THERE ARE FEW LIVING PEOPLE THAT CAN TRULY BE CONSIDERED BRIDGES TO THE MUSICAL PAST. ONE SUCH PERSON IS RORY BLOCK,WHO HAS AT 14 YEARS OLD TRAVELLED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO MEET AND LEARN FROM COUNTRY BLUES ICONS SUCH AS SON HOUSE, SKIP JAMES AND REVEREND GARY DAVIS. ONE OF THE EARLY DEVOTEES OF BLUES MASTER ROBERT JOHNSON, MS. BLOCK HAS CREATED A CATALOGUE OF ALBUMS GIVING HONOR TO THE ARTISTS THAT HELPED FORM THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA’S MUSIC,THE COUNTRY BLUES.
BEING ONE WHO HAS TRAVELLED ACROSS AMERICA (AS WELL AS EUROPE AND AFRICA) BY MYSELF, I WAS INTRIGUED BY MS. BLOCK’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, WHICH CHRONICLES HER TRAVELS AS A YOUTH, AS WELL AS HER CAREER THAT HAS BEEN A DEVOTION TO SHINING THE LIGHT ON MUSICIANS WHO HAVE CREATED THE DNA OF AMERICA’S MUSICAL CULTURE.
BESIDES A COLLECTION OF ALBUMS DEDICATED TO HER MENTORS LIKE SON HOUSE, BUKKA WHITE, ETC, MS. BLOCK HAS ALSO RELEASED ALBUMS GIVING TRIBUTE TO WOMEN OF THE BLUES, AND MOST RECENTLY AN ALBUM REVISITING SONGS OF HER OWN YOUTH AND GIVING THEM A COUNTRY BLUES FLAVOR.
WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CATCHING UP WITH MS. BLOCK AND SHE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO LET US IN ON HER WORLD AND MUSICAL WORLD VIEW.
I HAVE NOT READ YOUR BOOK YET, BUT I WANT TO BECAUSE YOU ARE A FELLOW TRAVELER.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING FOR YOUR PARENTS TO HAVE LET YOU GO DOWN SOUTH AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE IN ORDER TO “FIND BLUES MUSICIANS”
They really didn’t let me go, I ran away. In my book I wrote about how I found a hand written description of myself lying on a countertop in my father’s leather shop. It was in his hand writing, and that was kind of chilling. I asked him what it was for- and he went silent. We both knew. Soon after that I left town, but thankfully nobody tried to come after me.
At the time I was 14 and my boyfriend was 18. We were youngsters, no matter how you look at it, but fortunately he was extremely responsible and mature for his age. He was protective and capable, so I wasn’t alone or without someone to be there for me.
YOU’VE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF “TRIBUTE” ALBUMS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. OBVIOUSLY YOU DIDN’T SEE BESSIE SMITH, BUT OF SON HOUSE, FRED MCDOWELL, REV. GARY DAVIS, MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT AND BUKKA WHITE, AND SKIP JAMES , WHICH ONES DID YOU ACTUALLY MEET AND SEE PLAY?
The entire premise of the Mentor Series was recording tributes to the rediscovered blues masters who I met in person. These were some of the greatest founding blues players of all-time who had been re-discovered and brought back into the music scene. My then boyfriend, guitarist Stefan Grossman, was part of a small crowd of blues enthusiasts who went driving through the South searching for early blues players as well as old recordings that had been long forgotten. Song titles such as Mississippi John Hurt’s classic “Avalon, My Home Town” would sometimes lead to the original artist, or to someone who knew where to find them. Rev. Gary Davis was teaching guitar and living in the Bronx. I used to accompany Stefan to his guitar lessons, an awe inspiring experience to say the least. As far as I know everyone else in my tribute series was found by the dedicated blues lovers who traveled around knocking on doors, following clues and hunches. Son House had moved to Rochester, New York. One by one these surviving masters were located and brought through New York City, Washington DC, and points beyond. I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time.
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“Son House turned to them and said ‘Where did she learn to play like this?’”
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DID ANY OF THEM STAND OUT TO YOU IN TERMS OF MUSICALITY OR PERSONALITY?
I’m not going to say that any one of the rediscovered blues masters was more important than any other, because they were all great beyond words. I could have been around Reverend Gary Davis more than any other because Stefan took me with him to his guitar lessons at Reverend Davis’s home in the Bronx. Then there was Son House, who I considered to be a blues god. Dick Waterman had rediscovered him in Rochester, NY, and had gone on to manage Son House and Bonnie Raitt for a period of time. Dick brought House to Stefan’s parent’s apartment in New York City, where we sat together and talked about about Robert Johnson, Willie Brown and the early days of blues. Son told me that he taught Robert Johnson how to play guitar. I played “Crossroad Blues” and “Future Blues” for him, and he turned around and said “Where did she learn to play guitar like this?” I’m sure it was a surprise to come out of retirement and find that so many people loved him and his music, and that a teenage girl from NYC was playing Willie Brown and Robert Johnson songs.
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“all I wanted to do was to play what they played the way that they played it. I was very reverential about it. I was deeply respectful, and wanted to honor the music by reproducing it as closely to as I was able”
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ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU, WHO HAVE LEARNED FROM THE TRUE MASTERS, HOW DO YOU CARRY ON THE MUSICAL TRADITION OF THE ACOUSTIC BLUES WITHOUT LOSING YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL VOICE AND SOUND?
That’s a multi-year answer. In the beginning, all I wanted to do was to play what the blues masters played, the way they played it. I was very reverential about it. I felt a deep sense of respect, and wanted to honor the music by reproducing it as accurately as I possibly could. No one will ever be Robert Johnson, and no one will ever be Son House, but you might as well model yourself after the greatest and best. As an example, painters used to learn to paint by copying the masters, but eventually they would begin developing their own style.
What happened to me was similar, in that I was never aware that I had started to carve out my own sound until others told me they heard me on the radio and could tell it was “Rory Block,” and that I had somehow developed a unique sound- this despite the fact that my goal was to reproduce the music, not veer off in any way. I had started out by trying to play every note, measure by measure. To that end I eventually recorded a tribute to Robert Johnson called “The Lady and Mr. Johnson” which won the Blues Music Award for Acoustic Album (of the year). With that recording I really wanted to crack the code. I considered it to be my Phd, the culmination of my life’s work. I was determined to get it right. I climbed the mountain on that one, and I feel I accomplished what I set out to do. Nobody had to tell me to love Robert Johnson’s music or push me into it. It wasn’t an acquired taste; I loved it from the moment I heard it.
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“I wanted to crack the code. I said, “This is going to by my Phd for my whole life. I’m going to follow his music, measure by measure, and get it right.”
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IT’S LIKE TRYING TO PLAY LIKE LESTER YOUNG WITHOUT IMITATING HIS SOUND
I was never trying to be someone else- I was only trying to honor the music that I loved. I thought country blues was the most beautiful, haunting and powerful music on earth. In the early days the music was much more free-form. It was not confined by format rules or even beats per measure. So when interpreting any given song, despite my efforts to follow it note for note as per the original recording, I found that there was room for one’s own personal energy.
I like to equate Robert Johnson to classical music, and to jazz.
For a brief period of time I read music. I knew that despite the notes being written out, there was a lot of leeway, space to improvise in terms of delivery. One responds to the written instructions above the notes: “pianissimo,” “fortissimo”- which tell you to “slow down,” “speed up,” play louder or softer. Your own personal passion and energy is what makes it unique. Thus reading music still allows you to be an interpreter. That’s what I wanted to do with Robert Johnson. I wanted to play it note for note, but also channel my own passion, which came from the love of the music. I think that’s how one’s own style surfaces.
I had been touring for 34 years; it took the lockdown to stop me. Facing no way to tour and total isolation, we quickly realized we had to reinvent ourselves. My husband and I launched our home concert series and have now done almost 3 years of live broadcasts, 196 shows as of March 2023, with a wonderful domestic and international following.
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“No one will ever be Robert Johnson, and no one will ever be Son House, but you might as well model yourself after the greatest and best. I simply gave my all in an effort to honor the music“
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DID YOU EVER GET TEMPTED TO TRY TO PLAY THE BLUES ON ELECTRIC GUITAR?
Not really. It’s essentially a whole different skill set. A couple of times I was sitting around with friends as a teenager and I got curious. I wanted to see what it felt like to play an electric guitar. I found that It’s a very different instrument, and a very different style. More than once I’ve had similar conversations with great electric guitar players, telling them that what they do is way over my head. One guitarist said, “No, you don’t understand- I can’t do what you do.” That really struck me like a lightening bolt. Did he mean that there was something complex and unique about the way I was playing? That’s when I realized that it’s a pretty different art form. The electrifying of an instrument gives it a different trajectory.
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“I was never trying to be someone else; I was only honoring the music that I loved”
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YOU’VE ALSO DONE AN ALBUM ABOUT WOMEN WHO ESSENTIALLY DIDN’T PLAY THE GUITAR. THEY WERE MOSTLY SINGERS AND USUALLY BACKED BY PIANO PLAYERS.
HOW DID YOU ADAPT YOURSELF TO THAT CONCEPT, SINCE THERE WERE NO GUITARISTS TO EMULATE? DID YOU HAVE TO ‘SHIFT GEARS’?
Memphis Minnie was an obvious exception to this as a great guitar player. There are other fine women guitar players who I have yet to include in my series, but for most of the songs on, say, “Prove It On Me,” I chose powerful women who fronted bands and were not always playing an instrument. I just wanted to sing, especially Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. I also included a song by an incredible gospel singer named Arizona Dranes. She may not have been a household word, but she should have been. I discovered that her music had been featured in an old documentary, thus she must have had more fame at one time in the past.
In interpreting these band arrangements, I just went about the business of figuring out chords, and putting together parts related to the different instruments on the acoustic guitar- to the best of my ability. I always say “to the best of my ability” because that seems to be the most appropriate way to refer to what I do. It’s about respect for the music.
Sometimes it’s carefully thought out- “this could be the horn part.” There was a particular slide solo I played on one of the Bessie Smith songs, and there were four takes. Just for fun I played them back all together and by some interesting coincidence they blended and harmonized perfectly- it sounded a lot like a horn section. One of the reviews mentioned this, thinking I had done this purposely. But it was simply an organic occurrence, something that manifested in the studio- a place where creative energy thrives. I love the freedom of saying “let me try this.” You can never predict what’s going to happen or what will be born- so in that sense I say it’s like giving birth. What manifests is a completely new and unique creation.
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“I just put them all together and it sounded like a horn section. There were harmonies created; nothing clashed, and it sounded incredibly interesting. You never know what’s going to happen”
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SPEAKING OF SLIDE GUITAR, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO PLAY IT, AND WITH DIFFERENT OBJECTS. HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR COMFORT ZONE THERE?
It really took forever. In the beginning I thought that Robert Johnson couldn’t have been using a slide- he sounded so clean and smooth. So I tried playing Crossroad Blues with my bare hands for years, but finally realized that he had to have been using a slide. At that point I felt that I was getting behind, and it was time for me to learn. Many other people were playing really good slide guitar and I needed to get my chops together. But unfortunately, I’ve always hated practicing, so this presented a major challenge, and I had to really work on it.
At first I sounded really bad. I would overshoot and undershoot; my vibrato was buzzy, too fast and nervous, and there was no tone quality. I couldn’t figure out what to use as a slide. Nothing fit me- everything was too big. The ones they started selling in stores were way too big, and there was no variety of sizes.
That’s when John Hammond said “Go get yourself a socket wrench- they come in all sizes.” I had a friend who owned a gas station. I went to his place and he let me look through the rolling tool cabinet, trying on different sockets. I found a 15 mm deep well socket, they sanded off the knobby end to make a smooth slide for me, and I started practicing.
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“I knew a friend who owned a gas station. I went to his place and he let me look through the tool drawer, trying on different sockets. I found a 15 mm deep well socket, they sanded off the knobby end to make a smooth slide for me, and I started practicing”
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HOW DID IT TURN OUT?
I always say “Slide is a Zen thing.” It comes from within. Bonnie Raitt played slide on my first recording of “Rambling On My Mind.” As the engineer soloed her part in the speakers I heard so much that informed me. It was smooth and beautiful. Her vibrato was relaxed and funky. Her playing sounded like she was “taking a stroll up the neck,” no rushing, just groove and tone. I heard things in her playing that showed me what I was doing wrong, and what I needed to improve. I was trying much too hard to make it to the right place on time. As a result I was never getting there. Listening to Bonnie’s playing at that mix session was the first time I began really practicing, and it was the beginning of my finding “the pocket.” I finally had a way to move forward.
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“I hate practicing”
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DID ANYONE ELSE GIVE YOU ANY TIPS?
Soon afterwards I began picking up information wherever I could find it. Mark Knopfler had played on one of my albums, and through that connection I met an excellent British guitar player by the name of Brendan Croker, who was in a band with Mark called The Notting Hillbillies. Brendan was on a solo tour in the US and came through the town where I live. I was in the middle of a recording and he was able to stop in and add a slide part to one of the songs. I learned a tremendous amount watching him play. Everyone knows that the slide goes up the neck, but I noticed that he was also going down. He was making all these interesting moves. That ramped me up again to become more versatile with my style. I had also incorporated a technique I got from the recording with Bonnie- I call it “leaping.” Essentially it means letting the slide leap off the neck for an incredibly evocative and bluesy sound- it’s like a punctuation mark. In addition I knew that slide can be a percussion instrument, using it to whack the frets like Robert Johnson did on “If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day.” The slide hits the neck with a cracking sound.
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AS A BLUES PLAYER, DO YOU GET MORE JOY OUT OF FINDING SOME OLD PREVIOUSLY UNDISCOVERED SONG BY A MASTER, OR BY WRITING YOUR OWN MATERIAL?
There’s really no way for me to choose. Both are about joy. I love playing blues, and certainly people associate me with blues, but songwriting is also another part of my reality- it’s just a different state of mind. But you could say that it’s all related. People have told me “there’s nothing that you write that doesn’t have blues in it.” I’m sure that’s true. How would blues not be a part of something that I write? None the less they are two different modes for me, and I love and value them both.
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“How would I not have blues in something that I write? But I do feel that they are two different modes for me, and I love and value both of them”
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LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR EARLY DAYS. DID YOU REALIZE THAT YOUR DAYS WITH MARIA MULDAUR, STEFAN GROSSMAN AND JOHN SEBASTIAN THAT IT WAS SUCH A FERTILE PERIOD OF MUSIC AT THE TIME, OR ONLY IN RETROSPECT?
New York City in the 1960’s was an amazing place to grow up. There were incredible musicians everywhere playing music of all styles. One could walk into just about any folk or jazz club throughout the city at almost any time of night or day. There was an immense feeling of excitement and optimism, a feeling that songwriters and musicians could change the world. Having been through a difficult childhood, my new found connection to blues, to the guitar, and to this world of musical energy, lifted me up into a brand new universe. If it were not for the music, I don’t think I’d have had any sense of identity.
Looking back, I certainly would have asked Son House a lot more about Robert Johnson. I would have picked his brain if I hadn’t been so shy. After all, he knew Robert Johnson; how great is that? But I think I was trying to be polite- so I never said “Tell me about Robert Johnson.”
In 1964 Robert Johnson was almost entirely unknown except to a small group of people. He was not a household word. There were no tribute concerts to Robert Johnson, no tribute albums, no one marketing Robert Johnson guitar lessons.
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“When I got to be 14, I started to be playing blues and meeting blues players, that was freedom for me”
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John Hammond, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and a handful of others knew who Robert Johnson was and were listening to his music. Interestingly the European market seemed to be far more educated in American roots music than the American market. I found that to be a very odd and puzzling reality. Audiences in Germany, Holland, England, Scandinavia, France, and beyond were well aware of American jazz and blues. A number of American players moved to Europe because they weren’t getting the respect that they deserved back at home. Fortunately over time that has changed and now there is a global awareness and appreciation for these great and historic forms of music.
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“Growing up in Greenwich Village in the 1960’s was a fertile time period which lifted me out of a negative past and swept me into a world of excitement, joy and happiness. Music opened up a completely new universe for me”
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WITH ALL OF THE BLUES GREATS YOU’VE MET, WAS THERE ANY SPECIFIC ADVICE THAT HAS KEPT SPINNING IN YOUR MIND ALL THESE YEARS?
When I was on Rounder Records they were completely supportive of my focus on roots music. From the beginning I was recording Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Charlie Patton, Son House, Mattie Delaney and Lottie Kimbrough songs- early blues blended with gospel, country and jazz- and a number of my originals. It was an eclectic blend from Day One.
When I recorded the Mama’s Blues cd, I tapped into some of the great Woodstock musicians- Jorma Kaukonen with his super bluesy guitar licks taking things to another level- Jerry Marotta on drums, legendary musicians like Taj Mahal who had come through town- as well as some of the top New York session players Like Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson, Mark Egan and some of the players from the David Letterman show- Paul Shaffer and Will Lee. That’s when I really started introducing a wide range of styles onto my records.
In the beginning I asked Rounder if I should I make “a radio-friendly” album? They just said, “Don’t change, the charts are coming to you.” To be given permission by your label to be yourself- to hear that the charts are coming to you- well that was a wonderful thing. They gave me an amazing amount of support. *********
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“At that point, Robert Johnson was a well kept secret. John Hammond and Eric Clapton knew well who he was and were listening to his music. Interestingly the European market and people like Eric Clapton, knew of his music before audiences in the US did. That was a very odd and interesting reality”
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Do your own thing in your own way is really the best advice. You can attempt to do something specifically with the idea that it will catapult you into the big time, but you also might lose a little piece of your soul in the process. It might take off, or it might lead you nowhere. For me the best formula is no formula at all. Spontaneity is what I value. If success is meant to come, it will. It’s nothing I’ve ever been able to plan or predict.
My best bet is to continue to do what I love the most. That said I did use a little bit of intellectual reasoning for the theme of my most recent record Ain’t Nobody Worried. I decided to tap into the great hit songs of the 60s and 70s. There was some decision making in my choices, but it hasn’t proven wrong, as I’ve just gotten three (more) Blues Music Award nominations. I think it was a fresh approach to honor some of the women further down the decades, which is still 50 years ago… SO, it does qualify as “antique” and “historic” music.(chuckles)
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“They told me, ‘Don’t change; the charts are coming to you’”
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WHEN YOU SEE A GUITARIST, WHAT DO YOU LISTEN FOR, AND WHAT IS YOUR PET PEEVE?
No pet peeves, absolutely not. I’m never watching anybody to criticize. I want to give other artists support. I see the beauty in each person’s offering. And for me it’s all about soul, passion, and honesty. I love grit, texture, and raw emotion.
I saw a video of Bonnie Raitt performing “Love Me Like A Man” in concert. Her singing, and her guitar solo were beyond fabulous. Whenever I hear Bonnie I think to myself “You’ll never be able to qualify- look how great she is.” I’ve always felt that way about her. She is the gold standard, the top of the heap, often imitated but never duplicated, the best of the best. Every time I see her perform I think “I need to practice- I need to get it together!”
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“Doing your own thing in your own way is really the only good advice you can get. You can imagine that doing something will catapult you into the big time, but you might lose a little piece of your soul in the process”
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IS THERE ANY MUSICIAN, LIVING OR DEAD, YOU WOULD PAY $1000 TO SEE PERFORM?
Jaco Pastorius. He was an over the top genius. He set the example of how you can achieve just about anything with just your hands and your instrument. Reach for the dream. That’s what Jaco was all about- stretching the boundaries. When he played it was an out of body experience. He stamped every song with unforgettable greatness.
Jaco, Bonnie Raitt, top of the mountain. Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, top of the mountain. Joni Mitchel, Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith- all top of the mountain. They represent the highest level of greatness, and as a result I say that their music is “enshrined in musical heaven.”
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“Bonnie Raitt is at the top of the heap; she’s the gold standard. And, she’s humble, sweet and totally supportive of other artists. Her playing is so amazing, and so tight, that whenever I hear her perform I think ‘I need to practice; I need to get it together'”
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WAS BEING A WOMAN IN THE BLUES FIELD AN ADVANTAGE, DIS-ADVANTAGE OR NON ISSUE?
In the beginning it was a disadvantage. At the time people often had a bias against a woman playing bold, complex music. We were expected to play soft arpeggios and sing in a whispery voice. I frequently heard comments like “Oh, you play like a man” What were they talking about? How can I play like a man? I am who I am. But over time, things improved. Bonnie Raitt was out there pulling down stereotypes with her powerful playing and evocative blues vocals. She put her success to work helping to break the glass ceiling. She championed early blues artists, many of whom had been overlooked and marginalized, by bringing them on stage to open her shows. She honored early blues players and gave them the respect they deserved.
Another woman out there in the beginning was Ellen Mcllwaine, a killer electric slide player. She tore up the strings like no one I’d seen before. Carla Olson is another great electric player who I discovered on YouTube. She was touring with Bob Dylan, and when she took a solo I thought, “Man, I need to learn to play like that!” Today there is a long list of fabulous women guitar players who have ignored stereotypes and achieved excellence without apology.
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“I’m never watching someone else in a critical way; the only thing I am is impressed”
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ARE THERE ANY RELIGIOUS OR PHILOSOPHIC BOOKS THAT YOU’VE READ THAT HAVE INFLUENCED YOU THAT YOU’D LIKE OTHERS TO READ.
There’s an interesting distinction between blues scholars who study, research the past, know the history and write the books, and the players. I was lucky enough to meet some of the founding blues players face to face. I saw the energy in their eyes, I watched their hands on the strings; I witnessed the soul and power up close. I didn’t think to ask questions about where they were born, what year, where they had traveled. It seemed that was the scholar’s job, the filmmaker’s role, and I am thankful for their work, because I was too busy being swept away by the in-person passion in front of me. However I think we need each other, the scholars and the interpreters- we work together in a sense, and I am grateful for their knowledge.
ANY BOOKS THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU PERSONALLY AND NOT MUSICALL?
Studies have shown that we are a video watching generation. I’m a “hands on” person. In school they tried to get me into reading, but I was too busy running away from school and playing music.
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“In the beginning it was an uphill battle, with comments like “Oh, you play like a man” What are they talking about? How can I play like a man? I am who I am”
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ANYONE IN WORLD HISTORY, LIVING OR DEAD, THAT YOU’D LOVE TO SIT WITH FOR AN EVENING AND PICK HIS OR HER BRAIN?
Leonardo Da Vinci… Bessie Smith… Robert Johnson. I would have been fascinated to find out what they were like in person. I’ve had the good fortune of meeting Robert Johnson’s grandson, and I feel so enriched knowing him. We also met his father, Robert Johnson’s son Claud (now, sadly, no longer with us), when my husband and I traveled to Mississippi to meet the Johnson family. He had a deep spirit all around him, a quiet reserve and wisdom. There’s a “Johnson Family” link on my website to see more about the first incredible meeting, and more about our shared tours and events.
WHAT FUTURE GOALS DO YOU HAVE?
To live a quality life. I’ll no doubt keep on recording, and probably continue doing shows. That is a unique privilege for an artist given to us by the audience- a platform to be heard, and hopefully do something good for others. We know that a song can change a life, change the world, and provide a tremendous amount of comfort and joy to a person in need.
A huge part of my life, a major priority, is taking care of animals. We have dogs and cats, and I had a horse too for many years. Humans have mistreated animals horribly to the point where they are at risk of extinction. They have received cruel treatment at our hands since the dawn of time. Today we are experiencing the 6th mass extinction, where sixty percent of the wildlife on earth has been destroyed by human beings in the last 70 years alone. We cannot claim to be a great civilization, and to tout ourselves as a successful species, while we destroy other species.
All life must be respected equally, and all have a right to live on this earth in balance. We have a lot of improvement to be done there. If we heed the call, we might become much kinder to the environment and ourselves as well. We must stop destroying open land, because that is where we all live. Do we need to bulldoze down a thousand acres in order to build yet another mall just so we can continue to shop and go broke? Do we care about the massive amount of habitat we are destroying just to feed our insatiable hunger for things, things, things- things we run out of room to store, and things that ultimately will likely become garbage?
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“Every blues person I’ve met radiated a certain beauty. I held their energy, their personality and their playing right before my very eyes. That’s what I went on”
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THIS WAY OF THINKING COMES WHEN YOU TRAVEL BY YOURSELF AND OBSERVE WHAT’S AROUND YOU
Absolutely, traveling is where you can gain perspective. When I first started touring, there was no Home Depot, no Target, and almost no Walmarts. There were no truck stops where you could pull in with your RV. It was a completely different world, with vast tracts of open land. Now, when I travel across the country, I look out the window and think “That used to be a beautiful mountainside.” Now there’s a giant office complex sitting on 1000 acres with no more habitat.
You see deer squashed in the road and think “How is this going to work out?” One of the solutions is Animal Bridges. They started in Norway and are popping up around the world. What a great idea. A bridge that can only be crossed by animals, to protect them and give them a wide tree covered crossing every five miles. This saves their lives and also prevents car accidents. I saw one of these bridges in New Jersey, and thought, “Wow, that’s great- we’re making progress”.
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“(Jaco Pastorius) was the biggest inspiration to me, saying “you can really go crazy and do whatever you want on your instrument. Don’t be limited; do whatever on earth that you want to do”. That’s what Jaco was all about”
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WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST JOY ?
Getting up every morning. I feel like I’ve been alive for several lifetimes. I feel very grateful. None of us know the day or the hour, so nobody knows what’s going to happen next. I didn’t always have this perspective, but on the other hand I now feel that if I can live the rest of the days that are appointed to me here in this place, doing as many helpful things as possible for others, employing whatever is within my power to offer, then that is how I should fill my life.
When I turned 50 I announced that my second half century was going to be all about giving back. The first half century was experiential, receiving things… help, and wisdom, from others. The second half century has to be about giving back.
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“I didn’t always have this perspective, but on the other hand I now feel that if I can live the rest of the days appointed for me here in this place, doing as many helpful things as I can do for others, whatever I can offer, then that is my goal.”
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MS. BLOCK HAS CARVED OUT A CAREER BY CREATING A CATALOGUE THAT HONORS MUSICIANS OF THE PAST. IN DOING SO, SHE HAS CREATED HER OWN PERSONAL SOUND, STYLE AND DELIVERY, WHICH IS THE WAKE OF ALL PILGRIMS. KEEPING TO HER PROMISE, SHE IS NOW SPENDING THIS SEASON OF HER LIFE, GIVING BACK TO THE MUSICAL AND PERSONAL WORLD THAT HAS ALLOWED HER TO GET THIS FAR IN HER JOURNEY. WHO IS SHE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR? MAYBE FOR ME AND YOU…