Black Dust Blues

Due to continuing work with Peter on our upcoming covers album we haven’t done our typical dives into the blues public domain this year (we have a 2022 album titled “Deep In The Domain” smile ) Our most played blues rock song, Countin’ The Blues, is based on a Ma Rainey 100 year old tune so we decided to go with another one of her inspirations for this song.

She recorded 100 blues tunes between 1923 and 1929 and is oft referred to as the mother of the blues. She was a remarkable artist and an amazing woman - well worth reading about.

Yeah, we get it that blues rock ain’t everybody’s thing but it’s in our heart and there are, like us, some Spotify curators who feature Janice that love a slow burn blues rock with plenty of guitar. Black Dust Blues is in the public domain worldwide thus we own all rights to our version, i.e. it’s not a cover song. We created the melody, chord structure and some of the lyric but want to give Ma Rainey all due credit for the inspiration. The lyrics are on SC. We thank you, if you choose to listen, for your time and comments are most welcome. And thanks to PG Music and our music partner Peter.

© 2025 Trad Arr All Rights Reserved B. Merritt, J. Merritt & P. Fulham

Glossary:

Hoodoo - not voodoo but a well defined spiritual belief system that was brought over by enslaved people and survives to this day in parts of the South - in Louisiana in particular. The song terms described below are from hoodoo.

“Hex" is a synonym for a curse or a spell intended to cause harm.

"Black Dust," graveyard dust or goofer dust is any powder used to cast a spell especially if harmful in nature.

Vocals: Rodes NT1 mic via Scarlett 212 USB interface > Logic Pro X > Nectar

Guitar solos and fills: Peter and whatever he does to them smile

Drums: RealDrums Blues Rock Shuffle > Waves CLA Drums
Fills comped from multiple generations
Tag created from RD kit components

Snare: Doubled from RD audio file > Waves Magma BBT > Ozone Impact > Izotope Neutron > Logic Chromaverb

Kick (tag) RD audio file > Waves CLA Drums

Cymbal: Doubled from RD audio file > Logic Pro Chromaverb

Bass: RealTrack 1922 (DI) > Logic EQ > Waves Bass Rider > Logic Pro Bass Amp (comped from two files)

Piano: MIDI SuperTrack > Logic Pro X > Logic Concert Grand > Waves CLA Unplugged

Guitar Rhythm: RealTrack 3364 (DI) > Logic Pro Amp Sim

Mastering: (Izotope Modules) EQ > Imager > Limiter > Tonal Balance 2 > Logic Pro Loudness Meter

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If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks!
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