You say reality
Is what you believe
I gotta ask you
Does water freeze at 32 degrees?
–Willie Edwards, “Dollar In,” on the CD “Everlastin’ Tears.” (This is probably the only blues rock song ever written on the weirdness of interest on loans–“A dollar in, a dollar out, how does interest come about?”)
I talked with Willie a couple of years ago, and he told me that “trustafarians” had ruined the scene in Vermont for working blues musicians. They don’t care about getting paid, so they work for nothing, driving down the wages of actual musicians to near nothing. Willie–one of the best blues guitarists/vocalists and songwriters of our times–hadn’t even made enough in the previous year to pay for an expensive Gibson guitar he’d bought. When I spoke with him, Willie was driving a van for handicapped people to make ends meet. The scene is similar, though not quite as bad, in Tucson. I’ll have an update shortly.
BTW, if you ever get the chance, pick up a copy of “Everlastin’ Tears.” It’s one of the two best blues albums from the 1990s, the other being “The Last Real Texas Blues Band,” by Doug Sahm. (Of course, Willie got screwed on the recording contract–he gave up the rights to all of the [great] songs.) Since he recorded it (and got screwed) in the 1990s, willie has recorded a number of less polished sounding but still great CDs, with such standout cuts as “Police State on the Rise.” and “Somebody’s Watching You.” If you’re in Vermont, go see Willie–it’ll be money well spent. And if you’re outside of Vermont, please order his CDs directly from him (not available on Amazon).
Sharp and Pointed 