Growing up on his family's orchards in Appleton, Michigan, in the 1950s, Martin Dijksterhuis finds everything he needs in his extended family and in the land itself -- in the reassuring routines of growing and harvesting, spraying and pruning. Although his mother wants him to get out of Appleton, which she finds impossibly provincial, and attend a great university -- the University of Chicago, her alma mater -- he has no desire to leave. In the autumn of his junior year of high school, however, in the camp of the migrant workers who come north every year to pick the Dijksterhuis peaches and apples, Martin discovers his vocation, the country blues -- unsettling melodies that cry out from a place in the soul he never knew existed. He also falls in love with Corinna Williams, the strong-willed daughter of the black foreman who runs the Dijksterhuis orchards. His blues vocation and his love for Corinna are the two stories of his life. His struggle to combine them into a single story takes him a long way from home and from the life he had always envisioned for himself, and then it brings him back again in a way he could never have imagined. In this beautifully rendered novel, Robert Hellenga, author of The Sixteen Pleasures and The Fall of a Sparrow, explores the fragility of happiness, the difficulties of following one's calling in life, and the sorrows and satisfactions of being a parent.

(Guitar Educational). A comprehensive source designed to help guitarists develop both lead and rhythm playing. Covers: Texas, Delta, R&B, early rock and roll, gospel, blues/rock and more. Includes 21 complete solos; chord progressions and riffs; turnarounds; moveable scales and more. The audio features leads and full band backing.

The blues guitar book that gives you everything you need to know to play smokin’ blues guitar. Packed full of blues guitar licks and solos, essential blues guitar techniques, scales and chords, and with video lessons, backing tracks and audio demo tracks included, Blues Soloing for Guitar, Volume 1 is the perfect blues guitar book for beginners to intermediate level blues guitar players. - A complete blues guitar method book for beginners and intermediate guitar players who want to learn the basics of electric blues guitar - Master the essential blues guitar techniques, licks and solos you need to sound like an authentic blues player. Taught step-by-step using 100% confusion-free language and simple explanations - See all blues licks and solos demonstrated up close with the dedicated website featuring video lessons and easy to follow demonstrations at multiple speeds - No music reading necessary: guitar tab, chord and fretboard diagrams make it easy to learn even if you can't read music - Downloadable 'play-along' audio practice tracks and blues backing tracks Blues Soloing for Guitar, Volume 1 gives you a complete course for learning the basics of blues guitar. You’ll learn: - The basic 12 bar blues form plus 12 bar blues variations - The blues scales used by all the blues guitar legends (pentatonic, sliding shapes, blues scale etc) - Complete blues solos in the styles of Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Albert King, Freddie King and other blues legends, complete with a lick-by-lick breakdown - String bending, ‘blues curls, vibrato and other important blues techniques - The basics of music theory all blues players need to know - How to jam and improvise your own blues licks and solos (with my blues ‘power moves’ method) This book is perfect for you if: - You want a blues guitar course for learning the basics without it being confusing and taking you years - You want to play cool blues solos suitable for beginners and intermediate blues players - You are an intermediate blues guitar player who wants to brush up your skills, learn new techniques and build up your vocabulary of blues licks - You're looking for some blues songs for beginners to play - You want to feel more confident when you step up to play blues in your band or at a jam session - You're fed up of trawling through millions of YouTube guitar lessons and want a proven, easy to use method to follow which will get you results So if you want to learn what you need to play authentic blues on your guitar, grab your copy and get started right now!

Learn the authentic sound of delta blues guitar with Levi Clay

An exciting beginning blues harmonica course! the ideas presented are solidly in the blues tradition with great sounding bluesy licks to play, even at the beginning level! Topics include Phrasing Concepts (how small pieces of music, called licks, are organized to create a pleasing solo), 12 Bar Blues Theory, Vibrato, Shakes, and Tongue Blocking. the recording includes all of the harmonica parts notated in the book with accompaniment. This book and its recording use a C major diatonic harmonica.•

(Stylistic Method). Learn blues comping patterns from the master! Robben Ford reveals the chords and driving rhythm patterns he uses to create great blues backups: Funky, shuffle, and slow blues rhythms; Two- and three-note moveable shapes; 'Sliding sixths' patterns; Intro/ending licks; Seven different 7th chord voicings; and more. 60-minute audio accompaniment.

If you love playing blues guitar, then these books are for you. Anyone with a basic knowledge of guitar can jump right in and start learning with Volume 1. Volumes 2 and 3 will take you as far down the blues road as any book can. Loaded with great tunes to play, each lesson is geared towards playing a part in a blues band. Learn how to play the rhythm part, the melody, a 2nd guitar part and improvise a solo. Each volume includes easy-to-understand theory lessons that unlock the mysteries of the blues. The attractive design, thoughtful teaching and easy-to-read musical examples will make these lessons the most fun you've ever had learning blues guitar.