How Eddy Writes A Blues Song
Blues Mama: What instrument do you use to write music?
The Chief: When I write a song, I go to the piano first. Sometimes I start with the guitar, but not often. I sit at the piano and hear a basic pattern and foundation and begin playing chords. The keys I usually use are G, A, D, C and F.

Blues Mama: How do you create a certain feeling with those chords?
The Chief: Chicago Blues is minor Blues which I use C minor, D minor and sometimes E minor to create a deep feeling piece. My song, 'Lonesome Town' is in the E minor key. That song is on the 'Rock n Roll' recording. "I Came Up The Hard Way" is in C minor and is on the Alligator recording, West Side Strut.

Blues Mama: What does inspire you when you write a song?
The Chief: I am inspired by many events in life. Like touring in Germany when they tore down the Berlin Wall. I wrote, 'Tear Down The Wall of Hate' on the way home it was such a powerful experience. Mayor Daley Blues was written for Chicago in hopes that the Blues would be more celebrated here. This track on my CD is perfect for the outgoing Daley legacy, I hope it gets some airplay. Maybe I'll have to write a new one for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and President Obama.

First thing about writing. Well, I get a thought in my head and get a feeling, go to the piano and start hitting chords. By the time I finish, I have all the side men's parts down and take a deep breath.

Blues Mama: How do you know what genre of song to write?
The Chief: I begin with piano chords and if the sound is not coming out as it should be, I put it into a different beat and turn it into an instrumental, or depending on inspiration, sometimes a song seems to write itself.

Blues Mama: Really, which songs wrote themselves?
The Chief: A song which I feel wrote itself is 'Cool Blues Walk' from the 'Cool Blues Walk' recording. Sometimes you have to fight for the sound you want. If I start a song with lyrics, I listen to the lyrics multiple times and decide if the song is West Side Chicago Blues, Rock-A-Billy or Country Blues.
Cool Blues Walk
Lonesome Town
I Came Up The Hard Way
Walls of Hate
Mayor Daley's Blues
Rock-A-Blues Baby
Back Down to Earth