G. Ride <g.ride@cybermetrix.co.uk> Date: Tue, 01 May 2001
Dear Mayor Daley
I am sure that you are very much aware that the Maxwell Street area is legendary throughout the world as the birthplace and nurturing environment of Chicago Blues. If you are not aware of this vital heritage then I would like to suggest that you make it your business to become so as soon as possible.
So many of America's greatest Blues exponents gravitated to your city that the very weight of their incredible talent gave birth to one of the most important musical genre of the twentieth century, namely, Chicago Blues. So many of them became legendary that Maxwell Street itself became legendary too but by all accounts the Chicago city fathers and the commercial interests of UIC seem bent on destroying it instead of preserving it as the equivalent of a World Heritage Site. I understand that some of the area is still left, please desist from further destruction and do something positive to preserve part of your great city's and nation's heritage.
Can you imagine New Orleans without Viuex Carre? Memphis without Beale Street? Liverpool, England without the Cavern and Matthew Street? Perhaps you can; if so please open your eyes so that something at least can be retained and do consider what can be done to make an exciting and vibrant place for people to live, work, flourish and visit.
Why should you take any notice of the words of an interfering Englishman? Just one reason really.
We may not have the USA licked in many things but on the subject of HERITAGE we sure got you beat. Don't be proud though. Take a leaf out of our book and make something of one of the greatest musical heritage sites in the whole wide world instead of destroying it.
Hopefully yours
Graham Ride
Chicago Blues Fan
United Kingdom
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