own white blues on vinyl, it pales to that of the master black blues musicians of past. A Roy bookbinder, Catfish keith and others like that are a joke, so embarrassing you have to seek out of the venue. And people like Fruitland Jackson are black but sound terribly white and without any soul, I learned the blues from those masters, Johnny Woods, Otha Turner, Napoleon Strickland, Jessie mae hemphill, Sam Carr, Eugene powell and many others. I played for Fred McDowells family and his own daughter who stated in front of dick waterman that I sounded just like Fred and she asked if Fred had taught me, I don't need the blues foundation or any reverse racism white frustrated writer to put his opinion on me, Sonny boy Nelson preferred me to Lonnie Pitchford who was being forced on him by Jim O'Neil. So no bub, I challenge you to a public headcutting contest my fine miss targeted friend. Good music is good music and yes, sometimes white blues is stupid, but not all.Freds neighbor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10616972976146598216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-41124583538774850502022-04-15T14:34:53.526-07:002022-04-15T14:34:53.526-07:00I came to this music through my next door neighbor...I came to this music through my next door neighbor Fred McDowell, after years of lessons I came very close to sounding like him and the first time I had the nerve to sing in front of him he died of laughter, well, we all did. Most white peoples don't have the the touch but Robert lucas was a rare soul who damn well could sing black, not like John Hammond jr jr does, that's a sick joke watching him flailing like a jack in the box on stage that millionaire never missed a meal or a nice place to live his whole life. Why he stole a hundred dollars from me in 1992 is still a mystery but I digress. I learned first hand from the blues masters Fred, Johnny Woods, Napoleon Strickland, Jessie mae hemphill, Sonny boy Nelson preferred me as a sideman instead of Lonnie pichford, Sam Carr slapped his knee after playing live with me in Helena and couldn't believe that I had the rare gift of voice and musical abilities after many years. I would rather hear from those beautiful talented people because of their opened mind, but really only about one white person in 10000 can sing the blues, it sure in the hell ain't clowns like roy bookbinder, catfish keith, John hammond jr, or others, shit fruteland Jackson is black but he's the whitest sounding dude out there. A bit of advice from Fred McDowell,put a car battery on your nuts then mabey a big charge will force the soul from your golden getto face. The real blues died some time ago haven't you heard? Look there's Elvis.Freds neighbor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10616972976146598216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-89223045766546319552022-02-13T10:26:12.103-08:002022-02-13T10:26:12.103-08:00I am white and from rural northern Wisconsin. As f...I am white and from rural northern Wisconsin. As far as culture goes, this area is a void, and no original music originates here. So how would I start playing music other than by listening and hearing what is recorded? I started playing guitar because of a friend who showed me B.B. King Live at the Regal. I am painfully aware that this music is not my culture and how we have used the originality of black experience for our own profits. But, this still can't change the fact that when I play this music, I actually feel things that I can't express any other way. I'm just thankful that the style exists and pay homage to it however I can. Am I allowed to play it in my apartment? Am I allowed to love it? I try to just not think of these things and stay present, trying to connect with the feelings the early records convey in a way that's only possible through lived experience.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09895553541545688245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-70478143648700532342021-04-10T04:27:06.280-07:002021-04-10T04:27:06.280-07:00Thanks for sharing. A fantastic article, which hel...Thanks for sharing. A fantastic article, which helps to educate (European-) white middle aged Blues afficinados with hundreds of Blues albums like myself ;-) <br /><br />'Music is the voice of a culture' keeps ringing in my head....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15383641641473702285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-65291728283622144692020-10-16T13:36:02.008-07:002020-10-16T13:36:02.008-07:00Hello.
Thank you for this beautifully written arti...Hello.<br />Thank you for this beautifully written article. I found this to be truly informative. I sing and love music.<br /><br />Have a good day.Vanitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948787828914068941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-57626044038664514612020-08-04T21:31:17.897-07:002020-08-04T21:31:17.897-07:00hello, i know this is very late (five years) but i...hello, i know this is very late (five years) but i really hope you see this. i'm a white aspiring musician, and i love the blues, yet i wondered if i could play the blues or not based on my culture and ascendance. i loved this article, i dont usually read long pages of things but i found this read very interesting. i just wanted to thank you for making this post because i somehow got here and now i have a better understanding of the origins and history of the music. i will continue to listen to the blues but now knowing more about it and the culture of black people. i will obviously never experience what black people go through, but i thank you again for making such an informative piece. much love your way, because you helped to make me a better person and musician and thanks to this i keep improving and growing. franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14425216066696454876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-12362685041468693572020-07-13T01:24:26.543-07:002020-07-13T01:24:26.543-07:00So...So...JoelClaunchArthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02642762359511380726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-53986621565816540842020-05-07T10:00:00.869-07:002020-05-07T10:00:00.869-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Just mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01667153574999248619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-63088891258603820392020-05-07T09:56:32.461-07:002020-05-07T09:56:32.461-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Just mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01667153574999248619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-10900428222013380532020-05-07T09:44:29.445-07:002020-05-07T09:44:29.445-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Just mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01667153574999248619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-86808895076423880902019-05-14T21:39:37.417-07:002019-05-14T21:39:37.417-07:00Y’all I just want to play a song on my trombone.Y’all I just want to play a song on my trombone.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01013187103807438213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-21151574662068343782019-04-15T09:29:22.520-07:002019-04-15T09:29:22.520-07:00What do you call it when blacks play basketball or...What do you call it when blacks play basketball or football which were invented by whites? Cultural appropriation?BlackKlansmanSmackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07070921174987279906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-26432372413067138012019-04-15T09:24:59.141-07:002019-04-15T09:24:59.141-07:00Black on black slavery was invented in Africa. Af...Black on black slavery was invented in Africa. African Americans were only slaves in the US because their own ancestors sold them to Europeans like cattle. Black on black slavery still exists in Africa today. Sing the blues over that fact. The wickedness of primitive black culture.BlackKlansmanSmackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07070921174987279906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-18819443106728048452019-04-15T09:19:08.344-07:002019-04-15T09:19:08.344-07:00Maybe whites should stop embracing black culture a...Maybe whites should stop embracing black culture altogether? BlackKlansmanSmackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07070921174987279906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-78049831924162876392019-04-15T09:16:28.213-07:002019-04-15T09:16:28.213-07:00Wow, blacks love racism.Wow, blacks love racism.BlackKlansmanSmackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07070921174987279906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-62742749480588981342019-04-15T09:15:14.679-07:002019-04-15T09:15:14.679-07:00African Americans should also feel a tremendous se...African Americans should also feel a tremendous sense of guilt when using the Internet and PC, or playing sports that were invented by whites. African American women should ask permission from whites before wearing European styled weaves.BlackKlansmanSmackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07070921174987279906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-77208939093438181362018-12-31T15:23:18.897-08:002018-12-31T15:23:18.897-08:00I'm listening to The Grateful Dead play Freddy...I'm listening to The Grateful Dead play Freddy Scott's awesome blues song "Are You Lonely for Me Baby" and I think they do a far better version in a Dead kind of way than Freddy Scott did, and I just listened to the Freddy Scott version as well and think the original is pretty stellar. The GD also did a great job playing awesome blues with Bo Didley at the Felt Forum in 72. Also INMHO I think the North Mississippi ALLSTARS played and play awesome blues, along with Rich Robinson.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01514208288871725990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-14669068049322636732018-11-15T10:33:18.824-08:002018-11-15T10:33:18.824-08:00First, nobody teaches other person everything he k...First, nobody teaches other person everything he knows, there’s always something unique in each one of us, plus, Stevie Ray Vaughan knew much more than Albert King. Stevie Ray also learned from the white country music and incorporated that knowledge in his guitar skills, and most important, Stevie Ray Vaughan was a strong mark in the blues for a very simple reason. He did not only took the blues music to other universes, which is something many musicians, including yourself, so, but despite the fact that he also learned from other musical languages, despite the fact that he was white, you could feel the sexy sadness you hear on Robert Johnson, for example, and that is very rare. The majority of the blues players don’t have it, and this is why his music touches the heart of many people. Robert Cray himself told playfully that he just loved how SRV always kicked his ass on the guitar. And this is a very interesting example, because even though SRV was a great blues artist, you don’t feel the african american identity in his music, the identity you perfectly feel in Robert Cray’s music. Now, did this made the SRV music “less blues” than Robert Cray? Sure no. Does that make SRV music african american? Of course not. And did SRV ever wanted to be black os sound black? I don’t know if he ever answered to this question, but the answer would probably be a no. I don’t imagine SRV dressed the way you dress, trying to connect the Blues with Africa, I’m pretty sure he knew he was a southern white man. In my humble opinion, and I don’t mean to offend you, I’m counting that you don’t care about what I think, SRV is a much better blues artist than you, he sings better and plays much better, but of course, he could never do what you do, it just wouldn’t sound natural, it would sound ridiculous just like when many white people sound when they try to sing like a black person or singing about thematics that are not part about their way of feeling the world. Contrarily to what you say, the blues was nor is a shout of freedom of the american blacks in the USA, the majority of the Blues songs is about personal daily occurrences and rarely focus on social or political issues, J.B. Lenoir is know as the “topical bluesman” because it is not and it was never common to talk about those thematics on blues songs, even though it happened. <br />And white players added contributions to what the blues is today, the same way black people crystallized it’s form during the 20th century, but this particular type of music has a very cyclic story, and whites also have a connection to this music because the sound is not strange to them, it’s also on their DNA. For example, you don’t see so many whites trying to play soul music or rap, because simply that does not resonate with them. Paul Kossoff was brilliant, and Robben Ford has a very melodical style of his own, that I don’t believe any african american would create. Now this is not saying that blues is not black music, Robben Ford couldn’t play or perhaps is better to say to “perform” the blues like an african american. He couldn’t, and probably he doesn’t want that, the same way Django Reinhardt played jazz in his own way. <br />I will stop because I guess it’s not my duty to instruct you, and I truly hope your music will flourish. Just remember to respect if you want to be respected, and no, nobody has to ask you permission to play the Blues, the same way the Japanese don’t have to ask me permission to play the music of the part of the World I live inAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08407820393918009808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-47150092673876552662018-11-15T10:32:44.140-08:002018-11-15T10:32:44.140-08:00As well as the name “Blues”. If you research (and ...As well as the name “Blues”. If you research (and don’t start to cry in the process..) you will see the expression “blue” is actually quite ancient in the English literature, and “blue” and “blues” was a common way of describing a state of sadness. It was used by whites and blacks, with the same meaning, the thing is that, given the situation os slavery, of course blacks were logically more prone to feelings of sadness and tension, and hence the identification with the term. Primitive Blues music has nothing to do with hip-pop or soul, it’s actually Irish music, Big Bill Broonzy played lots of Irish music and that mark is very strong in his music for anyone who wants to face facts. Before I go on, no I’m not Irish. Going back to the point, the Southern population in general played the Blues in the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, this is one of the reasons that created the division between country music and race music, because it was considered necessary to make listeners know the race of the interpreter. And why was this information necessary? Well, because in many cases you couldn’t tell if the interpreter was black or white, even though blacks tended to be more rhythmic in their performances. <br />Now of course that Blues is indeed black music. Even though the musical elements come from European music, it was black people that during the 1920s until the 1980s gave the blues it’s development and expression. But this doesn’t mean white people have to ask blacks permission to play it. There are some blacks who study classical guitar, why not? And the development of the blues also counted on white influence. You say Stevie ray Vaughan was no Albert King. Of course he was not, he was a much better player than Albert King. Albert King had a very unique style, but couldn’t go any further from that, and when he tried to renovate his style to become more comercial, he counted with the help of many session musicians, and many of them where white. It happened the same way with many other african american blues artists during the 1960s and 1970s. The poem “Strange Fruit”, so popular in african american culture, was actually written by a Jew. Stevie Ray Vaughan took the blues where no one before him, white or black, did. Of course, he told Albert King he taught him everything he knew, as a way of showing respect, but of course both men knew this was not true.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08407820393918009808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-12163977385313014652018-11-15T10:32:03.117-08:002018-11-15T10:32:03.117-08:00Hey Corey, actually you come from a place of racis...Hey Corey, actually you come from a place of racism, and this shows it: "Many blues fans, Black and white, cringe (...)". It's interesting how the people of black lives matter always keep lower casing the Whites, as if that would give any importance to the Blacks. The first lesson I have for you is that Blacks will remain just what they are, I'm sorry for the analogy but you can write "shit" with capitol "S", you won't turn it into snow, "u know I sayin'?"<br />I agree with many things you said, it is true that in most cases a white person can't sing the blues like a black person, for a simple reason. All body shapes have different vibrations. But the thing is: why do you think non black people want to sound black? They simply don't. I am a non american person who loves the blues and has a lot of objective information about it, much more than any african-american blues player who lives in the culture of blues, I assume you are intelligent enough to understand the difference between living a culture and having objective knowledge about it, sorry if this is too complex, if it is please don't waste your energy and keep spreading the message the Blues was born in Africa. But I have news for you: it didn't. It hurts doesn't it? But it didn't, as you probably know, unless you are on denial, the African string music and traditional music has nothing to do with the Blues. Ali Farka Toure, whose music I really love, is usually presented as the “african father of the blues” and many youtube videos like to show is music saying it’s the DNA of the blues. But it’s fake news. Ali Farka Toure was influenced by the American Blues, he traveled significantly and while living in Europe he was exposed to the Blues music, that he later incorporated in his music, creating a wonderful result. If you wish to be objetive about the musical origin of the Blues, Africa is sure not the place to go, but Ireland and the British Islands. Yes, precisely. The pentatonic scale is used in the folk music of those countries in a very similar way that is used on Blues music. And all you need is a little bit of intelligence, and perhaps a little bit of braveness, since most black americans don’t want to see some facts like the fact that you are descendant from blacks who were sold to Europeans by other blacks, and in fact the European nations were the ones that ended slavery, that is still practiced on Black Africa, among blacks (or should I say “Blacks”?). The slaves that were transported to the actual USA were deprived of their original music instruments, as well as their music, but being a very musical people, the blacks could easily absorb the European music and play it their own way, with the few African elements they still had in their oral traditions and their DNA. The Blues is basically Irish music played with a stronger beat, the musical content and the form is the same. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08407820393918009808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-44083351682316128762018-10-25T05:05:26.280-07:002018-10-25T05:05:26.280-07:00Corey is really breaking down the Blues as it was ...Corey is really breaking down the Blues as it was and how it is now. The breakdown of the word about race gets everybody messed up and not listening to what is actually being said.<br />Though, I do feel that more homage or honor should be recognized to the culture from which it came from without thinking about the stereotype. Let's enjoy this art form to its fullest.<br />Regi BowieAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00557251383663484159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8461184766096521015.post-50680731453594686872018-10-16T23:43:19.011-07:002018-10-16T23:43:19.011-07:00Brilliantly Slim: Every new day you keep running o...<br />Brilliantly Slim: Every new day you keep running over a weight decrease supplement in the market. Starting in the no so distant past, we are sure that is an unending <br /><br />number of enhancements which guarantee you sit tight for adversity in a stipulated time period. In any case, we can't fall into the snare of each one of these cases, <br /><br />can we? That is the reason we keep our per clients instructed about all the new enhancements moved accessible, incorporating the reviews as for them. We trust these <br /><br />articles help you in finding the right enhancement which suits your necessities. 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