Thursday, August 11, 2011

CROSSROADS

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Metaphorically, crossroads are where 2 worlds meet. Usually the spiritual and physical world. To me, it is a time to decide if I want to keep on the same linear path or veer off into another direction. Living on the blues trail from Louisiana to Memphis....it is depicted in blues songs just as that; a point in life a particular road is taken.

Down here in the south...Mississippi is well known for their crossroads. It is considered to be where you meet the devil to bargin with and legend has it that Robert Johnson, a legendary blues singer and guitarist, dealt with the otherworldly being to learn guitar. Or so as history writes it. He couldn't play a lick and disappeared for a year but when he returned....he could blow them all away. Those crossroads are where 61 and 49 meet in Clarksdale (couldn't find my pic so posting this one of Reverand Zombies voodoo shop in New Orleans French Quarter here. See City Confidential: Devil and Delta Blues or The Search for Robert Johnson).

Of course those southern dogs don't hunt with me and if I see the devil coming or know I am on his path...I'd definitely be changing direction if I'm out of whoop a** cans or don't have an entourage of bikers behind me. The old official crossroads were really where the Southern and Yellow Dog railroads met in Moorehead, Ms. Old schoolers would say "Where the Southern cross the Dog". (Video of the month and all the Clapton/Winwood I've been playing the past year from Crossroads Guitar Festival...DVD's at amazon :).

And naturally with my birthday this month and turning 50....I can just see them crossroads ahead. And evaluating everything, or what Jane Fonda calls a 'life review' when writing her book "Primetime", there will be some changes to come.

Of course it sometimes feels as if I'm just doing doughnuts :/


(Graphics: rerendered my last years 'abstract' from the tutorial found here. The above can be used as a wallpaper for most any size monitor if you set the background to black. Also... KPT filter on guitar drawing from last year but new virgo symbol from webdings in PS CS5 Extended...no filters installed...yet ;)






See write up on Robert Plant's visit from local paper here.


Local Blues Links:

MS. Blues Trail
Delta Blues Museum
MS. Delta Blues Info
Ground Zero Blues Club
Highway 61 Blues
 Central Ms. Blues Society
Blues Foundation
BB King
BB King Blues Club
Muddy Waters
WC Handy Blues
Billy Holiday