Where oh where has she gone? So much emotion to contain, to hide from the world, until your soul burns with the passion of long lost moments. So much pain yet so much passion. From love lost or love gained, these emotions can only truly be expressed by a well-skilled musician, be it Carlos Santana, Muddy Waters or Jimmy Hendricks playing as though they were born to do so.

I remember reading an article some time back about a man named Muddy Waters. A guitar player so talented that people swore he was born with a guitar pick in one hand and a guitar in the other. A man so confident in his own ability that he would walk into any blues club and with the help of his friend, Little Walter, would play any act straight off stage and into the poor house. These were heartless men who only had eyes for one women and her name was “blues”.

Musicians such as these shared their talent with their instrument. Each instrument carefully chosen and named as though they were born out of imagination and talent. Arguably one of the most famous instruments would have to be Lucille, once a Gibson guitar but now so much more. For those who aren’t aware of how Lucille earned her name, allow me to enlighten you:

On a cold night in 1949 a talented blues musician by the name of BB King was playing at a nightclub in Arkansas. Soon after, a fight broke out and a barrel of kerosene was knocked over accidentally. A fire then broke out and engulfed the entire club. Everybody ran out including BB King but once outside he realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. Without any hesitation he ran inside and saved his guitar, almost losing his own life in the process. The next morning BB King found out that the fight was over a woman, a woman named Lucille. From that day onwards he named his most prized guitar Lucille, to remind himself never to do a thing like that ever again. BB King claimed that Lucille now sounded even sweeter after the fire, as though the fire brought out the passion that is Lucille.

Instruments by themselves seem insignificant; however, in the right hands that meaningless instrument changes, somewhat magically, into a drug-induced paintbrush. Painting and captivating the world, by adding color and depth to a once dull, black-and-white world. I use the word “drug” not by al means referring to illegal substances – however, how else could I describe such a high? This drug is not man-made but God given. This is talent in its rawest form.

At that time, the world turned around and instead of merely hearing the music they really listened to it and then something magical happened. People started feeling the music, as though the musicians were playing just for them. Is music like that gone or just forgotten? Personally “gone or forgotten” doesn’t mean a thing to me as I kn0w every Sunday morning while making breakfast there has to be Carlos Santana or one of the great blues musicians playing in the background adding emotion to my morning. Good food always needs good music. The perfect blend of sound and taste.

Regardless of what emotion I am going through – sadness, happiness or merely in the mood to truly feel – I will always have my blues.

Craig Prinsloo is an ordinary man with extraordinary thoughts.