American Roots music history has long been absent from school curricula. It’s sad that Blues only became known when the English Rock bands came to America in the 1960’s.
Midnight Blues is here to help fill the educational gap this created. Its members include Steven Dee Harris (vocals, guitar and slide guitar) Greg Delape (guitar), T J Loughran (bass) and Frank Delape (drums).
Much of what makes the Blues such a special genre of music is its status as the sound of American struggle and resilience throughout the 20th century and its astounding influence on other areas of music, creating a legacy that still stands strong today. Blues music originated from slave songs, spirituals, and field hollers that were common in the American South its sound can be heard in early Rock 'n' roll, and in today's alternative and Hip-Hop landscapes.
The Blues of today have a new sound and some different characteristics than the classic Blues of old. Modern Blues artists have been incorporating elements such as electric guitars, brass, saxophones, and keyboards. Southern Blues' influence flowed throughout the nation, morphing into the electric Blues in Chicago and combining with Gospel to create Doo-wop in Black communities across the country. It also fed into R&B and rockabilly, and then rock 'n roll. We can hear these influences in such artists as Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top.
The Blues, with its pulsing rhythms, melodic hooks, aching harmonies, vivid images, timeless stories, and exciting performance practices is America's foundational musical language
