A singer-guitarist from Belgrade, Serbia, Ana Popovic grew up hearing her father’s collection of American blues and soul records. “I was 2 or 3 years old, listening to Howlin’ Wolf and Bukka White,” Popovic said. “Later on, (it was) Sonny Landreth, Jimi Hendrix, Elmore James, Robert Johnson and the three Kings — Albert, B.B. and Freddie King. That was on a daily basis.” Popovic picked up the guitar as a teen, but didn’t get serious about the instrument until a few years later

While blues music has a lot of better-known legends, musicians such as Mississippi Fred McDowell quietly helped to shape the genre into what know today. #The short film "Shake 'Em on Down" chronicles McDowell's life, rise to fame, and his contribution to defining the sound of hill-country blues. #McDowell, whose nickname was "Shake 'Em on Down," was born in Rossville, Tenn. His parents, who were farmers, died when he was young, and he moved around the South for work until com

There’s a difference between good and bad blues, just ask Louis Lipinski. “When it’s good, it’s excellent,” Lipinski said. “But unfortunately, when it’s bad, it’s really bad.” Lipinski is one-eighth of the new blues group, The Unselfish Lovers of the Blues. The band also includes Dave Hinson (the magician behind the Adult Music Club), Lewis Roussel, Marston Fowler, Sandy Lemoine, Leon LeJeune, Sandy Brock and Bryan McVicker. The band performs at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Front Por

One of the biggest stars of the Chicago Blues has passed away. The Baker/Brooks family announced today that the patriarch passed away at the age of 83 yesterday. Three years ago Lonnie was celebrated at the House of Blues in Chicago with an all-star bash of blues greats paying tribute on his milestone 80th birthday. We have heard very little about Lonnie since then as his family have kept his affairs private and the only public statement was that Lonnie had retired. Lonnie wa

Renowned Louisiana songwriter and musician David Egan has died, according to The Daily Advertiser. The Lafayette piano player, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer for a second time, was 61 years old. Mr. Egan was one of the state's most well-respected songwriters, penning tracks that were performed by Etta James, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, Tab Benoit, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Marc Broussard, Joe Cocker and others. Mr. Egan grew up in Shreveport, but he left Louisiana t

It's been many years since blues was a regular part of radio playlists, and the days when individual DJs could play any song they wanted went away sometime around the demise of cassette tapes. Now corporations own multiple stations, and because program directors rely on the same airplay data to decide what songs get played, most radio has become tightly formatted and homogenized. The vast majority of stations nationwide play the same limited selection of songs within their fo

The guidebooks still recommend that travelers to Chicago "experience the legendary blues scene" in the "world capital of the blues." It's a nice sentiment, Fodor and Frommer, but the reality is that, aside from a handful of spots filled with more tourists than locals, Chicago's blues scene has withered in recent years. It's harder than ever to find those little clubs that once nurtured such greats as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon, legends who migrated north from

Melding poetry, mystery, darkness and light, along with an extensive knowledge of the history and traditions of blues music is what makes Paul Reddick on of the most popular figures on the blues and roots music scene today. For over 25 years he’s been writing and performing his eclectic brand of blues, bringing the art form to new frontiers with his rapacious, deep vocals, masterful harmonica playing and song writing. As the unofficial poet laureate of Canadian blues, words a