I thought I would step away from traditional blues this week and take a look back at the often forgotten Urban Blues. Urban Blues was formed by merging blues and jazz together often with a splash of rock-n-roll. This gave urban blues an upbeat, catchy sound.
Read more about A look back at Urban Blues and Louis Jordan Inspired by some channel on my cable package I thought I would look at Ray Charles. One thing about Ray Charles is that not everyone sees him as a blues musician. This is in part due to the vastness of his musical career.
Read more about The Versatility of Ray Charles Looking back over the Life of Johnny Otis, who passed earlier this week you are left with a vision of his amazing attributes. There is no question that this man was the very symbol of the blues. His creative genius went beyond his love of music.
Read more about Remembering Johnny Otis This weekend is the annual race day that the soul of blues meets the heart of the athlete. This event coincides with the birth of Elvis Presley, January 8th and takes place each year during that weekend. People in all walks of life gather as bystanders and participants to the annual Mississippi Blues Marathon and Half Marathon. This race event is like one you’ve never seen, as runners struggle up and down their terrain they’re met with screaming supporters and sideline blues players.
Read more about Mississippi Blues Marathon and Expo 
The Who Dat Loungers will be playing in New Orleans at the New Year’s Eve dance Hall at Bay Street. They will be bringing in the New Year Mardi Gras style. I personally can’t think of a better band to spend your final 2011 moments with.
Read more about Celebrate New Years with the Who Dat Loungers Mamie Smith was one of the first female blues musicians. She often combined the smooth sound of jazz into her powerful bellow of heartbreak. She gave blues music new life that lead to a new sound that would carry blues music into the next lonely road.
Read more about The Ladies of Blues Mamie Smith Taking a peek back into early blues can really bring blues musicians to the surface. Just by listening to them you can hear the beginnings of what almost all blues songs still have today. They are made of chords that belong to heartache and struggle. Their vocals slowly rip into your soul.
Read more about Early Blues Music legends Leadbelly
Blues musicians and fans are saddened by the passing of Doyle Bramhall Sr. He passed at the age of 62 at his home from, at this time undetermined causes. It was a shock too many, in fact he was scheduled to perform next week on the 26th at the Granada Theater. We will all, musicians and fans alike miss him dearly.
Ontario blues fans will have an opportunity to welcome back JW Jones as he returns to the Mississauga Living Arts Centre. He will be on stage to perform tonight November 12th at 8pm. JW Jones along with his band promises a show that delivers a more refined sound.
Read more about JW Jones Returns Home Blues Blast Magazine has completed their 2011 Blues Blast Awards. They have had some great nominations this year, leading to some great award winners. Unlike many awards, Blues Blast is fan based; all judging is done by fans, as a result judging can take a couple of months. In this case judging ran from July until the end of August. Award winners were announced last week after collecting votes from 6500 fans.
Buddy Guy deservingly won the Contemporary Blues CD Award with his Living Proof album and Song of the Year with the single Living Proof. Buddy Guy is currently on his Living Proof tour and in fact is playing in Baltimore tonight. If you want a chance to see him live, be sure to check his tour schedule for upcoming dates near you.
The Traditional Blues CD Award was won by Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith for Joined at the Hip, which was a joined collaboration. I'm sad to say that Pinetop Perkins past on March 21, 2011 and was shortly followed by Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on September 16, 2011. Blues fans everywhere will surely miss them both.
Read more about 2011 Blues Blast Award winners