It’s a slow Friday morning. Rainy and dark. Puddles in the driveway and in the shadows in the studio, colors fade to a kind of gray tone.
Feeling kind of bluesy.
I’m reminded of an old album I stumbled across about 35 years ago in a used record bin at a shop in Corning.
It was Hate To See You Go from Little Walter, the famed blues harmonicist. I didn’t know who he was at the time but the album cover just drew me in. It was a black and white close-up of the harp player’s face, showing the wear and tear of a life spent in the blues. Every crease was evident and the rough scar above his eyes made you wonder how it came to be. It was a great face.
The album turned out to be great as well. Classic blues playing and Little Walter’s raspy voice on great songs. Listening to the original bluesmen completely ruined my appreciation of those who covered their songs later. Even when I hear the early Rolling Stones that I so loved, I find myself cringing a little at their blues covers, even though I know these covers gave a lot of valuable exposure to the originals that they may not have found on their own.
I find myself singing this song below to myself at different times, completely unaware that I’m doing so. One of those songs that you take to heart so much that it integrates itself into your thought patterns.
Anyway, here’s Key to the Highway from Little Walter…
Redtree Times 