House of Blues Goes to the Library of Congress
Legendary Radio Show Moves to Permanent Archive
It was an epic day on June 27 as the Library of Congress welcomed the House of Blues archives to their permanent home with much celebration, featuring blues artists in live performance in the Coolidge Auditorium, and curated displays of items from the House of Blues Collection and other blues items in the Library’s holdings. Rex was pleased to support this project with a grant, so it was a very proud moment for us.
The House of Blues Radio Hour, hosted by Dan Aykroyd in his “Elwood Blues” persona and produced by Ben Manilla, ran for more than 20 years, presenting programs on artists and topics in the blues. Board Member Rosalie Howarth says, “The life stories of these legendary musicians provide a rich vein of American history to be mined by future writers and historians. The general public will be able to put on headphones and hear these legends share their experiences in their own distinctive voices. Those of us in the music biz know that blues musicians were among the most ruthlessly exploited artists in our history. Though this will not make them whole financially, it will allow their stories to be heard for generations to come. Perhaps their stories of survival and resilience will inform and inspire future songwriters, musicians, and historians.”
(Photos: Amy Carr)
