Bman's Blues Report

Historically, the blues has been a vocal musical form. Field hollers soared across the cotton and tobacco fields of the southern United States long before the first guitar god plugged in his amp. The first blues records focused on singers. Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith, and Ethel Waters made their mark with their voices. Even instrumental virtuoso Blind Lemon Jefferson sold records, on the strength of his voice and the content of his lyrics. Richard Carr continues the tradition of the blues singer. Carr grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, not generally regarded as a hot bed of the blues. During summers on the Alabama Gulf Coast he spent many Sundays listening to the all- day gospel music radio broadcasts. Richard Carr didn't plan on becoming a blues singer. His earliest influence was classical Latin choral music at the local convent school. Although his first love was the drum, Richard's godfather decided the guitar made less noise and Richard soon began taking lessons at a nearby...