tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216452192024-02-18T21:05:24.029-06:00Blues Music Now BlogThis blog is part of the bluesmusicnow.com Web site. Check it out for CD reviews, news and touring information about your favorite blues artists.editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-91200947388288195482015-06-21T12:17:00.000-05:002015-06-21T12:17:35.873-05:00Better late than never: Willie Dixon named to Songwriters’ hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although it was long overdue, blues legend Willie Dixon finally was inducted into the <a href="http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/" target="_blank">Songwriters Hall of Fame</a>. In a <a href="http://www.americansongwriter.com/2015/06/inside-2015-songwriters-hall-fame-awards/" target="_blank">ceremony</a> held in New York on June 18, 2015, Dixon joined fellow songwriters Bobby Braddock, Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia, Toby Keith, Cyndi Lauper and Linda Perry in the class of 2015.<br />
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Lyricist Bernie Taupin, named to the hall in 1992, welcomed Dixon into the hall with his induction speech. “There’s no other songwriter who dominated post-war blues more than William James Dixon,” Taupin said. “He wrote the blueprint for a thousand fledgling young bands. In the early ‘60s, every rock and R&B band, especially those in the the U.K., would have had a much shorter setlist if it weren’t for Willie Dixon.”<br />
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Willie’s daughter Jacqueline accepted the award on behalf of her father, who passed away in 1992.<br />
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Taupin, who of course is the longtime songwriting partner for Elton John, had championed Dixon’s inclusion into the hall for years. In an open letter to the hall last year, Taupin called Dixon’s exclusion a “travesty” and “embarrassingly overdue.”<br />
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A few of Dixon's legendary compositions include "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Spoonful" and "Little Red Rooster," to name a few. Dixon's songs were covered by blues legends such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Later, rock artists including the Rolling Stones, Cream and Led Zeppelin also had hits with Dixon's songs.editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-31406406934526523132014-02-13T22:07:00.001-06:002014-02-13T22:17:54.939-06:00Taupin: Induct Willie Dixon in the Songwriters Hall of Fame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Despite penning many of the greatest blues songs of all time, Willie Dixon is a shocking omission from the <a href="http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/" target="_blank">Songwriters Hall of Fame</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of Dixon's fellow songwriters, lyricist Bernie Taupin, is hoping to right that wrong. In an open letter to the Hall of Fame, Taupin called Dixon's exclusion from the Hall of Fame a "travesty."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Once again I’m forced to express my utter frustration with The Songwriters Hall of Fame nominating committee for failing to lionize and reward the work of Willie Dixon, arguably the greatest and single most successful blues composer of the 20th century," Taupin wrote. "His inclusion in the Songwriters Hall of Fame is embarrassingly overdue."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Taupin, of course, is the longtime lyricist for pop legend <a href="http://www.eltonjohn.com/" target="_blank">Elton John</a>. The two men were inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and, clearly, Taupin would like to be joined by the legendary Dixon, who passed away during that same year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Ever since my teens, I have been in awe of Willie Dixon’s extraordinary talent as a musician, arranger, producer and above all other things a songwriter of unique and raw originality. In my estimation, he is an American icon in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, Led Belly and Duke Ellington deserving of the same accolades and rightful place in any organization that salutes compositional greatness (he was inducted posthumously into <a href="http://rockhall.com/inductees/willie-dixon/bio/" target="_blank">The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame</a> in 1994)," Taupin wrote.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A few of Dixon's legendary compositions include "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Spoonful" and "Little Red Rooster," to name a few. Dixon's songs were covered by blues legends such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Later, rock artists including the Rolling Stones, Cream and Led Zeppelin also had hits with Dixon's songs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Taupin encouraged his fans to contact the Songwriters Hall of Fame in support of Dixon's induction into the organization. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For more information, including contact information for the Hall of Fame, read <a href="http://www.berniejtaupin.com/index.php?page=blog&b_id=459730" target="_blank">Taupin's blog</a>.</span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-3380476386928876612014-01-26T19:48:00.000-06:002014-01-26T19:48:55.183-06:00“Get Up!” by Harper, Musselwhite wins GRAMMY<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Get Up!” by Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite won best blues album at the 56th annual GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles. Other nominees were “Remembering Little Walter” by Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia & James Harman (Blind Pig Records); “Cotton Mouth Man” by James Cotton (Alligator); “Seesaw” by Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa (J&R Adventures); and “Down In Louisiana” by Bobby Rush (Deep Rush Records).</span></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-48611346459264995942013-06-01T23:05:00.001-05:002013-06-01T23:05:13.587-05:00B.L.U.E.S on Halsted hosts Dawkins' tribute<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">B.L.U.E.S on Halsted in Chicago was the site of a tribute to late guitarist Jimmy Dawkins <span style="font-size: small;">on </span>May 26, 2013. Pictured below at the well-attended event are<span style="font-size: small;"> (</span>from left<span style="font-size: small;">) </span>Billy Flynn, Nick Laramie, Dawkins' great-grandson Darron Epps<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>and Paul Filipowicz. Flynn and Laramie were both members of Dawkins' touring bands. Among others in attendance at the event were Eddie Shaw, Jimmy Burns, Lurrie Bell, Keith Scott, Steve Nitros, Dick Shurman, Johnny Burgin, Jim Schutte, Bobby Radcliff and Jon McDonald from Magic Slim's band. - Steve Sharp</span></span><br />
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<br />editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-28101402808706176402013-04-11T22:01:00.001-05:002013-04-11T22:01:54.200-05:00Jimmy Dawkins - 1936-2013<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVU5hO_rJKC2sdpk1RUuCxNSuuxh-hpLXqWshasGxiJx4qliRiMSJZJ1b0DaZKJatVzWDzV1cC57igpLRsP5rVxG7Cvub3DpQziNERc4GH3wo2se4p6hoT0JzCIN_PZW-2f3Qb3A/s1600/dawkins_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVU5hO_rJKC2sdpk1RUuCxNSuuxh-hpLXqWshasGxiJx4qliRiMSJZJ1b0DaZKJatVzWDzV1cC57igpLRsP5rVxG7Cvub3DpQziNERc4GH3wo2se4p6hoT0JzCIN_PZW-2f3Qb3A/s1600/dawkins_2013.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Master West Side Chicago blues guitarist Jimmy Dawkins is gone. Jimmy died from undisclosed causes on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, age 76.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">James Henry Dawkins was born Oct. 24, 1936 on a farm outside of Tchula, Miss., but spent much time as a youth with his father, who worked in the shipyards of Pascagoula, Miss. Jimmy moved to Chicago in 1955, where he worked in a box factory and began playing the clubs while working as a session musician for the likes of Sleepy John Estes and others.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jimmy was good friends with Magic Sam and just about every other West Side musician one could name in the 1950s and '60s. Otis Rush and Jimmy Johnson each served as his sidemen, with Johnson part of Dawkins' mid-1970s touring band. Rush supported Dawkins on the "Tribute to Orange" album of 1971.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jimmy went on to make records for Delmark, waxing his first full album for the label, "Fast Fingers" in 1969. This disc earned him a Grand Prix du Discque from the Hot Club of France. He also recorded albums for various European labels, as well as for Earwig, Storyville and Fedora, among others. Among Dawkins other top studio discs were "Blisterstring" in 1976, "Hot Wire '81" and "Kant Sheck Dees Bluze" in 1992. The greatness of Dawkins live can be heard on "I Want to Know," "Come Back Baby," and the very rare LP "Jimmy and Hip Live!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dawkins was one of Chicago's heaviest guitarists. His shows were legendary for starting off relatively loosely in the first set, Jimmy noodling and warming up. Later, however, with audience members in a trance, he would crush them during the third and final set of the night. Dawkins was known for his audacious use of volume at his gigs and for his mastery of controlled feedback. He would hit spine-tingling staccato runs up and down the freeboard of his blonde Gibson, to later ride massive waves of feedback. Under this cacophony, Dawkins' muscled band - including drummer Ray Scott and bassists Sylvester Boines or Cornelius Boyson - undulated a funky groove. Guitarists such as Johnson, Rich Kirch or later, Billy Flynn and Keith Scott, were always stage right to provide Dawkins a chunky rhythm.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dawkins was famous for supporting the budding solo careers of musicians including Vance Kelly, Nora Jean Wallace, Queen Sylvia Embry and Taildragger via his Leric Records label. In 2010 Dawkins helped Delmark Records coordinate a compilation of singles he recorded of these artists for Leric. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jimmy Dawkins seemed to this writer, who began chronicling the bluesman's life for Living Blues magazine and other outlets in 1992, to be a conflicted man. Jimmy's life was filled with incidents of racism which seemed to burn in his soul. There was a rumor his grandfather had been lynched in Mississippi by a white mob. Jimmy also told of having to sleep under his touring van while working certain parts of the deep South because he was not provided hotel lodging due to his skin color. Dawkins also told of a time in the 1990s when he had been chased down the highways of Mississippi at night by an unknown vehicle. "Who are they?" Dawkins asked.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Despite his encounters with racism, Dawkins did well fighting what could well have been an urge to be a racist himself. He was always very helpful to white musicians and featured caucasian guitarists in his band from about 1976 onward. He also opened doors for younger musicians and blues journalists whenever he could. Dawkins, himself, was a journalistic contributor to Living Blues magazine in the 1970s.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dawkins lost his son to street violence about two decades ago and according to his bandmates was horribly affected by this. He went on to be a wonderfully doting grandfather to his grandson Darin. Darin was almost always seen at Dawkins rare Chicago gigs in the 2000's and even traveled to Europe with his grandfather so he could remain under his grandfather's watchful eye. Dawkins was with his beloved grandson right up to the end. Jimmy would often take the boy to school in his car, despite the fact he was weak and very ill near the end of his life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The legendary Jimmy Dawkins will be remembered for his imposing, full-back-like appearance, blistering and immediately recognizable guitar style, gospel-inflected vocals, intellect, business sense and for his caring for others who were trying to make their way in the blues business. Jimmy will be sorely missed by many people who respected and loved him and his music.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>- Steve Sharp
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editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-22850899503916056602013-02-21T22:15:00.001-06:002013-02-21T22:20:21.654-06:00Chicago bluesman Magic Slim dies at 75<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Magic Slim, one of the last remaining links to the classic days of traditional Chicago blues, passed away on Feb. 21, 2013, at age 75.<br /><br />Born Morris Holt in Torrence, Miss., Magic Slim joined other musicians in making the journey to Chicago to help define the Chicago blues scene. Early on, he backed fellow Mississippian Magic Sam, who gave Magic Slim his nickname. <br /><br />Eventually, Slim put together his own band, the Teardrops, leading them on vocals and guitar for more than 45 years. During that time, Magic Slim & the Teardrops were recognized with six Blues Music Awards, including Blues Band of the Year.<br /><br />A mainstay on the Chicago scene, Magic Slim also recorded numerous albums, including critically-acclaimed recordings for Blind Pig Records. His last album for the label, "Bad Boy," was released in 2012.<br /><br />According to the Blind Pig website, Magic Slim "is the greatest living proponent of the intense, electrified, Mississippi-to-Chicago blues style that spawned much of the music played by modern blues artists and rockers. It's no wonder that Magic Slim and the Teardrops, considered by many to be 'the last real Chicago blues band,' have become one of the busiest and best-loved blues bands around."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />According to The Associated Press, Slim died at a Philadelphia hospital with health problems that worsened while touring in Pennsylvania. Most recently, he made his home in Lincoln, Neb.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blindpigrecords.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistid=15" target="_blank">Blind Pig website</a></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-89269158636432190442012-11-27T22:11:00.000-06:002012-11-28T21:22:36.255-06:00Hard soul legend makes triumphant return to Chicago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Syl Johnson - SPACE, Evanston, Ill. - Nov. 21, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>By Steve Sharp</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A rare performance by Chicago hard soul/blues legend Syl Johnson these days is not to be missed. With that in mind, this reviewer and a friend ventured south down Interstate 94 about 80 miles from Milwaukee to Evanston, Ill. to the wonderful club SPACE near the Northwestern University campus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not long after our arrival, Syl came slinking out of his dressing room wearing some sort of a pseudo-military uniform. He apparently deemed himself worthy of a sergeant's rank, because that was the patch on his arm. His band followed behind. It consisted of two female background singers; three horn players, among them the great baritone sax-player Willie Henderson; a cool old Hammond B-3 keyboard player; drummer; bass player and guitarist — all veterans of Chicago soul music, some dating to the 1960s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The band took the stage and goofed around, getting plugged-in and situated. They seemed very up for the show and loose. Syl then started talking about the history of soul in an initially disjointed rap that seemed to indicate the night had potential to go off the tracks before even starting. After 5 minutes of this "summary" of his career, Johnson introduced the entire band before they hit their first note. Underneath his military jacket, Syl wore a black T-shirt with white writing that asked the infamous question from his past, "Is it Because I'm Black?" Johnson's head was adorned in a black do-rag and black leather baseball cap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">History lesson and introductions over, Syl let the music finally bust loose. In all my life of countless shows, I have never gotten the shivers like I got them from the first notes that band hit. They were so hard, tight and funky, and SPACE sounded so good, this reviewer almost melted off the barstool. From there Syl flawlessly delivered his hard Chicago soul classics from the 1960s such as "C'mon, Sock it to Me" and "Is It Because I'm Black?" He then traveled down to Memphis to touch on his HI Records years with Willie Mitchell, including his composition "Take Me To the River."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Syl's quirks manifested themselves throughout the first set. His guitar strap came undone and it took him quite a while, and lot of ridiculous fiddling around, to get it back on. He then said he had only two CDs left to sell that night and sat on one of them while he played. He was just a little ... strange, yet funny, lovable and engaging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">At one point after the intermission, during "Monkey Time," a blond girl in the front row accidentally shook her long hair into the candle on her table and her locks went up in a ball of fire three-feet high. Some guys around her put her hair out and everyone was in shock. Most thought the woman would be maimed for life and that the show was most certainly over. Nope, the band didn't miss a beat, although the female vocalists looked stunned and very concerned. When the band realized the woman was truly OK, Syl start<span style="font-size: small;">ed</span> singing teasing lyrics to her about her hair being recently ablaze. The woman didn't even leave the show to assess the damage and for the rest of the night SPACE reeked of burned human hair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Near the end of the show, Syl addressed the earliest point in his career in Chicago, when he hung around with Magic Sam, and he played some amazing blues guitar on two Sam classics, including "Easy Baby." Johnson is a spectacularly gifted blues guitar player, although he initially said he was just a singer who also played guitar. That was about the only time Syl's humble side was on display. Many times he would address himself in third person. Johnson later had the crowd in stitches when he talked about how he could be the poster boy for Viagra. He want on and on about this belief, talking about "SIDE-EFFECTS, my SIDE-EFFECTS!!!!!!!" with visuals added, to be sure the audience got the point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Overall throughout this fantastic evening, Syl Johnson showed what a great singer, songwriter, guitarist, harp-player, band leader and showman he is. He is Chicago's Ike Turner and that's the highest praise I can give an artist like that. Johnson is a treasure of American music. </span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-39826254848855761572012-05-05T11:09:00.000-05:002012-05-05T11:23:35.630-05:00A story about how beauty flowers from the fields of brutality<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA5MpCHBht1kyJJUd2ha4KupEuEi_Um2WPNims5vsS66EdPVHZ43qDmlcMvsBYQYavPLTMPRpZUgkULJZNLJEDBMxh0-t2gvUmHCtLJBgp_ugN_CohdvmVq-8sIfHp6ueoZ8Eeg/s1600/Crossroads-300x294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA5MpCHBht1kyJJUd2ha4KupEuEi_Um2WPNims5vsS66EdPVHZ43qDmlcMvsBYQYavPLTMPRpZUgkULJZNLJEDBMxh0-t2gvUmHCtLJBgp_ugN_CohdvmVq-8sIfHp6ueoZ8Eeg/s200/Crossroads-300x294.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A detailed story about the birthplace of the blues </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">appeared in an unexpected publication, one that is devoted to reporting on homelessness, poverty, human rights and related issues.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yet, the article,"The Mississippi Delta: Birthplace of the Blues," published in the April issue of Street Spirit, makes perfect sense, according to editor Terry Messman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"You cannot listen to blues music for long before you are confronted by the terrible and tragic history of racism, slavery, segregation and discrimination in America," he wrote.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">According to Messman, the article is a "reflection on a beautiful trip through the Mississippi Delta my wife Ellen and I took last month." In it, he details his journey to "the wonderful series of blues museums, state blues markers, murals, grave sites and birthplaces of the Mississippi blues musicians that we love the most."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Street Spirit is a publication of the American Friends Service Committee in the San Francisco Bay Area.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thestreetspirit.org/the-mississippi-delta-birthplace-of-the-blues-this-is-where-the-soul-of-man-never-dies/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Read the article</span></a></div>
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</div>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-45896914924057689242011-12-05T22:59:00.000-06:002011-12-05T22:59:47.215-06:00Legendary bluesman Hubert Sumlin dies at 80; lead guitarist for Howlin' Wolf<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEO_VSkiMJIpb2js1OVfeZ8dr_o9i3gquu3LFcntAOILfnAtnSF46fsEoX9DiWRsuZREZV0LIO4nHQ1iM22mclP_bk1fcmkqqYtwbTnvNOCuVdk7QNaIsUX0sJaX58RAtE9HxDg/s1600/sumlin_cd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEO_VSkiMJIpb2js1OVfeZ8dr_o9i3gquu3LFcntAOILfnAtnSF46fsEoX9DiWRsuZREZV0LIO4nHQ1iM22mclP_bk1fcmkqqYtwbTnvNOCuVdk7QNaIsUX0sJaX58RAtE9HxDg/s1600/sumlin_cd.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hubert Sumlin, one of the towering figures of blues guitar, died Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011. The 80-year-old Sumlin had congestive heart failure, according to his agent, Hugh Southard, and died at a hospital in Wayne, N.J.<br />
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Sumlin was the lead guitarist for legendary blues singer Howlin' Wolf on their seminal recordings for Chess Records. Although overshadowed by the massive Wolf, it is impossible to think about blues classics such as "Killing Floor," "Back Door Man," "Spoonful" and "Wang Dang Doodle" without imaging Sumlin's stinging yet soulful guitar riffs.<br />
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Ironically, millions of people who have never heard of Howlin' Wolf have been listening to Sumlin's distinctive guitar work on the classic song "Smokestack Lightin'" as the soundtrack to a recent TV commercial for Viagra.<br />
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Sumlin's influence lives on today in the countless rock guitarists who were influenced by him, including Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. In 2004, both men played with Sumlin on his recording, "About Them Shoes," a star-studded effort including Levon Helm on drums, James Cotton on harmonica and David Johansen on vocals.<br />
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A recent poll of guitarists in "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked Sumlin 43rd among the greatest guitarists of all time. "I love Hubert Sumlin," said Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in the "Rolling Stone" article on Sumlin. "He always played the right thing at the right time."<br />
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<b>Tributes</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/arts/music/hubert-sumlin-master-of-blues-guitar-dies-at-80.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a><br />
<a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/hubert-sumlin-19691231" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a><br />
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/hubert-sumlin-legendary-blues-guitarist-for-howlin-wolf-who-influenced-eric-clapton-and-jimi-hendrix-has-died/2011/12/05/gIQAgh2dXO_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post</a><br />
<a href="http://www.hubertsumlinblues.com/biography.html" target="_blank">Official Web site</a></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-1875223587560966942011-11-30T20:25:00.001-06:002011-11-30T20:27:43.189-06:00Lee Shot Williams dies at 73<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio51VCnwSyeTspWip-6fSl8eJp_wH5XLVaEtEcR0F6u-BcDJh9GTdjNpU-gE0g_N2-zdSwCXbtNF2HWhikidSES3zhu-pNObfGkddgVzSV6h9ekS6nHCLQCSlNLOo2QTNxRZyVIA/s1600/lee_shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio51VCnwSyeTspWip-6fSl8eJp_wH5XLVaEtEcR0F6u-BcDJh9GTdjNpU-gE0g_N2-zdSwCXbtNF2HWhikidSES3zhu-pNObfGkddgVzSV6h9ekS6nHCLQCSlNLOo2QTNxRZyVIA/s200/lee_shot.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Chicago blues soul singer Lee Shot Williams died on Nov. 25, 2011, according to his record label, Ecko Records. Williams was 73.<br />
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Henry Lee Williams was born in Lexington, Miss., on May 21, 1938. Lee "Shot" moved to Detroit in 1954, finished school, and relocated to Chicago in 1956. There he hooked up with his cousin, Little Smokey Smothers, who hired him as a regular vocalist with his band in 1961. <br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He got the nickname "Shot" from his mother at a young age, owing to his fondness for wearing suits and dressing up as a "big shot."</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
<a href="http://www.blues.org/about/news.php?Id=1141" target="_blank">Follow this link</a> for more information about Williams, including details about his services.</span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-59214918525533749342011-05-14T12:20:00.000-05:002011-05-14T12:20:51.879-05:00Buddy Guy dominates Blues Music Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj-qvlV3cQm7JCPWgkXCNf4BoJPC8-Vxm0geHj8DSL6TpUu6cCIIa-Ng9v2dCcLM9V7RovPG7A2O_IjL4pB63isYEBygWpmuh_QXdcsl-ibLiSFm8FAALEP7n_joUZmec8oLUDA/s1600/buddy_living_proof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj-qvlV3cQm7JCPWgkXCNf4BoJPC8-Vxm0geHj8DSL6TpUu6cCIIa-Ng9v2dCcLM9V7RovPG7A2O_IjL4pB63isYEBygWpmuh_QXdcsl-ibLiSFm8FAALEP7n_joUZmec8oLUDA/s1600/buddy_living_proof.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buddy Guy was the big winner at the recent Blues Music Awards, held in Memphis, Tenn. by the Blues Foundation.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guy, the 2010 Lifetime Achievement honoree, was the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. In addition, he took home top honors for Album, Contemporary Blues Album, Contemporary Blues Artist and Song of the Year, which he shared with Tom Hambridge.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guy released the critically-acclaimed recording, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Proof-Buddy-Guy/dp/B0040HJNKC?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Living Proof</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0040HJNKC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />," in 2010.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blues.org/about/news.php?Id=1081#ref=about_releases">Complete list of 2011 Blues Music Award winners</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blues.org/">The Blues Foundation</a></span></div>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-31944171751646803582010-11-24T14:18:00.000-06:002010-11-24T14:18:56.337-06:00Little Smokey Smothers passes away at age 71<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fAjHQ8mZ4yksaE096_9yT94FFnkmiKjrAkDAd3inSMBGl5V71oFvzVx8e6fYOb-3MbsaB_b1aj9_d9lHPEMjUnqBlvUM2-uc0pS-PPtpnog-xzA65N3DL5mBeMctnG4ZX3i-Ag/s1600/Little+Smokey+Smothers+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fAjHQ8mZ4yksaE096_9yT94FFnkmiKjrAkDAd3inSMBGl5V71oFvzVx8e6fYOb-3MbsaB_b1aj9_d9lHPEMjUnqBlvUM2-uc0pS-PPtpnog-xzA65N3DL5mBeMctnG4ZX3i-Ag/s200/Little+Smokey+Smothers+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bossman-Smokey-Smothers/dp/B0000038UA?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Albert Abraham "Little Smokey" Smothers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000038UA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, 71, died on November 20, 2010, according to Alligator Records.<br />
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Smothers, who served as a mentor to musicians including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Butterfield-Blues-Band-Paul/dp/B000002GZ1?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Paul Butterfield</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002GZ1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thats-My-Partner-Elvin-Bishop/dp/B00004TYKG?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Elvin Bishop</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004TYKG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, died of natural causes at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Chicago.<br />
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According to an Alligator news release, Smothers was born into a musical family in Tchula, Mississippi on January 2, 1939 and moved to Chicago as a teenager. His older brother, guitarist Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers became a well-known Chicago blues artist. Little Smokey took up guitar and before long was recording and performing with artists like Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, his soul singer cousin Lee "Shot" Williams and others.<br />
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Concentrating primarily on his instrumental skills, he toured and led bands playing locally in Chicago's South Side blues clubs beginning in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. He partially retired to raise a family, but returned to blues in 1978. He spent most of the 1980s playing small Chicago clubs and touring occasionally as a sideman, including as lead guitarist with the Legendary Blues Band.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For more information, including funeral arrangements, visit the <a href="http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=news&newsID=459">Alligator Records Web site</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004TYKG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.</span></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-66881721555201254632010-09-17T22:35:00.005-05:002010-09-17T22:39:36.808-05:00Mississippi Blues Trail heads north to the Badger State<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKYGNrKJibXIcd0X3xwvB4JpVxxzK1fLI0Iuu94G1ksXJD1lRlxTmv3sY0fLP8MikQ7uerc3ITYj7JxCvgDFwQ61Ed4VC2fIftLklD_QQOTCcbGsFKT9wEwtvZGaJfpdna9bHfA/s1600/ParamountLabel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKYGNrKJibXIcd0X3xwvB4JpVxxzK1fLI0Iuu94G1ksXJD1lRlxTmv3sY0fLP8MikQ7uerc3ITYj7JxCvgDFwQ61Ed4VC2fIftLklD_QQOTCcbGsFKT9wEwtvZGaJfpdna9bHfA/s200/ParamountLabel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">The <a href="http://www.msbluestrail.org/index.aspx">Mississippi Blues Trail</a>, a collection of important blues locations, winds its way through Mississippi, Memphis, Arkansas, Alabama and, eventually, Chicago. This weekend, the trail extends another 100 miles north to the small town of Grafton, Wisconsin, which is the home of Paramount Records. <br />
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The record label produced 78 rpm records of early blues pioneers including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Charley-Patton/dp/B000VBNSKC?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Charley Patton</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VBNSKC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Early-Recordings-Skip-James/dp/B000000G8L?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Skip James</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000000G8L" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Father-Delta-Blues-Complete-Sessions/dp/B000002877?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Son House</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002877" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Blues-Very-Best-Rainey/dp/B0000AOV4E?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ma Rainey</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AOV4E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Blind-Lemon-Jefferson/dp/B000QZXIYY?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Blind Lemon Jefferson</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QZXIYY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. According to <a href="http://www.paramountshome.org/">ParamountsHome.org</a>, more than 1,600 songs were recorded in Grafton between 1929 and 1932. Over 60 African Americans recorded their blues, spirituals, and even sermons in a "make-shift" studio of an old chair factory, opposite of the pressing plant. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.graftonblues.org/bluestrailmarker/">Grafton Blues Association</a> will unveil the marker during the fifth annual Paramount Blues Festival in Grafton on Sept. 18. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Grafton is about 20 miles north of Milwaukee.</span><br />
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The marker will be located at the former location of the Wisconsin Chair Factory, which housed the Paramount recording studio.</span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-92057124940840720822010-07-05T17:58:00.000-05:002010-07-05T17:58:17.224-05:00Delmark reissues songs from Dawkins' Leric Records<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyd12yNnDGBtt1niWEV8uOI5vVz_dOGuxVEfBRs1LzMj2fYIsvkVB_d4zIZn1x6tUb6LhcdKzpATWlNY7j0znzWpu-EY0y5sJJn_N0eJVMZaxLzlo0Wdd1WP1db5exytli1lQ7g/s1600/leric_records.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyd12yNnDGBtt1niWEV8uOI5vVz_dOGuxVEfBRs1LzMj2fYIsvkVB_d4zIZn1x6tUb6LhcdKzpATWlNY7j0znzWpu-EY0y5sJJn_N0eJVMZaxLzlo0Wdd1WP1db5exytli1lQ7g/s200/leric_records.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><font face="Verdana" size="2">Most blues fans are very familiar with the work of blues guitar legend Jimmy Dawkins. Not everyone is aware of his work as a record producer with his own label, Leric Records. In the 1980s, the label released 45s by Tail Dragger, Queen Sylvia Embry, Little Johnny Christian and Nora Jean Wallace, to name a few.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Delmark Records, these records are now being reissued for the first time on CD, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leric-Story-Jimmy-Dawkins/dp/B003F8L9VS?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jimmy Dawkins presents: The Leric Story</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003F8L9VS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />." In addition to the artists listed above, the package also includes unissued sides by Vance Kelly and Big Mojo Elem. Dawkins contributes as a sideman, along with Johnny B. Moore, Lafayette Leake, Willie Kent, Eddie "Jewtown" Burks, Michael Coleman and Chico Banks.</font>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-77700143702815213572010-03-06T21:19:00.006-06:002010-07-05T17:50:50.481-05:00New law to help Mississippi blues artists in need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10idComtpOrG7JJn_eXvjaz6cYveQ7Pv2XvPFqDvC5C8JMgM5JKOVmnvUOfKs3gd1Okj4yR75JwpmZhpzoD_I1FIpKDXhGCvDJb9bq_0rQEI68MhRIJgOr5trs-iSesC_lrFoDg/s1600-h/MBClogosm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10idComtpOrG7JJn_eXvjaz6cYveQ7Pv2XvPFqDvC5C8JMgM5JKOVmnvUOfKs3gd1Okj4yR75JwpmZhpzoD_I1FIpKDXhGCvDJb9bq_0rQEI68MhRIJgOr5trs-iSesC_lrFoDg/s200/MBClogosm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Mississippi Legislature has passed a bill that will provide help to struggling blues artists in the state, according to the Associated Press.<br />
<br />
The legislation allows the Mississippi Blues Commission to "raise and expend grant funds to provide assistance to any blues musician in need." The bill amends the original law that created the commission.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The commission will handle the funds, which would only go to Mississippi performers. "We don't just want some guy who goes out and buys a harmonica to say, 'I'm a bluesman. Give me some money,'" said Mississippi state Sen. Billy Hewes. "We want it to go to true artists."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9E80V9G0.htm">BusinessWeek article</a><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.msbluestrail.org/foundation_and_commission" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mississippi Blues Commission</a></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-27142502321330445762010-03-06T19:53:00.004-06:002010-07-05T17:55:48.996-05:00This blog has moved<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This blog is now located at http://blog.bluesmusicnow.com/.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href="http://blog.bluesmusicnow.com/">here</a>.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">http://blog.bluesmusicnow.com/atom.xml.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-55141855967362238702010-02-25T19:24:00.004-06:002010-02-25T20:16:43.263-06:00Lonnie Brooks, Charlie Musselwhite, Bonnie Raitt named to Blues Hall of Fame<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/BluesHallOfFame-791198.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/BluesHallOfFame-791195.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">The Blues Foundation has announced the inductees for the Blues Hall of Fame in 2010, including Lonnie Brooks, Charlie Musselwhite and Bonnie Raitt.<br /><br />The induction ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 5, at the Memphis Marriott Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee, the night before the 31st Blues Music Awards.<br />The Hall of Fame committee, consisting of scholars, record producers, radio programmers, and historians, is chaired by Jim O'Neal, founding editor of Living Blues.<br /><br />Here is the complete list of the 2010 inductees:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Classic of Blues Literature</span><br />The Bluesmen by Samuel Charters<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Classic of Blues Recording - Single or Album Track</span><br />"All Your Love (I Miss Loving)" -- Otis Rush (Cobra, 1958)<br />"Fever" -- Little Willie John (King, 1956)<br />"Key to the Highway" -- Big Bill Broonzy (OKeh, 1941)<br />"Match Box Blues" -- Blind Lemon Jefferson (OKeh and Paramount, 1927)<br />"Spoonful" -- Howlin' Wolf (Chess, 1960)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Classic of Blues Recordings - Album</span><br />Hung Down Head by Lowell Fulson (Chess LP, 1970; CD, 1996)<br />I Hear Some Blues Downstairs by Fenton Robinson (Alligator LP, 1977; CD, 1991)<br />Strong Persuader by Robert Cray (Mercury LP/CD, 1986)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Non-Performer</span><br />Peter Guralnick<br />Sonny Payne<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Perfomer</span><br />Amos Milburn<br />Bonnie Raitt<br />Charlie Musselwhite<br />Cus Cannon and Cannon's Jug Stompers<br />Lonnie Brooks<br />W.C. Handy<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blues.org">Blues Foundation Web site</a><br /></font><br /><hr><br /><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-73329467813328775902010-01-31T17:27:00.002-06:002010-01-31T17:39:26.031-06:00Blues GRAMMYs go to Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Derek Trucks Band<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/walter_cover-793601.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/walter_cover-793598.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">If you're interested in learning who took home the GRAMMY awards for best blues albums in 2009, don't bother watching tonight's show. (Unless you want to see the rumored Lady Gaga-Elton John duet.) Don't despair, however, as we have the scoop here:<br /><br />The GRAMMY for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Contemporary Blues Album</span> went to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KL3GWM?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001KL3GWM">"Already Free"</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001KL3GWM" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> by The Derek Trucks Band [Victor Records].<br /><br />Other nominees were "This Time" by The Robert Cray Band [Nozzle Records/Vanguard]; "The Truth According To Ruthie Foster" by Ruthie Foster [Blue Corn Music]; "Live: Hope At The Hideout" by Mavis Staples [ANTI]; and "Back To The River" by Susan Tedeschi [Verve Forecast].<br /><br />The <span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Traditional Blues Album</span> GRAMMY went to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SLNPQ6?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001SLNPQ6">"A Stranger Here"</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001SLNPQ6" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> by Ramblin' Jack Elliott [ANTI].<br /><br />Other nominees were " "Blue Again" by The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito [429 Records]; "Rough & Tough" by John Hammond [Chesky Records]; "Stomp! The Blues Tonight" by Duke Robillard [Stony Plain Records]; and "Chicago Blues: A Living History" by Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch & John Primer, Larry Skoller, producer [Raisin' Music].<br /><br />Another blues recording won in the category of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Historical Album</span>. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RLD6AM?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001RLD6AM">"The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967),"</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001RLD6AM" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br /> a Little Walter compilation from Hip-O Select, took top honors. However, the soundtrack for "Cadillac Records" did not win for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media, losing out to "Slumdog Millionaire."<br /><br />By the way, I watched some of the pre-telecast online at the GRAMMY Web site and probably enjoyed it more than the actual show with all of its star power. We got to see a few gospel, R&B and folk performances, along with some award presentations by Mick Fleetwood and Robert Flack. Taylor Swift even showed up to collect her first two GRAMMYs ever and no one even took the microphone away from her! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.grammy.com">GRAMMY Web site</a><br /></font><br /><hr><br /><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-23929964697905341582010-01-18T18:44:00.005-06:002010-01-18T19:10:20.262-06:00Tail Dragger DVD puts viewer smack dab in Chicago blues club<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/taildragger_dvd-798058.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/taildragger_dvd-798048.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">Are you in the mood for some authentic Chicago blues, but don't want to visit the Windy City in January? A good alternative is the latest DVD from Tail Dragger, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KWLSF2?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KWLSF2">"Live At Rooster's Lounge."</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002KWLSF2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> This stellar release from Delmark puts the viewer right in the middle of the west side Chicago blues club for a raw and raucous performance from James Yancey Jones, the aforementioned Tail Dragger.<br /><br />The DVD is a follow-up to Tail Dragger’s first Delmark DVD, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BBOTVO?ie=UTF8&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BBOTVO">"My Head Is Bald - Live at Vern's Friendly Lounge."</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000BBOTVO" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> "My Head is Bald" was named best blues DVD by Living Blues magazine in 2005 and "Rooster's Lounge" is just as good. (Both titles also can be purchased as separate audio CDs.)<br /><br />Thanks to the excellent camera work, “Live at Rooster’s Lounge” almost makes it seem as if the viewer is sitting in the lounge, as Tail Dragger stalks the premises not unlike his mentor, the late, great Howlin’ Wolf. The video captures Tail Dragger as he works the crowd and even flirts with the ladies. You can almost taste the beer and soul food as it’s served to the patrons.<br /><center><br /><object width="500" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7lkxUpYGdck&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7lkxUpYGdck&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Tail Dragger’s vocals are backed ably by guitarists Rockin' Johnny Burgin and Kevin Shanahan, harpist Martin Lang, bass player Todd Fackler and drummer Rob Lorenz. Dragger’s good friend, West Side blues legend Jimmy Dawkins, contributes his distinctive guitar sound to one song, “Wander,” a Tail Dragger original.<br /><br />The set list includes a nice mixture of originals and covers from Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams, John Lee Hooker and Little Walter.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.delmark.com/delmark.upcoming.htm">Delmark Web site</a><br /><br /><a href=" http://www.myspace.com/taildraggercrawlinjames">Tail Draggers’ Web site</a><br /><br /></font><br /><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-55888892744266666552009-08-13T20:52:00.006-05:002009-08-13T21:13:26.882-05:00Les Paul, "Father of the Electric Guitar, dies at age 94<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/lespaul_web-757018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 279px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/lespaul_web-757018.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">One of the great innovators of modern music, Les Paul, died in White Plains, N.Y., on Aug. 13, 2009, from complications of pneumonia.<br /><br />Although Paul was an accomplished guitarist in his own right, his greatest contributions to music came as an inventor, both of the solid body guitar and multi-track recording. It is impossible to imagine music today without recognizing these innovations.<br /><br />Tributes to Paul poured in from across the world from the countless musicians who were inspired by the Waukesha, Wisconsin native. A typical comment was made by guitarist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top: "Les Paul brought six strings to electricity and electricity to six strings. Les Paul was an innovator, a groundbreaker, a risk taker, a mentor and a friend. Try to imagine what we'd be doing if he hadn't come along and changed the world."<br /><br />The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable guitars in music history, played by musicians such as Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf, Duane Allman, Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Billy Gibbons, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Davey Johnstone, Carlos Santana, Hubert Sumlin, Joe Walsh and Eddie Van Halen, just to name a few.<br /><br />Not only a great inventor, Paul also was a successful musician in the 1940s and '50s, earning 36 gold records, many of which featured his wife, vocalist Mary Ford.<br /><br />"As the 'Father of the Electric Guitar,' he was not only one of the world's greatest innovators but a legend who created, inspired and contributed to the success of musicians around the world," said Dave Berryman, President of Gibson Guitar. “I have had the privilege to know and work with Les for many, many years and his passing has left a deep personal void. He was simply put – remarkable in every way. As a person, a musician, a friend, an inventor. He will be sorely missed by us all."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/les-paul-passes-away-at-94-813/">Gibson Web site</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2009/08/guitar-legend-les-paul-dies-at-94.html">The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29648217/les_paul_19152009">Rolling Stone.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lespaulonline.com/">Les Paul's Web site</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=101611">Famous Guitarists Who Have Played a Les Paul</a><br /></font><br /><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-7056354143060471632009-08-04T19:19:00.003-05:002009-08-04T20:44:15.025-05:00Muddy Waters, Newport Jazz Festival 1960<font face="Verdana" size="2">This vintage film captures Muddy Waters during his legendary performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island, U.S., on July 3, 1960. Muddy and the band plays "Got My Mojo Working."<br /><center><br /><object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/FhTCYqJsfqs&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/FhTCYqJsfqs&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object></center><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhTCYqJsfqs">View the video on a separate page</a></font><br /><br /><br /></p>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-6892185104549169262009-06-03T21:01:00.003-05:002009-06-03T21:10:29.328-05:00"Queen of the Blues" Koko Taylor dies at 80<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/koko_taylor-747853.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/koko_taylor-747704.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">Alligator Records reported the death of Koko Taylor, 80, on June 3, 2009, in her hometown of Chicago. The Grammy Award-winning blues singer died as a result of complications following her May 19 survey to correct a gastrointestinal bleed.<br /><br />Taylor’s final performance was on May 7, 2009 in Memphis at the Blues Music Awards, where she sang “Wang Dang Doodle” after receiving her award for Traditional Blues Female Artist Of The Year.<br /><br />Born Cora Walton on a sharecropper’s farm just outside Memphis, TN, on September 28, 1928, Koko, nicknamed for her love of chocolate, fell in love with music at an early age. Inspired by gospel music and WDIA blues disc jockeys B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, Taylor began belting the blues with her five brothers and sisters, accompanying themselves on their homemade instruments. In 1952, Taylor and her soon-to-be-husband, the late Robert “Pops” Taylor, traveled to Chicago with nothing but, in Koko’s words, “thirty-five cents and a box of Ritz Crackers.”<br /><br />In Chicago, “Pops” worked for a packing company, and Koko cleaned houses. Together they frequented the city’s blues clubs nightly. Encouraged by her husband, Koko began to sit in with the city’s top blues bands, and soon she was in demand as a guest artist. One evening in 1962 Koko was approached by arranger/composer Willie Dixon. Overwhelmed by Koko’s performance, Dixon landed Koko a Chess Records recording contract, where he produced her several singles, two albums and penned her million-selling 1965 hit “Wang Dang Doodle,” which would become Taylor’s signature song.<br /><br />Survivors include Taylor’s husband Hays Harris, daughter Joyce Threatt, son-in-law Lee Threatt, grandchildren Lee, Jr. and Wendy, and three great-grandchildren.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=news&newsID=397">Follow this link for more information</a>.</font><br /><br /><br /></span>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-67067157757364879972009-03-01T12:46:00.002-06:002009-03-01T12:52:35.113-06:00Podcast features words and music of Buddy Guy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/buddy-guy_web-708935.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 197px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/buddy-guy_web-708929.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">As part of Black History Month, <a href="http://www.legacyrecordings.com/Default.aspx">Legacy Recordings</a> has posted a number of podcasts from great African-American artists. (OK, Black History Month was in February, but you can still listen to the interviews anyway!)<br /><br />For blues fans, the Buddy Guy podcasts are especially interesting. Hosted by journalist Anthony DeCurtis, the four-part series features recollections and insights from the blues man and includes 15 classic tracks from throughout Guy’s career.<br /><br />Other podcasts are available from Ashford & Simpson, Philadelphia soul, Miles Davis, Fats Waller, Sam Cooke and Bill Withers.<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.legacyrecordings.com/podcast/category/buddy-guy/">Follow this link to listen to the Buddy Guy podcasts</a>.<br /><br /></font><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-19866204236421998052009-02-08T20:25:00.005-06:002009-02-08T21:20:35.389-06:00What a shock! B.B. King wins 15th Grammy award<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/djcityalbumart-731511.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/djcityalbumart-731493.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><font face="Verdana" size="2"><br />With all due respect to Elvin Bishop, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker Jr. and Pinetop Perkins, they never had a chance against B.B. King in the competition for best traditional blues album. The King of the Blues racked up his 15th Grammy award on Feb. 8 for "One King Favor."<br /><br />The other blues Grammy went to another multiple Grammy winner, Dr. John. He took home his fifth Grammy for "City That Care Forgot," which was recorded by Dr. John and The Lower 911. Other nominees in the category for best contemporary blues album were Marcia Ball, Solomon Burke, Taj Mahal and Irma Thomas.</font><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21645219.post-45647362258673215892008-09-19T23:58:00.004-05:002008-09-20T00:22:06.863-05:00Old vets B.B. King, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith still bringing the blues<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/williebigeyessmith-764312.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/uploaded_images/williebigeyessmith-764305.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><font face="Verdana" size="2">Two new blues CDs from two grizzled old pros crossed my desk recently and they were a much welcomed reprieve from much of the mediocre crap that passes for blues these days.<br /><br />It shouldn't surprise anyone that one of the CDs was from the legendary B.B. King, who turned 83 years young on Sept. 16.<br /><br />B.B. King has never gone away for very long in his storied career, but his new recording, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOne-Kind-Favor-B-B-King%2Fdp%2FB001CT05XA%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dmusic%26qid%3D1221886320%26sr%3D1-1&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">One Kind Favor</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=ur2&o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />," (Geffen Records) represents sort of a comeback for the King of the Blues. Much of the credit goes to producer T. Bone Burnett, who tried to duplicate the sound of King's recordings from the 1950s with much success.<br /><br />Wisely, Burnett bypassed the current formula of pairing blues legends with rock stars, a technique that might sell CDs, but often produces bland, if not lifeless, recordings.<br /><br />Instead, Burnett recruited a crack band of session pros, including Nathan East on stand up acoustic bass and Jim Keltner on drums. Dr. John, who contributes on piano, is the best known band member, but he never steals the show, leaving the spotlight for B.B. and Lucille, his trusty guitar.<br /><br />Speaking of King, his playing and vocals are in fine form, as usual. And, the song selection of old blues covers are impeccable, including songs by T-Bone Walker, Lemon Jefferson, John Lee Hooker, Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf)and Lonnie Johnson, to name a few.<br /><br />The other CD comes from Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBorn-Arkansas-Willie-Eyes-Smith%2Fdp%2FB0019HBXRW%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dmusic%26qid%3D1221886410%26sr%3D1-1&tag=bluesmusicnow-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Born in Arkansas</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bluesmusicnow-20&l=ur2&o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />" (Big Eye Records) is state-of-the-art Chicago blues from Muddy Waters' former drummer from the 1960s and 1970s. Smith also played with Bo Diddley, Johnny Shines, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, a veritable who's who of blues legends.<br /><br />On "Born in Arkansas," Smith is backed by veterans of the Chicago blues scene, including Bob Stroger on bass, Barrellhouse Chuck on piano, Billy Flynn on guitar, Little Frank Karkowski on guitar and Smith's son, Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith on drums.<br /><br /><a href="http://williebigeyessmith.com/">"Big Eyes" Smith</a> contributes vocals and harmonica on the recording, which doesn't stray far from the tried and true sound of Chicago blues. That's meant as a compliment of the highest order ... if anyone else does a better job with this genre of blues, I'd like to hear it. Certainly, the old man himself, Muddy Waters, would be proud of his former band mate if he were alive to tell us.</font><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;">--Jeff Stevens</span><br /></div><br /><br><br>editorbluesmusicnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145861311477358534noreply@blogger.com1