GOING TO CINCINNATI: A HISTORY OF THE BLUES IN THE QUEEN CITY (Music in American Life) [Paperback] Review

I met Steven Tracy at a signing for this book in a Cincinnati bookstore. The man is as lively and entertaining as his book.

You might not immediately think of Cincinnati as a "blues region"; however, while it may not be a major one, it's useful to remember that Cincinnati is 1) a river town like many blues capitals and 2) is a real melting pot, a place where conservative and liberal, white and black, urban and Appalachian meet and sometimes even get along. I grew up there, for what it's worth.

Tracy's book tells many fascinating stories of blues artists you may never have heard of, and a few you may have (especially in the chapter on King Records). Many of these artists can be heard on a CD from Document Records, Rare Country Blues, volume 3 (this contains all the tracks from the LP Cincinnati Blues from Document).

I don't have a substantive reason for docking this a star ... it's just that the artists covered are for the most part interesting as opposed to essential, I guess. But your opinion may differ. And Tracy really does brings this little-known material to life. If you are a country blues fan and are looking to go beyond Robert Johnson, Son House and Blind Lemon Jefferson, this is an intriguing book to explore.

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