As luck would have it, while studying in
New York City, an FM Blues radio program invited an audience, including me to
join with and enjoy the live musicians on a weekly basis. You can bet I got to
meet and greet some of the greats. A number became close friends over the years.
Thanks to my work as a college
professor, I had the chance to strengthen my love of the Blues by bringing
guest artists on campus. Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, The Reverend Gary
Davis, John Hammond, Dave Van Ronk, Barbara Dane are ones I got to meet
and hear up close and personal. In the case of Sonny and Brownie, our
friendship grew and lasted for more than 30 years.
During the 80’s Charleston, South
Carolina drew my wife and me as a place to retire. Here, Gary Erwin, a local
Blues musician and Blues festival producer and I began our long time friendship.
On a nearby island to Charleston we put up our home in the 90’s complete with a
very workable art studio.
In recent years with the help of Gary, aka Shrimp
City Slim, I began to photograph Blues musicians at festivals and clubs in South
Carolina. These countless pictures, taken right in the midst of hot, steamy
performances, recorded priceless moments in time that would otherwise be lost.
These photographs were used as the subject matter for the paintings that I am
now doing which I describe as photopaintings (see
Technique).
I look forward to continuing my paintings of these
very special Blues musicians as they unselfishly work towards keeping the
tradition of the Blues alive.
The next time you get a chance, go to a Blues
concert, festival or club date. Take time to say hello to the musicians and
thank them for their work, also buy a CD or tape. Then, sit back and just enjoy!
I’ll bet you’ll be glad you did.
