The Blues Singers : Ten Who Rocked the World

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Summary: There's Nothing Like the Blues.....
Review: As Julius Lester tells his granddaughter and us, too, in the introduction, "...the blues are like having the flu in your feelings. But instead of your nose being stuffed up, it's your heart that feels like it needs blowing... The words of a blues song might be sad, but the music and the beat wrap around your heart like one of your grandmother's hugs." Meet ten artists who "rocked the world" with their music. From the legendary Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, and B.B. King, to Mahalia Jackson, Little Richard, and James Brown, whose music was inspired and influenced by the blues, Mr Lester profiles their lives, times and careers, and passes on the love of the blues to a whole new generation. His captivating text, written in an easy to read, conversational style, is evocative, and full of historical information, fun facts, quotes from other musicians, and personal anecdotes, and along with Lisa Cohen's marvelously bright, bold, and expressive portraits really brings each artist to life on the page. With a bibliography and suggested reading and listening lists at the end, The Blues Singers, Ten Who Rocked The World, is a terrific and informative introduction that's just perfect for young music lovers 9 and older. "Honey, if it wasn't for the blues, we probably wouldn't have anything to listen to except our toenails growing."