Chicago blues guitarist Dave Specter found inspiration in living-legend Mavis Staples when writing the protest song “March Through the Darkness,” the video for which was released earlier this month. The song appears on the musician’s latest album, Blues from the Inside Out, along with several tunes about hope and finding strength during the current political landscape.
“What she [Staples] has sung about over her career is so important,” Specter said in a statement. “There’s a lot of darkness that we are living through and we’ve got to get through it. It’s not what this country stands for regardless of your political party. I like the idea of going high when they go low, but sometimes when a bully confronts you, you gotta stand up and speak out.”
Blues from the Inside Out also marks Specter’s debut as a vocalist.
“I was always content focusing on guitar as my instrument and voice as a musician,” Specter explained. “I’ve worked my entire career on the art of backing up singers and writing/playing instrumentals and never felt a desire to sing until fairly recently. People have always said nice things about my voice when I’m emceeing a show or doing my (“Blues From The Inside Out”) podcast. I’m getting inspired to write more songs that I sing, as I’m honestly more comfortable singing my own words than somebody else’s. I’m looking forward to seeing where this road takes me.”
Jorma Kaukonen, of Jefferson Airplane/ Hot Tuna fame, is among the album’s personnel as are Liquid Soul and Ruben Alvarez.
Check out the video for “March Through the Darkness” below and head over to www.bluesfromtheinsideout.com to listen to Specter’s podcast. Blues from the Inside Out can be purchased via Delmark Records.