I used to work for a major retailer in Canada. I was there for 19 years. The first 16 years, I worked in the Information Technology division. I became interested in videos when my parents gave me a video camera. One day, the company I worked for decided to establish their own in-house video department and I was offered the job to manage this department. Three years later, under new management, I was asked to leave.

Whatever I had accomplished in my career there, now meant absolutely nothing to me. It was important for me to find something that I could personally be proud of but I didn't know what that was - I began my search.

One day, while at work, I heard B.B. King's "Let the Good Times Roll", the tribute album to Louis Jordan. I was truly impressed by what I had heard. I couldn't believe that 1) I didn't know who Louis Jordan was and 2) how much fun the blues could be. I felt as if I was onto something. My knowledge of the blues was based around the rock blues of the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter and the J. Geils Band. I had a great deal to learn.

At about the same time, The Toronto Harbourfront was putting on their annual blues festival. I read about a piedmont blues musician named John Jackson who was playing there. I had no idea who he was but I decided that I would try to get an interview with him. I somehow managed to get an interview with him. Before the interview, I watched him perform on stage and quickly realized that I did not understand a word he was saying to the audience. John had a thick Virginian accent that I was unfamiliar with. Here I was doing my very first interview and I can't understand a word the person is saying. Fortunately for me, he was much easier to understand in person sitting a foot away from me.

John Jackson was an extraordinary talent with an extraordinary life story. The chance to meet and talk to him convinced me that I should try my hand at documenting the blues. I'm pretty sure that if that interview hadn't gone well, I would have thought twice about continuing this project. For that reason, I must credit Mr. Jackson for making me believe this has been a worthwhile pursuit. Unfortunately, John Jackson passed away at the beginning of 2002.

All in all, I conducted 4 interviews (John Jackson, David Gogo, Johnny Laws and Donnie Walsh of the Downchild Blues Band) that weekend. Donnie Walsh was my final interview of the weekend. I remember asking Donnie to sign my Downchild CD but I had forgotten to bring the CD with me. He simply said, "I'll sign it the next time I see you." I thought to myself, "How nice, I'll probably never see him again." (In the past 18 months, I believe I have crossed paths with Donnie Walsh at least six times and yes, he did sign my CD.) Many things have contributed to me pursuing this project but I can honestly say that first weekend in July of 2000 was a starting point. I knew then that I wanted to learn and document the blues in a way that it's never been done before. What that actually meant, I had no clue.

One thing I didn't really take into consideration was the fact that I knew nothing about the blues. Oh yeah, I knew nothing about the television industry either. I knew no one in the blues and no one in the television industry. I didn't know anything except that this was what I was going to do. I actually had no idea what I was getting myself involved in but for some reason, it seemed like the right thing to do. Don't ask me why but it did. I don't drink so I hadn't been in a bar for some 20 years, either. I had a great deal to learn.

I was supposed to work on it for a year but that was extended to 18 months and then some. What started out as four interviews during one July weekend in Toronto has resulted in over 100 interviews with some of the most amazing people I have ever met. I don't know what the final outcome will be but it's been the most amazing experience in my life. If you ever get a chance to sit down with a blues musician, do yourself a favour and spend a little time with them. It's not fair to stereotype any group of people but my encounters with each and every musician I have had the pleasure of meeting has been an enlightnening experience. They are very approachable, friendly, hard working and down-to-earth people of integrity.

The project is about the passion and the stories behind the blues as told by those who play and love the music.