You Too, Can Learn To Play Like Robert Johnson

Picture courtesy of the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation

For anyone looking to teach or learn some basic blues guitar, I have a find for you. Lurking through the miles and miles of endless links in About.com, there is resource blues lovers should know about.

Written by both a teacher and a musician, the guide provides visual and auditory links. About.com's Dan Cross, Guide to Guitar, offers up a simple, well presented "How To" for inspiring blues artists, or even for blues loving non musical individuals who want to know what makes a blues song, a blues song.

Robert Johnson Blues Guitar Lesson

"Here's a quick and easy little blues riff played by Robert Johnson that you can learn with the help of an mp3 and tab,"exclaims Cross, using Johnson's "Little Queen of Spades" in the above link.

Dan Cross also offers a blog, forum and a series of Guitar Basics to learning the blues.

After learning the riff, there is no guarantee that Gibson will name a guitar after you, however.

Johnson's Gibson L-1 tribute guitar is a small bodied acoustic, released in 2003, and bears his signature. It also lists a MSRP of $2793.00

ABS Sponsors Poster Contest

Here is a rare opportunity for all you blues lovers!

The Atlanta Blues Society is accepting submissions until August 31st. The graphic will be used for the 2009 Annual Blues Festival.

For a complete listing of rules, see the website. ABS

KWS Custom Classic 1950 Ford

Today, Kenny Wayne Shepherd is making a difference to children around the world, who are in need of medical treatment. Kenny has donated his Custom 1950 Ford Classic, which will be auctioned today to help Mending Kids International.

MKI, a private organization, helps children who would not be able to receive the care in their own countries. They also send teams of Doctor's to other countries to perform surgeries. MKI also seeks host families in the LA area who are able to assist the children while they are in the country for procedures.

Kenny's Ford Coupe should bring quite a pretty penny. Kenny, however is busy today. He will be the Grand Marshall at the Michigan International Speedway. The avid Nascar fan will be performing a postrace concert there tonight.

Les Paul - We Will Miss You

Lester William Polsfuss

Lester William Polsfuss was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915. Today, the blues world lost another great.

The guitar legend, Les Paul, died today at the age of 94, suffering from medical complications at White Plains Hospital.

"The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul," said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and chief executive officer of Gibson Guitar.

Les Paul New York Times Obituary.

Paul is the only individual who has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Like so many of the genre, he will be missed.