Hey all..just got back tonight (upstate NY) from Memphis for 3 days at the International Blues Competition. Not only was the music crazy sick but the abundance of longhairs is a feast for the eyes!!These events always attract an eclectic cross section of humanity. The performers and audience alike are great to be around. I only wish i had brought a camera to record all these awesome manes, braids, dreads and ponytails...if there is a Blues fest in your area...by all means get there and soak it all in!
Gordy
Sounds like a hairload of fun Gordy - glad you enjoyed!
- Oren
... "hairload" needs to be added to the list!
--Val
Or what about " a hairball of fun "
Duncan
hey gang,
just stunbled onto this site. It does the heart good to know that there are those who would carry on the tradition for future generations to enjoy. Variations of blues, and hair....my favorite subjects!
For me, the decision was easy. At age 14, my destiny was set in stone - the call to make music had become the ultimate driving force in my life. That meant fitting in....it was 1970.... if you played guitar, you had the hair to go with it. In those days, the longest mane usually identified the most creative and sought after players....those who had spent some time honing their craft. That instant recognition was the key to being accepted among the elite, before you ever plugged in and squeaked out a note.
So the years went by, music styles evolved, hair grew ever longer, and somewhere along the way - well, we got old. How did that happen?
Today, at 55, I'm a bit younger than the original rockers of the 60's, and my hair is now short and zero maintenance. Still, whenever I see a young dude with a guitar slung over his shoulder and some serious hair, I'm back in the game for a moment. Whatever your reason is for what you do, here's hoping it counts for something special that will one day come back to you.
Almost forgot....part of what I do for a living these days is about combining creative expression with modern science. The result - handcrafted hair accessories (mostly for women) that are known the world over as being among the finest available. Google me if you like to see some examples.
Thanks for listening to my little slice of history, and by all means....keep the faith. ;-)
handcrafted hair accessories
Those are some seriously beautifully-crafted hair accesories you have there, great workmanship! Even though I can tell they are mostly geared for women, to me the wood hair accessories look just fine for men. I'll show them also to my partner, --- and chances are that one and/or the other of us will be buying one or two....
I don't play a lick of guitar; but, I definitely dance to a lot of Blues tunes. West Coast Swing, the official California State Dance (which most Californians don't even know we even have a state dance - LOL), is my favorite of all the different types of Swing dances, --- think "Jitterbug", only with a more moderate-tempo (AKA "shuffle rhythm"). I'm always envious of musicians, as I never had that kind of support to become one when I was growing up. But, thanks to getting involved in the dance community, starting when I was in my early 20s when I still lived back in Illinois, as well as having known a lot of dancers who are also musicans, I can totally relate!
As far as long hair goes... My hair history is opposite from yours: I wasn't allowed to have long hair in my dad's house, so had to leave home at age 18 in order to grow it even over my ears! A lot of my early jobs as a young adult had hair-length restrictions ("dress codes"); so, it wasn't until my 40th b-day that I had my first full ponytail!
Thanks for posting at MLHH, and sharing your history and details of your life with us, --- it's great to hear from another 55 year old!!
- Ken in San Francisco
Who won? Did Davina and the Vagabonds from St. Paul do well? We heard them Thursday night and Wed. in Clarksdale. Awesome band!!