Riyen Roots & The Family Tree Band "Soul Man Blues Power Baby"
"On stage tonight, Ladies and
Gentlemen, we have a current-future- Blues to the Bone- no Holds Barred, catch
ya' on the dance floor shaking you booty off, Blues Man. So surf the
vibe and enjoy the Blues Power!"
The Blues has the power to move you in
every way you can imagine. Baby...sitting in your living room, feeling
sorry about yourself ha...ha...ha put yourself some Bonnie Raitt, Etta James,
BB King, Keb Mo', Alvin Youngblood Hart or Riyen Roots & The Family Tree
Band on, and let go! Riyen Roots has a "Man-Full-Strong" voice that comes from singing from
balls to bones. I can think of only three other male singers who make me feel
like I feel listening to Riyen Roots & the Family Tree Band. BB King, Alvin
Youngblood Hart, and Keb Mo'. If you listen closely, you can hear the boats
paddling up to the Bayou Bar, and the steady Rhythmic Blues of the RR&TFTB playing
in the background.
In my written interview with Riyen, I
asked questions, that I thought would bring "The Band" closer to the
world, but I realized my words are only the tip of the "Blues burg"
so without further adieu' our interview!
Aunt Kitty: Hard times will build the
Blues Man/ Woman into “Who they are." How has the Blues transformed you?
Riyen Roots: ”My life and experiences have made me the man and artist
I am today. I am thankful for every good time and hard time I have had. I feel
it rounds out one's personality to have experienced every facet of emotion. I
like to say "pressure makes Diamonds," and there are many Diamonds in
the rough just waiting to be discovered out there! Riyen even states that every
creature from Frog to Man has the Blues sometimes. He continues to talk a
little more about it: " I
believe in the concept of suffering allowing the soul to empathize with every
being that suffers. I tend to hyper-empathize with others because I have been
through so much for my humble age of 34, I have experienced more loss and
suffering then most my age and I like to say it all " keeps my blues authentic."
Believe me...I have paid my dues to play the blues..."
Aunt Kitty: What would you say to
the youngsters out there who find the Blues moving and wish to perform?
Riyen Roots: "I say the Blues community is like an
extended family. If you keep it real, play for the right reasons, and honor the
traditions of those who came before us and gave their lives to create this path
called the Blues. You will find you are in the very best of company. I
have a quote I often use about my music, which I have committed to memory: My
music is for my people. I say it and play it how I feel it. I will not play it
at all if I am not feeling it. Take or leave it that's how I do my thing. These
Blues are my life; it’s not fame and fortune. This is about the struggle of a man’s
very soul put to music. So it's very serious..." ”You get out what you put in, keep
it real, know your history, and give it 100%... You'll do just fine."
Aunt Kitty: Riyen, How did you come about finding your Blues
Voice?
Riyen Roots: "My Mother told me to
"always sing like a man" and the only folks I found on recordings
singing like men, with deep booming voices, were old school Blues and R&B
singers and some country artists she'd listen to. I knew at a very young I was
born to sing, and the Blues allows me to sing like a man and express my real
feelings. The Blues is where it's at for me."
Just to put my 2 pennies in. I really love
male singers who have a great background and knowledge of music baby! I have a
vast appreciation for singers who have an eclectic background in music; as the
interview went on Riyen, spoke about his favorite artists, and some of the
artists people have likened him to. People like: Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Tom
Waits and Howlin' Wolf to Muddy Waters and Otis Redding. He grew up
listening to all of this and more; The
Temptations, The Drifters, The Coasters, and Ray Charles to Willie Nelson and
Hank Williams. Quote: ”All these artists seemed to
know what it was like to be a man, and how to best express this to the masses.
I find my voice to be a unique result of trying to sing with the best."
Aunt Kitty: Riyen, talk a little
about your experiences doing shows in Asheville!
Riyen Roots: ”I love playing in Asheville. I live
here and so does everyone in my band. We are, loved by many here and we love
them. It's always a good time playing around town for our neighbors, friends,
family and fans. This town has so many talented artists in every medium and
musical genre; I wrote a song called “Living in Asheville" about how
living here is like nowhere else."
RR &TFTB has been together playing for about three
months, but he has known them all for years. He said, they all have a mutual
love for great Blues music, and it shows. Quote: " I am very happy to have
the opportunity to make music with people I am already so close to from years
of casual friendship and jamming. I love these guy’s to death and
playing with them is so much fun. The audience knows we love it an they end up
loving it too. I look forward to a long journey with my musical family." I have much more wonderful
powerful statements and testimonies from Riyen, about how much this
music and performing it brings out the power of his Soul.
I am gonna’ have to make y'all wait..I am
gonna’ have to make y'all wait...I am gonna’ have to make y'all wait! We are
going to ask this wonderful, Blues-Man, to join us on Intrinsic Communication
Radio to continue with the rest of this interview. Before I go, I would like to
say this, when you find your calling and that calling actually reaches in,
touching others around you and fills the cup they’ve been carrying around,
needing some kind of salve...baby... 'you
better plant dem' feet solid'. Bring
in your love and your Blues Power' Riyen
Roots & The Family Tree Band...we are waiting for some musical healing!
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