The blues are back.
From hearing the electric blues riffs of The Black Keys in commercials to the various projects of 21st century bluesman Jack White, blues music is making its way back into popular culture.
It’s all part of a century-long trend of ebbs and flows in popularity for the genre, according to John Rogers, a Gainesville resident who’s played guitar for more than 40 years.
Rogers, 67, presented part of “The Roots of American Music” program at a Writers’ Alliance of Gainesville meeting to 38 people on Sunday at the Millhopper Branch Library. He developed the presentation as part of North Central Florida Blues Society’s “Blues in the Schools” program.
The presentation gives a brief history of the origins of blues music through storytelling and songs, including some of Rogers’ originals, as well as other blues standards.
He started playing guitar when he was 19 while recovering from a foot injury. He bought a $29 guitar and played the popular folk music of the day.
After graduating from Dartmouth College with an English degree, he moved to Greenwich Village — the famed musicians’ haven — to attend New York University. He was exposed to the music that stirred something in him.
“The blues grabbed me by the lapels, spun me around, slammed me down on the ground and said, ‘This is the music you’re going to play, boy,’” he said during his presentation.
While in New York, he saw famed blues musician Mississippi John Hurt perform at the Gaslight Cafe, which he said was the best way for him to learn the style.
“I did what every love-struck guitarist does,” he said. “I started copying others.”
Last year, Rogers recorded his second album, “Old and New, Borrowed and Blue.”
In addition to selling his albums at CDBaby.com, he sells them for $10 at Satchel’s Pizza, 1800 NE 23rd Ave., where he performs monthly. Although he said he has no immediate plans to record any new material, he’s trying to expand his “The Roots of American Music” presentation as he approaches retirement from his corporate job.
He said he’ll perform a lot during April and May when the music festivals go into full swing. As he continues writing and performing his music, he has also started working on a novel, which he said is just another part of his creativity.
“Nobody really understands the creative process,” he said. “As far as I can tell, everyone does it different.”
