Comments on: What was your first blues album?

By: John Tuggle

John Tuggle — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:42:49 +0000

That’s a fun tune to play on piano. Pretty easy to get the basics to it and sounds really good. Thanks for the comment.

By: Duncan Blanchard

Duncan Blanchard — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:09:03 +0000

The first Blues Album I had came from my mother back in the early 50′s.
It was a 78 of Fats Domino I fell in love with “BlueBerry Hill” and It’s been all blues all the time since.

By: paul g

paul g — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:40:03 +0000

memphis swamp jam, i picked it up just before i left for college in 1969. it is a compilation album with bukkha white, fred mcdowell,furry lewis and others.i bought it for $2.37 at majors record store in staten island along with an 88 cent lightning hopkins record, yes it was vinyl.
thats what got me started

By: DevilsAdvocate

DevilsAdvocate — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:54:15 +0000

I couldn’t believe just how right you were when you said that every blues fan has that single moment when they feel they’ve discovered something so incredible. I’m young (28) and haven’t had all the opportunities some of the others here have had, so my blues “awakening” came only about two and a half years ago. It happened while playing Guitar Hero. I tried playing Texas Flood (and failed miserably more times than any other song, I might add), but I loved the song. I kept failing it, but the more I listened to it, the more I found myself with it stuck playing on the jukebox in my head.

It wasn’t until I got my hands on a copy of SRV’s first album that my love for the blues really set in. From there, I went on to discover some of the best the blues has to offer: B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters. The best part of it all was that as I my discovery continued, I came to a point in my life that the music became cathartic for me and helped me get through it.

I’m a little embarrassed that it didn’t happen before then and that I discovered the blues through a video game, and I regret that I was never able to watch the magic of Stevie Ray on stage. Texas Flood will always have a high spot on my list of favorite songs ever, and I wouldn’t trade the feeling I get from that music for anything in this world.

By: ken mcneil

ken mcneil — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:41:15 +0000

In 1967 I purchased BB King “Live at the Regal” and Paul Butterfield Blues Band “East West.” Prior to that it was straight AM radio stuff–but that all changed
following those purchases. I have seen pictures of Butterfield and Bloomfield
“hanging out” and knocking down a few beers in what appears to be Peppers
Lounge while Jr. Wells is gigging with Buddy Guy. Those guys were not just
getting down the licks but they were dealing with the southside of Chicago.

To me the quintisental blues album, primer and starting point for exposure to theBlues is “Live at the Regal.” It is way down in the alley as BB said.

To round yourself out you have to visit the other two Kings, perhaps “Born Under a Bad Sign and maybe Freddie’s “Just Pickin.’” Throw in the Muddy Box Set and maybe James Cotton’s first or second album and you have yourself the beginning of a blues education.

Ten years later you’ll be looking for more stuff to fighure out.

By: Doug Hansford

Doug Hansford — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:47:04 +0000

Man, Stevie Ray could play. What a loss for blues guitar when he died. His fingers and arms were unusually long which seems perfect for guitar but he had that something special inside that allowed him to feel the music. He kept his eyes closed alot while playing which reminds me of Jimi Hendrix. Mix natural born talent and the physical tools, years of practice and you get a legend!

By: Larry

Larry — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:11:36 +0000

I have been listening to the blues for only a few years now. Can someone provide a good list of Blues CD’s they would recommend. Plus, if you know of any play alone Blues CD’s that would be great also.

John, the sample of the new Blues DVD look great!! You are amazing as usual. I just started the Blues I DVD and I learned more in 1 hour then I have learned in a years worth of lessons.

By: scarab

scarab — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:48:23 +0000

Hooker’s Healer album is one of my favorites. Good stuff. I kied it so much I went out and bought a second CD for my girlfriend to have. I insisted she have it.

By: John Kell

John Kell — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:46:20 +0000

I am a 40 year old and have been listening to many styles of music my entire life. I was listening to blues music from the Stones, Santana, Clapton, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Allmans (to name just a few) before I realized it was blues. It was more rock to me but through the years, Ive realized where the roots of the rock songs got their influence and inspiration. Its from legendary blues artists like Sonny Boy Williamson, Albert King, BB King, Albert Collins, Howling Wolf, and dont forget Robert Johnson. Unfortunately I am a late-bloomer and didnt get my first “true” blues record until the early 90s. It was John Lee Hooker’s “The Healer”! That is one powerful record and features several legendary blues artist duets John gets to play with such as: Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood, Robert Cray, Canned Heat, Los Lobos, and the legendary blues harmonica of Charlie Musselwhite! If you come across this recording, I suggest you pick it up as it had quite an effect on me. My blues cd library has been expanding ever since, ha!

By: ben smith

ben smith — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:53:03 +0000

Since I am only 30 years old, I don’t have quite the storied history of you guys, but I have clear memories of my spine tingling in the late 90′s when first listening to Claptons Blues compilation. I must have listened to “have you ever loved a woman” live about 200 times that summer. I believe it is he and Duane going back and forth with each other for about 4 minutes. From there, I started listening to more Clapton, SRV, BB, and some of my generations geniouses like Mato Nanji from Indigenous, kenny Wayne shepherd and most recently derek trucks. I love how most blues greats don’t sell millions of albums, but everyone respects them and they never stop cranking out quality music if only for their own love of the blues.