Deep down, I think everybody loves the blues. Part of the reason that it’s been around so long, that the primal thump of delta blues still percolates up into popular music, is that it is such an elemental music. Once it gets in you, you can’t get it out of your system.

If you’ve felt that pull, then step right in to the blues community at CBC Music. This is the place for the initiated and the novice. The player and the listener. Unlike that story about Robert Johnson, you won’t have to sell your soul to master the music. We’re here to make it easy to enjoy the blues, and we hope you’ll help.

You can register as a community member, and create a profile. Once you’ve done that, you can follow us on Twitter and our Facebook page. With that, the stories and sounds of the blues will be easy to find.

Our new site offers a lot of exciting features:

Two new online music streams, showcasing the best in classic and contemporary blues.

A blog that will bring you the best stories from CBC Music producers and other blues writers and insiders (sometimes even by the musicians themselves). You’ll get profiles of top acts, interviews, think pieces, the funny stuff and all the latest news.

Regular updates from Holger Petersen and the team at Saturday Night Blues, and a peek into the archives built over 25 years on the air.

The CBC Music concert calendar, providing a robust source of concert information from around the country.

An archive of CBC concerts on demand and exclusive CBC videos.

So if you’re an old hand in the blues world, step right up. We want you to lend your expertise to making this the best community it can be. If you’re a novice, this is the perfect place to get yourself rooted in roots music. Let us know the kind of music and stories you’re looking for. If we can’t help you find it, we’ll create it together.

So get ready for some down-home storytelling. We’re off on an exciting project. In the blues the best people always rise, so we’re glad you’re here with us.

Chris Martin