Paul Rodgers - Shadow Of The Sun (Original)

Memphis is a textbook example of how changing attitudes toward its musical past helped turn its economy around. By the 1990s city officials were indifferent to its many legacies because they assumed the stories were known and there was nothing new to say. That changed when Kevin Kane became head of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. He switched the city's slogan from Give Me Memphis to Home of the Blues and Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll and rebranded the city to highlight its music heritage. That meant creating an entertainment district along historic Beale Street where music is played seven nights a week to 4.5 million visitors each year, courting the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to build the Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum... and helping the Blues Hall of Fame.

In Chicago, the dialogue between City Hall and music leaders has traditionally been weak. All these clubs were on the South Side or West Side, and none were touted by the city as tourist attractions... Blues fans would come from Europe and around the country, and have no way to find out that these clubs even existed... the indifference is directly connected to the historic segregation of the South and West sides, resulting in marginalized development compared to downtown. Chicago's much ballyhooed 2012 cultural plan makes no mention of music, nor its blues, jazz or gospel heritage.

In New Orleans... the city supports its live music scene through zoning laws like one that makes it easier for restaurants to host bands without a live entertainment license... New Orleans became friendlier to its music institutions and more aware of its heritage when it started tabulating data in 2002 that showed how music contributed to the local economy. Critical to the uptick in numbers, a better relationship between the creative community and City Hall.

Source: The Blues is Chicago's Most Famous Cultural Export. Why Don't We Do More to Promote It? by Mark Guarino

Paul Rodgers - Shadow Of The Sun (Original)

• Released: 1997
• Genre: Rock, Blues
• Written by: Paul Rodgers

"Paul Rodgers is a multi faceted creative force in the genres of Rock, Blues and Classic Rock. He has produced over 125 million records sold and helped redefine Rock ’N Roll in the process. Rodgers’ latest effort caps the 50 Year Anniversary of his first major band Free which is recognized as one of the biggest selling British Rock bands in history and has solidified the members as British Hard Rock Pioneers by Rolling Stone Magazine."

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