by Stephen Roberts

Created on: September 01, 2008

The very thought of the blues is preposterous. From the very formation of a deeply moving song, comes an overwhelming desire to share in misery, the foundation of the music. Our rock and roll today was inspired by great bluesmen like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, and a plethora of others. Songs were listened to and brought inspiration to the Rock & Roll generation decade after decade with songs from super groups the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, and so forth. Either way you look at it, the hardship of broken hearts leads to the very essence of the genre, and drives people to write and perform music of all types. Every musician knows the experience of difficult circumstances and sensitivity needed to put those feelings into a song, require one to have what's called in the English language, "Blues". It's definition, according to Webster, being sad and gloomy.

The interpretation of a "typical" blues song will differ from generation to generation, but it doesn't mean its foundation will cease to exist. Everything in life goes in cycles and as sure as you're happy one day, there will be a time you seek the safety of company who's felt those unforgettable feelings of agony. Maybe the reason one asks this question is blues music may have fewer listeners today than generations prior. It's always going to be more attentive at times, than others - take it from a musician. How many times have you listened to a song and said to yourself, "I'm with you."

There are times in American history when we don't want to hear the hardships of the present. Today we have another hurricane which will most likely devastate New Orleans once again, and the original river which defined the blues- the Mississippi- will overflow her banks as the result of catastrophic rains associated with the storm. When you look at history it's filled with misery, but out of misery comes expression and when it comes to the blues, nothing can be more powerful. The hardships one can express in song, makes one realize the very importance of how vulnerable we can be. It makes others see there is another side to life, which doesn't revolve around material need, but revolves around survival. It's important to stay grounded and realize, we can pick ourselves up after the wreckage, and sometimes we need someone to tell us this. That's why the blues will never disappear: it's a touch of the soul.

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