Happy 70th Birhday to harp great Charlie Musselwhite

Destorying a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame argument as to why Hip Hop and Rap should be in the Hall.

"In the 50s, they said rock and roll was just noise that was making our kids do bad things -- that it wasn't really music, that it ought to be banned. Now, some are saying the same thing about hip hop. Jazz, Folk, R&B, Blues, Country, Hip Hop, Indie. They're all branches of the Rock and Roll tree. Long live Rock!"

First off comparing rock to rap is their first big mistake. The only way the two are related is when rap and rock artists duet such as Aerosmith and Run DMC or Anthrax and Public Enemy which rarely happens. Another is when rap artists sample rock songs such as Boogie Down Productions sampling of Back in Black for their song Dope Beat or when Tone Lōc sampled Van Halens Jamie's Cryin in their song Wild Thing. These are the only ways in which the genre's are related. Now don't get me wrong I like some hip hop but I don't think it belongs in the rock hall because it is not rock. You don't see the blues or country halls inducting any genre other then blues or country. So why the rock hall does it is beyond me.       

The second and even more stupid thing they say is every single genre is a branch off of the Rock 'n' Roll tree. Now correct me if I'm wrong but weren't Blues, Jazz, Folk and Country around before rock and roll. Blues has been around since the turn of the century and some say even earlier. Technically Rock 'n' Roll would be a branch off of the blues tree as would many of the other genre's they mentioned such as R&B, Indie and Hip Hop.

One more thing to note is that when listing off different genre's of music they left out one of their favorite genre's Disco.

Classic Everly's tune from their 1983 reunion concert in London.

Meet The Beatles turns 50

Spinning some Everly Brothers for Phil

RIP Phil Everly one of rock 'n' roll's last great musicans

When I heard the news I like most rock music fans was devastated. Phil and his brother Don made up the Everly Brothers who were the biggest musical act in the late 50's and early 60's when Elvis was in the army and before The Beatles were big. They influenced many including The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel. They in my top ten of most listened to artists on last fm coming at number 7. Only a handful of rockers from the golden age now remain. Your smooth harmonies and music will always live on.

Jay Traynor 1943-2014

My new favorite bluesman is Son Seals

One day I was on  Last FM listening to a radio station I had created which plays the music of Chicago Blues guitarists Lonnie Brooks, Mighty Joe Young and John Primer as well as similar artists. It was well listening to this that I stumbled upon Son Seals. The song was Funky Bitch which I will post below along with On my Knees. One interesting fact I learned when researching Son Seals was that he was born in Osceola, Arkansas the same birth place as the great Albert King both of whom only lived to their 60's. So when I got 30 dollars in iTunes gift cards for Christmas I went straight to iTunes and bought Seals first two albums The Son Seals Blues Band and Live and Burning. I encourage every blues fan to listen both of these albums. The difference between hot sauce on the live and the studio album is one reason you should listen to both. I do prefer the live version better because it has more power. Another favorite of mine from Son Seals Blues Band is Your Love Is Just Like a Cancer. Like so many of my favorite blues players he died way to young and also there is very little footage of him on you tube which is really disappointing. Here is On My Knees one of the videos of Son.