BLUES N'AT

On Sunday, as Mrs. Black-N-Gold watched her beloved Pittsburgh Penguins drop a 1-0 game to the St. Louis Blues, she got to wondering. Why is the St. Louis hockey team called the "Blues". It just so happens, St. Louis is another mecca of blues music in this great country. It was the "Father of the Blues", W.C. Handy that wrote "St. Louis Blues" in 1914. It went on to become the most recorded and popular blues song in history. Greats such as Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith, Glenn Miller, and Count Basie are a few of the artists that covered this iconic song. St. Louis became a home in the early part of the 20th century for many musicians that followed the Mississippi River up to the Gateway to the West, bringing with them the sound of the Delta Blues. They concocted the St. Louis Blues by merging the Delta style with ragtime, piano-driven music and added a dash of jazz for flavor. What emerged was a sound that still resonates today. Many artists have gone through the Lou to get to stardom, such as Chuck Berry (a native son), Johnnie Johnson, Little Milton and Albert King. They helped lay the foundation for the strong blues tradition that still stands. St. Louis continues to celebrate the blues and their heritage throughout the year. On Memorial Day weekend they host the St. Louis Bluesweek Festival. For a number of years, Friday nights in June, at Jefferson Barracks Park, there would be "Blues on the Mississippi". Labor Day weekend is the Big Muddy Blues Festival. If you're not fortunate enough to catch some of those blues gatherings, there is a host of blues clubs in the area, notably 1860 Saloon, Hammerstone's and BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. St. Louis may have the Blues, Cardinals, and Rams but they also have The Blues. Mrs. Black-N-Gold may have to take a trip to the Mound City someday and soak up some of this blues scene. Until next time, boys and girls. Keep It Bluesy!