The roots of blues music history run deep in America, dating back to southern plantations and field hollers, Chuck Renn explains. These utterances from slaves and sharecroppers took on a musical flavor that was later picked up by musicians, and after migrating up the Mississippi River and into cities like St. Louis, Chicago and New York, morphed into the essence of a unique musical experience known as the American blues.
The popularity of the musical genre has seemed to wane in recent decades, which is why organizations such as the MO Blues Association, Inc., have formed to not only preserve the music, but ensure it is passed on to a newer generation of performers and fans alike.
"The MO Blues Association is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1998 by a handful of people interested in preserving this uniquely American legacy," Renn said. "They pulled together our mission statement -- Promote, Support and Preserve the Blues -- and then became involved in civic efforts such as 'Blues in the School.'"
Renn said "Blues in the School" is a civic effort to expose students in local elementary schools to the musical genre. Through assorted fundraising initiatives, the local association can bring in blues educators that share the history and impact of the musical genre.
Prior to joining the MO Blues Association in the early 2000s, Renn recalls hearing for the first time an album by the Chicago blues band, The Shadows of Knight, while in high school in Jefferson City in the late 1960s.
"That album had songs like 'Hoochie Coochie Man' and 'Gloria,' and I was hooked," he said. "I was in some garage bands in school that played some rock songs, although we were probably playing some blues and didn't even know it. After I graduated from Jefferson City Senior High in 1970, I married, had children, and went to work, but always kept a guitar and played music."
With the MO Blues Association, Renn engages others regarding his interest in blues music during monthly blues jams that the organization sponsors at various local venues. Additionally, they annually organize the Lorie Smith Blues Festival at McClung Park, bringing in a headliner while also showcasing the abilities and talents of other Missouri blues musicians.
During the last four years, Becky Fredrickson has served as the organization's president. She met Renn at an open mic night at the Mission in Jefferson City around 2016, which became the beginning of her involvement with the association.
"Chuck remembered me from high school and convinced me to join the association," Fredrickson said. "For years, I had been teaching ballroom dancing on the side and thought that by being part of the association, it would be a good way to connect the two communities."
She continued, "I started as the secretary and then I became the president. One of the things I really enjoyed was the way the association was participating in the 'Blues in the Schools' initiative, but then COVID hit, and we couldn't get into the schools."
They have continued to work with local schools to promote the blues and have during the past couple of years worked with well-known blues guitarist Ron Roskowske and George Brock Jr. ("Big George") from the St. Louis area.
"The schools put together assemblies so that we can share with the students the history of the blues," Renn said. "Before COVID, we had blues guitarist Fruteland Jackson come down and do the music education program, but he has recorded his education program on DVD and doesn't really travel anymore."
Renn continued, "But Fruteland was great at blues education and would bring a couple of kids up to the front of the assembly, have them write some simple blues lyrics and then put it to music. We are glad to see the program continue because it really plants the seeds of the blues and helps keep the music alive."
The association also hosts a "Holiday Blues Blast," consisting of a dinner and a performance by noted blues musicians. Additionally, the MO Blues Association belongs to the Blues Foundation in Memphis and sponsors a local competition as part of the International Blues Challenge.
"This competition is very intense and if you win on the local level, we provide a stipend to offset some of their expenses to travel to the national competition in Memphis," Renn said. "Then, if the band wins the national level competition, they go on a tour. You can't enter the Memphis competition unless sponsored by a local blues organization."
Since many of these local bands consist of individuals with careers not affording them the time off for such competitions, the MO Blues Association recently decided to invest their limited funds to make an album. Recorded at the Rock Box Studio in Hallsville, they sell a compilation disc that features eight local blues groups.
"We figured it was a good project for our 25th anniversary and we sell the CDs to raise money for our programs and it provides exposure for many of our bands," Fredrickson said.
The album is for sale at any event sponsored by the MO Blues Association and locally at Will West Music and 60's Spirit, both on the Missouri Boulevard.
"Many of the blues players are getting older and don't get out and play anymore, and several of them have passed away," Renn said. "This is why we'd like to start doing more hands-on music education, on a more consistent basis, and raise money for scholarships for kids to pursue music."
For more information on the MO Blues Association, Inc., visit www.moblues.org or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mobluesmissouri.
Jeremy P. Ämick is the author of "Movin' On," the biography of the classic rock band Missouri.