The Best of the Grateful Dead (2 CD’s) www.Dead.net – www.Rhino.com Issued as part of the Dead’s fiftieth anniversary, their “long strange trips” will (supposedly) conclude over the Fourth of July weekend (2015) with three shows titled “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating Fifty Years of the Grateful Dead” at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Previously there have only […]
In In Tune: Charley Patton, Jimmie Rodgers and The Roots of American Music, Ben Wynne has written an important book that supplies a great deal of information about two key figures in American popular music and the blues, country and rock ‘n roll music they fostered. The book is well-researched and for the most part […]
Michael Williams Band Website https://michaelwilliamsband.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Williams-Band/225985637465497 Reverbnation https://www.reverbnation.com/rpk/michaelwilliamsband Booking [email protected] AN exclusive interview with Michael WIlliams! by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Texas-born Michael Williams is “The One to Watch.” He is “The Next Great Guitarist.” He combines blistering guitar licks and intense performance energy with soulful songwriting and a dynamic voice; bringing younger fans that raw, classic, Rock […]
Eight O’Five Jive Too Many Men Red Rudy Too Tunes Eight O’Five Jive were the winners of the 2014 Nashville Independent Music Award for “Best Live Blues Performers”. This 12 song jump blues “operetta”, as they humorously call their debut album, is a set culled from vintage Rhythm and Blues recordings. The band is led […]
Doug MacLeod Exactly Like This Reference Recordings Doug MacLeod has been nominated for thirteen Blues Music Awards. He finally won in 2014 for both Acoustic Album of the Year, “There’s a Time”; and more importantly as Acoustic Artist of the Year. His song “The Entitled Few”, from that album, also received a 2014 nomination as […]
Jerry Williams “Gone” www.RealGoneMusic.com Jerry Williams (AKA Jerry Lynn Williams) is more known as a songwriter than solo artist. From this recording Delbert McClinton covered and notched a hit with Williams’ “Givin’ It Up for Your Love.” From later Williams’ albums; Eric Clapton covered “Forever Man,” “Pretending” and “Running on Faith,” with millions of copies […]
Making a Scene-INDIE BLUES vol 1 from makingascene on 8tracks Radio. When I wrote the article “Selling the Blues” I did not anticipate the immense support the idea of re-branding the Blues would garner. But, it was also met with criticism and confusion as to exactly what was “Indie Blues”, what music should be in […]
Ghost Town Blues Band Hard Road to Hoe Independent The Ghost Town Blues Band represented the Memphis Blues Society in both 2013 and 2014 at The International Blues Challenge. A finalist in 2013 they took 2nd place in 2014. It seems that with time this band just gets better and better. This is the bands third […]
Tad Robinson Day into Night Severn Records As a fan of Memphis styled music there are few singers that affect me the way Otis Redding and Al Green did way back in the late sixties and early seventies. One of them is Tad Robinson. Robinson is a blue eyed soul singer. This is his sixth […]
Vanilla Fudge was one of the most interesting groups of the late ’60s, with a sound that was definitely psychedelic but also heavy enough to verge on the later heavy metal. Amazingly, almost 50 years later they still have the same sound! Not only that, but all but one of the original members are recording […]
AN Exclusive Interview with Greg Nagy! by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Born in 1963, in Flint, Michigan, the “Auto City” birthplace of once-mighty General Motors, young guitarist Greg was fortunate to grow up with friends whose older siblings encouraged an exploration of soul, rock, funk, jazz, and the Motown Sound originating down Interstate 75 in […]
Betty LaVette “Child of the Seventies” www.RealGoneMusic.com It has taken nearly forty years to have Betty LaVette’s “Child of the Seventies” unearthed, but the wait was worth it as this lost gem has aged like a fine bottle of wine. Soon to be seventy years young – the youthful soul diva had several brushes with […]
I remember seeing Rev. Peyton and His Big Damn Band open for Flogging Molly in 2008. I was completely befuddled: “What is this?” But by the end of the kinetic set I was loving it. That has not changed with the release of “So Delicious.’ Rev, Peyton’s Big Damn Band is not like any other […]
An Exclusive Interview with Matt Isbell of the Ghost Town Blues Band by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud “With a shoot-from-the-hip Memphis attitude, and a STAX-busting explosion of modern blues vision, GTBB represents a welcome changing of the guard.” -Mark Uricheck Living Blues Magazine April 2012 Beale Street’s latest success story and 2014 INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE […]
Grateful Dead “Dave’s Picks Vol. 13” 2/24/74 (3 CD’s) www.Dead.net – www.Rhino.com The bottomless Dave’s Picks series presents handpicked Grateful Dead performances from over four decades of thousands of gigs. Volume thirteen unearths the entire three-set performance from the final night of their three-night run at San Francisco’s legendary (previously an ice-skating rink) Winterland Ballroom/Arena. […]
Barbara Blue Memphis Blue: Sweet, Strong and Tight Big Blue Records Barbara Blue was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa. She moved to Memphis in 1997 and has been performing there ever since. She has been named “The Queen of Beale Street” and on Friday May 8, after the ribbon is cut on the brand new […]
Dave Stryker Messin With Mister T Strikezone Records In 1980 guitarist Dave Stryker left Nebraska and moved to New York City. He joined Jack McDuff’s band and toured with him from 1984 to 1985. From 1986 thru 1995 and again from 1998 thru 2000 Stryker toured with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. Today bandleader Stryker leads […]
Hyde and Seek Featuring: Earl Thomas, Lady Bianca, Rev. Paul Smith, & Ron Thompson Neil Barnes Music Producer Neil Barnes put together this gospel blues ensemble because he finds this music especially moving. He hand picked the first few participants and the rest of the project just fell into place. All of the band members […]
An Exclusive Interview with JP Blues! by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud On the heels of releasing his brand new CD “LIVE from Darwins” which was recorded at the famous blues venue in Atlanta Georgia Darwin’s Burgers and Blues .. Recently JP competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and place in the Semi finals. […]
Bernard Allison Group In The Mix Jazzhaus Records This is a new more lyrical and improved Bernard Allison. Allison’s guitar is further back in the mix on most of the tracks and his vocals the best of his career. He sounds more relaxed and without a need to prove his guitar prowess. This is less […]
The Mike Henderson Band If You Think It’s Hot Here… Eller Soul Records Mike Henderson has been a member of the Bel Airs who recorded for Blind Pig Records in 1984. In 1988 The Fabulous Thunderbirds recorded his song “Powerful Stuff” which he had written for The Kingsnakes of which he was also a member. In […]
Brandon Santini Live & Extended! Vizztone Label Group Brandon Santini grew up in North Carolina but moved to Memphis in 2003. Brandon played all the Beale Street Blues clubs and for seven years fronted the Delta Highway Band who received a 2009 Blues Music Award nomination as Best New Artist for their debut recording “The […]
An Exclusive Interview with the Balkun Brothers by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Balkun Brothers is an American INDIE BLUES band hailing from Hartford, CT. Originally formed in 2010 by brothers Nick and Steve Balkun. Balkun Brothers has been described as “… Spectacular torch-bearers for rockin’ American blues… The band brings a raw, soulful and energetic personality […]
Gregor Hilden “In Phase” www.acoustic-music.de From Germany guitarist Gregor Hilden’s all instrumental “In Phase” recording is a joy from beginning to its almost sixty minutes end. Thirteen tracks are included, ten authored by Hilden and three are fairly well-known covers. Setting the tone; Ralph MacDonald’s forever classic “Mr. Magic” (made enormously famous by Grover Washington […]
Brad Hatfield For A Change Independent Coming back from a construction accident is not an easy thing to do. Left partially paralyzed ex-guitarist Brad Hatfield picked up the harp. Hatfield is a soulful singer and is “often compared to the likes of …Bobby Bland and Joe Cocker”. Hatfield’s 2012 debut “Uphill From Anywhere”, received him a […]
An Exclusive Interview with Lou Plaia of Reverbnation! by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Lou Plaia – Co-Founder/EVP Music Industry & Artist Relations – ReverbNation In 2006, he co-founded ReverbNation which is now the leading online music marketing platform used by more than 3 million artists, managers, labels, venues, festival/event/tour promoters and other music industry professionals to […]
An Exclusive Interview with MIA Z from the Voice by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Listen as we talk to this exciting new “Indie” blues artist who took the voice audition singing the Blues. Mia gets her musical talents from her mom who works as a social worker but has always been a music lover. One […]
Jeff Jensen Morose Elephant Swing Suit Records The Jeff Jensen Band was formed in 2004 and performed at The International Blues Challenge in 2005 and 2007. Their self-titled first album was also released in 2007. In 2011 Jensen moved to Memphis and there found work with harmonica ace Brandon Santini. In 2013 Jensen released his […]
An Exclusive Interview with Zeke Johnson by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Zeke Johnson was born Oct. 28, 1943, in Ripley, MS., and he lived in Blue Mountain, MS, from ’48- ’54. He moved to Memphis when he was eleven. Both parents and his two sisters were musical, and encouraged him with his interest in music. He […]
An Exclusive Interview with Jeff Jensen by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Growing up listening to 50’s, 60’s and 70’s Rock –N-Roll, the Blues was always just a step away. So when Jeff started playing guitar at age 11 the significance of blues was overwhelming. Flirting with different styles of music like Rock and Roll, Funk, […]
Benny Turner Journey Nola Blue Benny Turner and his older brother Freddie grew up in Gilmer, Texas where they were exposed to country blues and the music of T-Bone Walker. Once the family moved to Chicago’s West Side his brother began to make a name for himself as Freddie King. While Freddie became a guitar […]
Willie Dixon will be inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame at the 46th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner in New York City June 18 He will be joined by Cyndi Lauper, Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia, Toby Keith, and Linda Perry. It is wonderful to see this bluesman recognized by this prestigious organization, as […]
The Blues Foundation has announced three living performers to be inducted into its Blues Hall of Fame. The three are Tommy Brown, Eric Clapton and Little Richard! What a wonderful thing for Atlanta blues fans, to see our own Tommy Brown honored in this fashion! The press release states, “In the early ‘50s Tommy Brown […]
Exclusive interview with Jill Kettles by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud In a very short time “Miss Jill PR” has become a major force in the Blues industry by landing, as one of her first clients, the impressive roster of artists on German based Ruf Records. Jill Kettles is not new to the business, her move […]
Gov’t Mule Featuring John Scofield Sco-Mule Evil Teen Records In 1994 Gov’t Mule was formed as a side project by Allman Brothers Band members Warren Haynes, guitar; and Allen Woody, bass. Joining them was Matt Abts who had formerly played drums in The Dickey Betts Band. Gov’t Mule has ten studio albums and numerous live […]
JP Blues recently released a digital only live recording from a show at Darwin’s Burgers and Blues in Marietta, GA. JP is a favorte there and the crowd was thrilled to see him and his band. Reviewing an earlier show at Darwin’s, I wrote, It’s a cliche’ to speak of musicians making a guitar “sing” […]
Honey Island Swamp Band Cane Sugar Louisiana Red Hot Records When hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005 many residents found themselves stranded and unable to go home. Such was the case with Aaron Wilkinson (acoustic guitar, mandolin) and Chris Mule (electric guitar). Also in San Francisco at the time were evacuees Sam Price (bass) and […]
An Exclusive Interview with Eliza Neals by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud ELIZA NEALS is a dynamic front woman, multi-talented musician, confident producer and outstanding live performer plus the voice of the ‘new blues’ for this generation. National press and radio says “Eliza has such power in her voice that she can take on a big […]
SHOW # 261 – 02/16/15 ROUNDTABLE # 4 – MUSICIANS,CLUBS & BMI – MUSIC ROYALTIES & WHAT THEY MEAN TO YOU Panelists included Musician, Tas Cru, VP River City Management, Carson Lamm and BMI Executive Jeff Syracuse. The conversation revolved around the reasons BMI (and ASCAP & SECAN) do what they do and how the […]
Tony Joe White “The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings” www.RealGoneMusic.com Tony Joe White’s late sixties signing to Monument Records took-off with a series of hits starting with “Polk Salad Annie.” The Real Gone label focuses on his subsequent early seventies output for this double disc compilation of the LP’s he made for Warner Brothers. Three albums […]
Linsey Alexander Come Back Baby Delmark Records Linsey Alexander was born in Holly Springs, Ms. on July 23rd, 1942. Alexander has lived in both Memphis, and in Chicago where he has been part of the North Side’s blues scene for the last two decades. Alexander’s debut recording 2004’s “Someone’s Cookin’ in My Kitchen” included a […]
Lead Belly The Smithsonian Folkways Collection Box Set Smithsonian Folkways Lead Belly, born Huddie Ledbetter in 1889, was incarcerated three times. The first time he was on a chain gang but escaped. In 1918 he was imprisoned because he killed a man in a fight over a woman. He was released in 1925 after writing […]
Exclusive Interview with Shaun Murphy! by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud She found her way to the Blues stage in 1969 at the first Ann Arbor Blues Fest, and was completely smitten. Getting to play at such an important milestone festival had my head spinning. That was my awakening to the Blues, and I couldn’t have […]
Chris Spedding Joyland Cleopatra Records Chris Spedding is a British guitarist who has been on the music scene some fifty years. In 1975 he scored big with the hit single “Motorbikin’”. He has worked with The Sex Pistols, Jack Bruce, John Cale, Paul McCartney, Robert Gordon, Roxy Music with Bryan Ferry, and King Mob with […]
SHOW # 260 – 02/09/15 ANGEL FORREST – originally Sat On The Couch back on December 8th, but technical difficulties wiped out her portion of the show, so she came back to tell her story once again. Angel is a wonderful singer and performer from Canada who has won multiple Maple Blues Awards, including two more […]
Grateful Dead “Dick’s Picks Volume 13” Nassau Coliseum 5/6/81 www.RealGoneMusic.com This is only the second of the (than) thirteen Dick’s Picks series that Dick Latvala selected from the eighties. Latvala kept no secrets about his preferences for early seventies sets, and was quoted “the eighties are a challenge for anyone.” I concur with Latvala as […]
Dana Fuchs Songs From The Road Ruf Records Back in April of 2001, the off-broadway production of “Love Janis” opened at The Village Theater. Dana Fuchs was one of several singer/actresses who alternated in the role of Janis Joplin. The performance included many of Joplin’s more familiar songs including “Piece of My Heart”, “Me and […]
Igor Prado Band & Delta Groove All Stars Way Down South Delta Groove Records As a left handed youngster Brazilian Igor Prado taught himself the guitar. In 2007 (after recording three albums under the name The Prado Blues Band) Igor released his first album as The Igor Prado Band and called it “Upside Down”. He […]
An Exclusive Interview with Tinsley Ellis by Richard Lhommedieu on Mixcloud Southern blues-rocker Tinsley Ellis may speak no evil, but he sings and plays with the conviction of, as Billboard wrote, “…a man possessed.” Over the course of eleven albums and literally thousands of live performances, Ellis easily ranks as one of today’s most electrifying […]
Jeff Jensen has just released his 4th studio album, Morose Elephant, and it is a real treat. The project consists of seven original songs and four fantastic covers. My absolute favorite cut is Jensen’s duet with Victor Wainwright, “What’s the Matter With the Mill,” which is a traditional song. It is just bursting with joy […]