All Apologies

It was a sad day 17 years ago today when it was first heard that a beloved frontman has died of suicide at his home in Seattle Washington. That dreadful day millions of fans mourned the untimely death of Nirvana singer/songwriter/genius Kurt Cobain. No one really knows what was really going through his mind that day, maybe its one of those things that can't really be explained. Whatever it was it left a river of tears flowing from fans all over the world. Today marks the day not of Kurts death which was on April 5, 1994, but rather the memorial and the flowing of tears and heartach after hearing of the tragedy. But on this day we should not look back on the pain, torture and confusion that this man must have been going through to go through with killing himself. We should actually look back on what beautiful music he has bestowed on us, music that can never die. That is what is so great about music, no matter how long after an artist is dead, you can still switch on a record, cd, tape, dvd, video, anything and get taken back to when that artist was still alive. You can travel back in time and relive that time and place where you first heard the great music. Music is a time capsule that can not be emptied or thrown away and forgot about. Kurt would only want everyone not to mourn on this day but look back and enjoy the music he thrown at us back in the early 90s at the beginning of the grunge boom. I must say out of all the music he did, one of the most powerful and probably the song that he most enjoyed doing was not his own. Rather an old gospel song that he covered and heard first from an old folk blues guitarist named Leadbelly. Where did you sleep last night has got to be Cobain's last goodbye to the world. He was actually supposed to do a couple more songs at the end of the legendary MTV Unplugged session but decided he could not best himself after this fine number. It was a perfect ending not only to a perfect album but also to a beautiful career. You can see it in his eyes at the end of the song after hes belting out the chorus at the top of his lungs sounding like a banshee that it was over, no more im out. Unplugged was recorded in November of 1993, Cobain would be found dead only months later. It was not only the last recordings Nirvana ever did but also one of the last shows. That is why it is so important. Cobain might have been a tortured soul, riddled with pain not only mentally but also physically, having throat problems at an early age. Drugs was a way out of the pain but also a way into the torture. But no matter what we always have the music, that does not die. RIP Kurt Cobain, you have joined that exclusive 27 club alongside Janis, Morrision, Brian Jones, Hendrex, Pigpen, etc. I hope your up there in that great jam session in the sky. It is not better to burn out than fade away.

Make You Satisfied

Austin Texas has always been a home away from home for musicians. From Stevie Ray Vaughan to Daniel Johnston. Playing gigs like Austin City Limits to South by Southwest. Today a new talent has struck the scene with a force. A blues/folk musician by the name of Scott H. Biram. As soon as you hear his slide you can be taken back to the days of Robert Johnson or Elmore James. He's striped down and as rough as they come but that is what makes him great. Using the traditional neck of a glass bottle to slide his guitar his sound is that matching any classic country blues singer. Biram started his music career in a punk band. He always grew up on blues constantly listening to old Leadbelly, Mance Lipscomb or Lightning Hopkins. His style of blues has that blues fell to it but he adds the punkish attitude. Biram was highlighted in the documentary movie The Folk Singer with Posessed By Paul James. The movie chronicles their travels through the honkey tonks and dive bars around Texas and Louisiana. It put Biram on the music map and showcased his talent. I can't wait to see more from Biram and see what new music he comes up with, stick to the roots. Its what made us and should never fade.

Belly Full Of Blues

When you hear the word greatest musician of all time a lot of things has be be taken into consideration. One is songwriting, they can't just play a instrument well and be called the greatest musician. Another is controversy, there has gotta be mystery and suspense surrounding the musician. There's enough mystery surrounded Huddie Leadbetter to write a whole series of novels. Hes been called the king of the twelve string for his guitar playing and in regards of songwriting no one can be beat.

Leadbetter or better know as Leadbelly was not a giant man, maybe standing 6 feet tall, but he was a ox. Growing up working in the cotton feilds he didn't scare away from work. Leadbelly's first story of mystery was when he was sentence to prison in 1915 for concealing a pistol. He was sentence to a chain gang. It was bitter sweet because on the chain gangs was where Leadbelly learned most of his traditional songs. After seven years he won a pardon from Governor Pat Morris Neff by writing him a song. He got out of prison and started drifting around singing songs along with Woody Guthrie, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Josh White, Pete Seeger, etc. But in 1930 he was back in jail on counts of attempted homicide. 3 years later folklorist John Lomax discovered Leadbelly in Angola Prison. There Lomax was very impressed by Leadbelly and recorded hundreds of his songs. By request Lomax gave Governor Oscar Allen a recording of Leadbelly singing his signature song Goodnight Irene, impressed with the song another pardon was on its way for Leadbelly.

After prison Leadbelly was starting to write children songs and it didn't go over very well with the public after they discovered that a black man who is an ex con was singing to their children. But still he sung many children songs such as Skip To My Lou, Ha Ha This A Way, Sally Walker,  and Polly Wee.

Again in 1939 Leadbelly was back in prison for assault. Stabbing a man during a fight. John Lomax's son Alan came to his rescue and raised money for a lawyer to get him out of jail. He succeed and started a whole new relationship between the two. Alan recorded him many times and even had Leadbelly on his show Back Where I Came From.

In 1949 Leadbelly would die from a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was buried at the Shilo Baptist Church in Mooringsport . A life size statue of him stands tall across from the Caddo Parish Courthouse in
Shreveport. The town where Leadbelly would have been found roaming the streets singing for dimes and nickles.

The music library of Leadbelly is enormous. Songs such as Midnight Special, Goodnight Irene, Cotton Feilds, Gallows Pole, Take This hammer, House Of The Rising Sun, Rock Island Line, John Henry, Matchbox Blues, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, and so many more were covered by such bands as   The Animals, Nirvana, CCR, Led Zepplin, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Ram Jam, Van Morrison, Pete Seeger, ABBA and hundreds more. Huddie Ledbetter was considered till this day one of the most important figures in music history. He was idolized by bands that we idol today. He was feared, respected and loved. He had a hard life and that is what makes his music so great, he put every inch of his soul into what he sung and played.

These blues will rock ya so much it will make you Seasick

He's been tearing up the blues scene all over Europe. Keeping the old world blues tradition. With an old junk shop personality and look he plays the blues like no one else can, keeping your feet stomping and heart thumping. There's always hands clapping and people smiling when Seasick Steve starts strumming his 3 string broken down guitar and a wooden box he carries around to every show with a Mississippi license plate nailed on the front that he calls the Mississippi stomp box, he kicks with his foot and heal with every force like it was his last show. Its amazing that a old man like Steve can still make it in a world of multi million dollar rock stars with concert hype and budgets to support a small town for life. But hes finally made it after all the hoboin around the world with his trusty guitar and dog pal, playing the street corners like the true blue blues singers of yesteryear. Son House, Leadbelly, Blind lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, etc they all didn't have million dollar contracts, or even a place to live. They all started in the streets like Steve. Most blues singers never lived to see their true potential to reach the masses, to be respected by millions and envied by billions. Seasick Steve made it like all those blues legends of the 30's and 40's so i saw congrats and i suggest everyone to take the time and listen to a true talent that brought himself up from the gutter and make something of himself and his music.