Blues Moments in Time - January 6: Censored Hips, Defiant Blues, and the Beat of Protest

Join Kelvin Huggins as he dives deep into the tangled roots and resonant echoes of blues history.

In this episode of Blues Moments in Time, we zero in on January 6—a day where blues-soaked music crashes headlong into cultural conservatism, joyful pop spectacle, and raw political truth. From Elvis Presley being filmed only from the waist up on national TV to contain his “blues-infused” energy, to a studio audience spontaneously inventing the “YMCA” dance on American Bandstand, we explore how music keeps testing the limits of what the mainstream will accept.

We trace the blues back to its roots in Southern work songs and prison fields, where it emerged as a voice of protest and survival, a first draft of the story later sung by the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement. Along the way, we drop the needle on key January 6 milestones: Frampton Comes Alive, Pink Floyd beginning Wish You Were Here, the Rolling Stones’ first headlining tour, and Carly Simon’s chart-topping “You’re So Vain.”

We also mark the births of Kim Wilson and Earl Scruggs, and honor the passing of giants like Dizzy Gillespie and Lou Rawls—artists who carried the blues’ spirit of defiance, innovation, and soul into new musical worlds. January 6 becomes more than a date; it’s a snapshot of how the blues keeps pushing, protesting, and pulsing through modern music.

Hosted by: Kelvin Huggins

Presented by: The Blues Hotel Collective

Keep the blues alive.

© 2026 The Blues Hotel Collective.