Grateful Dead
"Da-da-da, my baby left me, da-da-da, 'bout the break of day, da-da-da, she ain't comin' back, da-da-da, nothin' more to say..." This could certainly describe our economy these days, couldn't it? Or, a lost relationship? How about a lost job, home, income, wife, husband, health insurance, etc?
Every human being on the face of the Earth has a right to sing the blues. No matter what your station in life, we all go through times of deep despair. Let me say right now that we also go through times of great happiness, too. But, the human condition is wrought with enough blues-singing material to fill a billion pages.
I've been a blues songwriter, singer and performer for years. I didn't look for the blues. It found me. Turns out that after reading an Eric Clapton interview in the 80's, I realized that the rock-solid thread running through all the music I liked best was THE BLUES. Thanks, EC! In that interview, Clapton turned me on to Muddy Waters (real name: McKinley Morganfield), and The Undisputed King of the Delta Blues: Robert Johnson.
It is often said that "Blues had a baby and named it 'Rock and Roll'." The Beatles had a strong blues foundation as did The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors (the latter two actually played at my high school in 1968!), The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Canned Heat, Aretha Franklin, and hundreds of others. That's what my music is all about.
Nothing feels better than singin' the blues. It's a cathartic release of a deep soulful nature. It's a very spiritual feeling. I am never angry, frustrated or sick of playing the blues when I'm performing them. The fact that I've been able to write, record and perform my own compositions with my band, The Buzzard Brothers (of Flagstaff, AZ), is nothing short of miraculous. I could have never dreamed I'd be so fortunate. And, because of this amazing technological age we're all a part of, I now have my songs on YouTube and iLike, which is a blessing, and a growing addiction (if you look up my name and include YouTube or iLike in a search, you will find me). Please forgive the shameless self-promotion.
I even have the high honor and good fortune to be able to perform at my job working with psychiatric patients at our local regional hospital. A good number of these patients are players themselves. So, we'll sit and pass the guitar around at impromptu songwriter circles. They get much needed relief from playing our community guitar. It's one of the most therapeutic tools we have, outside the obvious medical and psychiatric treatment they receive. I also used my guitar continually as a teaching tool during my 30-year career as an elementary school teacher.
For me, no song is worth anything unless somebody hears it. I suppose it validates the song itself. It brings closure. Many closet writers probably don't need this type of gratification. But, I must confess, I do. The older I get, the more grateful I am to be able to play guitar and sing and lay it all on the line. It doesn't get any better. It certainly never gets old.
And, while the songs come as if by magic, I never turn one down. If it's there, I write it. I feel as though I'm compelled and honor-bound to do it. And now, I can throw it right up on YouTube easy as pie. The best investment I've ever made, save buying my gem of a guitar (it's a Martin 00028EC Eric Clapton signature model acoustic), is my Canon Powershot SX10IS still-shot and video camera. What a blast. The kicker is:
if I can do it, so can YOU!
The moral of the story is: we all have the blues residing inside us somewhere. If it's yearning to be released, let it go and let it happen. You'll never feel so good about feelin' so bad.
Grant Brad Gerver is an entrepreneur and creative consultant for Filibi, a classified and online coupon advertising site and home business. He's also a YouTube Channel blues singer-songwriter and guitar player with The Buzzard Brothers. Additionally, Grant writes political humor, thousands of bumper stickers, and humorous movie reviews. He has also worked with various companies as a product-naming specialist. He's a retired elementary school teacher and published children's author who works in the health care field.
Whats On My YouTube Today?
Grateful Dead - Truckin'
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