Vernon Garrett & the Crossroads Blues Show Band

Born: Jan. 18, 1933 in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. When he was 15 he sang with local gospel groups like the Southern Wonders. Claude Jeter of the Swan Silvertones heard him when he opened for them and the Soul Stirrers. For a short time he was with the Swan Silvertones. He then went into the service aboard the USS Sarsfield EDD 837 in the Korean war. “After I got out of the service and joined a vocal group called The Mixers”. Vernon soon starting performing as a solo artist and as a duo with his then wife jewel. “The f irst song we recorded was “You’re Going To Be Paid for the Way You Treated Me” Vernon and Jewel released several singles for Kent throughout the 60s until Jewel died and Vernon returned as a solo artist. After Kent folded Vernon released various 45s for various labels like Modern (“I’m Guilty”), Open G (“I Had A Dream”), Venture (“Love Has Caught Me”), R & B (“Born To Love Me”), Soul Clock (“Just Ain’t My Day”), Glow Hill (“Merry Christmas Baby)”, APT as “Biggie Ratt” (“Escape”, “We Don’t Need No Music”), Kapp (“You Blew My Mind”), Grenade (“Going To My Baby’s Place”), Watts (“I Learned My Lesson”), Gator (“Jody Can Ease The Pain” and others. His first LP, “Going To My Baby’s Place”, came out in 1975 but his first national chart hit was “I’m At The Crossroads” for ICU in 1977. In the 80s a mostly-live LP, “Crossroads” and two obscure albums for White Enterprises (1987’s Somebody Done Messed Up At The Crossroad” and 1989’s “If You Can’t Help Me Baby” appeared before Garrett was signed to Ichiban Records for three terrific albums. The label folded and Garrett recorded a pair of albums for Leon Haywood’s Evejim imprint at the beginning of the 20th decade. 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”

Buddy Miles / Buddy Guy/ and friends

George Allen Miles, Jr. (September 5, 1947 – February 26, 2008), known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.
George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on September 5, 1947. He was known as a child prodigy, originally playing drums in his father, George Miles, Sr.'s, jazz band, The Bebops, beginning at age 12. Miles Sr. had played upright bass with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker and Dexter Gordon.

In his teens Miles Jr. was often seen hanging out as well as recording at the Universal Promotions Corporation (U.P.C.) recording studios, which later became Rainbow Recording Studios
Miles was given the nickname "Buddy" by his aunt after the drummer Buddy Rich.
Miles played in a variety of rhythm and blues and soul acts as a teenager, including Ruby & the Romantics, the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and Wilson Pickett. By 1967 he moved to Chicago where he formed the Electric Flag with guitarist Mike Bloomfield. Nick Gravenites was the vocalist on this (and also some other Bloomfield LP's). The blues-soul-rock band made their live debut at the Monterey Pop Festival in mid 1967 and released their debut Columbia album, A Long Time Comin', early the next year (1968). Miles sometimes sang lead vocals for the group in addition to playing drums. The group broke up after their second album An American Music Band (late 1968) and Miles formed The Buddy Miles Express, with Jim McCarty, later the guitarist for Cactus. A Greatest Hits album by The Electric Flag was issued in 1971 by Columbia. In 1974 The Electric Flag reformed briefly and released the Atlantic album The Band Kept Playing.
Buddy Miles died on February 26, 2008, at his home in Austin, Texas at the age of 60. His family was by his side. According to his website he died of congestive heart disease.

There was a history of congestive heart failure in his family. His sister and mother both died of the same illness. It is known that his heart had certainly been struggling, working at only 15%, and his health had been consistently deteriorating over the past few months. According to friends, "he had turned off his defibrillator and was ready for heaven." There was no funeral; Miles was cremated.

The day before Buddy died, he heard Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton playing 'Them Changes' at Madison Square Garden through his cell phone. 'Them Changes' is now part of Clapton's set on tour as a tribute to Buddy. The UK-based newspaper The Independent ran an almost full-page obituary for Buddy Miles in its Friday February 29, 2008 edition. The title for the piece was "Buddy Miles: Flamboyant Hendrix drummer", and can be found on page 47.

Asked how he would like to be remembered by the American music magazine Seconds in 1995, Miles simply said: "The baddest of the bad. People say I'm the baddest drummer. If that's true, thank you world." A memorial concert took place on March 30, 2008 at Threadgill’s on Riverside Drive, South Austin.
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Chili Mac - PRESTON LOVE

Preston Haines Love (b. 26 Apr 1921 Omaha, Nebraska; d. 12 Feb 2004 Omaha, Nebraska) was a renowned alto saxophonist, bandleader and songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska.
Preston Love grew up in North Omaha and graduated from North High.

He became renowned as a professional sideman and saxophone balladeer in the heyday of the big band era. He was a member of the bands of Nat Towles, Lloyd Hunter, Snub Mosley, Lucky Millinder and Fats Waller before getting his big break with the Count Basie Orchestra when he was 22. Love played and recorded with the Count Basie band from 1945–1947 and played on Basie's only #1 hit record, 'Open The Door Richard.'

Love eventually became a bandleader himself, playing with Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, his friends Johnny Otis and Wynonie Harris, with whom he had several hits.

In 1952, he launched the short-lived Spin Records, as a joint effort with songwriter Otis René ("When It's Sleepy Time Down South"). The label released material by the Preston Love Orchestra, among others.

In the early 1960s Love worked with Ray Charles in California and Aretha Franklin, eventually becoming Motown's West Coast house bandleader with whom he played & toured with The Four Tops, The Temptations, Tammi Terrell, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and others. Love also recorded with Nichelle Nichols, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa (Freak Out), Shuggie Otis, T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, and many others. Love also appears in the Clint Eastwood film, Play Misty For Me with the Johnny Otis band. (Love toured the U.S. and Europe quite frequently into the 2000s, additionally lecturing and writing about the history he was part of. Other legends he played with included the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

In his later years Love moved back to Omaha, wrote a book, led bands, the last of which featured his daughter vocalist Portia Love, drummer Gary E. Foster, pianist Orville Johnson, and bassist Nate Mickels, and was an advertising agent for the Omaha Star, a local newspaper serving the city's African American community. His daughter is Laura Love.

In February 2004, Preston Love died after battling prostate cancer.
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