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Sins in Blue
A young man on a mission. An aging musician with a dream. Society perched over a racial divide.
It's the 1960s, and nothing reflects the cultural revolution more than music. When Kennedy Barnes, a runaway teen, stumbles upon a rock and roll song recorded by a blues musician in the 1930s, he heads west in search of the man behind the music.
Willie Johnson, ex-bluesman, is a motel laundry worker with a bad hip and a dark past. When Kennedy arrives with the promise of riches, Willie wonders if he's finally getting his shot at the big time. But is fame worth the cost of dredging up past sorrows?
Sins in Blue is a novel about lost dreams, crippling grief, and the healing power of an unlikely friendship.
It's the 1960s, and nothing reflects the cultural revolution more than music. When Kennedy Barnes, a runaway teen, stumbles upon a rock and roll song recorded by a blues musician in the 1930s, he heads west in search of the man behind the music.
Willie Johnson, ex-bluesman, is a motel laundry worker with a bad hip and a dark past. When Kennedy arrives with the promise of riches, Willie wonders if he's finally getting his shot at the big time. But is fame worth the cost of dredging up past sorrows?
Sins in Blue is a novel about lost dreams, crippling grief, and the healing power of an unlikely friendship.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2020
33 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 2, 2020
Brian Kaufman's latest novel, Sins in Blue, is the story of two lost souls, Kennedy Barnes, a runaway teen with big dreams and a love for blues music, and Willie Johnson, a broken down ex-blues man whose dreams have long since died. Reading this book is like sitting inside a blues club sipping a cold one, your eyes closed as you get lost in the music. The story reaches out and grabs you when you least expect it. You find yourself marveling at the carefully drawn characters, especially Willie, who never seems to fit in through no fault of his own. Kaufman addresses some difficult topics such as racial diversity in a way that stays with you long after you've finished reading. Kaufman's love for the blues is clearly evident and this enriches the reading experience. This is a book for anyone who believes in dreams and second chances, and I recommend it without reservation. (5 stars)
to-be-review
May 21, 2020This is a historical fiction book. I won a kindle edition of this book from a goodreads giveaway, and I will post a honest review as soon as I finish reading it.
April 15, 2020
Overall Rating = 4.75
Storyline & Concept = 4.5
Writing & Delivery = 5
Editorial = 4.75
Sins in Blue is a story, based in the 1960s, of a young man with a dream and an aging blues musician with a poignant history. The boy’s search for fame and fortune builds an unlikely friendship while reviving lost hope and past sorrows.
This novel is a quick, engaging read that begins with the premise of two people from different generations who have a common interest. It draws upon that interest to expose the racial divides prevalent in the 1930s and 1960s. The author’s love and knowledge of music is evident, and he masterfully uses it to build interesting and compassionate characters who have strengths, weaknesses, achievements, and regrets. My only lament is that I didn’t have more time with these characters and their stories.
Sublime Line: “A compelling and well-written tale that uses engaging characters in an entertaining style to expose racial and cultural divides in the 1930s and 1960s.�
Storyline & Concept = 4.5
Writing & Delivery = 5
Editorial = 4.75
Sins in Blue is a story, based in the 1960s, of a young man with a dream and an aging blues musician with a poignant history. The boy’s search for fame and fortune builds an unlikely friendship while reviving lost hope and past sorrows.
This novel is a quick, engaging read that begins with the premise of two people from different generations who have a common interest. It draws upon that interest to expose the racial divides prevalent in the 1930s and 1960s. The author’s love and knowledge of music is evident, and he masterfully uses it to build interesting and compassionate characters who have strengths, weaknesses, achievements, and regrets. My only lament is that I didn’t have more time with these characters and their stories.
Sublime Line: “A compelling and well-written tale that uses engaging characters in an entertaining style to expose racial and cultural divides in the 1930s and 1960s.�
July 13, 2020
This tightly written and enjoyable tale of a wannabe music industry promoter who tries to resuscitate the career of an aging and forgotten bluesman is as much a fable as it is an entertaining story of failure and redemption.
The author packs a lot of punch into a compact book with crisp dialogue and period atmosphere, especially in the gritty Deep South juke joint scenes and when he describes Willie Johnson’s affinity for his beloved blues music. He also cleverly contrasts the naive optimism of Kennedy Barnes, the book’s novice impresario, with Willie’s hard-boiled and combative outlook on life. The book is at times funny, crass, harsh and heroic as it gives glimpses into the world of classic blues music and offers a few lessons on how we might all confront and rejuvenate our unanswered dreams and aspirations.
The author packs a lot of punch into a compact book with crisp dialogue and period atmosphere, especially in the gritty Deep South juke joint scenes and when he describes Willie Johnson’s affinity for his beloved blues music. He also cleverly contrasts the naive optimism of Kennedy Barnes, the book’s novice impresario, with Willie’s hard-boiled and combative outlook on life. The book is at times funny, crass, harsh and heroic as it gives glimpses into the world of classic blues music and offers a few lessons on how we might all confront and rejuvenate our unanswered dreams and aspirations.
May 22, 2020
Brian Kaufman's Sins in Blue is about a young man who wants to make his name as a music manager by representing a blues guitarist he thinks is better than anyone in the world. Trouble is, the musician is old and white and has failed to make it in a world dominated by African-Americans. It's a nice twist on the cultural appropriation theme set long before anyone coined the term. This very well-written novel will touch your heart as it follows young Kennedy Barnes on his mission to revive the music of Willie Johnson, a down-on-his-luck motel worker with a rough past.
Note: I read an early version of the novel-in-progress, read and reviewed the advance copy on Net Galley, and then purchased a hardcover edition for my own library.
Note: I read an early version of the novel-in-progress, read and reviewed the advance copy on Net Galley, and then purchased a hardcover edition for my own library.
October 15, 2020
Sins in Blue tells the story of Willie Johnson, a broken-down old bluesman and his chance and unlikely friendship with young runaway, Kennedy Barnes. Kennedy is convinced he can resurrect Willie and bring his music to the ears of the world. The aging blues guitarist knows this is his last chance but will old habits and even older heartbreak prove to be his undoing once again�
Sins in Blue is a book with a whole lot of soul; the dialogue is warm and rich and flows like honey through the novel. The writing is so naturally expressive and rhythmic, it’s supremely comfortable to read despite the plot dealing with painfully raw emotions. The majority of the narrative is set in late 1960s Colorado but as Kennedy gently unravels Willie’s history, we are treated to flashbacks to the late 20s and 30s in Mississippi. The contextual writing in both settings is subtle yet authentic and transports you absolutely. Instead of Willie simply reminiscing, the flashback chapters are told in third person with a life and plot of their own. The main characters in these passages; Jackwash and Luella, are incredibly well-drawn and Luella’s downfall is especially pitiful. Although Willie is fairly expansive with Kennedy, there remains a tight economy of emotion between him, Jackwash and Luella and these paragraphs are all the more powerful for what is not overtly stated but implied by look or gesture.
Willie is his own worst enemy and he knows this, he just cannot seem to help himself. From the beginning, his weariness and frustration are palpable and he is both amusing and infuriating. The wry, self-aware observations made in a voice dripping with regret inhabit your head like one of his old blues riffs. But then he becomes so drunk he can barely lift his guitar; disappointingly familiar behaviour that’s all the more poignant as a result. The plot does not follow the trajectory one would expect and I thought it worked, because it mirrors Willie’s life; the search for redemption does not always end where and when you believe it will. The twist at the end of Chapter 3 was a clever, thought-provoking and quite brave move. It completely changed the dynamic and made the book far more interesting. Personally, Kennedy was a little under-developed in places but this is essentially Willie Johnson’s story and Kennedy is the facilitator so, in that respect, he worked well.
Sins in Blue is a skilfully written and mellifluous novel that is richly textured with the overwhelming sadness and regret of wasted opportunities. Highly recommended.
Sins in Blue is a book with a whole lot of soul; the dialogue is warm and rich and flows like honey through the novel. The writing is so naturally expressive and rhythmic, it’s supremely comfortable to read despite the plot dealing with painfully raw emotions. The majority of the narrative is set in late 1960s Colorado but as Kennedy gently unravels Willie’s history, we are treated to flashbacks to the late 20s and 30s in Mississippi. The contextual writing in both settings is subtle yet authentic and transports you absolutely. Instead of Willie simply reminiscing, the flashback chapters are told in third person with a life and plot of their own. The main characters in these passages; Jackwash and Luella, are incredibly well-drawn and Luella’s downfall is especially pitiful. Although Willie is fairly expansive with Kennedy, there remains a tight economy of emotion between him, Jackwash and Luella and these paragraphs are all the more powerful for what is not overtly stated but implied by look or gesture.
Willie is his own worst enemy and he knows this, he just cannot seem to help himself. From the beginning, his weariness and frustration are palpable and he is both amusing and infuriating. The wry, self-aware observations made in a voice dripping with regret inhabit your head like one of his old blues riffs. But then he becomes so drunk he can barely lift his guitar; disappointingly familiar behaviour that’s all the more poignant as a result. The plot does not follow the trajectory one would expect and I thought it worked, because it mirrors Willie’s life; the search for redemption does not always end where and when you believe it will. The twist at the end of Chapter 3 was a clever, thought-provoking and quite brave move. It completely changed the dynamic and made the book far more interesting. Personally, Kennedy was a little under-developed in places but this is essentially Willie Johnson’s story and Kennedy is the facilitator so, in that respect, he worked well.
Sins in Blue is a skilfully written and mellifluous novel that is richly textured with the overwhelming sadness and regret of wasted opportunities. Highly recommended.
July 14, 2020
While songwriters make music out of story, Brian Kaufman’s latest novel, Sins in Blue, makes a story out of music.
Young promoter, Kennedy Barnes, has cassettes of little known blues artist Willie Johnson’s songs to prove that Willie invented rock n� rock long before everyone thinks it started. Now, to secure better futures for both of them, Kennedy has to convince Willie, and a record label, to include Willie on the line up at a blues festival. Not only do Kennedy and Willie have work to do on this musical adventure, they have demons from their pasts to face.
Pairing extremes, like Kennedy and Willie, makes for a tension-filled plot. Kennedy, an 18 yr old from Pittsburgh, leaves home against his family’s wishes in order to find his musical hero, Willie. Willie is retirement age but still works at a hotel despite aches and pains. His music career has not afforded him any savings. Their differences cause conflicts, from which much learning and solidarity also arise.
The story toggles between North and South, past and present. Willie grows up in Mississippi in the 1920s and 30s, ending up in Colorado, where he meets Kennedy in 1969. Situated at the epicenter of vast cultural shifts between then and now, here and there, the story has an epic quality.
Fact and fiction blend amicably - and surprisingly. Juke joints, restaurants and bars named are based on real places. Willie’s struggles as a newcomer to the North in the 1930s rings true to historical accounts. But real-life blues legend, “Blind� Willie Johnson, is nothing like fictional Willie Johnson�.
Lyrics from Willie’s song, Sins in Blue, permeate the text with a pathos that spills out beyond the short novel’s last page. The book’s edgy themes and rhythms still vibrate through today’s society. Its characters model an enduring and beautiful friendship for this era.
Young promoter, Kennedy Barnes, has cassettes of little known blues artist Willie Johnson’s songs to prove that Willie invented rock n� rock long before everyone thinks it started. Now, to secure better futures for both of them, Kennedy has to convince Willie, and a record label, to include Willie on the line up at a blues festival. Not only do Kennedy and Willie have work to do on this musical adventure, they have demons from their pasts to face.
Pairing extremes, like Kennedy and Willie, makes for a tension-filled plot. Kennedy, an 18 yr old from Pittsburgh, leaves home against his family’s wishes in order to find his musical hero, Willie. Willie is retirement age but still works at a hotel despite aches and pains. His music career has not afforded him any savings. Their differences cause conflicts, from which much learning and solidarity also arise.
The story toggles between North and South, past and present. Willie grows up in Mississippi in the 1920s and 30s, ending up in Colorado, where he meets Kennedy in 1969. Situated at the epicenter of vast cultural shifts between then and now, here and there, the story has an epic quality.
Fact and fiction blend amicably - and surprisingly. Juke joints, restaurants and bars named are based on real places. Willie’s struggles as a newcomer to the North in the 1930s rings true to historical accounts. But real-life blues legend, “Blind� Willie Johnson, is nothing like fictional Willie Johnson�.
Lyrics from Willie’s song, Sins in Blue, permeate the text with a pathos that spills out beyond the short novel’s last page. The book’s edgy themes and rhythms still vibrate through today’s society. Its characters model an enduring and beautiful friendship for this era.
June 11, 2020
It's 1969 and 16 year old Kennedy has run away from home to seek out blues musician Willie Johnson, the man with the two dick name. Kennedy plans to fulfil his dream of becoming a music industry manager and producer. He arrives to find that his imagined world of blues music isn't quite what he hoped for - for either himself or Willie. This is a wonderful tale of friendship, coming of age and coming to terms with the realities of life. It is a joy to read, both being well written and well researched. The characters are flawed, believable and eminently likeable (even the hopeless ones). It will appeal to all musicians, fans of the blues, and lovers of a good story. It's rare that I give a five star review, but this book is worth the rating.Ìý
I received a copy of this book from Black Rose Writing in exchange for an honest and fair review, and have since bought a paperback copy to give to a friend.
I received a copy of this book from Black Rose Writing in exchange for an honest and fair review, and have since bought a paperback copy to give to a friend.
May 23, 2022
The synopsis read: A young man on a mission. An ageing musician with a dream. Society perched over a racial divide.
This was a cleverly written story about an ageing musician who had lived a full life and had experienced too many disasters to accept his luck would change from the young man’s attempt to correct history. Throughout this story the writer describes the life of the musician Willie Johnson. His character comes alive and you experience his ups and downs, his hopes and eventual realisation and acceptance of his life. In contrast the young hopeful Kennedy, with his youthful enthusiasm, and energy. The bonding of the two in their love of music is delightfully scripted.
This is truly a book to read and imagine the guitar playing. It conjures up the 1960 images of the blues scene. Read and enjoy the rhythm and soul of this story.
My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
This was a cleverly written story about an ageing musician who had lived a full life and had experienced too many disasters to accept his luck would change from the young man’s attempt to correct history. Throughout this story the writer describes the life of the musician Willie Johnson. His character comes alive and you experience his ups and downs, his hopes and eventual realisation and acceptance of his life. In contrast the young hopeful Kennedy, with his youthful enthusiasm, and energy. The bonding of the two in their love of music is delightfully scripted.
This is truly a book to read and imagine the guitar playing. It conjures up the 1960 images of the blues scene. Read and enjoy the rhythm and soul of this story.
My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
January 22, 2021
This review is an unbiased review of a book I received free of charge from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Sins in Blue is an unassuming little novel that could be called a coming-of-age story, an exiting-life story, a music story or just a plain good novel. The author obviously has a love of music. His descriptions of the music scenes carry us off into blues bars of yore. His different timeline settings feel authentic, as does the conversation and action. Not action in the high-octane sense of the word; this book is a beautiful character study. Some might call it slow-moving but I call it over too quickly.
Sins in Blue is an unassuming little novel that could be called a coming-of-age story, an exiting-life story, a music story or just a plain good novel. The author obviously has a love of music. His descriptions of the music scenes carry us off into blues bars of yore. His different timeline settings feel authentic, as does the conversation and action. Not action in the high-octane sense of the word; this book is a beautiful character study. Some might call it slow-moving but I call it over too quickly.
May 5, 2020
Alternative history of rock n roll music set in a small town, with underdog characters who are nobodies, and who have more depth than slow moving water. The book's blurb, ""Sins in Blue" is a novel about lost dreams, crippling grief, and the healing power of an unlikely friendship." says it better than I can.
Added gem: original blues song lyrics sprinkled among the prose.
I'd gush more about this novel ... (music pun warning) ... but I'll refrain.
Added gem: original blues song lyrics sprinkled among the prose.
I'd gush more about this novel ... (music pun warning) ... but I'll refrain.
June 12, 2020
I choose to read Sins In Blue because I love the blues. It was clear from the first paragraph I was in the hands of a compelling, capable writer. I enjoyed the music history, setting, relationship of the main characters to each other, the depth of their struggles, and the twist on cultural appropriation. This book was a smooth, enjoyable read.
Author Brian Kaufman wrote that his primary motivation was to craft a love letter to his favorite music. He succeeded.
Author Brian Kaufman wrote that his primary motivation was to craft a love letter to his favorite music. He succeeded.
May 3, 2020
A marvelous book about a deep passion that flies in the face of social norms. Written with understanding and compassion. It is not about changing society, but about coming to terms with it and paying the price of being different. And there is redemption, not of the kind a reader might expect, but one that warms the heart.
May 4, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As with Kaufman's other work, the writing is tight and rich � nothing wasted. The settings are vivid, and occasionally gritty. Here's some advice: beware when you make assumptions about the characters. They will surprise you, as they weave themselves in your heart.
December 4, 2020
An interesting book that was just perfect for the era. The characters were really well written and seemed real to me. An enjoyable read.
I won a copy of this book in a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway for this honest review.
September 20, 2021
More like a short story and a good one
Very satisfying story of a you g man and an old one, sharing their lives for a short time. Both of them learned and I left their story the better for it .
Very satisfying story of a you g man and an old one, sharing their lives for a short time. Both of them learned and I left their story the better for it .
September 29, 2021
Incredible!
Well written story about a white blues guitar player who played the jukes back during the depression and fell in love his best friend's girl. Reliving his life's story through the telling of it to a young man who wants to manage him makes a wonderful read.
Well written story about a white blues guitar player who played the jukes back during the depression and fell in love his best friend's girl. Reliving his life's story through the telling of it to a young man who wants to manage him makes a wonderful read.
December 30, 2021
The blues...
A really different story but enjoyable! I wasn't sure I'd like it but I did. It was good to read a story out of pace with my usual choices.
Great characters, easy to follow, and kept my interest! What more could you ask for!
A really different story but enjoyable! I wasn't sure I'd like it but I did. It was good to read a story out of pace with my usual choices.
Great characters, easy to follow, and kept my interest! What more could you ask for!
April 27, 2022
This got off to a slow start but soon I was absorbed, both main characters interesting and likable. A different perspective on racial divide.
August 30, 2023
Delta Blues on Paper
This book feels like the Delta Blues bled onto the paper and saturated every page. There's no wasted language, each word is chosen with purpose. This is a story that sometimes cuts with a razor's edge only to be followed with a soul-soothing balm as rich as black velvet. If your life has a personal soundtrack, you will enjoy this book. Or, if you just need to escape for a few hours, this one is perfect. I loved it.
This book feels like the Delta Blues bled onto the paper and saturated every page. There's no wasted language, each word is chosen with purpose. This is a story that sometimes cuts with a razor's edge only to be followed with a soul-soothing balm as rich as black velvet. If your life has a personal soundtrack, you will enjoy this book. Or, if you just need to escape for a few hours, this one is perfect. I loved it.
May 28, 2020
Good book. Good characters and good plot development
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