Marty

I’m gunna string up this old Martin box
Play some slow, steel blues
Wind her up and pick it down
Maybe grab a friend or two

Many a man and mighty gal
Has called ole’ Marty their friend
Made of wood, nice and loud
I’m with her ‘till the end

A boomin’ voice, thick with mud
Though sharp as crystal too
I like to hear her once a night
Tell me, now how bout you?

A pretty shape, a slender neck
She was crafted here in PA
The bluest grass or thundrin’ folk
Is what Marty loves to play

Battered, bruised though plenty tough
She keeps singing through it all
Takes on a man twice her size
Boy that lady’s got some gall!

The sound of hope came tumblin’ down
The mountains to the plains
Ole’ Marty listened to every word
Whispered to the golden grain

Word traveled fast, soon the city heard
A new sweet country sound
They threw their caps, saluted her
Everyone jumpin’ up and down

She’s not much for praise, she’d rather sing
Those freedom songs she heard
Equal pay! And down with hate!
Marty loved every word

Behind every good man, a Martin guitar
Behind every woman too
I play my baby every night
Singin’ bout red, white and blue!

Funk face

The funk is turned all the way up
The blues are turned all the way down
The colors of all this sound
Are dripping down the walls
And out onto the street
Ain’t that just sweet?
That place where you and I
Meet
In the park, so complete
I could sing!
In fact I will, but just a couple bars
Maybe a couple more
Maybe a couple of more bars
For this lady I have just met
And I’ll bet we’ll have the date set
Before we leave,
PLEASE
Say ya will, baby
Do ya need me, baby?
The way I need you?
Forgot all my blue
But I ain’t never gon’ forget you!
That’s what is true
I don’t mind thinkin’ bout you
Long as you’re thinking bout me!
OOOHHHWEEEEE!
What’s that smell?
Somethin’ sweet as hell!
Oh, damn!
I’m sorry y’all that’s just my baby!
Just my sweet as hell baby!
It’s ok to be jealous
I was
But I ain’t no more!
Cause she’s mine
She’s all mine
I ain’t gon’ leave ya none
Not a drop
Not a drip
Sorry
I never learned to share
Any bits of my baby
Swept up all the crumbs
Ain’t givin you shit!
Quit!

I Am – Tyler Strittmatter ft. ChrisP

Keb’ Mo’ – I’ll be Your Water

Don’t you want it – The White Buffalo

When they started playin’

…and the horns started playin’
on a breezy ‘Orleans afternoon.
Air thick with bourbon and perfume.
Air thick with bourbon and perfume.

Sometime soon, I wanna play me
some ragtime on that old piano.
Next time, bring the whole band tho’.

The solo went rata tat tat.
They could hear that saxophone blast
all the way down on 4th street.

‘Course he was moved by the sound
of those early evening blues.
Air thick with bourbon and perfume.
Air thick with bourbon and perfume.

Baseline went bump de bump bump.
He not dancing’ he sitting’ like a chump
while the rest jivin’ like some loons.

Sometime soon, I wanna play
while old Benny does croon
and I know she’ll be in full bloom.

When the horns started playin’
on that breezy ‘Orleans afternoon,
It was that summer time june.
It was that summer time june.

When the horns started playin’
On that breezy ‘Orleans afternoon,
I knew I gotta change my tune.
So I can see her again soon.

Murky

Muddy water,
murky like some muddy water –
that I keep sippin’
even though,
I know it ain’t for me.

The warden’s daughter,
Lonesome like the warden’s daughter –
that I keep wantin’
even though,
I know she ain’t for me.

She ain’t nobody’s
and I ain’t nowhere –
Nowhere’s now
the place to be.

She ain’t nobody’s
and I ain’t nowhere –
Nowhere’s now my home
ya see?

That’s How Blues Works – medium.com

Conversation about Music and Life in Louisiana with a Blues Musician

LINK HERE

Blues Guitar

 

            Many modern genres must tip their hats to the blues. Since the start of blues music, jazz, rock n’ roll and alternative music have come to fruition. If you want to start playing the blues there are certain characteristics in a guitar to look out for.

           “Most blues music requires a lot of bending or pulling the strings to add that soulful vibrato sound,” Ken Strittmatter said, who builds his own guitars. “Larger radius necks make string bending easier.” Chris Baney, a guitarist and worship leader at Basic Truth Church said that he finds semi-hollow bodied guitars to be the best for the blues. He said that Gibson and Gretsch provide a full, rich and deep tone that is perfect for the blues. Baney also noted that many blues greats used a solid body Fender American Stratocaster because it can provide a raw cut through solo sound. In his opinion the Strat has the fastest fret board around the guitar world.

           “With blues music there is a really raw sound that is made from the guitar itself whereas other genres use multiple amp effects to sculpt their sound,” Baney said.

            No matter the style played or the level of skill, finding the right guitar does not have to be a daunting experience. Find out what you want to use your guitar for and what kind of music you will be playing. Pay close attention to the wood used to make the guitar and how it is set up. And the first few times you play get a bunch of buddies to play along with you so you cannot tell the mistakes you are making.

            “If a lead guitarist is on stage with a drummer, percussionist, keyboard player, rhythm guitarist, four horn players, three backup singers, and a lead singer, you really cannot tell if he is playing a $189 Fender Squire or a $2,000 Fender American Stratocaster,” Corky Ballard, a longtime guitarist said half joking.  “The important thing is that you are playing man, experiencing music.”

Keb’ Mo’

Keb’ Mo’ playing “Am I Wrong” live. Here he is using a steel electric guitar which is very uncommon and a slide on one of his fingers. A slide is placed upon the strings to vary the pitch of the notes. This slide can be moved along the strings without the guitarist having to lift up his hand, creating continuous changes in pitch.