George Kilby Jr Brings a "Six Pack" CD of Americana/Roots Music Set for Release February 5, 2013

Singer-Guitarist George Kilby Jr Brings a Six Pack of New Americana/Roots Music Set for Release on February 5, 2013

Collection of Six Singles Features Special Guests from Railroad Earth, as well as Phil Wiggins and Jono Manson

BROOKLYN, NY -  Singer-guitarist George Kilby Jr, who plays what he calls “rough- cut American music,” announces a February 5, 2013, release date for Six Pack, coming from Top Frog Music, which includes special guests from Railroad Earth, as well as Phil Wiggins (Cephas and Wiggins) and Jono Manson, a member of Blues Traveler’s “extended family.”

Born and raised in Alabama, George Kilby has been playing roots-based music for over 30 years, and has been a permanent fixture of a New York City music scene that embraces everything from blues and folk to Americana, bluegrass and jamband styles. A long stint with legendary bluesman Pinetop Perkins’ band gave Kilby a woodshed schooling in the art of performing as well as playing the blues, lessons that he puts to great use on Six Pack.

On Six Pack, Kilby eschews the traditional 10-12 song album format; instead creating a collection of six singles, each one exploring a different facet of his influences and manifesting in his contemporary roots sound. He moves gracefully from “jamgrass” to Delta blues, making stops along the way at singer/songwriter, roots-rock and folk music. The five originals on the new CD are paired with a scintillating bluegrass take on Cream’s classic, “Sunshine of Your Love.”

Joining him on the journey is his long-time band, The Road Dogs, consisting of Neil Thomas (keyboard, accordion), Eric Halvorson (drums) and Arturo Baguer (bass). Jono Manson contributed guitar, backing vocals and also produced the opening track, “When the People Sang,” Kilby’s ‘60s folk anthem tribute that also features Railroad Earth member, Tim Carbone, on fiddle. “I Love You in Brooklyn,” Kilby’s ballad salute to New York’s colorful borough, showcases writer Neil Thomas’ dazzling accordion and Wurlitzer piano magic. And on “Something I Can’t Find,” which Kilby describes as “bluesy rocker with a trippy side,” he and the other pickers flex their six-string chops with a double-guitar riff that recalls The Allman Brothers Band.

“Sunshine of Your Love,” produced by Andy Goessling (also of Railroad Earth), who additionally plays various instruments on the track, is arguably the most revelatory song on Six Pack, with it’s “grassing” treatment of the iconic Cream ‘60s rock tune. Upon hearing the song, Brian Robbins of Jambands.com, described it as a “psychedelic porch stomp, with Goessling’s dobro putting a new spin on the riff created by Clapton’s Gibson SG – a new flavor of raunch. It is an absolute hoot.”

On “Cro-Magnon Man,” Kilby pens the kind of tongue-in-cheek tune that’s rarely heard on record these days: a folk/pop sly commentary on the environment and our current media craze. The album closes with “You Never See the Hand Throw the Stone,” another insightful song that touches on racism, religious hypocrisy and the financial crisis. It is given a down-home acoustic blues treatment by Kilby on guitar and dynamic harmonica all-star Phil Wiggins of acclaimed blues duo Cephas and Wiggins.

George Kilby Jr operates from both a cabin in the Catskill Mountains of New York, as well as an apartment in Brooklyn. He’ll be touring in support of the release of Six Pack with initial shows in December throughout Upstate New York and New York City, as well as a dates forthcoming in January that will take him to venues in Wyoming and other venues out west.

Triple A and Americana radio promotion for Six Pack is being handled by Brad Hunt of The WNS Group (845-358-3003 / bhsabres@aol.com).        

For more information, visit www.georgekilbyjr.com.

Do Right Women, Do Right Man - Dan Penn

Dan Penn (Nov 16, 1941) helped shape the development of southern soul music with his legendary songwriting, musicianship and production. A native of Vernon, Alabama, Penn moved to the Florence/Muscle Shoals area while still a teenager and assumed the role of lead vocalist in a local group calling itself the Mark V Combo. When asked what kind of music they played, Penn replies, “R&B, man. There was no such thing as rock. That was somethin’ you picked up and throwed.” He laughs. “Or threw.” It was around this time that he penned his first chart record, Conway Twitty's “Is a Bluebird Blue”. During the early ’60s, Penn began working with Rick Hall at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, first as a songwriter, and then as an artist under the names Lonnie Ray, Danny Lee, and finally Dan Penn. Penn’s early co-writing collaborations with Spooner Oldham while at Fame included “I’m Your Puppet,” which became a hit in 1965 for James & Bobby Purify, and “Out of Left Field,” and “It Tears Me Up” performed so memorably by Percy Sledge. He also co-wrote hits for Joe Simon, Jimmy Hughes and Wilson Pickett. Dan became an exclusive writer for Fame Publishing Co. for about three years. “It was sort of an in-house thing, where artists were comin’ and goin’, askin’ for songs, and there was sort of a built-in opportunity to try to be a commercial songwriter. According to Penn, the reason people hear touches of country in his brand of R&B is “because I’m an old hillbilly myself. Took me about 30 years to find out I was still a hillbilly. But compared to R&B, country is much easier. You ain’t got to struggle. Anybody can sing, ‘Because you’re mine, I walk the line.’ Go try to write ‘Out of Left Field’; go find all those chords and what all that means. So a hillbilly I am, but in the ’60s I really loved R&B music, and there was a lot of it to love. I loved Jimmy Reed, Bobby Bland, Ray Charles, Little Milton, James Brown… I always respected the black singers because they were always there — we were trying to get there. Knowing that the black singers wanted my songs inspired me.” A number of their classics were written for particular singers. “’Sweet Inspiration’ was written for the group the Sweet Inspirations, ‘Cry Like a Baby was written for Alex Chilton, ‘Out of Left Field’ was written for Percy Sledge,” says Penn. “I either was involved in the production or I was real close to the production teams, so when you’re in the middle of a clique, you got the power to either do it right, do it wrong or get out of the way and let somebody else do it.” One gets the impression that Penn was not the kind to get out of the way. “But you have an opportunity to score, and sometimes we scored. By that I mean comin’ up with a song that was good enough to get on the session. And then, if it came out and was a hit, the score was really complete at that point. So first you had to get on the session, and then the big question was, did it come out? And then the next question was, is it the single? At least back then. “Some of these songs weren’t written that way. ‘Do Right Woman’ wasn’t written for Aretha, nor ‘Dark End of the Street’ for James Carr. Me and Chips Moman just wrote those songs and we didn’t have anybody in mind. We worked great together while we were together—we’re so lucky to have those two songs. In 1966, Penn relocated to Memphis and began producing at Chips Moman’s American Recording Studio. While at American, Penn and Moman co-wrote “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” which Franklin turned into a soul classic, along with “Dark End of the Street,” stunningly recorded by James Carr, while Dan and Spooner came up with “Cry Like a Baby” for the Box Tops and later “A Woman Left Lonely,” written at Dan’s Beautiful Sounds Studio in Memphis, and chosen by Janis Joplin for her classic album Pearl. Penn and wife Linda relocated to Nashville in the ’70s—where he recently co-wrote and produced Bobby Purify’s comeback album, Better to Have It, in his basement studio. The session included one of Penn’s co-writers, Malaco keyboardist Carson Whitsett. The well-received album was released on Proper American in the summer of 2005. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Louise - Big Chief Ellis

Wilbert Thirkield "Big Chief" Ellis (November 10, 1914 - December 20, 1977) was an American blues pianist and vocalist. Ellis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and was an autodidact at piano. He played at local parties and dances in the late 1920s before leaving Alabama, traveling the United States and working odd jobs. He served in the Army from 1939 to 1942, then moved to New York, where he accompanied touring blues performers for their concerts in the city. He recorded with Lenox Records in 1945, and recorded for Capitol Records with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee in the 1950s. In 1972, Ellis moved to Washington, D.C., where he operated a liquor store. Towards the end of his life, Ellis began recording for Trix Records, where he played again with McGhee as well as Tarheel Slim and Cephas & Wiggins. Ellis died in Birmingham, Alabama, of heart failure aged 63 Ellis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, and was an autodidact at piano. He played at local parties and dances in the late 1920s before leaving Alabama, traveling the United States and working odd jobs. He served in the Army from 1939 to 1942, then moved to New York, where he accompanied touring blues performers for their concerts in the city. He recorded with Lenox Records in 1945, and recorded for Capitol Records with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee in the 1950s. In 1972, Ellis moved to Washington, D.C., where he operated a liquor store. Towards the end of his life, Ellis began recording for Trix Records, where he played again with McGhee as well as Tarheel Slim and Cephas & Wiggins. Ellis died in Birmingham, Alabama, of heart failure aged 63 If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

BLUES ALL DAY LONG - BOSTON BLACKIE AND OTIS BIG SMOKEY SMOTHERS

Blackie Boston Born: Nov. 6, 1943 Panola, AL R&B Vocals, Guitar aka Bennie Joe Houston Source: Alabama Music Hall of Fame Boston Blackie (Bennie Joe Houston) (aka Dog Man) - Died 7-11-1993 in Chicago, IL, U.S. - Shot ( Blues ) Born 11-6-1943 in Panola, AL, U.S. - Singer and guitarist - Was a member of Sweetman And The Sugar Boys - Worked with Little Milton, Johnny B. Moore and Lee Shot Williams. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Nothing In This World - James Peterson

Alabama-born and Florida-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter James Peterson played a gritty style of Southern-fried blues at times reminiscent of Howlin' Wolf and other times more along the lines of Freddie King. He formed his first band while he was living in Buffalo, New York and running the Governor's Inn House of Blues in the 1960s. He and his band would back up the traveling musicians who came through, including blues legends like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Big Joe Turner, Freddie King, Lowell Fulson, and Koko Taylor. Peterson was born November 4, 1937 in Russell County, Alabama. Peterson was strongly influenced by gospel music in the rural area he grew up in, and he began singing in church as a child. Thanks to his father's juke joint, he was exposed to blues at an early age, and later followed in his footsteps in upstate New York. After leaving home at age 14, he headed to Gary, Indiana, where he sang with his friend John Scott. While still a teen, he began playing guitar, entirely self-taught. Peterson cited musicians like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf (Chester Burnett), Jimmy Reed, and B.B. King as his early role models. After moving to Buffalo in 1955, he continued playing with various area blues bands, and ten years later he opened his own blues club. Too Many Knots In 1970, Peterson recorded his first album, The Father, the Son, the Blues on the Perception/Today label. While he ran his blues club at night, he supplemented his income by running a used-car lot during the day. Peterson's debut album was produced and co-written with Willie Dixon, and it featured a then-five-year-old Lucky Peterson on keyboards. Peterson followed it up with Tryin' to Keep the Blues Alive a few years later. Peterson's other albums included Rough and Ready and Too Many Knots for the Kingsnake and Ichiban labels in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Don't Let the Devil Ride The album that put Peterson back on the road as a national touring act was 1995's Don't Let the Devil Ride for the Jackson, Mississippi-based Waldoxy Records. Throughout the '90s and up to the mid-2000s, Peterson was also an active live presence on the Tampa, Florida blues scene, and the 2000s also saw Peterson record another duo album with son Lucky, 2004's If You Can't Fix It on the JSP label. Peterson returned to Alabama in the mid-2000s, and died of a heart attack there on December 12, 2010. A master showman who learned from the best and knew how to work an audience, James Peterson left a legacy not only as an accomplished blues guitarist, but also as a crafty songwriter endowed with a deep, gospel-drenched singing style. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Bad Mother - ANDRE WILLIAMS w/ MORNING 40 FEDERATION

Andre Williams (born Zephire Andre Williams on November 1, 1936) is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit. Born in Bessemer, Alabama, United States, Williams lived in a housing project with his mother until she died when he was six years of age. A sly and smart young boy, his "aunties" raised him until he was around 16. He then set out on his own and moved to Detroit, Michigan. There, he became friends with Jack and Devora Brown, owners of Fortune Records which was located at the back of a barber shop. Williams would become labels mates with fellow Fortune Records stars Nolan Strong and Nathaniel Mayer. He then became lead singer for The 5 Dollars in 1955, which already had a contract with Fortune Records. Though most of the songs were billed as 'Andre Williams and the Don Juans' (on Epic in 1956 billed as 'Andre Mr Rhythm Williams and his New Group'), "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" were solo efforts. "Bacon Fat" hit #9 on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1957. "Bacon Fat" (written by Williams) was such a success that Fortune Records sold the song to Epic Records, a much larger distributor (released as Epic 5-9196 "Bacon Fat/Just because of a Kiss"). Since "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" were such successes, Williams figured that "talking instead of singing" was a better idea for him, for he did not have as good a voice as some other singers from the 1950s. In 1960 Fortune released a complete LP, of all of his singles with the Don Juans, which was titled Jail Bait (rereleased in 1986). This was just the start of Williams' nationwide fame. In 1960 he appeared on Motown's Miracle Record label releasing "Rosa Lee". In the early 1960s, Williams co-wrote Stevie Wonder's first song, "Thank You for Loving Me." Williams' "Shake a Tail Feather" was also a hit in 1963 for the Five Du-Tones and then for Ike & Tina Turner. Alvin Cash & the Crawlers also made a hit out of the Williams song "Twine Time". As well as making these hits, Williams also supervised the making of two or more albums by The Contours. Additionally, in the '60s, Williams was the manager and roadie for soul singer Edwin Starr. In 1966 Williams released two records on the Avin Record Label, then two records were released on Detroit's Wingate label: "Loose Juice" and "Do it". Then on the Ric-Tic label in 1967 he released "You Got It and I Want It". In 1968, Williams was signed to Chess Records on Checker, Chicago's major blues label. He was back... wearing velvet lavender suits and playing "bucket-of-blood" styled joints. Chess released many hits for Williams — "Humpin' Bumpin' and Thumpin'" and "Cadillac Jack" in particular. Then, he began to work with many unknown black labels and release songs like "Sweet Little Pussy Cat" and "Rib Tips, Pts. 1 & 2." In 1968, Williams collaborated with the Natural Bridge Bunch to release "Pig Snoots," a novelty song about a man named Ricky who would "come all way cross town to get me some snoots". In the 1970s, Williams wrote some songs for Parliament (band) and Funkadelic, two popular funk groups. (Comedian Redd Foxx then dubbed Andre Williams his most famous nickname, Mr. Rhythm). Once again, Williams began to produce cuts for Ike Turner. Throughout the 1980s, Andre Williams was in poverty because of his drug addictions. He lived in Chicago, Illinois; at one point, he was homeless and begging for money on a Chicago bridge. In 1996, Andre Williams released Mr. Rhythm, which featured new renditions of his old tunes from the "Jail Bait" era. Some included "The Greasy Chicken," "Mean Jean," and "Pass the Biscuits Please." It was a definite comeback for Williams, but most of the crowd had already forgotten about him, and wanted newer-styled music. He changed his style with 1998's Silky. Considered the "world's sleaziest album ever", Silky revolutionized the punky style, dubbed sleaze rock. Mark Deming speaks about Silky: It's "noise-spattered, stripped-down, roots-punk assault, and the results are flat-out nuts." Though sleaze rockers idolized Williams, most critics preferred his original style. In 1999, he began his relationship with Bloodshot Records by recording a country album with The Sadies, entitled Red Dirt. In 2000, Andre Williams released The Black Godfather. The noisy, electric, fuzzy sound was back, with two songs backed by The Dirtbombs. By this time, Andre was already back on stage, performing at the "bucket-of-blood" clubs again. 'The Black Godfather' became his new nickname, along with the outdated 'Mr. Rhythm'. In 2001 he discussed his recent conversion to Judaism and circumcision. In 2002–2003 he toured with the Dutch sleaze rock band Green Hornet. A return to soul-style music came with Aphrodisiac in 2006. "The result is a more laid-back and funky groove that's soulful but potent at the same time, fusing '70s blaxploitation sounds, Jimmy Smith-style jazz figures, and Booker T.-influenced R&B workouts into one solid package" is the way Mark Deming described the album. Williams still plays shows in the USA, and toured Europe in 2001 (with Dutch band Green Hornet as backing band), 2005 and 2006 (with the Marshall Brothers). From August to November 2006, he had a short European tour, ending in Switzerland. Then in early 2008 a European tour with The Flash Express. In 2007, Andre finished recording his latest album with the New Orleans based band, Morning 40 Federation. The album, titled Can You Deal With It, was released by Bloodshot Records in 2008 and is credited to Andre Williams & the New Orleans Hellhounds (the pseudonymous Morning 40 Federation). In 2010 Williams contributed a cover version of "The Way You Dog Me Around" for the compilation LP Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos. The album is a tribute to the late Nolan Strong, a Fortune Records sensation during the 1950s and early 1960s. Williams has also been known to go by the alias "Rudibaker" or "Rutabaga", with which he puts on a different personality and speaks in a gravely voice. The 2007 documentary "Agile Mobile Hostile: A Year with Andre Williams" tells of Williams' early career at Fortune Records, his hard life on the streets of Chicago in the 1980s, drug and alcohol abuse, his return to the stage and recording studio in 1995, and his current life and musical career - and the struggles that come with it. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Some of my Best Friends Are The Blues - Sam Taylor, Jr.

Sam Taylor (October 25, 1934 – January 4, 2009) was an American jump blues musician and songwriter. Taylor's more popular recordings included "Funny", "Drinking Straight Tequila" and "Voice of the Blues". He variously worked with Joey Dee and the Starliters, Otis Redding, B.T. Express, The Drifters, Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker, Sam & Dave, Tracy Nelson, Mother Earth and The Isley Brothers. Taylor was inducted to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame Born Sam Willis Taylor Jr. in Crichton, a suburb of Mobile, Alabama,Taylor began singing gospel at the age of three. His Long Island connection began in 1957, during his service in the United States Air Force. He was stationed at the Westhampton Beach Air Force Base, which was a short distance from the Blue Bird Inn. After leaving the service in 1959, Taylor lived in Riverhead. His first major professional gig was as Maxine Brown's bandleader at the Apollo Theater and his first #1 R&B hit single was "Funny". Taylor himself, often going using his fuller name of Sammy Taylor, recorded for various labels including Capitol, Enjoy and Atlantic Records. The songwriter of hundreds of songs, many of them hits such as "Peace Pipe", performed by the B.T. Express, Taylor's efforts were recorded by Freddie King, Chubby Checker, Son Seals, Jimmy Witherspoon, Brook Benton, Jay and the Americans, Joey Dee, Maxine Brown and Joe Tex. Taylor also was the bandleader and/or guitarist for Big Joe Turner, The Isley Brothers, Tracy Nelson, Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. Taylor and his songwriting partner, Bennie Earl, mentored young Florida duo Sam & Dave wrote two of their early hits "People in Love" and "Listening For My Name", when the duo recorded for Roulette Records, predating their later success with Stax/Volt. Taylor was also an original member and guitarist/songwriter for Joey Dee and the Starliters. With fellow Starliter Dave Brigatti, Taylor had a strong influence on The Rascals, which included Brigatti's younger brother Eddie. He also wrote some of the first songs for The Vagrants which included Leslie West who would later go on to form Mountain. After recording and appearing in two films with the Starliters including Two Tickets to Paris, Taylor took his friend Jimi Hendrix with him to tell Joey Dee and Morris Levy to let the young upstart take his place in the group. At the start of the 1970s, Taylor and Earl were hired as staff songwriters for The Beach Boys record label, Brother Records, until Brian Wilson burned the studio with Taylor and Earl's demos for the group going up in flames. At that time, Taylor released his first solo album Tunnels Of My Mind on the GRT Corporation label. He was later hired by Roadshow Records as an A&R/songwriter for the acts they were signing. He was told by the record producer Jeff Lane that, in exchange for helping them build up the company, he would be granted a solo deal for three albums. The most notable of these artists was King David House Rockers who became B.T. Express. Taylor played rhythm guitar on all tracks of the group's first five albums, with the first three being million sellers, "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)", "Non-Stop" and "Energy to Burn". He also played the organ on the group's million seller, "Do It Your Satisfied". Taylor's song "Peace Pipe" became one of the group's biggest hits. Taylor also produced and wrote songs for Norma Jenkins debut album, Patience is a Virtue. By the late 1970s, he moved to Santa Monica, California, where at Venice Beach he attracted fellow artists such as Rickie Lee Jones and Tom Waites, but drug addiction and medical problems Threatened to dull his musical edge. Taylor moved to Tucson, Arizona to get cleaned and became a prime figure in Arizona's heavy music scene, where he hosted his own television program, Down To Earth & popular radio show called "The Blues According To Sam" On KXCI. It was also in Arizona that Taylor began a modest acting career appearing movies & TV with Lou Gossett Jr, Mario Van Peebles and Barbara Eden. He also appeared in the film, Tape Heads, with two of his compositions used in the film. Taylor's music has been heavily sampled by rap artists. The sole composition her wrote for B.T Express which was "Everything That's Good To Ya (Aint Always Good For Ya)" became an extremely popular hip hop sample used by EPMD, Beanie Sigel, Mase & more notably DMX's first #1 Platinum hit "Get at Me Dog". His prominent vicious rhythm guitar licks from those B.T Express songs can be heard sampled in SWV "Use Your Heart" & EPMD "So Wat Cha Sayin" Upon his son Bobby's death, Taylor returned to New York. He was a resident of Central Islip until his own demise. There Taylor released five albums including Blue Tears, Voice of the Blues, Bluzman Back Homewhich is a critically acclaimed live recording from his 2004 Riverhead Blues Festival set and Portrait: The Funky Side Of Sam which features the song "Freaks" duet which is a duet with his grandson L*A*W who is a Grammy Nominated Singer/Songwriter/Musician known for his work with Amy Winehouse & George Clinton/P-Funk who also is the A&R for the album. Taylor also hosted WUSB (FM)'s Blues With A Feeling radio show. Along with Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Vanilla Fudge, KISS, Mountain, Shadow Morton, Run–D.M.C. and Twisted Sister, Taylor was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Arizona Blues Hall Of Fame in 1997. Just before his death, he released his autobiography, Caught in the Jaws of the Blues. Taylor died on January 4, 2009, at his home in Islandia, New York, of complications associated with heart disease.He was aged 74 If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Tore Down - Lena Mosley

Raised in Alabama, Lena grew up singing gospel in her grandmother’s church. She moved to Sacramento with her family in 1966. In 1976, Gene Chambers heard Lena sing and encouraged her to sing the blues, taking her around town and introducing her to such influences as Johnny Heartsman, Arbess Williams, Johnny Knox and Mick Martin.
Lena performed regularly for many years with local bands before forming her own band, “Lena Mosley and The Badd Shoes Blues Band,” When Mike Balma decided to record a CD entitled “The Sacramento Blues,” it featured 10 local blues bands that included Lena’s. All the groups on the recording then toured from Sacramento to Tahoe, San Francisco, Redding, stopping at many of the surrounding cities. The Rhythm and Blues Magazine interviewed and featured an article on Lena’s participation in the tour and the CD.
Lena’s performance with the Sacramento Blues Society events span many years, performing at Christmas parties, fund raisers, jam sessions and the Blues In The School program. Lena also brought the “Blues” to the CSUS Student Body, and her band regularly performed at the Sacramento Blues Festival during the many years that Phil Givant was the producer, leading to being asked by the Jazz Jubilee to perform on subsequent occasions.
In 2006, Lena joined “The Sacramento Blues Revue,” an eight person band, as the only female vocalist. Recently the group received a SAMMIE (Sacramento Area Music Award) for the “Best Blues Band,” recognizing the band as a prominent local act. “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Ball of Confusion - Melvin Franklin (Tempations)

David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994. David English was born in Montgomery, Alabama to Rose English, a teenage mother from nearby Mobile.His biological father was the preacher of the English family's church in Mobile, who, according to his mother, impregnated her through non-consensual relations. Following David's birth, Rose English married Willard Franklin and moved to Detroit, her grandmother insisting young David be left behind in her care. David English finally moved to Detroit with his mother and stepfather in 1952 at age ten. Taking on his stepfather's surname for his stage name as a teenager, David English - now Melvin Franklin - was a member of a number of local singing groups in Detroit, including The Voice Masters with Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin, and frequently performed with his best friend, Richard Street. Franklin often referred to Street - and Ruffin, another childhood friend - as his "cousins". One day, walking home from Northwestern High School, Franklin was approached by a large teenager who was adamantly trying to get his attention. Thinking the stranger was a gang member, Franklin ran away and attempted to dodge his pursuer before learning that the young man was Otis Williams, a singer in a local group called Otis Williams and the Siberians. Franklin joined the group as its bass singer, and remained with Williams and Elbridge Bryant when they, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks formed The Elgins in late 1959. In March 1961, the Elgins signed with Motown Records under a new name; The Temptations. He had a fondness for the color blue, and so he was nicknamed "Blue" by his friends and fellow singers. According to Otis Williams, Franklin romantically pursued Supremes singer Mary Wilson at one point. Best friends for over thirty years, Williams and Franklin were the only two Temptations to never quit the group. One of the most famous bass singers in black music over his long career, Franklin's deep vocals became one of the group's signature trademarks. Franklin sang a handful of featured leads with the group as well, including the songs "I Truly, Truly Believe" (The Temptations Wish It Would Rain, 1968), "Silent Night" (Give Love At Christmas, 1980), "The Prophet" (A Song for You, 1975), and his signature live performance number, Paul Robeson's "Ol' Man River". Franklin was usually called upon to deliver ad-libs, harmony vocals, and, during the psychedelic soul era, notable sections of the main verses. His line from The Temptations' 1970 #3 hit "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "and the band played on", became Franklin's trademark. In the late 1960s, Franklin was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms of which he combated with cortisone so that he could continue performing. The constant use of cortisone left his immune system open to other infections and health problems; as a result Franklin developed diabetes in the early 1980s and later contracted necrotizing fasciitis. In 1978 he was shot in the hand and in the leg while trying to stop a man from stealing his car in Los Angeles. On February 23, 1995, after a number of seizures, he fell into a coma and remained unconscious until his death. In addition to singing, Franklin also worked as a voice actor. In 1984, he provided the voice for the character of "Wheels" in the animated series Pole Position. In 1989, Melvin Franklin was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Walkin Blues - Leon Russell and Chris Simmons

i have a very wide, yet highly selective range of influences... starting with robert johnson, muddy waters, freddie king and bb king. i put mr. johnson at the top of acoustic blues and everyone else a distant second. muddy stands way out to me when it comes to the real blues electrified. the two kings are my faves when it comes to the blues solo guitar. i got into eric clapton with cream and blind faith and derek and the dominoes... and duane allman and the allman brothers pretty heavy and that really led me to the even older blues. i also got in to peter green pretty heavy for awhile. DEREK TRUCKS, Aubrey Ghent, PETER GREEN. PETER GREEN. PETER GREEN. before i played guitar i was really into prince. i thought he was super cool and i was right. van halen is what made me beg my mom for my first guitar. before i got into any of the old blues or allmans or clapton, i was a 100% AC/DC fanatic. i still am, just to a lesser percent, more like 95%. i think angus young's guitar is really what introduced the blues to me in the first place. led zeppelin, GOD! they're great! the who, i like their power. don't forget skynyrd. my favorite vocalist in the world is paul rodgers. FREE and bad company and everything else up to queen. i like some old country music.. merle, cash, hank, dolly, loretta... all that good old stuff. i'm a slight stones fan.. a huge beatles fan... paul and george are my favorites. "the Band" really gets me inspired. that whole thing is just surreal. i think 70's lite rock like ARS and firefall and nitty gritty is super cool. i think the bee gees are kinda cool and extremely good songwriters. speaking of songwriters... jim croce, james taylor. skip the 80's until you get to GnR. there we're a lot of okay rock bands, but GnR really stands the test of time for me. hey and the black crowes! stone temple pilots are super duper cool. velvet revolver rocks. ben folds kicks ass. my favorite band right now is the foo fighters. great playing, great songs, great show. i forgot a few, but lately i've definitely recognized a lot of influence from Leon Russell that i didn't before and some Jerry Lee Lewis. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Eli's Pork Chop - LITTLE SONNY

Little Sonny (born Aaron Willis, October 6, 1932, Greensboro, Alabama) is an American electric blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. His early mentor and inspiration was Sonny Boy Williamson II. Nevertheless, Little Sonny stated that his nickname originated with his mother. "[She] called me 'Sonny boy' from the time I can remember." He has released eight albums, including a trio on a subsidiary of Stax Records. His 1973 release, Hard Goin' Up, reached the Top 50 in the US Billboard R&B chart. He was born in 1932 and raised solely by his mother. His early interest lay in baseball, before he relocated to Detroit in 1953. At first he had no real interest in music until, as he explained, "But then I saw Sonny Boy Williamson II." Willis was "spellbound at the way he played. After the show I went home and practiced for hours. Every day after that I would practice until I got the sound I wanted." His daytime job was working in a used car lot. His first professional appearance was at the Good Times Bar in Detroit, playing in Washboard Willie's backing group. He put together his first band in March 1956. For the following fifteen years Little Sonny performed in numerous Detroit clubs, often boosting his earnings by photographing customers between his on-stage appearances. He ofttimes performed alongside John Lee Hooker, Eddie Kirkland and Baby Boy Warren. Another club stalwart Eddie "Guitar" Burns provided accompaniment to Little Sonny on his debut single, "I Gotta Find My Baby" (1958), which was released by Duke Records. It was co-written with Little Sonny's wife, Maggie. His follow-up release, "Love Shock" appeared on Excello label. He received $25 for the latter track, before setting up his own label (Speedway Records) and selling sufficient copies of his next effort, "The Mix Up", to write off his production costs. Home recording his own tracks, in 1966 he leased "The Creeper" and "Latin Soul" to Revilot Records. A later track, "Sonny’s Bag," became his first Top 20 hit in Detroit. By late 1969, Little Sonny finally recorded his debut album, the predominately instrumental, New King of Blues Harmonica, which he cut in less than six hours. It was released on Enterprise, a subsidiary of Stax Records. Despite their reputation for soul music productions, Little Sonny released three albums with them in the early 1970s. He also briefly appeared in their concert film, Wattstax. Black & Blue (1972) and 1973's Hard Goin' Up followed, with Little Sonny using an Old Standby 34B harmonica. A lean period ensued before the British label Sequel Records issued Sonny Side Up in 1995. His accompanists included keyboard player Rudy Robinson, and Little Sonny's guitarist son Aaron Willis, Jr., who had both played on Hard Goin' Up over twenty years previously. Little Sonny appeared at Black Hills State University on June 24, 2000. His photograph collection, housed in the basement of his Detroit home, includes shots of John Lee Hooker, Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Eddie Kirkland, Joe Hunter, Eddie Willis, Bobby Bland, Washboard Willie, and Sonny Boy Williamson II. Little Sonny performed on October 4, 2008, at the Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival, in Detroit, with Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Otis Clay and Bobby Rush. He is not to be confused with Little Sonny Warner, Little Sonny Jones, or Little Sonny Parker. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Scoop It - Coot Grant and Kid Wilson

Coot Grant was the main stage name of Leola B. Pettigrew, a classic blues singer and guitarist from Alabama whose legal name became Leola Wilson following her marraige to performing partner Wesley Wilson. The pair, who ironically were born in the same year, met and began performing together in 1905 and were wed seven years later. Pettigrew was already known as Coot Grant by this time, the name representing some kind of word play on the nickname "Cutie." She had been involved in show business since she was a child, beginning as a dancer in vaudeville. Prior to the beginning of the first World War she had already toured both Europe and South Africa, sometimes appearing under the name of Patsy Hunter. Her husband, who played both piano and organ, also performed under a variety of bizarre stage names including Catjuice Charlie, in a gross-out duo with Pigmeat Pete, as well as Kid Wilson, Jenkins, Socks and Sox Wilson. The husband and wife, billed as Grant And Wilson, Kid and Coot and Hunter And Jenkins, appeared and recorded with top jazz artists such as Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong. They performed in musical comedies, vaudeville, travelling shows and revues and in 1933 appeared in the film Emperor Jones with the famous singer Paul Robeson. Their songwriting was certainly as important as these performing activities. The couple published some 400 songs, most famous of which is "Gimme A Pigfoot", one of classic blues singer Bessie Smith's grandest hits. On her own, Grant also recorded country blues including some collaborations with guitarist Blind Blake in 1926. The careers of both she and her husband began to falter in the mid '30s, with the pair returning to the studios only briefly in 1938, and again a decade later when Mezzrow hired them to perform and write material for his new King Jazz label. Grant kept performing following her husband's retirement in 1948, but eventually dropped so far out of sight that to date no details have been discovered about her death. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Stormy Love Affair - Roger Hatcher

Roger Hatcher's biggest claim to fame is being a cousin to Edwin Starr (aka Charles Hatcher). Unfortunately, Hatcher's success hasn't come close to Edwin's. A prolific songwriter, Roger has written more than 1,000 songs. His two biggest successes were an album cut by the Dramatics of his "I Dedicate My Life to You," and Clarence Carter's rendition of "I Got Caught," a deep soul classic. Clarence added a rap and scored on the R&B charts with the Hatcher song. Roger Hatcher was born in Birmingham, AL, in 1946. His two older brothers, Will and Roosevelt, inspired him musically -- Will played sax and Roosevelt sang. Hatcher wrote his first song, "I Need Someone," at Hayes High in Birmingham, where he would develop tunes on the piano in the music room. Hatcher had no formal training and played by ear. He moved to Detroit in 1964 and signed with Dotty's Records. Two singles were released: "Get a Hold of Yourself" and "Party Over Yonder." The 45s are listed as by "Little Roger Hatcher." The flop of both singles sent him traveling to Nashville, where he secured a contract with Excello Records recording "I Dedicate My Song to You," released in 1968. The flip side, "The Sweetest Girl in the World," gained some recognition in Britain, but neither it, nor the A-side, did much in the States. Disappointed, Hatcher moved on and connected with Don Davis, who had previously recorded Hatcher's "Girl Come on Home" on Major Lance for Volt Records. Davis liked Hatcher's songs and signed him to Volt. The first recording was remaking "I Dedicate My Love to You" into "I Dedicate My Life to You." Stax released it on its Volt label in 1972. Davis was working with the Dramatics at the time and had Hatcher's song killed, then had it cut by the Dramatics and placed on their Dramatically Yours LP. This didn't please Hatcher and he and Davis became bitter enemies for years. Lightning struck twice in 1973 when Hatcher, now living in Cleveland, OH, cut "Caught Making Love" on his own Black Soul label. Hatcher shopped it to all the majors to no avail, so he pressed up some more copies and sold them himself, at which time, Mickey Eichner of Columbia Records picked it up and released it on Columbia in 1974. Hatcher's version was risqué, to say the least, particulary for the mid-'70s. Halfway through Hatcher's record was a recording of Virginia Davis having an orgasm. Many stations banned the record, killing its chance for wider exposure. Clarence Carter heard it, added a rap, took out the woman's voice, and got a release on ABC Records in 1975. The song became a deep soul hit. Hatcher went on to many other projects. The Platters, led by Clevelander Sonny Turner, recorded his "Get a Hold of Yourself in 1986; Deluxe Records released it in England. Based in Cleveland, Hatcher recorded singles on his own Super Bad label but all failed to score. Mysteriously, an unauthorized album was released in England of Hatcher's songs that he didn't find out about until British collectors bugged him for a copy. All the tracks were by Hatcher except two. In 1987, he moved to Los Angeles, where he still lives, records, and shops his demo tapes. An authorized Roger Hatcher album was released in Japan entitled The Best of Roger Hatcher. Britain's Expansion Records released The Roger Hatcher Collection on CD. It's worth a hear-see. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

PIANO C. RED

James Wheeler, 14 September 1933, Montevallo, Alabama, USA. By day a cab driver, in the evenings James Wheeler transforms himself into Chicago boogie-woogie legend, Piano C. Red. His first yearnings to be involved in music were inspired by his mother, who sang spiritual songs around the house. He was tutored by a local piano player known as Fat Lilly, who was initially reluctant until Wheeler bribed him with moonshine whiskey. Wheeler moved to Chicago in 1956. He began his recording career with Chess Records in 1963, recording versions of "Slow Down And Cool It" and "Hundred And Two". He also shared a stage with many of the blues greats of the time, including Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Memphis Slim. However, like many of his ilk, he never enjoyed access to a full-time recording contract. By the 90s, when he finally began to achieve more than local acclaim, he had retired to performing only occasional sets at selected Chicago restaurants and cafés. Despite this, he and his Flat Foot Boogie Band consistently play engaging, Little Richard/Ray Charles-styled pop-blues well into the early hours. Among his best compositions is the autobiographical "Cab Drivin' Man", which was also the title of his debut album.
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Blind Boys of Alabama with Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The Blind Boys of Alabama is a five-time Grammy Award winning gospel group who first sang together in 1939. After seven decades of touring, countless prestigious appearances, and a successful discography, the Blind Boys of Alabama have created their own solid musical history. The on-stage configuration of the group currently consists of seven people:

Three blind singers – Jimmy Carter, Ben Moore, Eric "Ricky" McKinnie
Guitarist and musical director, Joey Williams
A keyboard player, a bass player, and a drummer

Since their formation over 70 years ago, The Blind Boys of Alabama's self-proclaimed goal is to spiritually uplift audiences. The gospel group has also been a source of inspiration for those with disabilities. In the words of one of the group’s blind members, Ricky Mckinnie, “Our disability doesn’t have to be a handicap. It's not about what you can't do. It's about what you do. And what we do is sing good gospel music."
The Blind Boys first sang together in the school chorus in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, Alabama. All around nine years old at the time, the founding members were Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter, George Scott, Velma Bozman Traylor, Johnny Fields, Olice Thomas, and the only sighted member, J. T. Hutton. The earliest version of the group was known as The Happyland Jubilee Singers and originally performed for World War II-era soldiers at training camps in the South. The group’s first professional performance was on June 10, 1944. In 1945, the members dropped out of school and began touring the gospel circuit.

In 1948, a Newark, New Jersey promoter booked two sets of blind gospel singers – the Happy Land Jubilee Singers from Alabama and the Jackson Harmoneers from Mississippi – and advertised the program as "Battle of the Blind Boys". A friendly rivalry sprouted between the two groups and continued henceforth. The two acts soon changed their names to the Five Blind Boys of Alabama and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and often toured together, occasionally swapping members.

In 1948, The Blind Boys recorded their first single, "I Can See Everybody’s Mother But Mine", on the Veejay label. It was a hit and lead to a series of recordings on various record labels.
The 1950s were an important decade for black gospel music and the Blind Boys were one of the most prominent groups. Artists across various musical genres like pop and rock began to pull inspiration from black gospel music
During the 60s and 70s, soul music gained favor as a new type of secular black music. As a traditional gospel group, the fortunes of The Blind Boys of Alabama waned during these decades. Soul music was spiritual and socially engaged pop music, and its sales quickly exceeded those of its gospel forerunners. For this reason, soul music became the more financially successful route for many gospel artists. The Blind Boys of Alabama remained steadfast to their original mission and decided not to take the path to fame and fortune, but rather to remain purely gospel singers.

Even though societal trends were shifting, The Blind Boys continued to be active in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the span of these two decades, the gospel group released thirteen more albums and worked with several different record labels, including recording for the Vee-Jay label from 1963 to 1965. In the 1960s, the group's hard-driving gospel sound was imitated by people like Bobby "Blue" Bland and Marvin Gaye. In 1969, Fountain left the group for a decade to try to make it on his own, and the group re-formed with all the original members in the late '70s.

The band also joined the civil rights movement during the 1960s, performing at benefits for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
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Bloodstains On The Wall - Frank 'Honeyboy' Patt

Not much is known about Honeyboy (Frank Patt) other than he was born in 1928 in Fostoria, Alabama -- and that this song, considered his finest outing on the Speciality label in the Fifties, sold around 50,000 copies.

You can see why: Jimmy Liggins plays tense and moody guitar, Gus Jenkins offers similar low key piano . . . and the lyric about coming home to what must be a murder scene is quietly compelling.

Great opening line too: "Sheets and pillows torn to pieces, bloodstains all over the wall." Sort of hooks you right away.
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Drivin' That Thing - Dan Pickett

Reissuers have unearthed little information about Dan Pickett: He may have come from Alabama, he played a nice slide guitar in a Southeastern blues style, and he did one recording session for the Philadelphia-based Gotham label in 1949. That session produced five singles, all of which have now been compiled along with four previously unreleased sides on a reissue album that purports to contain Pickett's entire recorded output -- unless, of course, as some reviewers have speculated, Dan Pickett happens also to be Charlie Pickett, the Tennessee guitarist who recorded for Decca in 1937. As Tony Russell observed in Juke Blues, both Picketts recorded blues about lemon-squeezing, and Dan uses the name Charlie twice in the lyrics to "Decoration Day." 'Tis from such mystery and speculation that the minds of blues collectors do dissolve.
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Discography

Keep On Rollin' - JJ Malone and the Back Roads Blues Band

John Jacob (J.J.) Malone (August 20, 1935 – February 20, 2004) was an American West Coast blues, electric blues and soul blues guitarist, singer and keyboardist. His best known recordings were "It's a Shame" and "Danger Zone". Malone was a member of The Rhythm Rockers, and variously worked with musicians such as Troyce Key, Jill Baxter, Al Green, Joe Simon, Etta James, Scott McKenzie and Frankie Lee.
Malone was born in Pete's Corner, Alabama, United States. He sang in his local church, and learned to play the harmonica, guitar and piano. After moving to California, he found more regular employment in the music industry, and had localised hit singles with "It's a Shame", "One Step Away", and "Danger Zone". Malone met the record producer, Ray Shanklin, and was subsequently employed as a record company executive at Fantasy Records (and it's subsidiary Galaxy) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At Galaxy, Malone worked alongside Little Johnny Taylor, Big Mama Thornton, Sonny Rhodes and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With the singer and guitarist, Troyce Key, he bought a club near to Oakland, California, 'The Eli's Mile', which in the 1970s acquired a reputation for supporting West Coast blues artists. In 1980, the duo appeared at the San Francisco Blues Festival.

Malone appeared in conjunction with Key on the albums, I've Gotta a New Car (1980, Red Lightnin' Records), and Younger Than Yesterday (1981, Red Lightnin'). Malone returned to performing as a solo artist in the 1980s, and continued to record until 2001. He released three solo albums, including Highway 99 (1997).

Malone died from cancer in Hawaii, in February 2004 at the age of 68. He was buried next to his father on March 2, 2004, at Ragland Cemetery in Limestone County, Alabama
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Let Me Play With Your Poodle - Hank Penny

Herbert Clayton Penny (September 18, 1918 – April 17, 1992) was an accomplished banjo player and practitioner of western swing. He worked as a comedian best known for his backwoods character "That Plain Ol' Country Boy" on TV with Spade Cooley. He was married to country singer Sue Thompson from 1953-63.

Penny was the leader of the Radio Cowboys, which featured guitarist Julian Akins, steel guitarist Sammy Forsmark, tenor banjo player Louis Damont, bassist Carl Stewart, and vocalist, guitarist, and fiddler Sheldon Bennett in the 1930s. At WLW Radio in Cincinnati during World War II, Penny formed the Plantation Boys, which included fiddler Carl Stewart, guitarist/bassist Louis Innis, fiddler Zed Tennis, and lead guitarist Roy Lanham.

Penny had three hits on the Billboard Country Singles chart, "Steel Guitar Stomp" (1946) an instrumental featuring both Noel Boggs on steel guitar and guitarist Merle Travis, "Get Yourself a Red Head" (1946), and his own composition "Bloodshot Eyes" (1950).
Penny was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He died in 1992 of heart failure. He was the father of actress Sydney Penny and producer Greg Penny.
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Drivin' That Thing - Dan Pickett

Reissuers have unearthed little information about Dan Pickett Born August 31, 1907 in Pike County, AL Died August 16, 1967 in Boaz, AL : He may have come from Alabama, he played a nice slide guitar in a Southeastern blues style, and he did one recording session for the Philadelphia-based Gotham label in 1949. That session produced five singles, all of which have now been compiled along with four previously unreleased sides on a reissue album that purports to contain Pickett's entire recorded output -- unless, of course, as some reviewers have speculated, Dan Pickett happens also to be Charlie Pickett, the Tennessee guitarist who recorded for Decca in 1937. As Tony Russell observed in Juke Blues, both Picketts recorded blues about lemon-squeezing, and Dan uses the name Charlie twice in the lyrics to "Decoration Day." 'Tis from such mystery and speculation that the minds of blues collectors do dissolve.
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Discography