BiRtHdAy WeEk begins with the blues

Here at ROUTE 1, we can never understand why people don't like celebrating their birthday.

What's not to like? It's a holiday invented just for you!

Last night after an unusually stressful Sunday at work, I kicked BiRtHdAy WeEk with a couple of cold beers and two of my favorite bluesmen.

New Orleans' GUITAR SLIM (a.k.a. Eddie Jones) was a formative influence on rock-n-roll with his rollicking take on R&B.

MAGIC SAM (a.k.a. Samuel Maghett, pictured) came out of Chicago's West Side tradition of young gunslinging guitarists, alongside Otis Rush and Buddy Guy.

Highly influential, Sam died suddenly of a heart attack age 32, his career cut short.

Songwriter/producer WILLIE DIXON said of Sam:

"He had a different guitar sound. Most of the guys were playing the straight 12-bar blues thing, but the harmonies that he carried with the chords was a different thing altogether."

Listening after a work day was a great way to launch my BiRtHdAy WeEk.