Entries Tagged as 'Reflections'

Terry Kath: Wishing You Were Here

The persona of The Blues Blogger has allowed me to do a lot of soul searching and ponder aspects of my life in a way that was never possible before. It’s given me a canvas in which to express myself, and at the same time feature artists that have inspired and motivated me along the way…

Throughout the course of this blog, I always wanted to do an article on guitar legend Terry Kath… This weekend it will be 32 years (on Jan 23rd) since Kath tragically lost his life. And Sunday January 31st marks what would’ve been his 64th birthday, so the timing seemed right.

I could spend days thinking of the right words to express how talented and versatile an artist Kath was, but I’m going to let the music speak mostly for itself… I’m hoping this brief post gives those who remember, and perhaps others not so familiar, a taste of this man’s extraordinary work.

The First Ten Years of My Life

I grew up listening to my brother play guitar to a wide range of blues, jazz and rock tunes. He would practice endlessly into the night the grooves from albums he listened to earlier that day… On Saturday afternoons my brother’s band rehearsed in the basement of our house. I remember on several of those daze way back when they added 2 sax players and worked on some songs from Chicago Transit Authority‘s 1969 debut album.

For many people Terry Kath was one of the main focal points on that record and his finesse at one time even had Jimi Hendrix shaking his head in disbelief… Terry Kath’s incredible guitar work coupled with his distinctive style, tone and phrasing was simply remarkable.

Terry Kath


was born in Chicago on January 31, 1946. He began playing drums and at 10 years old switched to guitar; teaching himself by using his mother’s banjo. He gained inspiration playing along to records by The Ventures, and put together an instrumental group of his own, called The Mystics. After graduating high school, Kath met Walt Parazaider and Danny Seraphine while attending DePaul University and together formed The Missing Links. It was this band and The Big Thing that would later be known as The Chicago Transit Authority. Known for his scorching guitar solos and his astounding ability playing both rhythm and lead guitar, Kath was held in very high regard by many of his peers and inspired many guitarists along the way.


Terry Kath’s guitar playing and vocals continued to be heard on such signature Chicago hits as “25 or 6 to 4,” “Make Me Smile.” and “Wishing You Were Here.” Kath would appear on a total of 11 Chicago recordings from 1969 through 1977; all achieving at minimum a gold certification. Original band members Walter Parazaider, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera and Kath formed a group with a unique vision and the result was a diverse powerhouse that created, “a new rock sound with horns.”

As most people already know, the band shortened its name to Chicago for their second album and eventually became a pop ballad juggernaut. While they gained massive appeal, many of their fans went in a different direction after the loss of Kath. However for older music lovers and rock historians that first album has gone into the history books as a hugely creative, experimental and very musical piece of work on the same level as some of the best music ever produced in a debut effort.

Chicago Transit Authority or CTA was actually the first double LP I could call my own and a gift from my brother when he moved out of the room we had shared all our life… Over 40 years later this LP stands out as a major influence and also brings cool memories of growing up in changing times…

Terry Kath has played a huge significance in remembering moments from my past. Does Kath’s music play any significance in time for you? Do you have any favorite songs that strike a chord? If so I’d love to hear from you.

Please share this post with others you think may enjoy it. Let’s not forget this very important artist in music history. Your comments are always welcome…

Remembering the Times,

The Blues Blogger

Blues 2010: Still Got the Groove

Music Was Everywhere

As a kid growing up in the sixties music captured my imagination… Back then I was still way too young to express myself. But I did know I was hooked and really didn’t stand a chance. I had an overwhelming desire to be involved somehow, but not necessarily as a musician. I remember my brother playing guitar along to the sounds of John Mayall and The Blues Breakers featuring Eric Clapton in the room we shared. And I also recall the blazing guitar riffs of Jeff Beck with The Yardbirds playing down the hall in my sister’s room. This set the tone and the learning blocks for my love of the blues…

Welcome New Visitors

For some of you, this will be the first visit to The Blues Blogger site. You may have been doing a search on “the blues” or happen to just stumble upon this blog. Perhaps you arrived through Twitter and other social media sites?

However, there are a select few that have been specifically invited here as my guest this time around. Some of us are just getting acquainted and others have known me for many years. They are now seeing what I’ve been up to, not only for the past 28 months, but in some cases the last 4o or more years. Now that I’ve broke open the dam a little, I’d like to officially welcome you to The Blues Blogger’s home on the internet. Please relax, browse around and make yourself comfortable…

As you check out the pages it’s important for you to know that without my dedicated online readers/friends who regularly stop in and say hello, this music site would not nearly be as much fun. Their sincere and warm comments really help enhance the posts I write. Please know that your input is always welcome and very much appreciated.

Often I’ll receive some pretty cool emails and while it’s difficult to get to them all, I do try my best. One of my favorite’s are the ones that will say, “I think (you guys) did a really good job this week.” Although I’m very flattered, for the record The Blues Blogger is entirely a one man show. I work on these posts in my spare time in the evenings and weekends and publish a weekly article on either Sunday or Monday nights. I never claim to know it all. The purpose of this blog was always just a therapeutic way to express myself while either remembering some music from my past or some new material I’ve come across, or which may have been brought to my attention.

Would I like to do two three or more articles a week? You better believe it! It boggles my mind when I see that my current internet statistics continue to rank above some record labels and artists that I admire. (There are many reasons for this that go beyond content which involves SEO, WordPress and the power of its blogging platform.) At the same time I do get a little frustrated because my creative side believes much more can be done. I receive many requests to write reviews, post press releases and upcoming information on artist’s performances in clubs and festivals etc… Unfortunately with a weekly post its hard to keep up with everything…

I have some really good ideas of what I’d do given the opportunity, and at the same time give back to those that have enriched my life so very much. But for me (as it is for many of us) family comes first and realistically my day gig is what helps turn on the lights. For those who’d like to see more posts, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, until a realistic opportunity presents itself where I’m able to afford more time and take The Blues Blogger up a notch, I’ll keep on doing what I’ve always done, and present to you (as often as possible) music that keeps me rockin’. And hopefully we’ll continue to hit some mutual chords along the way…

For All My New and Recently Invited Guests

here are some links to some of the articles I’ve written here as The Blues Blogger. These represent only a few of the many musical posts I’ve done from the Fall of 2007 to the present… I hope you enjoy them as much as I loved putting them together:

Blues Legends

Albert Collins: Master of The Telecaster
Buddy Guy: A Man & the blues (1968)
Elvin Bishop: The Blues Rolls On
Freddie King: Is a Blues Master
Johnny Winter: Self Titled Album (1969)
Junior Wells: The Hoodoo Man

Magic Sam: Sliding Back to the Past

Muddy Waters: Fathers and Sons (1969)
Otis Rush: I Can’t Quit You Baby
Remembering Little Walter
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: East West (1966)
Willie Dixon I Am The Blues

Inspiring Newer Artists

Joe Bonamassa: Live From The Royal Albert Hall DVD Review
Mike Zito: Inspiring New Release Pearl River
Murali Coryell: Sweet New Release Sugar Lips

Sensational Women in Music

Ana Popovic: New Release Blind For Love
Beverly “guitar” Watkins: Playing It Like a Man
Etta Baker: Queen of the Piedmont Blues
Janiva Magness: Blues With a Soulful Expression
Joanne Shaw Taylor: Time Has Come With Debut Release White Sugar
Memphis Minnie: Blues Pioneer
Nina Simone: My Baby Just Cares For Me
Susan Tedeschi: Going Back to the River With Her Latest Release
Tal Wilkenfeld: Bass Guitar Prodigy
Shemekia Copeland: Upcoming Release is Called Never Going Back

Great Blues Rock and Soul

The Allman Brothers Band: The Road Continues
Blind Faith: Flash Back Summer (1969)
Boz Scaggs: (1969) Loan Me a Dime
George Thorogood & The Destroyers: The Dirty Dozen
Joe Louis Walker: Electrifying New Album Between A Rock And The Blues
The Robert Cray Band: New Album “This Time” Keeps You Rockin

Jazz Selections

Gene Krupa: Remembering 100 Years
Jaco Pastorius: The Great Innovator
Legendary Reunion: Return to Forever 2008
Steve Khan: The Blue Man

Music History Reflections

Beale Street: The True Home of the Blues
The Jewish Influence in Blues and Jazz
Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis: Play The Music of Ray Charles

I Love Music

These were the first three words back in the fall of 2007 that I wrote for this blog. As I’ve said many times before, music has intense healing powers and for me is the greatest medicine I know of. Perhaps Jimi Hendrix describes it best when he said, “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”

Yes, this is a reflective blog, but I also personally believe that 2010 will be a tremendous year in music. And as we adapt to this new age of sharing information, seasoned musicians and upcoming blues/jazz artists will be recognized more than ever for their contributions and commitment. It’s their heartfelt efforts that continue to motivate people like myself in a way that would not be possible without them…

Now it’s your turn… Are any of your favorite musicians on the list above or playing in these videos? Any musical moments that you recall while growing up? Your comments as usual are always welcome…

All the Best in 2010,

The Blues Blogger

Christmas Blues: Season’s Greetings and All The Best In 2010

I’m going to be brief as some circumstances over the past several days have caught my family off guard… As most of my loyal readers are aware, The Blues Blogger was created as a therapeutic way to express myself after my heart attack more than 2 years ago. Through those years not only have I done some reviews, but I’ve written about some of my personal moments from the past and present. And we’ve also shared some pretty cool music along the way…

This past weekend I prepared a post that helped me sort through some of the things that was playing on my mind. This curative piece hit a strong chord, and out of respect for my family I decided not to post it at this time.

As my readers and online friends are very important to me, I didn’t want to go through this holiday season without writing something… Thank you for all the support you’ve shown me. Your positive and uplifting emails/comments over the years are absolutely incredible and truly appreciated… I need to be with my family, but I’ll be back soon. In the meantime I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.

We would be hiding from reality if we said this time of season doesn’t bring the Christmas blues for some. For me, music and the memories we share with the ones we love will always be the greatest medicine in the world for that.

With All My Heart,

The Blues Blogger