Kids learn Blues from John Dee Holeman

Diggin': "Sweet Home Chicago"  Will Dawson, John Dee, Tim Duffy I took John Dee Holeman to play for the Elementary and Middle School students at Orange County Charter School yesterday. It was wonderful to see the kids fascinated with the John Dee's Piedmont Blues, accompanied by Tim Duffy and Will Dawson, the school's elementary music teacher. The younger students wildly clapped during songs, mouths open in awe, absorbing the music. When Tim asked John Dee to explain the Blues, he said "Well, the blues, it's a feelin' you have. When I was young, the work was hard, and the pay was low... you might be upset, but you couldn't get real mad, you know. The blues, it's a feelin'." One of the things I love most about working at Music Maker is helping people discover our artists, and the music they play. This was one of those great times - however, what I don't see as often is a giant group of kids ages six to ten playing "Sweet Home Chicago" as a tribute to John Dee. One group played ukeleles, another group played xylophones, and the first and second graders sang and danced. John Dee played along, took a guitar solo, and smiled at the enthusiasm of the whole group. It was really a great morning, and I hope we can see that again sometime! Here's John Dee's version of "Sweet Home Chicago," for your enjoyment. -- Corinne  Listen:  John Dee Holeman -  Sweet Home Chicago  Ironing Board Sam heads to the high seas! Ironing Board Sam is heading out on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise next week to play alongside a lineup that includes MMRF Board Members the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Advisory Board Members Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and more! This is a busy month for Sam - he's just back from the Southern Mississippi Roots Festival and the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival - speaking of which, did you see this piece in the Times-Picayune? - and then he's got Capitol Blues Night and the Cruise to finish out October. Music Maker's Musical Development Program helps Sam and other artists by booking these gigs, coordinating travel, and making sure all details are taken care of. Sam is thrilled to be working so much, and as he told the Times-Picayune, "I'm going to be around for a long, long time." We're looking forward to see Sam play for a long, long time! Keep up with Music Maker!      Support Music Maker, and help keep the music alive!     Whitney, John Dee Holeman & Joan Go to Richmond! The moment we walked into the hotel's large hospitality room, John Dee Holeman was recognized and approached by who I would later learn was Phil Wiggins, a musician who would be playing the harmonica alongside John Dee at the Richmond Folk Festival all weekend. At the time, I was just sure that John Dee was a huge celebrity and suddenly, now that I was out in the world with him, I was seeing it. This happened several more times over the course of the weekend -- whether he was approached by musicians who knew him from way-back-when or just enthusiastic festival-goers--even culminating in what felt like a press scrum (but was in reality a couple of festival volunteers and a couple of enthusiastic fans) slowing us down as we tried to get from one stage to another. John Dee played four short sets during the festival, all with Phil and Music Maker artist Algia Mae Hinton's son, Williete, who demonstrated buck dance for the audience. His sets were full of soulful blues songs and easily danceable John Dee originals like "Chapel Hill Boogie." At his last set of the weekend, he and the guys were joined by blues artist Super Chikan and Nathan Williams of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-chas for a "Blues House Party," which packed the field stage with at least a couple thousand audience members (out of an estimated 200,000 in attendance for the whole festival) and had the air and energy of a rock concert. As we were walking out the door Sunday evening to start our drive back to North Carolina, John Dee was stopped by another enthusiastic fan who wanted to buy some CDs and have them signed. It was rewarding for the festival weekend to be bookended by these little moments of satisfaction, the type of interactions with people that lets you know yes, people are listening and yes, they care. -- Whitney Next Generation Artists Cary Morin and Leyla McCalla Photo of the Week by Tim Duffy Don't have tickets yet? Get them now for the new Capitol Blues Night!   Cool John Ferguson, Captain Luke, Ironing Board Sam, Big Ron Hunter and Sol perform with the Music Maker Blues Revue! Tickets on sale now for October 24th! Get them here! Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events  10/19-10/21 - Robert Lee Coleman, Ironing Board Sam, Nashid Abdul Khaaliq, Big Ron Hunter, Ardie Dean- Blues at the Crossroads, Salina, KS 10/25 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill, NC 10/27- 11/2- Ironing Board Sam, Carolina Chocolate Drops - Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 11/02 - John Dee Holeman - They Eddy Pub, Saxapahaw, NC 11/02 - Albert White - Northside Tavern, Atlanta, GA 11/08 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkelton, Chapel Hill, NC 11/09 - Ironing Board Sam - The Depot, Hillsborough, NC 11/11 - George Higgs -  Pinecone Music of the Carolinas, NCMoH, Raleigh, NC 11/15 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill, NC 11/17 - Lakota John and Kin - American Indian Heritage Festival, NCMo, Raleigh, NC 11/22 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill, NC 11/29 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill, NC   Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain  recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.

Ironing Board Sam and Drink Small perform together for the first time!

Want our Annual Magazine? Sign up now and get it!   Want to know what Music Maker is all about - and what we're up to - with stories, artist news, and more? If you don't currently get mail from us, sign up to receive our Annual Magazine by emailing corinne@musicmaker.org. It's coming out in early October, so you still have time! And if you want several copies to give to your friends to let them know about Music Maker's mission to preserve Roots music and sustain the artists who make it, we'll send you your copies early! Listen:  Drink Small - Drink Blues  Diggin': "Drink Blues" "I wanna say somethin' to y'all. You ain't heard the piedmont blues played right 'til you hear Drink Small." If you're on an ear diet, you can't get more raw and organic than the rough guitar picking of the blues doctor Drink Small. The tune dances up and down the strings and his voice adds a classic counterpoint, making him feel like he's right next to you. (This feeling is compounded if you're listening to it on headphones.) A close listen and you can hear muted "yeah!"s in the background, the signal of someone -- not Drink -- getting way into what's going on. It's easy when the playing is so free and the singing so genuine to be transported to a drink house or a front porch, where the tones of the guitar aren't stripped down to their bare essentials by overwrought digital production and you can't tell the difference between a mistake and an embellishment. There's something about it that makes you feel right at home, even if you're like me and you're discovering this world one song at a time. Drink Small will be sharing the stage with Ironing Board Sam at the Sweet Palmetto Blues Festival in Columbia, SC this weekend. - Whitney Sweet Palmetto Blues - Ironing Board Sam and Drink Small perform together for the first time! Ironing Board Sam and Drink Small will perform together at  Sweet Palmetto Blues at the Richland Fashion Mall this weekend. The two blues artists have more in common than just their South Carolina heritage and unique nicknames - they have both embarked on decades-long music careers that started in their teens, and both have a quirky, distinct view of the world that comes out in their songs. (See "BBQ World," or "Seesaw.") Drink Small called after meeting Sam and let us know he wants to record an album together called "Drink's Jam and Ironing Board Sam." We're not sure when that will be on the schedule - but we do know they're going to make a fabulous pair on the Sweet Palmetto Stage! More info about the event on 9/29 here!   Ironing Board Sam & Sadie Sweitzer daughter of Roots N Blues N BBQ Founder Steve Sweitzer Photo of the Week by Tim Duffy Keep up with Music Maker!      Support Music Maker, and help keep the music alive!     Boo Hanks receives standing ovation at CCD's show! We headed to Raleigh last week to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops in concert. The show was amazing as always, and there was a surprise (to Whitney and I) guest! Boo Hanks took the stage mid-way through the first set to play a song with Dom. Raleigh got to experience a little of what audiences in NYC, Philly, DC and Galax did on the Boo & Dom tour this summer. We were thrilled to see Boo there, and at the end of his song the crowd jumped to their feet, obviously as thrilled as we were. We saw Boo after the show, and he said he loved the crowd - and he wished he'd brought more CDs to sign for them!  - Corinne

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events    9/29 - Ironing Board Sam & Drink Small - Sweet Palmetto Festival, Columbia, SC 10/4 - 10/7 - Deer Clan - Shakori Hills Music Festival, Pittsboro, NC    10/6 - George Higgs - St. Anne's Chapel, Tarboro, NC  10/11 - Pura Fé - 8th Annual Dreamcatcher Awards Gala, Hamilton, Ontario  10/12 - Big Ron Hunter - The Depot, Hillsborough, NC  10/13 - Ironing Board Sam, L.C. Ulmer, Ben Peyton, Drew Young Band - Music Maker Stage, Southern Mississippi Roots Festival, Hattiesburg, MS     10/13 - John Dee Holeman - Richmond Folk Festival, Richmond, VA 10/14 - Ironing Board Sam - Crescent BBQ and Blues Festival, NOLA  10/19-10/21 - Robert Lee Coleman, Ironing Board Sam, Nashid Abdul Khaaliq, Big Ron Hunter, Ardie Dean- Blues at the Crossroads, Salina, KS 10/27- 11/2- Ironing Board Sam, Carolina Chocolate Drops - Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 11/11 - George Higgs -  Pinecone Music of the Carolinas, NCMoH, Raleigh, NC 11/19 - Lakota John and Kin - American Indian Heritage Festival, NCMo, Raleigh, NC   Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain  recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.

Music Maker artist: Ninth Wonder - Ironing Board Sam - New Release Review

I just got a copy of the Ninth Wonder of The World of Music, a "Lost" release by Ironing Board Sam on Music Makers. This is a recording that was made in 1967 according to the liner notes of this limited run of 100 copies. The date may be a little off as at least one track, a cover of Stevie Wonder's Boogie On Reggae Woman, was written by Wonder in 74. In any case, the cd opens with Cherry Pie, a R&B (Doo Wop style) track that is actually pretty interesting. The Island Song (Yellow Bird)is up next and keys are used to simulate marimbas. Do The Ironing Board has a definite 60's vibe with monkey effects and all. This would have been when the fad was to have creative dance steps of your own (the Monkey, the Twist, the Mashed Potatoes, etc). This is a pretty funky track with some fairly cool vocal work. Traditional song Danny Boy is given total ballad treatment, Ray Charles style... again showing Sam's range of creativity. Boogie On Reggae Woman is up next and Sam does a pretty cool version of it. The basic arrangement follows Wonder's pretty closely but Sam gives it his own flair. Going Up Going Down is a take on Jimmy Rogers where Sam not only sings a good track but demonstrates his keyboard work. Purple Raindrops is a solid blues track demonstrating Sam at his best on vocals and sensitivity. Sam takes a jazzy uptempo play on Bye Bye Blackbird wrapping up a pretty entertaining recording.
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”

Ironing Board Sam in Europe, and more!

Ironing Board Sam at Blues To Bop in Switzerland Just after the release of his album Ninth Wonder, Ironing Board Sam has hopped on a plane to Europe in order to play the Blues To Bop festival in Lugano, Switzerland. Blues To Bop, Sam's first European gig as a Music Maker Partner Artist, hosts a variety of free concerts in the Lugano town square. Sam is part of a diverse lineup of musicians, and he's looking forward to playing for new audiences! He'll play three shows, today, tomorrow and Friday. We'll make sure to let you know how Sam's trip to Switzerland was when he gets back - we know the residents of Lugano are in for a treat! More info on Blues To Bop here. Diggin': "Girl" I've seen Leyla McCalla, a Music Maker Next Generation Artist, play live several times, and this is one of my favorites to hear. The song itself is not a happy one, necessarily, but Leyla's mournful cello and plaintive and expressive voice make "Girl" into a track that you'll find yourself humming all day (of course, if you're me, much less in tune than the original.) Leyla's inspiration for her music comes from a variety of traditions, from Haitian Folk songs to jazz to blues. I'm not musically astute enough to hear all of that in "Girl," but what I do know is that its chilling subject and beautiful sound resonates with me, and this song is on repeat while I'm in the office most days. Leyla is playing a show at Mass MoCA for the Fresh Grass Bluegrass Festival, Sunday, September 23rd. If you're in the area, don't miss her live. If you like "Girl," you'll be blown away by the rest of her show. - Corinne Whitney Baker joins MM Staff Whitney has joined Music Maker as our new Community Coordinator. She will be taking over where Cornelius Lewis left off when he headed to Appalachian State University this August, as well as coordinating our social media efforts, working with the website, and helping with PR. We're so thrilled to have Whitney as part of our team! Whitney is a writer, programmer and all-around multimedia storyteller with a passion for local, community-driven stories. She received a BA in multimedia journalism and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has worked as a content producer and web monkey for The Daily Tar Heel, Paste Magazine, the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and as a member of the Knight-Carnegie Foundation's News21 Fellowship. When not finding ways to tell engaging stories in the ever-shifting Internet medium, she enjoys traveling, playing video and board games and trying new local food and brews. Stop by Facebook or Twitter and welcome Whitney to our team! Coming Up this Fall from Music Maker This Fall Music Maker is doing some exciting things, going some great places, and showcasing some amazing artists. Don't miss a thing! Keep up with us in our online newsletter (and forward to your friends!), on Facebook, on Twitter and on our website! Music Maker is proud to be a sponsor of the Hoppin' John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddler's Convention, held September 13th -15th. Programs like Hoppin' John give thousands each year the opportunity to experience live traditional music. More info on Hoppin' John here. Roots N Blues N BBQ is coming up (did you get your tickets yet? If not, click here!) and will feature the Music Maker Blues Revue! Cool John Ferguson, Alabama Slim, Ironing Board Sam, Eddie Tigner, Lil' Joe, Albert White, Nashid Abdul Khaaliq, and Ardie Dean will be performing at this prestigious festival, if you'll be there, give us a shout! In October, Music Maker presents the Music Maker Stage at the Southern Mississippi Roots Festival in partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi. We'll showcase a great lineup of musicians, including Ironing Board Sam, so stay tuned for more info about that! Much more to come from Music Maker - thank you for making it possible! Listen: Leyla McCalla - Girl New MM Partner Artist Jeff Littlejohn of Wilson, NC by Aaron Greenhood Keep up with Music Maker! Support Music Maker, and help keep the music alive!

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 8/31 - 9/2 - Ironing Board Sam - Blues To Bop in Lugano, Switzerland 8/31 - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins - Henry's Uptown, Ackworth, GA 9/8 - John Dee Holeman - Harvest Festival, Duke Homestead, Durham, NC 9/7 - 9/9 - Pura Fé - Ohio Lesbian Festival, Pataskala, OH 9/14 - Ironing Board Sam - The Depot, Hillsborough, NC 9/15 - Ironing Board Sam & Big Ron Hunter - Apex Jazz Festival 9/20 - John Dee Holeman & Lightnin' Wells - SOOTS Benefit, Chapel Hill, NC 9/22 - Music Maker Blues Revue - Roots N Blues N BBQ, Columbia, MO 9/23 - Leyla McCalla - Mass MoCA Fresh Grass Bluegrass Festival, North Adams, MA 9/29 - Ironing Board Sam & Drink Small - Sweet Palmetto Festival, Columbia, SC 10/4 - 10/7 - Deer Clan - Shakori Hills Music Festival, Pittsboro, NC 10/13 - Ironing Board Sam, L.C. Ulmer, Ben Peyton, Drew Young Band - Music Maker Stage, Southern Mississippi Roots Festival, Hattiesburg, MS Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.

Ironing Board Sam's long awaited "Ninth Wonder" album released!

Ninth Wonder of the World of Music from Ironing Board Sam released! On MagnetMagazine.com's poll last week, Ironing Board Sam's Ninth Wonder of the World of Music was voted the most anticipated album of this week! We understand how people would be waiting anxiously for this album. Originally recorded in the 1970s in Gary, IN, only 100 copies were ever made. When Music Maker found the record for sale on eBay, we snapped it up. We wanted to hear the unique, funky tracks - and when we did we knew the world needed a second opportunity to hear them too. The songs on this album range from the fast paced re-imagining of Stevie Wonder's "Boogie On Reggae Woman" to the soulful rendition of "Danny Boy." Everything heard on the album comes from Sam himself; the synth, piano, bass, and vocals, all except for the drums. Of the album's title Sam said, "Back in those days there were things people wondered about, I was a wonder every show. I had people wondering." He certainly did keep people wondering - as seen on the cover of this album, Sam's stage show incorporated do-it-yourself contraptions to raise his performance above the standard bar fare of the time. Check out Ironing Board Sam's Ninth Wonder of the World of Music HERE. We know you'll love it as much as we do! David Johnson by Axel Kustner Keep up with Music Maker! Support Music Maker, and help keep the music alive! Did you miss Boo & Dom on tour? We've got just the thing! Check out Boo Hanks and Dom Flemons at their show on Sunday at The Hamilton - this live recording gives you a chance to see what you might have missed on their short tour of the Northeast! Boo and Dom had a blast sharing their music with fans in Philly, NYC, Galax, VA and DC. In fact, they had such a great time they want to do it again! In the meantime, check out the video of their performance and witness this multi-generational collaboration between two great bluesmen. Thanks to everyone who came out to the shows or made this tour happen! Your support means we can continue to provide opportunities like these for our artists. Listen: Ironing Board Sam - Do the Ironing Board Diggin': "Do the Ironing Board" I've been known to bust out some authentic dance moves: the special kind based on household chores, like the sprinkler or the lawnmower, that are just music-based pantomime. I'm having a little bit of trouble figuring out exactly how to "do the ironing board." I've danced while ironing, so I apply that to my own personal ironing board routine. Maybe slide to the left, a little to the right. The rest seems left up to interpretation and may include a golden suit and an impeccable sense of timing. But what I like most about the tune, which comes straight from Ironing Board Sam's Ninth Wonder of the World out this week, is that the infectious keyboard and slow-jam tempo make it pretty easy to find your own way to do the ironing board. Or, as Sam puts it, "do[in'] your own thang." His keyboarding establishes a rhythm that gets into your bones, the kind of thing that makes his refrain of "do the ironing board-oo! Oo!" friendly and easy-to-follow advice. Ironing Board Sam's enthusiasm is infectious; let's just hope I don't find myself in a 1500-gallon tank or a wooden jukebox anytime soon. - Whitney Whitney Baker, our Community Coordinator, is Music Maker's newest staff member. Look for more info about Whitney and what she'll be doing at MM in the newsletter next week! Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 8/23 - Ironing Board Sam - The Crunkleton, Chapel Hill, NC 8/25 - Ironing Board Sam - The Whiskey, Durham, NC 8/31 - 9/2 - Ironing Board Sam - Blues To Bop in Lugano, Switzerland 8/31 - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins - Henry's Uptown, Ackworth, GA 9/7 - 9/9 - Pura Fé - Ohio Lesbian Festival, Pataskala, OH 9/14 - Ironing Board Sam - The Depot, Hillsborough, NC 9/8 - John Dee Holeman - Harvest Festival, Duke Homestead, Durham, NC 9/15 - Ironing Board Sam & Big Ron Hunter - Apex Jazz Festival 9/20 - John Dee Holeman & Lightnin' Wells - SOOTS Benefit, Chapel Hill, NC 9/22 - Music Maker Blues Revue - Roots N Blues N BBQ, Columbia, MO 10/13 - Ironing Board Sam, L.C. Ulmer, Ben Peyton, Drew Young Band - Music Maker Stage, Southern Mississippi Roots Festival, Hattiesburg, MS Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.