Bubba is a bad dog. He's a fur-shedder, jowl-drooler, food scarfer, toilet bowl slurper, and a devoted trashcan marauder. He 's a bulbous-nosed, ninety-nine and one-half pound blue bred Blood-Rhymes-With-Dude Hound who scratches himself in public and greets other dogs in the traditional style of the sniff á la doggie derriere. He also writes songs! Just like his owner who is a bona fide guitar playing and singing Louisiana blues man, Bubba says he loves the blues and lives the blues. Bubba's dream is to share his songs and love of the blues with dogs everywhere. His pitch to his fellow canines - "The blues is like a half-eaten sandwich you find laying on the sidewalk. Give it a sniff - you might like it!"Bad Dog Bubba is the first book in the Doggone Blues series. Book two, The Doggone Blues Band and book three; Muddy the Waters are slated for release in 2020. The idea for the books grew out of Tas' experiences with this Blues in Schools. Tas wrote songs about dogs getting the blues that he performs for kids. He notes, " Kids love dogs. Introducing them to the blues by connecting the music to something they know and love just makes sense." In 2016, Tas recorded these songs for his album, Doggone Blues, which also served as a fundraiser for the then newly established Blues Hall of Fame at the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. The dogs in these songs all appear as characters in the book series.The book series is meant to be a resource for caregivers (grandparent/parents/etc.) to introduce children to the blues. Read together, caregivers and children can talk about the blues as they weave their way through the storyline. Important character building themes include, building friendships, striving for self-improvement and working for a greater good.
