Duke Robillard Band Blues Full Circle Stony Plain Records Duke Robillard formed Roomful of Blues in 1967. Since 1992 he has performed as the Duke Robillard Band accumulating 22 Blues Music Award nominations and winning 6 times. He won four times as Best Instrumentalist – Guitar and once as Traditional Male Artist of Year; and […]
Annika Chambers Wild & Free Under The Radar Music Group Annika Chambers was born and raised in the Houston, Tx. area. Influenced by Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, and Dottie Peoples she began singing gospel. While serving eight years in the Army, with tours in Kosovo and Iraq, she began to develop an appreciation for the […]
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Strong Like That Severn Records Formed in 1974 by Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan, Keith Ferguson and Mike Buck The Fabulous Thunderbirds have just released their fourteenth album. They had a top ten hit in 1986 with “Tuff Enuff” which helped insure their longevity. That same year they won The Blues Music Award […]
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Maxwell Street Stony Plain Records Ronnie Earl formed The Broadcasters twenty-five years ago and is a three time Blues Music Award winning guitarist. Earl dedicates this new album “Maxwell Street” to both David Maxwell, his friend and soul brother, and to that famed Chicago location where musicians gathered to play […]
New Orleans Suspects Kaleidoscoped Louisiana Red Hot Records This band first played together in 2009 at The Maple Leaf Bar; they called themselves The Unusual Suspects. They decided to tour in 2011 and renamed themselves The New Orleans Suspects. That same year they released their self-titled first album. They followed up with 2012’s “Caught Live […]
JJ Thames Raw Sugar DeChamp/Malaco Records JJ Thames (pronounced “Timms”) was born in Detroit into a blue collar General Motors family. She began performing at the age of nine and is trained in piano and both classical and jazz vocal technique. At the age of 18 she began performing on the “Chitlin Circuit” with Marvin […]
Grady Champion One of a Kind Malaco Records Grady Champion was born in October 1969 and grew up in Canton, Ms. He was the youngest of 28 siblings. He moved to Miami, Fl. and in the early 90’s had a brief career as a rapper performing under the name MC Gold. He discovered his love […]
Welcome back The Queen of Blues Rock Guitar by Richard Ludmerer Joanna Connor Six String Stories M.C. Records Joanna Connor was one of the performers at the 2015 Bradenton Blues Festival. Her set showcased her fabulous guitar stylings. She is a Chicago based singer & songwriter who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and was magnetically drawn […]
The 17th Annual New York City Blues & BBQ Festival At Pier 97 (57th St. & 12th Ave) August 20th 2016 Written and photographed by Richard Ludmerer Every year I look forward to this free festival. This year it was held in a new location which proved to be ideal. They placed the stage closest […]
Brian Langlinais Right Hand Road Patoutville Records Brian Langlinais (long’la-nay) hails from Lafayette, Louisiana. His father was a sax player with The Shondells the first swamp pop super group. In college Langlinais double majored in trumpet and vocal performance eventually settling on the latter. Langlinais music is heavily influenced by his deep Acadian roots which […]
Lew Jetton & 61 South Rain Coffee Street Records Lew Jetton was born in Humboldt, Tennessee in 1959. After college Jetton worked in radio before becoming a meteorologist and local television personality in Jackson. In 1989 he became a weekend news anchor in Paducah, Kentucky. Around 1994 Jetton joined the Paducah based blues band “61 […]
Smoky Greenwell South Louisiana Blues Greenwell Records Smoky Greenwell, harmonica, is best known as Lee Oskar’s replacement in the band WAR. Not only can Greenwell play funk, rock, and rhythm and blues but he is also immersed in the music of New Orleans. He has shared the stage with everyone including Snooks Eaglin, Coco Robicheaux, […]
Kat Riggins Blues Revival Bluzpik Media Group Kat Riggins had been on the South Florida blues scene for some time as occasionally she could be seen sitting in during a jam. Her first album released in August of 2014 was “Lily Rose” on the Tate Music label. Then on February 27th Riggins and her new […]
Johnny Winter Down & Dirty Secret Weapon Films Director Greg Olliver became part of the Johnny Winter entourage. He traveled the world with Winter and his band for what would be the last two years of Johnny’s life. The DVD opens with Winter on his bus with his guitarist/manager Paul Nelson and bassist Scott Spray. […]
Kenny Neal Bloodline Cleopatra Blues Kenny Neal is the son of the late Raful Neal (1936-2004). Raful was considered the father of Baton Rouge Blues and is an inductee in the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame. Since his father’s death the younger Neal has become the patriarch of the musical Neal family. He has six […]
Al Basile Mid-Century Modern Sweetspot Records In 1973 when Duke Robillard was putting together the original Roomful of Blues he chose Al Basile as his first trumpet player. Both of them left that band in 1975 but they have remained friends as Robillard has produced all of Basile’s albums. This is Basile’s thirteenth studio recording. […]
Isaiah B Brunt A Moment in Time Isaiah B Brunt Music Isaiah B. Brunt was born in New Zealand where he learned guitar, ukulele, and lap steel from his father. He became an Australian studio owner and record producer to assimilate enough knowledge before working on his own music. In 2010 Brunt was awarded the […]
Earl Thomas Crow Earl Thomas Music Earl Thomas Bridgeman Jr. was born in 1960 in Pikeville, Tennessee. Thomas was 22 and on his way to becoming a dentist when he suffered an accident. Upon regaining consciousness he decided instead to pursue his passion…to become a singer. His first album was 1991’s “Blue…Not Blues” on Bizarre […]
Dennis Gruenling fea. Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones Ready or Not Vizztone /Back Bender Records The first time I ever saw Dennis Gruenling was at Mike Moss’ “Blues 2000 and Beyond” at the old Playboy Club in Vernon, N.Y. He was the harp player who sat in with “Filthy Rich and The Poor Boys”. […]
The Paul DesLauriers Band Relentless Big Toe Productions In 1992 Paul DesLauriers co-founded the band “Black Cat Bone”. Their debut recording 1994’s “What A Way to Make A Living” and 1995 follow up “Bone-ified” established them as “Canada’s hottest blues rock band”. They wound up opening for Colin James when he was on tour in […]
Doug MacLeod Live in Europe Under The Radar music group Doug McLeod was born in April of 1946 in New York City. As a child he had a terrible stutter except when he sang. He started on bass but learned to play finger picking and bottleneck guitar as a sideman. He worked with Big Joe […]
Mick Kolassa Taylor Made Blues Swing Suit Records Mick Kolassa, although born and raised in Michigan, has spent the last several decades living in and around Clarksdale Ms. This is Kolassa’s third recording in as many years. In 2014 Kolassa released “Michissippi Mick” and followed up last year with the “Ghosts of The Riverside Hotel”. […]
The Lucky Losers In Any Town Dirty Cat Records The San Francisco based Lucky Losers are singer, songwriter Cathy Lemons and singer, songwriter, harmonica ace Phil Berkowitz. They are a vocal duo whose influences include Stax styled soul, blues, classic country and New Orleans funk. Their debut album “Winning Hand” was an ambitious album of […]
The Terry Hanck Band From Roadhouse to Your House Live Vizztone Label Group Terry Hanck was born in Chicago in 1944. A saxophonist, singer, and songwriter Hanck was influenced by the blues and jazz of the late fifties and early sixties. Hanck moved to California and was a member of the Berkeley based Grayson Street […]
William Bell This is Where I Live Stax Records William Bell was born William Yarbrough in 1939. He was part of the Memphis based Stax Records roster that included Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers and Isaac Hayes. In 1961 he released his first hit single “You Don’t Miss Your Water”. This was […]
Lady A Loved, Blessed & Blues Dexter Allen Entertainment Anita White a.k.a. Lady A hails from the Pacific Northwest. Her high energy and sometimes sultry/sometimes husky voice has been compared with Tina Turner. She has opened for Denise LaSalle, Little Milton, Dr. John and Shemekia Copeland. She has also toured or been on stage with […]
Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling Upward Spiral Marsalis Music/Okeh Records Branford Marsalis was born in Breaux Bridge, La. the son of Dolores and Ellis Marsalis. His father is a notable pianist and the leading musical educator in New Orleans. In 1995 saxophonist Branford recorded “Loved Ones” with his father Ellis. He and […]
Honey Island Swamp Band Demolition Day Ruf Records The Honey Island Swamp Band was formed when four New Orleans residents found themselves stranded in San Francisco. Hurricane Katrina had wrecked havoc to their city and they were unable to return home. They hardly knew each other when they established a Sunday night “residency” at John Lee […]
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne Jumpin’ & Boppin’ Stony Plain Records Kenneth Wayne Spruell a.k.a. Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne was born in Spokane, Washington in 1944. He is a blues and boogie-woogie pianist, singer and songwriter. Wayne recorded his debut album “Blues Boss Boogie” in 1988. Wayne won a Juno award, the Canadian equivalent of our […]
Royal Southern Brotherhood The Royal Gospel Ruf Records This blues-rock super-group recorded its first self-titled album in 2012. While touring Europe the following year they developed into a tight unit and recorded the Blues Music Award winning “Songs from the Road – Live in Germany”. Their sophomore studio recording 2014’s “Heart Soul Blood” was also […]
Nick Moss Band From the Root to the Fruit Blue Bella Records Nick Moss has been nominated for eighteen Blues Music Awards in eight different categories including Traditional, Contemporary, Blues Rock and as Instrumentalist – Guitar. This new two-disc studio recording features one Traditional or Roots flavored disc and one Modern or Fruit flavored one. […]
Quinn Sullivan Midnight Highway GBG Records Quinn Sullivan was born in New Bedford, Ma. in March of 1999. He is a blues guitar prodigy who played with Buddy Guy when Guy appeared at The Zeiterion Theater also in New Bedford; Sullivan was only eight years old. Sullivan made a guest appearance on Guy’s 2008 Grammy […]
Lisa Mann Hard Times, Bad Decisions Lisa Mann Music Lisa Mann was born in West Virginia. As a child she and her sister were relocated to Portland to escape an abusive father. Originally inspired by rock bands she graduated to the blues at age 19 when she began her professional career. Early influences included Etta […]
Walter Trout Alive in Amsterdam Provogue Records Walter Trout was born in Ocean City N.J. in 1951. He migrated to Los Angeles and found work with Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, and Joe Tex. In 1981 Trout became the guitarist in Canned Heat and he stayed with them until 1985. Trout joined John Mayall’s […]
Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat Live at The Kessler Underworld Indie Records Jim Suhler is a Texas Blues guitarist who was born and raised in the Dallas area where he still resides. He was exposed to bands coming out of The British Invasion, Southern Rock bands and those Texas guitarists like Bugs Henderson, Stevie Ray […]
Tinsley Ellis Red Clay Soul Heartfixer Music Tinsley Ellis was born in Atlanta but grew up in south Florida. He released his first solo album “Georgia Blue” on Alligator Records in 1988. Ellis received a Blues Music Award nomination in the category Rock Blues Album of The Year for his 2009 album “Speak No Evil” also on […]
Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing Skronky Tonk EllerSoul Records Little Charlie (Baty) is a guitarist who enjoys playing the blues. But like other guitarists his own interest in where blues meets jazz was increased by listening to others. Organists Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff have stated that they are blues players. An appreciation for […]
Alexis P. Suter Band All For Loving You American Showplace Music When I first heard Alexis P. Suter open for Levon Helm I knew I was hearing a great new talent. Suter’s second studio recording 2011’s “Two Sides” earned her a 2012 nomination as Best Soul Blues Female Artist of The Year. What I didn’t […]
Big Harp George Wash My Horse in Champagne Blues Mountain Records Big Harp George, whose real name is George Bisharat, is a retired professor from The University of California Hastings College of Law. He released his debut recording “Chromaticism” last year at the age of 59. That album earned him a 2015 Blues Music Award […]
Alabama Mike Upset The Status Quo Greaseland Records Michael Benjamin aka Alabama Mike was born in Talladega, Al. in 1964. At an early age his father encouraged him to sing gospel. After a hitch in the Navy he wounded up in the San Francisco Bay area. He developed a love for the blues but didn’t […]
Alligator Records 45th Anniversary Collection Various Artists Alligator Records The 2016 Chicago Blues Festival, June 10th – 12th, will again be held in Grant Park. This year the festival is celebrating the 45th Anniversary of Alligator Records. The Chicago based label was founded in 1971 by Bruce Iglauer. An underfinanced operation Iglauer operated out of his […]
Will Porter Tick Tock Tick Gramofono Sound Will Porter was born in West Virginia in 1959 where as a youngster he sang gospel. He worked with both Skip James and The Reverend Gary Davis before leaving for New York City. He eventually wound up going west to San Francisco where he established a weekly residency […]
Bridget Kelly Band Outta the Blues Alpha Sun Records Outta the Blues comes a love story. Bridget Kelly was born in Hudson, Wisconsin and grew up in nearby Prescott. She went to The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. She spent some time in Los Angeles before moving to […]
Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans That’s What They Say ManHat Tone Records Brad Vickers was the bass player in Little Mike & The Tornadoes. He appears on 1988’s “Pinetop Perkins with Little Mike (Markowitz) and The Tornadoes After Hours” and also on 1990’s “Heart Attack” featuring four tracks with Paul Butterfield (believed to be Butterfield’s […]
Eric Clapton I Still Do Bushbranch Records /Surfdog Records In the 1960’s Eric Clapton’s work with the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Cream caused some to proclaim that “Clapton is God”. As a rock star his guitar playing was revolutionary. Initially there was a rumor that he was afraid to sing but Clapton quickly overcame […]
Del McCoury Band Del & Woody McCoury Music Woody Guthrie (1912 – 1967) was a singer, songwriter and musician who wrote hundreds of songs. Many are today considered traditional but included were ballads, children’s songs and political tunes. Best known is his song “This Land is Your Land”. Guthrie was a big influence on other songwriters […]
Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore House Party at Big Jon’s Delta Groove Music Bob Corritore was born in Chicago in 1956. He relocated to the Phoenix area and began working with Louisiana Red. Corritore also played in a band with Janiva Magness. He started a weekly radio program “Those Lowdown Blues” on WJZZ and […]
The Rides Pierced Arrow 429 Records The Rides a bonafide super group with youth, legendary hit making, and chops are comprised of: Thirty-five year old, five time Grammy nominated and two-time Blues Music Award winning, guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd who has recorded with Hubert Sumlin and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Two-time Rock and Roll Hall […]
Shari Puorto My Obsession Blue Rock Music Shari Puorto was raised in Orange, CT. She moved to California sometime in the late 1990’s and began performing all over the state. Her musical influences include rock and blues singers Janis Joplin; Bonnie Raitt and Etta James. Puorto’s vocal tone and control have been compared to Bonnie Bramlett. […]
Tweed Funk Come Together Tweed Tone Records Tweed Funk” is a Memphis based blues, roots and soul band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band is led by vocalist Joseph “Smokey” Holman. In the mid-1970’s Smokey and his group “Love’s Children” were signed to Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom label. Holman also worked with Rufus Thomas. The remaining members of […]
