Hello. I have reached the summit of the Blues and it is John Hammond. Like most other genres of music, Blues has grown to include, Chicago, Southern, West Coast and Hill styles, to mention a few. But, the Delta-style Blues of the slaves and the share-croppers is unmistakable. John Hammond understands this very well. He is a student of the Blues. I give him glowing marks for his play as well as his storytelling. For almost two hours I was mesmerized. He shared the stage with an acoustic guitar, a borrowed steel and an assortment of mouth harps. I have seen several solo shows and this may have been the cream of the crop.

As I sat there, I was reminded what the Blues are. Music about life, the good and the bad. Music that is simple and complex with the same note. The guitar licks, harmonica blows and percussive foot stomp created a rich, authentic sound. His mellow and intriguing vocals pulled it all together. Most 4 and 5-piece bands don't achieve this quality of music.

I was disappointed, not surprised, at the lack of interaction shown by the South Dakota crowd. The usually reserved Sioux Falls fans only awarded Mr. Hammond with one brief standing ovation. In fact, he worked for almost an hour before the crowd realized they can applaud during a song! I have seen several shows in Sioux Falls and the fans seem to be more concerned with their new khakis or 90's hairstyle than the performance.

I spoke to Hammond for a short time after the show, and he appeared to be pleased. I hope he felt loved...he was by our small group.