Shemekia Copeland Done Come Too Far Alligator Records Today Shemekia Copeland is the soul blues voice of her generation. A sort of understatement since early on she has won numerous accolades. She is the second female Entertainer of the Year and first black woman to combine her talent and deep social conscience. Most of the […]
The Steve Strongman Blues Remedy Volume 1 Stony Plains Music “Hard Luck” opens this rocking good time. On most of the tracks Strongman plays guitar, harmonica and bass and takes writing credit. The only co-writes are when he features a special guest. Special guests include fellow Canadians; Steve Marriner on one track. Vocalist Harrison Kennedy […]
Dylan Triplett Who is He Vizztone Label Group Produced by bassist Larry Fulcher Triplett’s debut includes contributions from guitarist Johnny Lee Schell and on organ the late Mike Finnigan. The album was recorded at the Blue Lotus Studio in St. Louis. Other guitarists include Dr. Wayne Goins and special guests Chris-tone Kingfish Ingram, Sean McDonald, […]
Dave Specter Six String Soul: 30 Years on Delmark Delmark Records Dave Specter opens Disc one with the song “Buzz Me Baby” and the line “buzz me baby, I’ll be waiting for your call, if you forgot the number you don’t have to call at all. Specter is always evolving utilizing tempo changes as on […]
Bob Margolin and Bob Corritore So Far Vizztone Lable Group Bob Margolin vocals and guitar, and Bob Corritore harmonica are both previous Blues Music Award winners. Corritore who holds eight nominations overall, won a BMA for “Historical Album of the Year” in 2011. Bob Margolin has 13 nominations overall and has won five which is […]
Brad “Guitar” Wilson Brad “Guitar” Wilson Not to be confused with another Brad Wilson, Brad “Guitar” Wilson is an exciting entertainer. Considered more than a talented guitarist he is also a talented entertainer having toured with the legendary group “Chicago”. Wilson has opened for Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick, “.38 Special”, Marshall Tucker, and Tommy Castro. […]
Sass Jordan Bitches Blues Stony Plain Records Sass Jordan starred in the off-broadway Janis Joplin show “Love Janis”. She also toured the world with “A Bowie Celebration”. She started her solo career with a single “Tell Somebody” in 1988 and won a JUNO award, Canada’s equivalent of our Blues Music Awards. She earned three more […]
Nick Daniels and The Groove Krewe Run to Daylight Sound Business Services On Ivan Neville’s “Dumpstaphunk: Where Do We Go from Here” Nick Daniels III plays bass and is one of three featured vocalists. In the Groove Krewe Daniels steps upfront. The songs are written by Dale Murray and guitarists Rex Pierce and Nelson Blanchard. […]
Dave Weld Nightwalk Delmark Records Dave Weld was born in Chicago in 1952 and his interest in the Stones, Clapton and Mayall started changing in high school when he heard Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin Hopkins, and B.B. King. After high school Weld moved to New Mexico and studied jazz and met and jammed with Gatemouth Brown. […]
Charlie Musselwhite Mississippi Son Alligator Records Charlie Musselwhite’s last Alligator recording “100 Years of Blues” was recorded with Elvin Bishop and the album resulted in Blues Music Awards for both Album of The Year and Traditional Blues Album. Musselwhite has also been the winner of the Traditional Blues Male Artist and he continues to display […]
Brad Absher and the Superials Tulsa Tea Horton Records Brad Absher was one of several guitarists who played on Annika Chambers debut album released in 2014. Later that same year Absher released his own debut album combining original songs with selected covers including William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water Until Your Well Runs Dry” […]
Delbert McClinton Outdated Emotion Hot Shot Records “Outdated Emotion” is Delbert McClinton’s 30th album. It’s difficult to know where to begin when reviewing such a prolific artist. McClinton combines elements of jazz, rock and blues into his own homemade stew. In 2013 Delbert reunited with Glen Clark. The pair had recorded “Delbert and Glen” in […]
The Hogtown Allstars Hog Wild “The Hog Town Allstars” debut album is appropriately named “Hog Wild”. It consists of some truly dynamic and experienced players. Collectively they have earned more than 20 Maple Blues Awards, five JUNO awards, two Lifetime Achievement Awards and countless other blues and jazz awards. The band features former DownChild Blues […]
Anthony Geraci Blues Called My Name Blue Heart Records The first time I ever heard Anthony Geraci was on his previous recording “Take It from Me” where he was paired playing piano with Sugar Ray Norcia who was on harmonica and vocals. At the time Geraci also fronted his own band and the previous year […]
Trudy Lynn Golden Girl This is Trudy Lynn’s eighteen recording. Lynn often writes about domineering men and prostitution. Women like the “TV Mama” “the one with the big wide screen”. This all-original new recording features Kevin Mckendree keyboards, Yates McKendree guitar, Terry Wilson bass and background vocals, Teresa James background vocals, and Brennen Temple drums. […]
The Love Light Orchestra Leave the Light on Both the older and the newer recordings are produced by Matt Ross-Spang. The first album includes John Nemeth singing as he covers Bobby “Blue” Bland on the 1961 hits “Turn On Your Love Light”, and again on the 1966 hit “Poverty”. Nemeth also covers songs from Little […]
Tommy Castro A Bluesman Comes to Town Alligator Records This new album is produced by Tom Hambridge who also co-writes and plays drums. He is widely known as the drummer/producer Buddy Guy where he plays the same roles. Hambridge is also co-writer along with Castro and his regular writing partner. A Bluesman Comes to Town […]
Deb Ryder Memphis Moonlight Vizztone Label Group Deb Ryder got her start when as a teenager she would open for visiting artists at her father’s nightclub. She wound up opening for Etta James, Big Joe Turner, Charlie Musselwhite and Taj Mahal. Ryder recorded her debut album “Might Just Get Lucky” in 2013. Her fifth studio […]
Tia Carroll You Gotta Have It! Little Village Foundation Tia Carroll has been performing in California’s Bay Area for decades. She made her own successful albums in both Italy and Brazil, This is the album her fans have been waiting for and her first stateside studio recording. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by […]
Elizabeth King Living In The Last Days Bible & Tire Recording Co. After a terrible car accident King was told she would never walk again and so she has since pledged herself to the Lord. Elizabeth King, primarily recorded singles, but she quit recording Sacred Soul in the mid-seventies to raise her fifteen children. Producer […]
Etta James The Montreux Years Montreux Sounds/Montreux Media Ventures Jamesetta Hawkins was born in 1938, known professionally as Etta James, she was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, and Jazz. Starting in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as ”At Last”, “Tell Mama”, “Something’s Got a Hold on […]
Wee Willie Walker Not In My Lifetime Blue Dot Records Born in Hernando, Mississippi, Wee Willie Walker’s career spanned six decades as he was one of the last real soul singers. He recorded nine sides for the Memphis based Goldwax label in 1968. More recently, between 2004 and 2011, Walker recorded three albums with the […]
Various Artists 50 Years of Genuine Houserockin’ Music Alligator Records Alligator, the Chicago based label, is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. In 1971 Alligator President Bruce Iglauer started operating out of his efficiency apartment. The first album issued was “Hound Dog Taylor and The Houserockers”. The catalog now contains over 350 titles. Iglauer has stuck to […]
Maria Muldaur Let’s Get Happy Together Stoney Plain Records Six-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur was raised in Greenwich Village. In 1963 she began her recording career as a member of The Even Dozen Jug Band. She left the following year and joined The Jim Kweskin Band where she married Geoff Muldaur. As a duo she […]
Bob Corritore & Friends Spider In My Stew Vizztone Label Group/SWMAF Records Bob Corritore was born in Chicago and as an adolescent got hooked on blues harmonica. He studied and received playing tips from some of the cities finest, including Carey Bell, Big Walter Horton, and Junior Wells. Corritore moved to Pheonix when he was […]
Dumpstaphunk Where Do We Go From Here Mascot Label Group/The Funk Garage Art “Poppa Funk” Neville formed the New Orleans Funk band, Neville Sounds, in the early 1960’s and later changed their name to the Meters. With his brothers Cyril, Aaron and Charles, he also formed the Neville Brothers; and The Funky Meters with a […]
Joanna Connor 4801 South Indiana Avenue Keeping The Blues Alive Records Joanna Connor is a Chicago based singer & songwriter who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was magnetically drawn to the blues of The Windy City. She has shared the stage with James Cotton, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. Connor released her first recording […]
Steve Cropper Fire It Up Provogue Records/Mascot Music Steve Cropper is the Memphis born guitarist, songwriter and record producer who began as a member of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M. G.’s. Besides backing artists Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor; he played on the Mar-Key’s hit […]
Will Porter Tick Tock Tick Gramofono Sound This is a re-issue of Will Porter’s “Tick Tock Tick” one of the most critically acclaimed soul drenched roots albums. Unfortunately, at the time it was a limited release. Will Porter was born in West Virginia in 1959 where as a youngster he sang gospel. He worked with […]
Jimmie Bratcher I’m Hungry Independent Kansas City’s Jimmie Bratcher was first influenced by 1960 guitarist Eric Clapton. Other guitar influences included Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, and B.B. King. He played in several bands but his substance abuse caused them to fail. He divorced but later reunited with his wife, abandoned music, and put his faith […]
Chris Cain Raisin’ Cain Alligator Records Now sixty-seven, Chris Cain was born in San Jose, California to a Greek mother and African-American father. As a teenager he began playing guitar and went on to study music at San Jose City College. Along the way he also mastered piano, bass, clarinet, and saxophone. Cain released his […]
Tomislav Goluban Express Connection Blue Heart Records Tomislav Goluban was inspired by harp masters Little Walter, Paul Butterfield and Gary Primich. The Croatian musician, whose surname translates to Pigeon, formed Little Pigeon’s Forhill Blues Band in 1997. His debut recording “Pigeon’s Flight” was released in 2005. Goluban traveled to Memphis to compete in the International […]
Damon Fowler Alafia Moon Landslide Records Damon Fowler was born and raised a few miles east of Tampa. He first picked up the guitar when he was twelve; and has also mastered both the Dobro and lap steel. Fowler released his debut recording “Riverview Drive”, produced by Rick Derringer, in 1999. Two more independently released […]
Rick Holmstrom See That Light LuEllie Records Rick Holmstrom was born in Fairbanks but later relocated to Southern California. While attending college he joined a local blues band and sat in with Smokey Wilson and Junior Watson. Holmstrom was the guitarist in The William Clarke Band from 1985 to 1988. He joined up with another […]
Blues Society of Central, Pa. Backyard Blues Blue Heart Records The Blues Society of Central Pa. has been hosting a weekly Thursday night jam for more than twenty-years. The 2020 pandemic forced the cancellation of the weekly event. The society switched gears to broadcast the sessions on their facebook page and to keep the blues […]
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Volume 2 Stony Plain Records Luther Dickinson explains how this 2007 recording session came to be. “The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers …was conceived in the back of a tour bus…Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jimbo Mathis, and Charlie Musselwhite had hit the road together with the North Mississippi Allstars […]
Joe Lewis Band Up Next Independent James Joseph Lewis hails from Picayune Mississippi, an hour north of New Orleans. Most of the music he heard growing up was either blues or gospel and he started playing guitar at the age of ten. After struggling with the ups and downs of the music industry Joe was […]
JP & Ekat JP Williams Blues Band featuring Ekat Pereyra Gizzifter Records New York City born JP Williams attended Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. It was there that he began moonlighting at college coffee houses playing a mixture of folk, blues and soul. After college JP returned to the city and performed at open mikes, […]
Curtis Salgado Damage Control Alligator Records Curtis Salgado was born in 1954, in Everett Washington, approximately 200 miles from Portland. By 1976 Salgado was already a member of The Robert Cray Band and helped to launch Cray’s career as he plays harp on Cray’s 1980 debut “Who’s Been Talkin’”. Salgado is also credited for turning […]
Wildroots Sessions Volume 1 Wildroots Records Victor Wainwright was born in Savannah. He attended college in Daytona and moved to Memphis where he was employed during the day as an Air Traffic Controller at Memphis International Airport. At night Wainwright honed his piano skills in the clubs along Beale Street. He met bassist Stephen Dees […]
Dave Thomas One More Mile Blonde On Blonde Direct (Records) Limited Welsh born Dave Thomas is a veteran of the 60’s British Blues boom. By 1970 he had become the lead singer in the South Wales rock band “Blonde On Blonde”. He spent ten years as leader of the house band for England’s Shake Down […]
The Bluesbones Live On Stage Naked/Donor Productions The Bluesbones are a five-piece Blues-Rock band from Belgium first formed in 2011. The following year they released their debut album “Voodoo Guitar”. In 2012 and 2016 the band was the winner of the Belgian Blues Challenge, and finished second in 2017’s European Blues Challenge held in Denmark. […]
Neil Barnes Bald Guy With A Lot On His Mind Bar-B-Q Sound Recordings The San Francisco Bay Area’s Neil Barnes is a harmonica player strongly influenced by Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, Charlie Musselwhite and Lee Oscar. He was able to hangout, up close and personal, and witness Freddie King, Albert King and Albert Collins. During […]
Trevor B. Power What Is Real Farm 189 Records New Jersey’s Trevor B. Power began playing the guitar when he was fifteen. He was inspired by the rock n’ roll of the sixties and seventies, and spent most of his adult life playing solo acoustic at coffee houses and bars in the northeast and Arizona. […]
Stratcat Willie & the Strays On The Prowl Independent Stratcat Willie Hayes was first influenced by guitarists Michael Bloomfield, T-Bone Walker, Johnny Winter, and B.B. King. He founded the band “Blue Plate Special” in 1995, and released the album “Hot n’ Tasty” in 2002. Hayes has been keepin’ the blues alive in New York State’s […]
Early Times & The High Rollers The Corner Dealer’s Choice Records/Vizztone Label Group Sacramento raised Early Times is a blues guitarist who started playing professionally when he was sixteen. He formed his first band in 1990 and released his debut “Society for the Misunderstood”. His follow-up recordings include 1993’s “Hobo-Deluxe; and 1995’s “The Comedown”. He […]
Veronica Lewis You Ain’t Unlucky Blue Heart Records/Nola Blue Veronica Lewis hails from Haverhill, Ma. located thirty-five miles north of Boston on the New Hampshire border. Encouraged by her mother (and manager) Nancy Leotta she began playing piano when she was 6 years old. The performer has been honing her rhythmically complex piano chops and […]
Skylar Rogers Firebreather Independent Skylar Rogers was born and raised in Chicago. Her main influences include Koko Taylor, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston and B.B. King. Rogers’ listened to these and other soulful artists whom she credits for becoming as passionate a vocalist as she is. Rogers’ released her debut EP in 2018, and began touring […]
Joyann Parker Out of the Dark Hopeless Romantics Records Joyann Parker is a classically trained pianist with a degree in music from the University of Wisconsin. Before 2014 she had only sang with a wedding band. After hearing her sing Aretha Franklin’s soul classic “Chain of Fools” she was asked to join a Minneapolis based […]
Greg Sover Band The Parade Grounded Soul Records Pennsylvania based Greg Sover has been influenced by multiple genres including classic rock, blues, and reggae. He released his debut album “Songs of a Renegade” in 2016. His follow up recording was 2018’s “Jubilee”. “The Parade”, an EP completed during the pandemic, is only Sover’s third release. […]
