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Posts Tagged ‘Eric Clapton’

Happy Valentine’s Day – 2025!!

Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on February 14, 2025| 2 Comments »

I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you.  I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side as a condemned soul, than enter heaven without you.  Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit.
    —     Wang Dulu
From his book: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon“
[Happy Valentine’s Day, Hil!!  Because I see the love light in your eyes…
41 Valentine’s Days!!  And still going strong…  in love.
All my love,
Always,
Your Kev
XXX
00
X]
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Click here (14 February) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Chasin’

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Stuff, Movie Review, Movies, Music, Music and Concerts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

“Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away” (2021) — movie review
Today’s review is for the PBS “American Masters” documentary about the life of electric “Blues” guitarist George “Buddy” Guy titled:  “Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away“.  The film stars (interviews): Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Gary Clark Jr., Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, John Mayer, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana and several other music industry figures.
Basic Story:  As an “authorized” biography this documentary goes back to Buddy’s early years as the son of a sharecropper in Louisiana, through his formative years and his departure at the age of 20 years old to learn and play at the feet of Blues legends in Chicago.  The story tells how Buddy struggled to play and then struggled to play his own style of blues guitar.  Buddy was more recognized in Europe than he was in the U.S. and the famous “Rock and Roll” band members went to see him play live as he toured the U.K.  Buddy achieved his first “American” break when the Rolling Stones came over to America and insisted they would only play on a popular TV show (“Hootenanny“) if the show also allowed Guy to play a few songs / and join in part of their set.
Buddy’s early career was marginalized by his contracted label which insisted he play a background role and tune down the loud and (at times) crazy antics he performed which made him such a crowd-pleaser at his “live” appearances.  Buddy eventually achieved a fair amount of “public” fame with a few blues hits of his own.  He had a resurgence in the late 1980s through the 1990s and eventually totaled eight Grammy Awards, a “Lifetime Achievement Award” and both the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors.
The significance of his music and his life’s work (influence) can be measured in the tributes / interviews provided in this documentary from Eric Clapton, Gary Clark Jr., Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, John Mayer, Keith Richards, and Carlos Santana.  All recognized Buddy’s artistry as both a person and as a musician whose stated goal (in later life) has been to keep “Blues” alive in today’s music.
In full disclosure, I am only recently coming to appreciate “The Blues” since beginning to play guitar myself three years ago.  Before that my feeling has always been:  “I don’t like opera and I don’t like the blues.”  I didn’t like opera, because I don’t speak Italian or German and other than that there’s enough classical music around, I don’t need the singers voices interfering with my appreciation of the orchestral music.  As for the Blues, my feeling was:  “Life is already to short and painful to be listening to songs and music which is meant to bring you down.”  And, yes, I knew most of what I DID listen to was “Rhythm AND Blues” (and that “Rock and Roll” is based on R&B) and “Country” ballads, but they weren’t REALLY the Blues.  At least in my mind…  I still don’t want to hear about your wife dyin’ and your dog leavin’ you (and / or vice versa), but I’ve definitely come to appreciate the “sound / emotions” the blues can express and evoke in the listener (and musician).
So, can playing the Blues really chase the Blues away?  Looking at Buddy’s gracious smile, yes.  I believe it can…  It’s worked for him for over 60 years and he’s still touring 130+ days per year!
Final Recommendation:  Strong.  In addition to the “talk”, this documentary shows Buddy Guy playing.  Snippets, to be sure – but playing.  Too often I watch these movies (or videos on YouTube) and the camera spends more time on everyone else in the band or audience and I (as a guitar student) don’t get to “see” a masters’ hands at work.  All we get is to hear them.  That’s enough when you are listening to records or streaming music, but I hate it when I’m watching videos.  I want to see the hands not the artists shadow foregrounded against the lighted crowd.  But, maybe that’s only me…
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Click here (29 July) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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You Just Don’t Realize

Posted in Included Video, Music and Concerts, Quotes, Song Lyrics And Videos By Others, Videos, tagged , , , , , on December 2, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Wonderful Tonight
Favorite Line(s):
I feel wonderful
Because I see
The love light
In your eyes
And the wonder
Of it all
Is that you just
Don’t realize
How much I love you
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Click here (2 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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I Can’t Stay For Long

Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged , , , , , , on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Tears In Heaven
Favorite Line(s):
Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please,
Begging please
Beyond the door,
There’s peace I’m sure
And I know there’ll be no more
Tears in heaven
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Click here (8 December) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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