Depression, Loneliness and Melancholy -3-
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Release Date: 11/03/2025
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...
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Depression, Loneliness and Melancholy -3-
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
i don't have a rhythm yet for the release of these episodes but I am sharing them to jump start me and get me out of my head. I am hoping that Fridays will be the day that you get new episodes. Let me know if this is too much. Branding / Names 🌹 The Story Behind the Rose: A New Logo for Blusician.com There’s a new emblem blooming at Blusician.com—a thorny red rose, bold and unapologetic. It’s more than a logo. It’s a living symbol of the journey, the grit, and the grace that define this one-man band of blues, rock, and ministry. 🎸 Why a Rose?...
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About it all.
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Back in the days when 9mm ammunition cost five dollars a box, I was involved in gun right advocacy. For the next 20 years, I was involved in every monumental legislation across the country-especially that had a connection to so-called minorities. I took the name of “Black man with a Gun” as a homage to Robert F Williams who wrote “Negroes with guns” in 1968. I worked with the NRA, SAF, LEAA, GOA, local and state gun clubs across the country to unify the movement. I made lifelong friends. I played a role in shaping policy and educating the public, helping to grow gun clubs...
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Rebooting the Podcast
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Someone once told me if you don’t like the way things are, change it. I am rebooting this podcast and changing it a little to a personal journal called “Behind the Rose. “
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Rain, Blues, and Revelation at the Warner Theater 2
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Washington 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...
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5 Things You Need to Know to Start Playing Electric Guitar
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
trying something new. show notes in the newsletter.
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After Action Report - Indian Bike Week Performance
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
Indianbikeweek.com I jst got back from a 4 day gig 1100 miles from home. It was my return engagement for this rookie. I feel blessed. This is the after action report. More later.
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The First Time I Met The Blues (3)
Behind The Rose - Rev. Kenn Blanchard - Blusician.com
https://open.substack.com/pub/blusician/p/when-i-first-met-the-blues?r=ncrf7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
info_outlinei don't have a rhythm yet for the release of these episodes but I am sharing them to jump start me and get me out of my head. I am hoping that Fridays will be the day that you get new episodes. Let me know if this is too much.
Branding / Names
🌹 The Story Behind the Rose: A New Logo for Blusician.com
There’s a new emblem blooming at Blusician.com—a thorny red rose, bold and unapologetic. It’s more than a logo. It’s a living symbol of the journey, the grit, and the grace that define this one-man band of blues, rock, and ministry.
🎸 Why a Rose?
The rose has long stood for passion, beauty, and love—but in the world of blues and gospel, it carries deeper weight. This rose isn’t pristine or polished. It’s weathered. It’s real. It’s the kind of bloom that grows from hard soil and long nights. It’s the kind of love that’s earned.
For me, it represents:
• The fire of performance—every note played with heart.
• The tenderness of ministry—every story shared with soul.
• The legacy of those who came before—mentors, family, and fellow travelers whose spirit lives on in every lyric.
🌿 And the Thorns?
The thorns matter just as much as the petals. They’re not decoration—they’re testimony.
They speak to the quiet, daily weight of being a caregiver. Of showing up for your wife with tenderness and strength, even when your own spirit feels worn thin. Of learning to balance love and responsibility, music and ministry, while the world keeps spinning fast.
They speak to the struggle of learning the blues—not just the chords and phrasing, but the feeling. The kind that only comes with time, with loss, with late nights and aching hands. Picking up a guitar in older age isn’t just a hobby—it’s a declaration. That you’re still here. Still creating. Still fighting to turn pain into praise.
The thorns remind me that beauty doesn’t come easy. That every performance carries the weight of real life—joy, exhaustion, grace, and grit. They’re a gospel truth and a blues badge. They say: this rose has lived.
🌿 And the Thorns?
The thorns matter just as much as the petals. They remind me:
• That beauty doesn’t come without struggle.
• That faith and music both require resilience.
• That every performance carries the weight of real life—joy, pain, and everything in between.
The thorns are a nod to the gospel truth: redemption isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. They’re also a blues-rock badge of honor—proof that this journey hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been true.
🔥 What It Means for Blusician.com
This logo marks a new chapter. It’s a visual anthem for the kind of work I do: soulful, defiant, and rooted in gratitude. Whether I’m performing at a senior center, a farmers market, or an outdoor rally, this rose goes with me. It’s a symbol of connection—between music and message, between past and present, between artist and audience.
So when you see my thorny red rose, know this: it’s not just decoration. It’s declaration.