2007年VOA标准英语-Big Blues Singer Calls Unlikely Place Home

By Doug Levine
Washington
04 March 2007

When you think of great cities for blues¹ in the U.S., Phoenix², Arizona, doesn't often come to mind. Of course, there are the exceptions. VOA's Doug Levine introduces us to one veteran of the Phoenix blues scene who wouldn't think of living and performing anywhere else.

Maybe there's something about the desert heat that brings out the best in a blues musician. Whatever the reason, it became the perfect setting for singer Big Pete Pearson who has called Phoenix home for the past four decades.

Big Pete actually got his start in juke joints³ and beer halls in Austin, Texas. He says, at first he learned more by listening than by playing. "When I decided⁴ that I was going to sing the blues and I was trying become a bluesman, I liked what I heard as a kid," he says. "I used to listen to Stan 'The Man' out of Shreveport, Louisiana. I listened to all the old blues artists (and thought), 'Man, I want to learn how to do it, but I want to do it better.' I was a young kid (and I thought), 'If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it better than they do it.' "When I grew up that's what I did. I got out there and I got (together) with a lot of the old players. I worked with some of the greatest people on the circuit."

By the time Big Pete got to Phoenix, he was already an established sideman (back-up musician), having worked with blues icons⁵ T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Big Joe Turner. Now 70, Big Pete continues to tour, but he always looks forward to coming home to Phoenix. His dedication⁶ to keeping blues alive has earned him the nickname, "Arizona's King Of The Blues."

"I've been out here way over 40 years, I guess, and I watched a lot of young musicians that I did what I could to help them get started and give them a break to play, and hoping that they would keep up the good work," he says. "If I could do it all over again, I'd do it just like it was done at first. Knowing what I know now I could probably do it a little bit better. But, I had a chance to work with some of the greatest people in the world, I think."

Phoenix blues fans are celebrating the release of Big Pete's new album "I'm Here Baby," featuring his backup band The Rhythm Room All-Stars. Special guests include Ike Turner, Kid Ramos and W.C. Clark on guitar, Johnny Dyer on harmonica and Joey DeFrancesco on the Hammond B-3 organ.

1 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

2 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

3 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 icons   

n.偶像( icon的名词复数 )；（计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的）符号，图像

参考例句：

• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下，后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。