Monday, August 27, 2012

Musical Diversity

I co-host a Blues show every Monday night on our local University radio station CHMR and I got to thinking about music in general. I listen to a lot of different genres of music and enjoy a very diverse cross section of what's out there.  Rock, Pop, Classical, Opera, Blues, Rap, damn near everything except Country, I don't acknowledge that as music and I never will, but that's another rant for another day.  Tonight, I'm gonna talk about Blues. Whenever I say that I co-host a Blues radio show I get the same reaction from people; "I don't like the Blues." Well have you listened to what's out there or are you operating from a preconceived notion?

Your average music listener's idea of Blues music is confined to one riff from one song that gets used over and over again by pop culture when they do anything so-called-blues. It's from a song called Mannish Boy, by the late, great Muddy Waters. That's the hallmark of what people think of and it's an awesome song, it's just sad that this is what got latched onto for what sticks in people's minds when there is so much more out there.

What most people don't realize until you point it out to them is that some of the greatest bands out there started as Blues bands. Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, George Thorgood, all started out as Blues acts. There is so much more out there than people realize, and there is a huge independent market in Canada that has more talent than the world is ready for.

Layla Zoe, Chris Kirby, Fathead, Garret Mason, Raoul & The Bigtime, Monkey Junk just to name a few. These are very talented, Canadian artists making some of the most amazing music that no one has ever heard, because it's Blues.  Go ahead, go to their pages and listen to a sample, I'll wait...

You're back? Good. Like what you heard? Great, spread the word far and wide and to all that'll listen to you.  Independent, Canadian artists need our support and the music needs our support to survive and thrive.  Hell, Layla had to go to Germany to get a record contract, how right is that?

So let the masses know that there is unbelievable music to be head from all across this country and change a few minds along the way, alter their conceptions of Blues.

Also, tune in every Monday night from 9pm - 11pm NST (7:30 - 9:30 EST) for the best in Blues from The Mississippi Delta to The Great White North on The Blind Lemon Blues. Only on 93.5 CHMR FM in St. John's or online at www.chmr.ca

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