|
Kelly's Corner
Dedication to Bo Diddley
Born Ellas Bates
Bo Diddley captures heart rates 4/4 rhythm syncopates
And ushers in rock and roll
With a southern soul and a Chicago stroll
That man had axe control
Choke its neck and mute its strings and see how freedom rings from the body
Of his cigar box guitar left smoking from the flames of his finger tips
Hear his rifts
Timeless relics that have become collector's items
Where musicians find asylum and little children follow behind him
Put down violins to get guitars Mumblin' just like he did
Bo Diddley, essential to the blues like the Diddley Bow
Illumination for a nation
He gave us his glow
If Kelly wasn't standing on his shoulders he wouldn't be so tall
The personification of sound
Bo's footsteps were drum rolls
Down fame's quite halls
Echoing the warriors call searching for his place amongst the stars
Hoping other pioneers would meet him and compare scars
In the midst of their music that was ripped from their instruments
instrumental in mainstreaming their hearts and souls, with no recognition given
Listen to the slaves' songs and oral tradition
Listen to the pain played with savant like precision
The strings become percussion
reproduction without permission evident
from many men with no African blood in them
Expression in idioms spoken by the Blues men
"Rock and roll just a baby blues had," Diddley said
So we pay homage to the fathers for guitar impregnation
Stroking strings just like a uterus that's ready for ovulation
Planting seeds for composition passed around like Gospel hymns
under pseudonyms that suit them making ways for meeting ends
Like eating on a daily basis
Gave American music a face lift and injected soul filled collagen for thin lips
syncing the sorrows, joys, and hopes of the people who built this
nation on their shoulder blades and were still able to sing
It's not a fable, the legend of Bo Diddley and B.B. King, they really did swing their axes and cleared forests
of Evergreens to make a pathway for crossing over so we could see brighter days, snap our fingers
or lose control to blues fused with rock and roll
We stand captivated by Bo's soul while creating a style of our own
This is phat blues music y'all
ENJOY THE SHOW!!!
by Michelle "LOVE the poet" Nelson
It is with a heavy heart, great admiration and immeasurable sincerity that I dedicate my inaugural blog to the God Father of Soul, James Brown. I am writing this thinking how odd that I would start such a thing during Black History Month. I am however reminded of how important James Brown was to the Civil Rights movement. Not only was he the hardest working man in show business, Mr. Dynamite, soul brother number one, but he was also a crucial part of American History.
In 1968, James Brown went around the country helping to end what seemed to be endless rioting and despair for all those who mourned the death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He spoke out publicly pleading with people not do destroy their own communities. He put on free concerts and donated endless dollars. James Brown was the first to say "Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud" with out alienating any other culture.
Having had the pleasure of meeting and performing with this genius, I'd have to agree with all of his monikers especially, "the hardest working man in show business." The Kelly Bell Band opened for James Brown at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. The guys and I watched him sound check his band from 12:30 in the afternoon to 6:30 at night and still play a 3 1/2 hour show that same evening; incredible!
Hey, did you know James Brown owned several of the first black owned radio stations in the country?
I could go on and on, but I would suggest that you technology buffs get on the web to find out more for yourselves. He was not just an entertainer, not a just a civil rights leader, not just a strong black man; JAMES BROWN IS AMERICAN HISTORY!
God bless you Mr. Brown, have a safe journey home.
Your humble student -
Kelly B.
|
|
This Week:
Item Of The Month:
Fat Bluz Myu-Zik Skull Tank Top
$12.00
|
