Backside of the Blues: Roy Gaines at the Chalkboard

IF EDUCATORS WERE to design a college course on the history of the blues, they could do a lot worse than study Roy Gaines. The 65-year-old guitarist/singer's life and career path has mirrored the various routes the blues has taken since World War II. At his home in Los Angeles, Gaines is happy to speak about his life in the music. A sturdy man who speaks at a deliberate pace, Gaines would account for a full chapter in a blues syllabus.