Letters for August 9-15, 2007

What you have stated is absolutely on the money. I know this sounds politically incorrect but f*^&* that. It's politically right. Black music fans no longer support jazz. They no longer support gospel, and they no longer support blues. My opinion is that in five years, rap will be completely supported by young, white, middle-class kids. We have tried many times in the blues community to attract a black audience, and it always fails. We even included artists at our festivals that were considered "very black" draws; "chitlin" circuit artists. One year, Bobby Rush and Solomon Burke were the closing acts. You could count the black folks on one hand.

Blues has never been a household word, but it survives in the background because of white and European audiences. My opinion is it will continue to do so in whatever small niche it finds. And when it comes back, we will welcome back the black blues audience with open arms. I only hope it does not take that long.

Memphis Mark Fodera

Plantation