The King is dead. Long live the King.

When BB King was born into a life of poverty 'blues' was a curiosity, if even that, unnoticed by the classes that "understood" music. It was simply something black people did to amuse themselves and their kind. There was no mass market for it and therefore no money to be made.

That little of Robert Johnson's early playing, in relative terms, survives is testament to that. BB King came to prominence at the cusp of the change in Civil Rights and regardless of race or colour to a market that few might have imagined. He didn't stop there - until last October he was touring with relentless fervour. Goodness knows how many he inspired along the way, from Clapton et al to many far more recent recruits - it was, I'm thinking, his lifelong mission.
When it came to young women playing blues - well I guess that is something that he would've approved wholeheartedly too.

Without him this would in all probability never have happened at all.
'Wild Heart' is released by Ruf Records on 29 June.

I should perhaps mention that she is playing Southampton Blues Festival (a single-day indoor event) on 27 June 2015 at Southampton Engine Rooms. 

Real for me...

According to reports today (the third Monday in January) is the most depressing day of the year in the UK!
Newspapers of a certain leaning drag up no end of 'experts' to explain why it is so... It's cold, its time for the post-Christmas credit card bills; you know that sort of psychobabble. It may be flawed, and it may yet presage disappointments as yet unforeseeable ( but then didn't 2008?), but as of today 2010 became real for me.

While this might seem persuasive I wish to point to another view. The first thought has nothing, at least directly, to do with the situation in the UK today but it is 'Martin Luther King Day' and that has implications that are, albeit in a slightly different way, just as profound in music and thus equally so in the UK. It is hard to say what music, globally, would be like in 2010 if it were not for the contributions of many that became stars before that seminal moment in 1968. Robert Johnson being one that very much comes to mind for he did it the hardest way but it also paved the way for major league female stars... Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Diana Ross to name but three.

It also seems to be the day that that the music for the forthcoming year, wherever it is from and whosoever it is made by, suddenly becomes real rather than merely just something hoped-for. The last few years have been glibly referred to as the age of the female artist and, while many are also songwriters too, regardless of race, colour, creed or the bone of contention that is nationality they all owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneers. That said I don't see the situation changing vastly in 2010, except to say that diversity will probably be the main beneficiary.

You might not agree with the music I like in 2010, and judging from today there will be a great deal of it, but that does not trouble me at all; just be passionate, persuasive and tolerant and I'll be the same.