THE QUIET ONES

The mavericks, the overlooked gems, the odd ones out… It’s about time some of them got the recognition they deserve.

It’s easy to think of the blues (or any music genre, for that matter) in terms of a handful of key artists. Even if you’re a blues fan, chances are it’s the big fish like Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, Eric Clapton and Joe Bonamassa that readily spring to mind, right? And justifiably so; these guys are big names for a reason. But they aren’t the only names that matter. The blues is way more layered and interesting than that.

We decided to look at some of the artists you won’t typically find in blues-orientated coverage. The sort of names that don’t tend to feature in lists of ‘best blues artists’ or similar, even if they did play a significant part in the evolution of this whole sound.

One field that epitomises this idea is pub rock. In the 70s this was where rock became laced with a gnarly, working-class and totally joyous manifestation of the blues. When you start to look at the impact of bands like Dr. Feelgood, (pictured), Eddie And The Hot Rods, Kilburn And The High Roads and so many more, you start to appreciate how much energy and colour they injected into blues, and rock’n’roll as a whole.

And then there are those who never made headlines, whether due to unfortunate timing, life circumstances, industry bias or other factors. One such person was Beverly ‘Guitar’ Watkins, from rural Georgia, who in the 50s and 60s lent her chops as a backing guitarist to some significant moments in rock’n’roll, but wound up cleaning offices and busking, until she was snapped up to make her first record – at the age of 60. Her story is compelling, and yet few people know of her (outside her circle in Atlanta, where she performed until her death last year).

Obviously by the very nature of a section on ‘hidden’ blues heroes, there will be plenty that remain… well, hidden. Who knows how many Beverly Watkinses the world really holds? Probably lots, some of them still living and some of them long gone.

Because you’re reading Classic Rock, chances are you’re someone who enjoys seeking out hidden musical treasures anyway. So keep doing that, keep being curious, keep your eyes peeled for the characters and creators who don’t come to our attention through fame, fortune or celebrity endorsement. They can be the most intriguing of all…