Roxy Hammond

It’s believed that blues music originated on the coasts of Africa, using simple instruments such as spoons, washboards and metal strings.

A century later, it’s laced with thick guitar and harmonica.

Back in the 1920s and 30s, shortly after the first Blues recordings were made, the genre swept the nation.

Now, taking a back seat to Britney Spears and LinkinPark, a band of three brothers and a father struggle to bring it back.

Clayton, Cole, LD and their father Larry make up the Clayton Miller Blues Band. They started playing in 1999, and have cruised the college scene since. They’ve also been invited to a dozen television appearances.

“Last year we played 160 shows in 42 states,” says 21-year-old Clayton.

With Larry on bass, Clayton on guitar and vocals, Cole on drums and vocals, and LD on harmonica, they bring the blues back with a new and appealing feel.

Claytons guitar skills have been compared to that of Jimi Hendrix.

While Larry owns a janitorial company back in their hometown, the band makes a living by performing.

An unusual detail about the band is the member’s age difference, they’re decades apart.

Nine-year-old LD has been on national television, when he appeared on NBC’s Search For the Most Talented Kid.

The band has a natural knack for the music.

“Its always been a thing in our family,” says Clayton.

The family attended blues concerts and festivals before they started playing together.

They also enjoy the raw nature of the genre.

“There’s a lot of bullshit in music,” says Clayton.

The band has shared the stage with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mississippi Heat, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, James Cotton, Walter Trout, The Nighthawks, Urge and Ricky Skaggs; these are pretty impressive statistics for a band that formed only four years ago.

“We’re like a Hendrix/Blues Traveler blues feel,” says Clayton, who reports that they write most of their own music. They also trow in a mix of blues classic covers.

Not many college students have been exposed to the blues, so the Clayton Miller Blues Band is bringing a breath of fresh air to campuses across the United States.

“[The blues are] coming back, more than ever,” says Clayton, who remarked about the blues being used for commercials recently.

The band has played at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and will be playing at SDSU on October 7th at 7 pm in the Volstorff Ballroom. Admission for students is free. For more information contact Abby Bischoff at 688-6173.