Bill Blue

The King Of Crazy Town

Conch Town Music

In the early 1970’s a young Carolina based guitarist named Bill Blue toured with Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. It was Crudup who wrote “That’s Alright Mama” in 1946 and it became the first song released by Elvis in 1954. After Crudup passed in 1974 Blue went on his own and released two albums in 1975, both on Feather Records. “Indian Summer Blues”, dedicated to Crudup; and the Psychedelic “Streetpreacher”. Five years later he released two more albums on Adelphi Records “Sing Like Thunder” and “Givin’ Good Boys A Bad Name”. It’s rumored he tired of the road and spent the next twenty-five years living on a house boat in the Florida Keys.

After meeting producer Ian Shaw in 2013, guitarist Blue finally released his comeback album “Mojolation”. This new follow-up, also produced by Shaw, features Matt Backer, guitar and harmonica; two additional guitarists, three bassists, three drummers, five backing vocalists, and the four-piece “Funky in The Middle Horns” led by Jason Chapman, trumpet and arrangements. The album was recorded at the Warmfuzz Studios in Key West.

Once again Blue combines his blues with Psychedelic Rock. Ten of the eleven tracks are new originals written or co-written by Blue. Blue opens with some constructive advice on “Do What I Say, Don’t Do What I Do” and on “Hunker Down”, now more true than ever before due to the Coronavirus.  Three songs were written with Backer; “Carolina Time” about his home, the title track “The King of Crazy Town”, and their vocal duet “You Ain’t Fun Anymore”.

It was B.B. King who offered encouragement to Blue when he first contemplated going out on his own and Blue wrote “Indianola” as a tribute. The only tune not from Blue is a cover of “I Want It All” written and recorded by Eddie Hinton in 1978.

Blue is different sounding than today’s blues-rockers. Better check out this powerhouse.

Richard Ludmerer