It's nearly impossible to imagine music without the blues. Fans of jazz, country, rhythm and blues, soul and good old rock 'n roll can all thank the blues for giving life to these genres.
The
music that rose from the South in the 19th century has undergone many
metamorphoses over the years, but the foundation of a shuffle beat, a fairly
consistent pattern of chord progressions and the at times heart-wrenching
lyrics has created an undeniably loyal fan base, including here in the Ozarks.
Why might that be?
"I
think there's a purity and an honesty to it that only comes from suffering and
happiness of everyday people ... It's honest, it's straightforward, and I think
that people are looking for something they can relate to if they're having a
hard time or some joy they can relate to ... I think it feeds that emotional
stream," says Steve Smith, a veteran musician whose blues-rock band Steve
Smith and the Sneakers tours throughout Missouri.
Among
those working to support blues in the Ozarks is Jim Coombes, a founder and
current vice president of Blues Society of the Ozarks, a nonprofit group
committed to promoting blues music and keeping the traditions of the genre
alive locally. It's not an easy thing. Since its founding in 1991, memberships
have fluctuated from about 400 to its current 200 or so, he says.
Coombes
ticks off BSO's efforts: bringing national touring acts to the Ozarks through
its annual Greater Ozarks Blues Festival, promoting local musicians to get them
more exposure and a program to get kids enjoying the blues.
"We
have a program called Blues in the Schools where we have programs at public
schools and the library to expose young people to the blues and explain to them
it's the original American music art form," Coombes explains.
And
while thousands enjoy the blues fest every year and many take advantage of the
local shows, the last part is crucial for the support of blues heading forward.
For
whatever reason, younger folks just aren't connecting with the blues in the
numbers they once were.
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