Bluesman Brant Buckley’s Chicago Blues-inspired sound is melodic, rhythmic, and haunting, drawing from his folk and spiritual background with hints of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Son House. In 2013, Brant met Jesse Graves, Philadelphia’s premier bluesman during the...
Bluesman Brant Buckley’s Chicago Blues-inspired sound is melodic, rhythmic, and haunting, drawing from his folk and spiritual background with hints of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Son House. In 2013, Brant met Jesse Graves, Philadelphia’s premier bluesman during the 1970s who has played with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Hound Dog Taylor, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and Tom Waits. Jesse learned from Reverend Gary Davis and passed on the Blues and Native American Spirituality to Brant. In 2014, inspired by Jesse, Brant moved to Chicago to learn more about the blues. Working as a tennis pro, Brant experienced the blues for himself after having a career-ending tennis injury. The pain taught him what blues are all about.
As a contributing author for American Blues Scene, Brant has over 90 published interviews/reviews. He’s interviewed George Thorogood, Grammy winner Dom Flemons, Bobby Rush, John Hammond, John Primer, Dick Waterman, and Walter Trout. Having studied software development at The College of Dupage, he interviews computer programmers who are also musicians.
More recently, he’s created the Chicago Blues Grave Tour, a website from a book he wrote called Flowers For Chicago Blues: A Grave Tour (yet to be published). The photo expedition honors 21 great Chicago Blues artists. “You will travel through 11 cemeteries and most of the cemeteries are located southwest of Chicago,” Brant explains. His goal with the website is to show that these artists shaped and molded American popular music as we know it today.
Photos by Brant Buckley
The greatest blues artists of all time are buried here. Artists include Muddy Waters, Tampa Red, Jimmy Reed, Big Bill Broonzy, Howlin’ Wolf, Koko Taylor, Hubert Sumlin, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Leonard Chess, and John Belushi — to name a few. I placed carnations and or roses on each artist’s grave.
Each set of flowers are color-coordinated based on artist style. Any current artist who is at the top of the charts wouldn’t exist if it were not for these legendary Chicago Blues artists. We are all in debt and service to them.
Brant Buckley