The Transcendent Music Movement Presents: Gary Clark, Jr.

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The Transcendent Music Movement Presents: Gary Clark, Jr.

Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Etta James, Ray Charles, Jimmi Hendrix and the list goes on of genuine blues artists who gained popularity in their youth.  Unfortunately, this list has become relatively stagnant in recent years.  Susan Tedeschi and Derrick Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, John Mayer, The Black Keys and a few others have contributed to the survival of American Blues as a relevant music genre.  Not to take anything away from these spectacular musicians, but even these popular artists are not always considered the most pure of blues artists.  They are an apparent derivative of the classic blues artist.  Their music is undoubtedly rooted in the American Blues of old; but when it comes to the raw, gritty, pure blues musicianship of those in the aforementioned list; there have been very few to gain the notoriety of those blues musicians preceding the 90s.  Austin Texas may very well have produced a lifeline for traditional blues in the form of a young man by the name of Gary Clark, Jr.

Twenty seven year old Gary Clark, Jr. is a rare commodity in modern music.  Blues has been unable to penetrate the fold of popular music recently.  It has been a genre mostly appreciated by older generations.  Artists like John Mayor and The Black Keys have introduced America’s youth to remnants of traditional blues with their blues influenced pop music.  They are also of the few popular blues artists under the age of 40 to have major success in modern music.  Susan Tedeschi and Derrick Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band and artist like Eric Clapton continue making popular classic blues influenced music but they too commenced their blues careers preceding the 90s.  Gary Clark, Jr., however, is on the verge of being one of the extremely rare artists of this century to break in to popular music, under the age of 40, while remaining true to a pure form of blues.  His youthfulness is the surprising factor.  I am unaware of anyone of his likeness to rise to such popularity since at least the 90s.

Gary Clark, Jr. caught my attention with a YouTube video of him performing If You Love Me Like You Say.  The music that I was hearing had the spirit of Muddy Waters, Freddie King and other classic black Blues artists.  I was amazed by his performance, which was of the truest Blues form.   As I viewed his performances I saw the spirit and energy of a young Jimmy Hendrix, with his commanding electric guitar riffs.  Then I heard the clever soulful lyrics reminiscent of B.B. King.  Gary Clark, Jr.’s performance of the Blues reminded me that this genre was once popular in black culture and indeed dominated by African American Musicians at one point in time.  Recently, most of the popular blues artists have been white musicians.  These artists have done a tremendous job in sustaining the Blues.  While this new diversity has been beneficial to the genre, it is unequivocally shameful that the prominence of blues in the black musical culture has fallen to near extinction.  Gary Clark, Jr. brings that classic blues form back to the forefront.  Gary Clark, Jr., born in Austin Texas, has been playing the blues for years as a hometown celebrity and as a surrogate for traditional blues.  

The Texas budding star got his break after a stellar performance at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival.  At the festival, he performed his Don’t Owe You a Thang.  He also performed with Eric Clapton and Sheryl Crow.  He has since received a major recording deal and has subsequently produced and released his first E.P. entitled The Bright Lights EP.  I have had this four track E.P. on repeat for days now.  I have also enjoyed his many video performances online.  The Transcendent Music Movement and I are extremely excited about this artist’s potential.  We hope to see him become a catalyst for a greater appreciation of musicianship by the black community and classic blues throughout the world.  His popularity can lead to greater exposure of classic blues and may lead to more young people playing and appreciating the Blues again.  We wish Gary Clark, Jr. a prosperous future as a true blues artist and encourage our readers to support him as he continues to make TRANSCENDENT MUSIC.