I’ve known Roy for 50 years. We first met at UOP in Stockton, California in 1975 when we lived together in the Euclid House for three years with five other students—two girls and two guys. We were infamous for our weekly house parties, splitting bar duties and DJ responsibilities. Roy spun the Grateful Dead, and I played the blues, Tower of Power, funk, and Frank Zappa. We consider ourselves a counter-cultural co-ed fraternity.
We often held impromptu poetry slams, with Roy on blues harp and guitar while I ranted and raved about life. Over the years, we’ve kept in touch. Roy lived in Clear Lake for many years and recently “retired” to Alabama—of all places.
The Blues and Billie Armstrong is his first novel, and I’m certain it won’t be his last. Roy is also a gifted musician and songwriter. He introduced me to the Grateful Dead, and I introduced him to Frank Zappa. While he never turned me into a true Deadhead, I stayed “Dead-adjacent,” so to speak We went once to a Frank Zappa concert, one of the wildest nights of my life, and that is another story for another time..
📚 Check out my companion post for the full review and details!
👉 [Link to Review]
Title:
🎸 The Blues and Billie Armstrong – A Novel That Sings the Truth 🎶
Post:
Roy Dufrain Jr’s The Blues and Billie Armstrong is a haunting, music-infused coming-of-age story set in the 1970s California. It’s about Archer King, a boy navigating grief, secrets, and the power of the Blues—only to face those ghosts decades later when Billie Armstrong, his rebellious stepsister, returns accused of murder.
If you love novels that blend history, music, and redemption, this one’s for you.
Title:
🎶 The Blues and Billie Armstrong: A Novel That Echoes Through Time
Subtitle:
Roy Dufrain Jr’s debut blends music, memory, and moral complexity into a story that feels both timeless and urgent.
Introduction
In The Blues and Billie Armstrong, Roy Dufrain Jr delivers a lyrical, haunting tale set against the turbulence of 1970s California. This is more than a novel—it’s a meditation on truth, identity, and the enduring power of music.
Synopsis
The story begins with Archer King, a thirteen-year-old grappling with his mother’s sudden death. His father’s quick remarriage introduces Billie Armstrong, a rebellious stepsister whose arrival shatters Archer’s fragile world. Together, they uncover old blues records and hidden love letters, sparking a quest that will unravel family secrets and test their loyalties.
Decades later, Archer—now a Pulitzer-winning columnist—must confront the ghosts of his past when Billie resurfaces, accused of murder. To save her, Archer risks exposing truths that could destroy his career and identity.
Characters
Archer King: A deeply sympathetic protagonist whose evolution forms the novel’s emotional core.
Billie Armstrong: Charismatic and unpredictable, embodying rebellion and freedom.
Hank Timmons: Archer’s mentor and local baseball hero, torn between ambition and morality.
Themes & Style
Dufrain explores grief, betrayal, and redemption with remarkable sensitivity. The Blues serves as both soundtrack and metaphor—a symbol of resilience and cultural memory.
I am making great strides in re-learning how to play the Piano. I am playing better than I ever had in my life. In short,
I am finally rocking the blues! Not bad for a 68-year-old dude.
Recently I cruised through Blues Standards, and I am working through 100 Greatest Hits and then Duke Ellington Standards before moving back to Bach and then trying Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart Sonatas later in the year. When I am in the States, I am going to buy some more Blues and Jazz standards, perhaps Tower of Power song book, Gershwin song classics and rent a piano. We found a place in the Medford, Oregon Rogue Valley Mall that rents pianos for 25 dollars a month. Perhaps I might take lessons. I will also buy some music software and resume writing music. Besides daily playing, I am going to take some music theory classes online and learn how to play jazz and blues piano.
Numerical Listing Of Pieces Played
Korean Light Classical Set
Chopin Piece
Beethoven Disco For Eliza</li>
Apartment
Verglis Mein Nicht
Malguenia
Disco City
Io Ti Daro Di Piu
Dark Eye Boogie Woman
El Bimbo
Rumba Rhapsody
Korean Song Book
Ganadiri
Nununhannuri
Moknochuchang
Babo
Sarang
Ayaohchmari
Chackunlabi
Changelog
Hangku
Kudaeyae
Laegaedo Saranoi
Miwoimiwoimiwoi
Baramireoo
Sarangsarangnuka Milhaeni
Bayayae
Yet Siinuilorae
Chrumomoichukkae
Ku Saram
Biramchoram Nakyomchorum
Saransuron Kudae
Sarangiyo
Bach Two and Three Part Inventions
Finally, got the hang of mordants, turns, and trills. and finally can play at near normal speed, rather than playing it real slowly, stumbling through the music. I have continued the strategy of analyzing the music before I play it, noting key signature changes. flats and sharps, repetition patterns, high and low registry keys, and figuring out the Key signature before I play. I am going to add in listening to the music before I play it, that should help as well
