Mythical Roads Season 4 Episode 7 The Road of the Blues 2
- February 6, 2020
- 52 min
The Road of the Blues 2 is the seventh episode of Mythical Roads season 4. It is an enthralling and evocative journey down the Mississippi River, exploring the history, myths, legends, and cultural impact of the blues music genre.
The episode begins in Memphis, Tennessee, a hotspot for blues music, with host Christian Torres introducing the show's theme and objectives. Two delta blues musicians, Robert "Wolfman" Belfour and Terry "Harmonica" Bean, join Christian to provide expert knowledge and performance on the origin and evolution of blues music.
The first stop is at Beale Street, a significant hub in the history of blues music. Christian and the musicians explore the streets where famous blues musicians used to play and discover the stories of their lives and journey to becoming legendary blues artists. They visit the former site of the Palace Theatre, where BB King played his first solo show in 1948, and the Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash recorded their hits.
The journey continues southwards towards Mississippi, tracing the trail of the pioneers of blues music, like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Howlin' Wolf, who were born and raised in this land. They traverse the Highway 61, one of the most legendary highways in America that has inspired many songs and stories. Christian and the musicians interact with the locals to explore their lives and culture, which helped shape the blues music genre.
The episode also highlights the struggles and hardships that African Americans had to endure at that time, including segregation, discrimination, and poverty. Blues music acted as a medium to express their pain, dreams, and aspirations.
Throughout the episode, the musicians perform pieces of classic blues songs while recounting elaborate legends and myths that inspired them. The music itself is a character in the episode, with the emotional depth and intensity of the blues woven into the story. The episode successfully captures and conveys the spirit of blues music, which is essential to understand the profound influence it has had on the American musical landscape.
The Road of the Blues 2 concludes with Christian, Robert, and Terry jamming together on a riverboat traveling down the Mississippi, a fitting end to an episode exploring the roots of the blues, a genre born along the banks of this mighty river.
Mythical Roads: The Road of the Blues 2 is a must-watch episode for anyone interested in music, culture, history, or just a good story. The episode provides a captivating insight into one of the most influential genres of music and how it transformed American history into what it is today.