Seeing Red Over Blues

Now that R.L. Burnside is “hip” and 74, Marc Weingarten deems him worthy of reportage (“He’s Just Glad You Noticed,” Feb. 11).

Where was Weingarten 25 years ago when Burnside badly needed some notice? Writing about REO Speedwagon? Where are Weingarten’s (and for that matter the other Times music writers’) articles and reviews about some of the current, great but unknown blues artists who are performing in Los Angeles right now?

I guess Weingarten and his colleagues are too busy pumping up the careers of myriad lightweights that will have a cultural and artistic half-life of about 20 minutes.

RAOUL CONTORTO

Lawndale