This photo documents the official beginning of my love for the Blues.The year was 1984, Willie Dixon was playing at the "Bessie Smith Strut".
I was, of course, familiar with many of his songs; you can't listen to Led Zeppelin,
The Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream, etcetera... (it's a long list)
without having heard his words.
Indeed, you can't listen to most Rock music without feeling his touch.
I say I was familiar with his songs, which I was,
but I was less familiar with his music.
I was just discovering my love of the blues,
having worked my back to it from rock and roll.
When Willie Dixon took the stage that night,
I knew my life had changed. This was IT!
This was also the time when I was starting to become serious
about photography, having gotten a Nikon FE-2
as a graduation present from my Mother and Grandmother
(I still have, and use that camera!)
I decided that night that I wanted to photograph
as many of these "living legends" and wonderful musicians as I could.
Over the ensuing years I've photographed several more that fit the "legends" category
and many more who may someday reach that status.
But, for sheer eye-opening exhilaration, nothing has topped
that first real taste of the Blues, as served up by Willie Dixon.
