Response to "Deep Blues" Prologue-Chapter 1

Usually it's pretty hard to accurately "describe" music. However, in Robert Palmers prologue and first chapter of "Deep Blues" however, I feel convinced that blues music got its origin just as Palmer described.

I was particularily impressed by his descriptions early on of the south, including this short excerpt from page two.

"...where two thin ribbons of asphalt met on the flat plane of the Delta land under skies bleached white by the sun."

Sure, he's describing a barren crossroads and it really has nothing to do with the actual blues music, but it really sets the scene for the early part of the book. Both the idea of something coming out of nothing and of the crossroads seemed to play an important role.

Further on in the reading, on page 17 Palmer describes why one would want to read about or listen to Delta blues.

"The music has never needed interpreters of popularizers; it's always been strong enough to stand on its own."

Currently, in an age where promoting dollars and distribution deals often shape popularity and financial success (now the only real definition of success), blues music at the time seemed to be about more, or maybe the musicians were just talented enough to make it work by itself.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the first fifty or so pages of "Deep Blues," and hope that the book continues along the same path.