10 Signs You’re Starting to Win as a Musician (12)
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
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Why Some Guitarists Aren’t Kind to New Players - 11
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
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Getting Starting with Guitar in 2026
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Are you ready to start playing in 2026? Here's some motivation for you.
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After Action Report - Year in Review
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
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Music Is Holy When It Heals - Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
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A Night of Ambient Notes and Quiet Blessings (7)
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
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Broken Yet Believing
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
It was a tough week back at work. The government shutdown ended, but the systems of a big city had been stretched thin. Some vendors never reopened, and some employees never returned. Imagine looking forward to your favorite morning fix of coffee only to find the shop closed. Not a big deal, maybe—but that’s how it began. Then I learned a friend at work wasn’t coming back. They’d been let go. Now I have a new boss—let’s call him John Snow. He was transferred in because of who he knew. Everyone else in his role was fired. He knows nothing, and it shows. Meanwhile, the...
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Playing vs. Performing
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
https://open.substack.com/pub/blusician/p/playing-vs-performing?r=5x6a64&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
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Humidity and Halloween -4-
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
“When humidity drops below 40%, guitars start to suffer. The wood contracts, the top sinks, and suddenly your action feels off. You might notice sharp fret ends poking out—because the fingerboard shrinks while the frets stay the same size. Cracks can appear in the body, and tuning stability goes out the window. It’s not just inconvenience—it’s damage to the voice of your instrument.” “Humidity is like the invisible caretaker of your guitar. In summer, too much moisture can swell the wood. In winter, too little dries it out. The sweet spot is around 45–55% relative...
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From Guns to Guitars -3-
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
From Guns to Guitars The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. Confucius I've been into guns since childhood. I was born in the sixties and all the tv heroes had guns. The firearm culture was a part of Americana then. It was accepted that hunting season would cause a few boys to be absent from school as they spent time with their fathers and uncles in the woods. It was not uncommon to see long guns in the back of pickup trucks. The more rural you...
info_outlineWashington D.C. | Benefit for Homeless & Disabled Veterans
Saturday night started with a downpour—one of those biblical rains that soaks your socks before you even hit the Metro. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the marketing, or maybe it was just D.C. being D.C., but the Warner Theater was barely a third full. By my count, not even 100 folks made it inside. And that’s a shame, because this wasn’t just another gig—it was a fundraiser for homeless and disabled veterans, driven by someone who’s lived that struggle firsthand.
Memphis Gold, a.k.a. Chester Chandler, is a bluesman with a heart as bold as his name. A Vietnam Navy vet who once faced homelessness himself, he built this event from the ground up. He didn’t just organize it—he embodied it. That dude could play. I hadn’t heard of him before the TV plug, but I won’t forget him now.
A few big names were on the bill but didn’t show. That’s understandable—if the money’s not there, the tour bus doesn’t roll. Still, the night delivered something far more valuable than star power.
My original ticket was priced at over $140 for a balcony seat. Felt like gouging. So I paused, thought it through, and grabbed a ticket directly from the theater for under $100. Third row, center orchestra—right beside the critics, writers, and D.C.’s blues scene regulars. Sometimes the best seat in the house is the one you fight for.
After the show, I should have stuck around for another hour, talked to a few folks, soaked in the vibe. I was tired, but glad I left my Megalodon-sized truck at home and took the subway. The Metro was eerily empty—like the city had hit pause for the blues.
And then came the discovery of the night: Duwayne Burnside. I didn’t know his name before, but I won’t forget it now. Son of the legendary R.L. Burnside, Duwayne brought raw soul, quiet confidence, and a smile that lit up the stage. He sang, played, and owned every moment. No flash, no ego—just pure blues. He was the kind of performer who doesn’t need to announce himself. His music does the talking.
The Nighthawks were awesome, blues fire—crushing Muddy Waters standards in their own gritty, glorious way. It was the kind of set that makes you forget the rain, the empty seats, and the ticket drama. It reminded me why we show up, even when the odds say stay home.
Sometimes the most memorable moments come when expectations get washed away. Saturday night wasn’t perfect—but it was real. And in the blues, that’s what matters most.
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https://youtu.be/AWMlq2KSxQ0