Blues Bash Interview: Thomas Ruf Of Ruf Records (Part Two) - Page 3

Walter Trout could not get an American deal, nor find a booking agent. He was on a Dutch label with a European-only career before he signed with Ruf and we developed his career on his home turf.

Luther was out of a deal when I started Ruf Records for him. More popular? I am not sure. The USA has more blues clubs and blues radio stations then Europe. The blues is part of the everyday music culture, I think. And it’s not really a big deal when one of the performers comes through town. In Europe it’s more of a big deal, because not every act works over here; there are, in total, fewer bars and fewer US blues acts touring. Its more a concert event then a bar gig. The artists get therefore treated better. I think overall it goes in cycles.

The blues really had a bit of a comeback in the USA in the '90s – right when Luther Allison came out there big time. The US has a great blues festival circuit. It’s the baby boomers that keep the blues scene alive there. Since a couple of years now it’s changing again. Bars close left and right or stop having live blues acts. Gigs are drying up stateside. The blues festival circuit in Europe is growing again. Right now it seems stronger over here; but it goes in cycles.

There seem to be more and more women playing blues guitar these days, Erja Lyytinen from Finland for example, and you've just come from a recording in Minnesota with three women. There have always been women vocalists, but is this something new for there to be women guitar players?

Bonnie Raitt, Sue Foley, Debbie Davies, Deborah Coleman were among the first ones on the electric guitar in blues. The Blues Guitar Women CD gives a good overview of the current performers. It used to be a bit harder in the beginning for women, as the guitar was a man’s world. Nowadays I think it's easier for women. There are in fact more and more coming up. Basically because there are just too many GUYs out there wanting to make a living playing guitar. I mean thousands and thousands. And they are all good. More musicians than there is work.

Article Author: Richard Marcus

Richard Marcus is the author of the forthcoming book What Will Happen In Eragon IV? and has had his work published in print and on line all over the world. The not so long-haired Canadian iconoclast writes reviews and opines on the world as he sees …

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