BLUESFEST A RUSH - PLUS 'BLUES IS ALL I KNOW - BLUES IS ALL I AM' BY REBECCA WRIGHT, THE WINDSOR
Legendary U.S. musician Bobby Rush said blues music is something he eats, sleeps, walks to, wallows to, dances to and much more.
"I love everything about the blues," said Rush while backstage preparing for his performance at the 18th annual Bluesfest International Saturday.
"Blues is all I know because blues is all I am."
The 76-year-old Louisiana musician and his band were one of the highlights at this year's festival, said organizer and founder Ted Boomer.
Rush has churned out 247 records and continues to travel the world performing his passion, just as he has since he was 14. Boomer said what's different about Rush is the way he connects to the audience.
"There's maybe one in a thousand entertainers like Bobby Rush," said Boomer. "There's lots of great artists who can sing great and play great, but they can't put three sentences together to talk to the audience. They don't bring the audience in. They have fancy light shows and dance moves, but when you strip all that away, they just have a microphone and they're unarmed - but he isn't. Bobby Bush has his heart, his passion, his soul and his comedy."
Rush and his band were one of 18 performing groups at the annual music festival. Boomer said artists came from all over the U.S. and from as far as Argentina.
Saturday night, Diane Wilson was often standing alone, swaying and singing to the rhythms and beats from every band that hit the stage, amid the thousands who sat around her. But she said she didn't mind and that she just couldn't help herself. She said she's attended Bluesfest every year since it started nearly two decades ago and has always had a love for blues and jazz music.
"It just makes me bubble inside," said Wilson. "It's just really relaxing and creates joy for me."
Boomer said Bluesfest usually attracts more than 25,000 people each year. He said Friday night alone attracted over 10,000 this year.
He said Windsor has always really appreciated music.
"Part of our DNA in Windsor is we know good music," said Boomer. "And with Windsor being an automotive, bluecollared town, the blues is perfect for the city."
Boomer said all music came out of the blues and that the blues gave birth to rock and roll. "Blues is simple - it's heartfelt and straight-ahead. The musicians don't hide behind technology," said Boomer. "What you see is what you get."
Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Bluesfest+Rush+plus/6938490/story.html#ixzz20nTvMAZm
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