blues

The legendary “Mother of the Blues” Ma Rainey remains top of mind these days as a trailblazing performer and inspiration. The newest vehicle to keep the music icon at the forefront in the 21st Century is a half-hour television special tribute by Netflix in partnership with the GRAMMY Museum®. ABOUT THE TV SPECIAL An inspiring [...]

Gangstagrass hip-hop/bluegrass hybrid sensation releases Nickel and Dime Blues new anticipated single on May 15th.
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The ultimate music love-in fest is full of roots and called Folk Alliance International. This year in New Orleans, the music conference opened with a clear theme defining what Folk Music is all about and why it’s Socially Sparked® our lives. It’s all about the roots of people and place as the 32nd annual Folk [...]

Down to the Roots Deep in Muddy Waters

 

Legendary superstar drummer Ginger Baker dead at the age of 80. (August 19, 1937 - October 6, 2019). The English drummer socially sparked® our lives and his colleagues in the music industry in countless ways. "Ginger Baker" by Zoran Veselinovic is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker was a founder of the rock [...]

Socially Sparked News’ Spotlight Artist Tinsley Ellis reveals his top three Socially Sparked® moments of 2017. Throughout December, we revisit our Spotlight Artists and ask them to share what Socially Sparked® their lives this year. The self-proclaimed Southern Blues-Rocker with Georgia Roots is one of the busiest musicians around, on the road an average of [...]

Some of the most powerful Blues musicians in New York City and throughout the East Coast belted out the Blues in a New York State of Mind last week at a sold out fundraiser concert for The Blues Foundation. Held at B.B. Kings Blues Club, Jimmy V's NYC Blues Revue is the brainchild of Jimmy [...]

Chicago Blues Festival begins today with three free days of exceptional blues music, festival activities and summer fun. This year’s music event has a new venue — Millenium Park— which …
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15 Music Festivals to Spark Your Summer Plans Sizzling hot summer music festivals are kicking into high gear. One week and counting before the holiday weekend - the official start to summertime fun. Whether you fancy indie-pop or rock; bluegrass and country; hip-hop or electric dance music, there is a festival for you. Here are [...]

Spotlight with Big Bill Morganfield Singer/songwriter Big Bill Morganfield is many things but foremost he’s a loving son and grandson who sings his Blues away to heal and remember his mom in his new song When You Lose Someone You Love Bloodstains On The Wall (Black Shuck Records). Big Bill Morganfield sings his blues away. [...]

Chicago Bluesman Ronnie Brooks (son of Blues legend Lonnie Brooks) and Chicago harp man Billy Branch Sweet home for Chicago Blues? Beginning to look a lot like reality. After plans and funds raised to house a Blues Museum at Chicago's historic Navy Pier fell through, the concept of a Blues museum for the city that [...]

Tinsley Ellis at The Iridium in NYC, January 2017. photo: Mark Raker Photography Tinsley Ellis on The Future of the Blues? We continue our Sunday spotlight interviews in the Blues Music category with a one-on-one sit down with Southern Blues-Rocker Tinsley Ellis. Socially Sparked News: There seems to be a resurgence and escalating interest in [...]

Travelin' southern blues-rocker Tinsley Ellis at the Iridium in NYC. photo: Socially Sparked News, LLC Travelin' Man Tinsley Ellis' Total Recall tells the inside story of how his career began plus future predictions for the blues as a genre. The prolific southern blues-rocker is on top of his game today. But it wasn't always that [...]

Empathy Plus Action Equals Solidarity. "Empathy plus action equals solidarity" -- Billy Bragg, musician, singer/songwriter, grassroots political activist That was a recurring theme from singer/songwriter and grassroots activist Billy Bragg during a Keynote Speech last week at the Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City. Billy Bragg Ignites The Folk Alliance Conference with impassioned keynote speech [...]

A Tribute to Blues Legend Muddy Waters is the order of the month. This week’s concert by the Nighthawks featuring Bob Margolin at New York City’s the Iridium ranks as one …
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Big Head Blues Club: Way Down Inside, Songs of Willie Dixon. Left-right: Ronnie Baker Brooks, Billy Branch, Mud Morganfield and Big Head Todd. The original Hootchie Coochie Man of modern blues – Rock ‘n Roll hall of famer Mr. Willie Dixon lives on through his music, his foundation and through Big Head Blues Club: Way [...]