Codell Rodriguez
Daily Egyptian
The Battle of the Blues at Hangar 9 has been seen in several different perspectives. For Jim Skinner, it's a friendly competition. For Richard "Rip Lee" Pryor, it's just a good chance to sing the blues. For Devin Miller, it's a great opportunity to see two blues greats battle it out. For Sally Carter, it's one heck of a night for the Hangar and all its patrons.
"It's a great-spirited show," said Carter, owner of Hangar 9. "There's a good mix of people."
The Battle of the Blues, which takes place at 10 p.m. Saturday at Hangar 9, will be the final of four events that pit Jim Skinner against Richard "Rip Lee" Pryor. The event usually has Pryor doing the first set and Skinner doing the second. Devin Miller, who founded and organizes the show and now plays guitar to accompany the battle, said the blues genre is one that had been absent too long in Carbondale, and he thought it was time for a change.
"Sally hadn't had blues at the Hangar for many years," Miller said. "So I had to make it a special event."
The event turned out to be special, according to Carter. She said the four shows the Hangar played host to in 2001 drew somewhere between 225 and 350 people.
The people were drawn by the powerful voices of Skinner and Pryor, Miller said. He and the two blues singers were originally performing together in a three-piece acoustic act. The idea came to him to have a battle of the blues, like the ones from the '40s, pitting artists against each other.
But for Pryor, it isn't really a competition so much as it is a friendly show. Pryor originally came from Polaski, but later moved to Carbondale and has been working at the SIUC Physical Plant for the past 23 years.
Pryor said he started taking up the blues in 1994, modeling himself after idols such as Sunny Boy Williamson.
"I just kind of liked the music and thought I'd give it a whirl," Pryor said.
He said the feeling he felt when he did take up the blues was anything but depressing.
"It's like a charge," Pryor said. "People always say the blues make you sad, but it makes you happy."
Pryor liked it so much that he decided to cut a record, and in 1999 he released "Pitch a Boogie Woogie."
"I'm just kind of dabblin' right now," Pryor said.
But for Jim Skinner, the blues is something he's been dabbling in for a long time.
"It's something I grew up with," Skinner said.
Skinner, who grew up in Greenwood, Miss., said his parents raised him on the musical genre. He finally took up the art in 1987, and he said he thinks his involvement in the blues would please his parents.
"I think my parents would be proud to know I've done as well as I have with it," Skinner said.
Skinner released his album last year, titled "Braille Blues Book." He said that, like Pryor, the blues are very personal for him and that makes it even more fun for him to perform.
"It's emotion," Skinner said. "I never sing anything I can't feel."
He said that when past Battles of the Blues took place, the emotion was not only felt by the singers but also by the audience.
"I thought it went really well," Skinner said. "It's really a festive atmosphere at the Hangar."
The blues battle is the origin of all the festivities, according to Carter and Miller. But the question of whether it's really a battle is up for debate. For Skinner, there is some competition in it, but it's nothing serious.
"It's more of a show, but it's a friendly competition," Skinner said.
Miller said it is all entertainment, but he thinks there is also a bit of a rivalry.
"I think there's more of a competition than Rip Lee lets on," Miller said.
Skinner said he agrees with Pryor's stance on the competition issue, but anything could happen at this last show.
"This being the last one, it could have more of a competitive edge to it," Skinner said.
Pryor said that if there is any competition, it is for the benefit of both singers.
"We're just having a good time, really," Pryor said. "We're trying to make each other better."
But all the good times had by Skinner and Pryor are coming to an end Saturday. The singers said the only reason they are stopping the Battle of the Blues is because they want to concentrate on their own careers for the time being. While the Battle of the Blues may continue, it would be a contest between two different blues men. Sally Carter said she urges everyone to attend this show because it is the last chance for a golden opportunity.
Skinner said while this Battle of the Blues is over, it's not necessarily the last time he will take part in such an event.
"If there are other people who sing and know the blues as well as Rip Lee, I'd be more than happy to get involved in other battles of the blues," Skinner said.
Reporter Codell Rodriguez can be reached at crodriguez@dailyegyptian.com.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
