What do you love about your life, Eric Bibb?

Fionn interviews Eric Bibb.

Born into a lineage of activism, Eric's father, the late Leon Bibb, was a key figure in the civil rights movement, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King. Immersed in the Village folk scene during his youth, Eric found inspiration in the visits of luminaries like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger. Influenced deeply by the sounds of Odetta, Richie Havens, and Taj Mahal, he synthesized these elements into a style uniquely his own.

Beyond conventional genres, Bibb is labeled a bluesman, but he defies categorization, seamlessly sliding between musical realms. Grounded in the folk and blues tradition with contemporary sensibilities, Bibb’s music reflects his thoughts on current world events and his own lived experiences, whilst remaining entertaining, uplifting, inspirational and relevant.

Bibb’s catalogue is now over 40 albums strong, with his ethos exemplified in 2023’s Grammy-nominated Ridin’, which drew inspiration from the painting A Ride for Liberty by Eastman Johnson, depicting a Black family fleeing enslavement during the Civil War. His 2024 album In The Real World, recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, has just been released, receiving critical acclaim. Am I the change I long to see? Bibb asks through his music.

As Eric reflects on his musical journey, gratitude pervades. Evolution is evident in his voice and guitar playing, with his words providing grounding in truth and fostering a vision of unity amid a world filled with divisive rhetoric. Eric Bibb is more than a blues troubadour; he is a storyteller and philosopher. His legacy is not just in the notes he plays or the stages he graces but in the questions he poses and the hope he instills.

Recorded during the TradFest, January 2025 in Dublin. for more information about TradFest, go to https://tradfest.com/

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