Re: [Harp-L] Is live blues dying out??

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I definitely see a huge difference in 1993 when I moved to Austin and
there were around 10 blues clubs and around 100 high quality blues
bands to now where there is maybe one blues club and 10 serious blues
bands.

I got out of playing only blues real early although I have been a
member of 3 blues bands and have been hired for lots of blues gigs.
Blues remains my favorite music for listening on CDs, and my favorite
live music when played by masters.

However, I believe a blues resurgence is just a Stevie Ray Vaughan
away.  Consider this same question before George Thoroughgood (sp?)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds, ZZ Top and Stevie all had hits in one year
on MTV.  Then look at the blues charts the year after that.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 4:23 AM, Richard Hunter
<turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Blues has been losing its audience for some time now--the numbers track roughly opposite to the trend in bluegrass, which is steadily up over the same period.  Nothing is popular forever.  The audience moves on, whether or not the artists do.
>
> Classical music has been losing its audience for decades too, and for similar reasons (to which we can add that modern classical music is not casual listening, and most people don't have a lot of time for the total immersion that understanding it requires).  But classical music is heavily funded by foundations, donations, etc., and players in that genre can maintain a respectable lifestyle even as the audience disappears.  For blues artists it's tougher.  One very well-known player told me at SPAH 2008 that if it wasn't for festivals, he couldn't make a living anymore, because the clubs have dried up and blown away.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
>
> author, "Jazz Harp"
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>