Most Commented Music Blogs (1,259)

For the record, every country has their own style of Country Music.
I was active on Citizens Band (CB) radio in the 1970's and listening to channel 19 that was commonly used as a call channel for truckers, someone asked "What radio station is Country Music on?"
Unlike other places in America, Miami is multi-cultural... so I just had to ask "What country?"


I see there is some confusion including cross reference between the different styles of early music in America. Not all are lumped into "Country Music"

Today, I'm blogging about Mississippi Delta Blues. That's the original folklore story where the young man met Satin at the crossroads and sold his soul for a musical talent he couldn't achieve without 20 years of practice!

That is not to be confused with American style of 'Country Music' with my ex'es from Texas or 'Fiddles from Hell' ala Charlie Daniels Band.

Steel Guitar is associated with Country Music. That instrument is played horizontally where the strings are 1/4" (or more) above the neck and uses a solid bar of polished metal (steel) played on an instrument. Due to the metal bar, all the notes played ring out clear.

Delta Blues is played on a standard guitar... at least 50 years before electric guitars came along and the 'slide' sound comes from a piece of glass. Commonly, it was a broken neck of a whiskey bottle, hence then name 'Bottlebeck Guitar'
The notes on the bottleneck aren't as sustained as a Steel Guitar and that contributes to it's unique sound and style of play.

One of the early legends to this style of music is Muddy Waters. Here is a sample of this music:

Although made (mostly) from BRASS the saxophone is in the family of woodwind instruments. Driven by a single (cane) reed the saxophone is made in 8 different sizes ranging from the smallest Sopranino to the largest Subcontrabass.

Depending on your perspective, the saxophone emits a loud sound perfect for marching bands and in jazz music. Toned down with less 'bark' the saxophone is often associated with many soundtracks of sexy/sultry parts of movies.

Smooth Jazz? If you don't like the sound of a saxophone, I suggest you avoid that style of music!

In recent years, musical instrument companies have perfected digital versions of saxophones as MIDI controllers. Without this blog getting into the 'electronic' part of the controller, MIDI is a language that allows devices to 'talk' to computers and sound modules, giving the user an unlimited palette of sounds and coloration that an analog instrument couldn't accomplish.

MIDI wind controller can be described simply as playing a device with the feel of a saxophone that gives the musician sounds never heard before... in this case a saxophone that could sound like a pipe organ, electric guitar, trumpet, synthesizer and human voice.



Thanks for listening to my blog... !!

Okay, so you paid $350 for a front row ticket to see your favorite singer. Does that give you the right to throw things on stage in an attempt to hit them?
Stories pop up weekly about things like this happening all around the world and It's getting worse. I used to think it faded away in the 70's with Rolling Stones concerts hired the Hell's Angels to do security.

One bizarre story was a (not too famous) group who played a small night club where the fans (loose word to describe the patrons) used spoons to heat pennies on the table candles. They would flick them to the band members onstage. A hot penny striking it's target and landing on your skin would cause 2nd degree burns. Now, that's paying your dues!

Maybe the best 'rough crowd' was from the movie The Blues Brothers where they had chicken wire between the stage and audience!

I was a big Joan Jett growing. Here are some of her past work. Enjoy...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE, EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

I wasn't interested in the 1960's folk music scene and too young for the coffee-house crowd. I knew who Bob Dylan was and knew he was an influence to the musicians I listened to, but I didn't listen to his music directly.

Dylan has been a major figure in the popular music culture for more than 70 years.
My friends used to make fun of his voice and how Tom Petty with a similar likeness, could have been his son. There was a funny skit on Saturday Night Live about that.

It wasn't until a generation ago that I started listening to some of Dylan's songs. Yes, never too late. He's 82 years old now and had gone through health issues, some related to drugs, financial trouble and he keeps on rolling along.

The video is one of my favorites. It's from a concert in Madison Square Garden with a stage full of musical greats.

My Back Pages by Bob Dylan.

Using my 60 days of free Satellite Radio has me listing to music I never heard before.
They advertised a B.B. King special so I thought I would listen for a while. The channel is blues... the real stuff.
I grew up on British Blues as they had a fascination for American Blues with some shared licks, but a different vibe.

The announcer played a song by Robin Trower... yeah, the same guy who mimicked Hendrix.

It was blues, but not as bluesy as I expected.