Ronnie Earl Good News Blues N’ Soul Stony Plain Records It was sometime around 1987 that I went to The Abilene on 8th Avenue at 13th Street to hear a blues band called “Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters”. The club was later to become “Chicago B.L.U.E.S.” Ronnie had been the lead guitarist for “Roomful of […]
The Nighthawks 444 EllerSoul Records The Nighthawks, one of my favorite Blues bands, were formed in 1972. In 1986 they released “Hard Living” on the Varrick label and the next year followed with “Backtrack”. Soon after these albums were released Jimmy Thackery left the band. My interest was revived again in 1996 when they recorded […]
Dave Keller Soul Changes Tastee Tone Records I first heard Dave Keller at Michael Cloeren’s Pennsylvania Blues Festival in 2013. Dave opened the Saturday night after party in the Adventure Center. He gave an outstanding soul blues performance and then backed up the great Johnny Rawls. “Soul Changes” received a nomination for Soul Blues Album […]
Eden Brent released her first independently produced cd in 2003. In 2006 she won the International Blues Competition for best solo performer. Since signing with Yellow Dog Records, Brent has been nominated for nine Blues Music Awards and won three times. In 2009 she was the Acoustic Artist of the Year and her recording “Mississippi […]
Doug Sahm Guitarist/Vocalist Doug Sahm may have been the first hippie in Texas. His recording career took him to San Francisco but his home was somewhere between San Antonio and Austin. Sahm mixed rock with country, blues, soul, jazz and conjunto music and recorded under the names The Sir Douglas Quintet, The Texas Tornados, The […]
Mikey Junior Traveling South Vizztone Records Mikey Junior was born Andrew Michael Hudak in Trenton, N.J. but now resides in Bucks County, Pa. He released his first recording, “The 420 Sessions” in 2003. Whenever I listened to it I felt that the album could be a primer for harmonica students. Even back then he had […]
Waylon Jennings Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings Sagauro Road Records In 1958 Buddy Holly hired bassist Waylon Jennings. In Clear Lake, Iowa, Holly chartered a plane to take his band to their next venue. Jennings gave up his seat to J.P. Richardson a.k.a. the Big Bopper, who had a head cold. The plane carrying […]
Nick Moss Band Time Ain’t Free Blue Bella Records I first heard Nick Moss at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis. Moss had collected nominations in every category including Best New Artist (2003), Best Instrumentalist Guitar (2007), Best Contemporary Album (2004), Best Traditional Album (2007’s “Live At Chan’s”), and 5 times as Band of The […]
The Seldom Scene Long Time….Seldom Scene Smithsonian Folkways Records John Duffey and Tom Gray were both members of The Country Gentleman, one of the best bluegrass bands of their day. Gray left in 1964 while Duffey stayed for five more years. In 1971 Duffey, mandolin and lead tenor vocals, formed The Seldom Scene along with […]
Jim Byrnes St. Louis Times Black Hen Music Jim Byrnes is an actor (the Wiseguy and Highlander television series) and a musician. Born in St. Louis he developed a strong appreciation for the blues ever since he first picked up a guitar in 1964. Since relocating to Canada, Byrnes has worked numerous times with Steve […]
Rodney Crowell Tarpaper Sky New West Records This is Rodney Crowell’s fifteenth album and first for New West Records. Crowell will be 64 in August and he is quite possibly the youngest of our Country Music icons. Crowell is a fabulous songwriter and singer who has won both an ASCAP lifetime achievement award and […]
In 1961, when I was thirteen years old, my mother would tell me to go to bed and unknown to my parents I would place my Emerson 9 volt transistor radio under my pillow and listen to WJRZ’s folk music show. When it was over I tuned in WWVA from Wheeling West Virginia. I read […]
Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson (1917-1988) was an alto saxophone player equally comfortable playing jump blues or jazz. He possessed a distinctive vocal style similar to that of Big Joe Turner. This is his classic 1969 recording again re-issued by Delmark Records. A former bandmate of Illinois Jacquet, Big Bill Broonzy and John Coltrane, he brought skills […]
Albert Castiglia “Solid Ground” Ruf Records Junior Wells asked Albert Castiglia to be his lead guitarist, a position once held by Buddy Guy. For several years Castiglia toured the US and Europe with Wells. Wells died in 1998 Years later when he signed with Bluesleaf Records Castiglia’s career began to take off. Castiglia received a […]
John Nemeth – “Memphis Grease” – Blue Corn Music John Nemeth is probably one of the fastest rising blues artists in a while. Performing actively since 2002, I won’t be surprised when he’s called an overnight sensation. Nemeth is an amazing harp player but it’s his voice that grabs you. Nemeth is a vocal acrobat. His voice climbs […]
Damon Fowler “Sounds of Home” Blind Pig Records “Sounds of Home” is Damon Fowler’s third cd. A lot has happened since he last released 2011’s “Devil Got His Way” his second on Blind Pig. Fowler joined forces with JP Soars and Rufus Wainwright to form “Southern Hospitality,” a bluesy southern rock band. Their first much acclaimed […]
I developed my appreciation for the wailin’,squakin’ R n’ B type of sax by listening to Roomful of Blues. Their horn section turned me on. My tastes were later re-enforced by Bob Porter’s radio program “Portraits in Blue”. Porter used to highlight this type of sax player. Among them were Greg Piccolo, Doug “Mr. Low” […]
The Hag’s Blues Merle Haggard I Am What I Am Vanguard/Hag Records In 1969 when I first heard “Okie From Muskogee” I was a little put off, but when Merle Haggard followed that with “The Fightin’ Side of Me” I purchased the live album of the same name. I have since remained a big Haggard fan […]
Bluegrass Voices – A Lifetime Appreciation By Richard Ludmerer I had been into folk music but the summer of 1961 I was introduced to both Chicago Blues and to Bluegrass. Bluegrass won out as I thought the five string banjo was the greatest thing I had ever heard. In a record store in Great Barrington […]
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers “The Devil You Know” Alligator Records Tommy Castro’s last four albums have all been nominated as Blues Album of the Year at the annual Blues Music Awards. Overall he has received twelve Blues Music Award nominations and won six ties; not a bad percentage. Castro’s first Alligator Records release, 2009’s […]
The Bob Lanza Blues Band Til The Pain is Gone Self-produced Bob Lanza learned by apprenticing. Lanza spent four years as bandleader for Floyd Phillips and the Mudflaps where he learned to serve the blues. He has also played with James Cotton and Nashville’s Dave Perkins. The Bob Lanza Blues Band’s […]
