In case you wondered...
What’s a Bluehat?
One day I was just doodling, and I drew this thing… It was kind of a
combination of a heart, and the symbol for infinity... It was blue,
and it looked like a hat. I thought “that’s it…it’s a name and a logo.”
And that was the end of the story.
What were your influences?
I’m a baby boomer myself, and I was influenced by all the classic
musicians we all grew up with. In the town where I went to high school,
we hung out at the Commodore Ballroom. In the forties and fifties,
it featured live big band music. Then, during the sixties and seventies,
the owner changed with the times, and started booking rock acts like:
Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart, the Cream, Vanilla Fudge, and on and on.
Me and the boys saw them all, from about four feet in front of the stage.
Or…We saw Led Zeppelin at the beach, and James Taylor at the college.
We didn’t know how lucky we were. Just another Saturday night, right?
But your music doesn’t exactly sound like classic rock?
I know. I’m still a huge fan of rock and roll guitar music (you’ve got to see
Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads Guitar Festival” DVD), but I tend to write what
I feel comfortable singing. And that, we’ll have to blame on my mother.
She played Johnny Mathis records non stop when I was a toddler.
(I recently saw Johnny on a PBS special…great stuff…especially a song
I hadn’t heard before called “Please Be There.” It sounded like something
I could have written...but I didn’t...and now I can’t...ouch !!!)
What about the “country flavor?”
My appreciation for country music came later. I can’t resist it. The lyrics
are clever, and the guitar playing is just breathtaking. I recently saw
Vince Gill live, and you owe it to yourself to do the same. In my youth,
I drove trucks, and I just loved it. There’s nothing quite like pushing
this big monster down an empty highway at 3 in the morning. You hear
lots of country music out on the road. I like telling stories, so I'll always
be working on a new truck driving song. Of all the songs I've written,
one of my favorites is "Somewhere Down The Road." It's really simple,
but it reminds me of a truck stop out in "Big Wyoming." When you walk in,
you see a long counter, and a line of forks going up into big cowboy hats.
Time for breakfast !!!
Anyway…
I hope you heard some music you like on the CD's. If they aren’t exactly
your favorites, you may want to pick up a copy for your aunt Terry.
Mine loves them !!!
Take care, and email me anytime.
Bluehat@sunsetmusic.com