Inch by inch, row by row, I’m gonna make this garden grow

Tonight I was reading Bob Corritore's newsletter. For those of you don't know, Bob (http://www.myspace.com/bobcorritore) is a wonderful blues harp player and is super involved in the blues community. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Blues Music Awards last May and he was also a wonderfully nice person.

In addition to recording and performing, Bob hosts a blues radio show and owns a blues club in Arizona, The Rhythm Room.
He takes the time to release a regular blues newsletter that contains information on all sorts of blues happenings. It also offers ways readers can sort of contribute and communicate within the blues community.

What inspired me about the newsletter after reading it 5 minutes ago is that it totally dawned on me that it's people like Bob and the things he's doing that significantly help to create and maintain an important sense of community in this music niche.

Whether it's a newsletter, a messageboard, a club, a radio show,
a magazine, website, book, film or a simple blog.
Creating some kind of dialogue and encouraging interest, discussion, and contribution within the circle is what, to me, is so vital, so important to the continued longevity of this music.

I have always wanted to be someone as involved as Bob.
I want to open a blues club, start a magazine (see? my degree in journalism will not be wasted!!) start a label, help to sign and promote deserving blues artists, and write music for other artists. I want to do all of this. I want to help spread the word about blues to my generation as well as to those younger than my own.

I participated in Blues In The Schools last November and undoubtedly want to continue to do so. I encourage ALL blues musicians, especially the younger bunch, to consider doing that. You NEVER know who will be sitting in the audience at one of those schools. Even if it's one little 4th grader whose interest in the music you have sparked with one verse of your slow blues.
Sitting in the audience at those schools could be a future great blues musician, writer, or DJ. The young generation needs to be exposed to the music before they can like it. This is exactly what you would be doing at BITS. It is a very gratifying feeling and a good deed, indeed. :)
If you are interested in participating in Blues In The Schools, visit this link.

I encourage all of you who love and care about the blues to do as much as you can to do your part in preserving it. Inch by Inch, bit by bit, true preservation can begin. All the music needs is a whole lotta love. Is that SO much to ask?

If you have read through this entire thing, please respond by giving me your thoughts, ideas, and maybe even links to your favorite blues-related place or thing.

xoxo
Gina