Blues Moments in Time - January 17: Empty Houses, British Bridges, and the Blues in Between

In this episode of Blues Moments in Time, January 17 becomes a date where the blues steps out of tents, into studios, and across oceans. We start in 1929 New York City with Clara Smith cutting “Empty House Blues” and “Tell Me When,” capturing the moment when classic blues singers moved from Southern tent shows to Northern recording rooms—turning a regional oral tradition into a commercial force that would reshape American music.

From there, we trace the constant dialogue between blues, jazz, and rock: Charlie Watts tipping his hat to Charlie Parker in 1969, and The Doors’ 1970 Felt Forum performances, steeped in blues phrasing and later immortalized on Absolutely Live. January 17 also marks the birth of Mick Taylor, whose fluid guitar work with John Mayall and the Rolling Stones helped bridge American blues to a global audience, alongside artists like Jeff Berlin and Steve Earle, who carry its DNA into fusion and singer‑songwriter traditions.

Threaded through it all is the political and cultural backdrop—the long arc from segregation to civil rights—that shaped where and how this music could be played. January 17 reminds us that the blues is built on memory: of singers in cramped studios, drummers writing tributes, rock bands channeling old grooves, and communities that refused to let these sounds fade.

Hosted by: Kelvin Huggins

Presented by: The Blues Hotel Collective

Keep the blues alive.

© 2026 The Blues Hotel Collective.