Blues Images 2010 Calendar

The Blues Images 2010 calendar is now available for purchase, and blues fans should be lining up with their hard-earned coin to grab a copy of this year's edition. For those of you still in the dark about this super-cool and useful wall decoration, here's the scoop - each month in the Blues Images calendar is accompanied by rare vintage advertising art from the 1920s that features a single blues artist and song.

For instance, January features long-forgotten art for Robert Wilkins' "That's No Way To Get Along" record, originally released by Brunswick Records in 1929. February is graced by art for Delta blues legend Charley Patton's "High Water Everywhere," and so on. The period art was created by the labels to advertise their "race records," what they called blues music back in the 1920s, and much of it hasn't been seen for almost 80 years until it was rescued by record collector and blues aficionado John Tefteller.

The Blues Images calendar includes important dates in blues history, such as artist's birthdays and the date of their death, and also includes well-written commentary on each song represented by the accompanying artwork, as well as additional, smaller pictures of blues art in the date section of each month. If that wasn't enough value for you cheapskates to cough up $19.95 for a calendar, Blues Images has included a free CD as well, with a booklet and tray card - you only need to supply a jewel case. The 2010 CD features a pair of rare songs from Blind Blake as well as stuff from Patton, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and others. Eighteen songs total, one matching each month on the calendar, and six bonus tracks.

The story behind how this blues artwork was rescued and landed on an annual calendar is pretty interesting, and you can read all about it in my interview with publisher John Tefteller. And after you read that, support Blues Images and buy a calendar, will ya? It will make a fine addition to the wall of your favorite listening room, office, garage...or wherever you get your blues fix.

Photo courtesy Blues Images