Blues Historian Update

Things are slowing down here at Blues Historian. Back when I started this blog for my Blues History class at BVU, I was posting three stories, and three videos a day. Over the last few years I have added and subtracted features, but I have kept it going. However, things are changing. The blues class that I have taught for the last five years has ended. From what I understand it was a numbers thing, which in is probably a good thing. Teaching every night for three weeks in a row gets old quick, but having the opportunity to teach not only the history of the blues, but the history of African Americans was priceless. Many of my students had no clue about the history of African Americans. Most believed that after slavery everything was great. The blues let me teach that segregation, tenant farming, racism, and Jim Crow made life harsh for African Americans until fairly recent times.

Keeping this blog alive is becoming more and more a job, and my time to really put in an effort grows shorter as my day job seems to take up what free time I have left. I don't think that the weekly visitor will see much change, but those who stop by daily will probably see several days between posts at times.

I wish I had more time to work on this blog, because in many ways the blues is hitting hard times as well. festivals and blues societies that were the life blood of the blues for many years are experiencing the bad economy just like the rest of us. We are all pinching pennies and not spending what we use to, to support the blues, and that is certainly having an effect on musicians, promoters, and blues societies. Plus file sharing doesn't help. I know that those of you who get your music free think that given the current economy that at least you are listening to the blues, but you are killing us. Musicians who don't get paid for their hard work, stop making music.

So, please support your local bluesman, and blueswoman, keep the blues alive by PAYING for your music, and certainly check out the live shows.

Thanks

Tom Gary
Blues Historian