Tuesday, February 12, 2008

UPDATED: Blue Shoe Project’s Grammy win helping keep blues alive

By Andrew McElwee

Updated 01:14 p.m., February 13, 2008

Once, if you told Jeffry Dyson of The Blue Shoe Project he'd be staring at a Grammy, his reaction would have been slack-jawed disbelief.

But now, the unbelievable has become reality. The Colleyville-based organization, dedicated to promoting awareness of blues in education, took home the prestigious award Sunday night.

Their album, Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen - Live in Dallas, was nominated in December for Best Traditional Blues Album. The CD features live music from four of the last original Delta bluesmen: Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Robert Lockwood, Jr., and Henry James Townsend.

For those riding the coattails of success, a Grammy nomination alone is a guaranteed foot in the door. But to actually win one? There must be a higher power involved.

Founded in 2004 by father-son team Jeffry and Michael Dyson, The Blue Shoe Project started out as a small-time operation. Their first shows took place in Grapevine and the surrounding communities, playing only to handfuls of students.

At the time, the endeavor appeared to be nothing more than a local phenomenon. But what folks didn’t count on was how eager these kids were to learn about the blues. That, and the sheer determination of the Project’s founders.

"A lot of light is being shed on blues because of this effort," explained Michael. "Blues is the root of everything in pop culture. How is the next generation going to know if we don't embrace it?"

This is where Blue Shoe discovered its niche. While other noble ventures to "keep blues alive" have failed, the Dysons' approach is radically different, yet far reaching: take a century-old genre, and put it in the minds and hearts of students.

To that end, the Project has successfully integrated a series of music programs, geared towards the blues, into school curricula all over North Texas. In support of these educational ventures, the organization has sponsored several sold-out performances in DFW, Austin, Chicago, and other hot spots across the country.

And while many of these played to local crowds, there was nothing local about the talent. Artists headlining Blue Shoe venues included soul legend Al Green, country superstar Hal Ketchum, and smooth jazz extraordinaire Richard Elliot.

But, like any worthwhile endeavor, the Project also weathered its share of hardship. Late in 2006, the organization lost one of its primary sponsors, 107.5 The Oasis, due to an unforeseen format change.

Shortly after, they lost not one, but two featured artists on the live album: Henry "The Mule" Townsend and Robert Lockwood, Jr. Both men were integral to the blues genre, widely credited with laying the foundation for modern American music.

Despite such setbacks, the Dysons' resolve and the vision for the Project never faltered. Their accomplishments have become a sort of blues legend in their own right, inspiring a new generation of musicians and educators.

And now, it would seem that the critical acclaim surrounding the Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen album represents the culmination of these efforts. Indeed, the proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, the guitar chords.

Recorded in the historic Majestic Theatre in 2004, the CD features a variation of slide guitar and piano performances the four bluesmen. Cuts include Lockwood’s slide guitar rendition of “King Biscuit Time”, and ex-Muddy Waters member Pinetop Perkins crooning “Kansas City”.

And of course, there’s the unmistakable “Sweet Home Chicago”, performed the way it was meant to be by all four artists.

People sensed this event would be a hit. But no one could have predicted an outcome of this magnitude. Over three years since its recording, Last of the Mississippi Delta Bluesmen - Live in Dallas has won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

If memory serves, a similar phenomenon happened in 1976, when an unknown actor by the name of Sylvester Stallone took home the Academy Award for Best Picture. Like the sleeper hit success of Rocky, The Blue Shoe Project has also attained that million-to-one shot.

Here’s to the underdogs.

UPDATE:

Blue Shoe Project

BlueShoeMike receives the Grammy

This article was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.

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