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Back to the Roots of the Blues ... Backtracking
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Latest release 5th February 2026 - Thank you for visiting with us, we cordially invite you to review and download the current production below. 'Backtracking' is a result of our research a journey of discovery that never ends, our love of the Blues and respect for the artists that left us this legacy of music.
All this simply because the music, the history and the culture of the blues never ends. We're honoured and privileged to share the music within the genre of the Blues back in time a hundred years and beyond, a genre so vast and so diverse.
Backtracking is streamed online and is broadcast worldwide. It's free to join the 'Backtracking' time machine - Get the authentic blues on your radio station ..... |
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Featured artist of the week .... Clara Smith
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Clara Smith (March 13, 1894 – February 2, 1935) was one of the classic female blues singers, billed as the ‘Queen of the Moaners’, although she had a lighter and sweeter voice than many others. The name ‘Smith’ seems to be very common in these artists, however, she wasn’t related to Bessie Smith or Mamie Smith.
Clara Smith was born to parents Selena and William Smith in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. She is not believed to have any siblings. She never was enrolled in school, but was recorded on the census as able to read and write. Many historians record that Clara most likely was introduced in her youth to travelling tent shows, that frequently stopped in Spartanburg and that sparked her interest in singing. In 1910, Clara began working on African-American theatre circuits, in tent shows, and vaudeville. By 1918 she was appearing as a headliner and by 1923, she had performed at major theatres of the time.
In 1923, he made the first of her commercially successful recordings working with many now legendary musicians such as Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong. She recorded two duets with Bessie Smith: ‘My Man  Blues’ and ‘Far Away Blues’. In 1925 she recorded ‘Troublesome Blues’. Initially a singer of depressing ballads, she later began recording more up-tempo tracks, her 1926 recording of ‘Whip it to a Jelly’ was noted as one of the more explicit sexual blues". In all, she cut 122 tracks, her record sales being topped only by Bessie Smith
In 1933, she was in Detroit, working in the theatres until she succumbed to heart disease in February 1935, a month short of her 41st birthday. |
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Combining R&B and blues with eccentric onstage performances, Bo Diddley is often considered one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. Otha Ellas Bates was born on 30 December 1928. He never knew his father, Eugene Bates; his mother, Ethel Wilson, was only fifteen or sixteen years old when Ellas was born. Ethel’s first cousin, Gussie McDaniel, raised him while the family tried to make a living as sharecroppers.
In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, they moved to Chicago, where Bo started to develop an interest in music. His first instrument was a violin, and he took lessons from classical teacher O. W. Frederick. He also taught himself to play the drums and the trombone.
At age twelve Otha received his first guitar, a Christmas present from his stepsister, Lucille McDaniel. John Lee Hooker had already become one of his heroes, and he wanted to play just like him. But he had trouble strumming the guitar: I couldn’t play the guitar like everyone else, Bo later recalled. Other guitarists have skinny fingers, I didn’t, I play drum licks on the guitar. This music style evolved into the distinctive shave and a haircut, two bits rhythm that characterised most of his repertoire.
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Get in touch, How to contact ... PD Productions
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Every day we have the blues ..... PD Productions Audio / Video ...
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| Welcome to the PD Productions video archive. We are delighted to receive video clips from our very good friends around the world to include in our 'Backtracking' program. Below is a list of the clips scheduled for the next few weeks ... |
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The Staple Singers - I'll Take You There |
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47th Street Jive - June Richmond with Roy Milton's band |
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B. B. King - The Thrill Is Gone |
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Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy |
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Nina Simone - Ain't got no, I got life |
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Raymunda Dutch Blues - Pity the fool |
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Take Me to the River LIVE - Sharde Thomas and Rising Star |
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Send us a video clip of your gig (mp4 format) - Click here |
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| Current clip: .... Rabbit Foot Minstrels |
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| Play the current video clip |
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| Legal / Copyright stuff |
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Myths and Legends of the blues ..... Maxwell Street Blues
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In our music there are plenty of references to ‘Maxwell Street - The music the migrants played on the Street was different from the acoustic blues they brought from the South. It relied on borrowed electricity from businesses, run via extensions to the street, to amplify the Mississippi Delta blues sound so it could be heard above the market noise.
The idea of attracting crowds of listeners appealed to business owners, too, these were potential customers. The resulting amplified and distinct Chicago blues sound was made famous by people such as Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, and Bo Diddley—the latter of whom played on Maxwell Street with his band, the Hipsters, who were later called the Langley Avenue Jive Cats.
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