Blind Pig nabs major blues awards!

"REMEMBERING LITTLE WALTER," SHAWN HOLT AND THE TEARDROPS WIN MAJOR BLUES MUSIC AWARDS Remembering Little Walter, the live tribute to the blues harmonica genius, won two major Blues Music Awards  – “Traditional Blues Album of the Year” and “Album of the Year,” as announced by the Blues Foundation at their annual awards show on May 8th in Memphis. The recording, which features five of the top harmonica players in the field – Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman, received a Grammy nomination earlier this year for “Best Blues Album.” Musselwhite, who also won a BMA that evening for "Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica," said, "The best part about winning the awards for Remembering Little Walter is that Little Walter is honored for his huge contribution to blues so many years after his passing. He was my friend and a great inspiration to me. He gave me lots of encouragement when I was starting out in Chicago."  To watch Charlie performing a song from the Little Walter tribute CD show, please click HERE. "REMEMBERING LITTLE WALTER":     CD INFO              iTUNES Hummel, who produced the album, said, "I'm so thrilled and shocked we won these two major awards!!  It was so wonderful to be able to record this as a tribute to the iconic genius of the harmonica, Little Walter Jacobs, whose sound I've been chasing for over 40 years!  Plus, to have two idols of mine on the CD who knew Walter well, Billy Boy & Musselwhite, makes it even more special. Top it off with James Harman & Sugar Ray, plus the best band money could buy backing everyone up and we have a CD I'm probably more proud of than anything in my career so far." Shawn Holt and the Teardrops won the Blues Music Award for “Best New Artist Debut” for their debut recording on Blind Pig Records – Daddy Told Me.  Shawn is the son of the late legendary bluesman Magic Slim.   Said Holt, “I want to thank everybody that gave me an opportunity to carry on my father’s great blues tradition and front one of the best blues bands of the last thirty years.  I want to thank my father for putting a guitar in my hands at 16 and insisting that I develop my own sound.   I also want to thank Michael Blakemore and Marty Salzman for their confidence in recognizing that we could carry on the unique Magic Slim sound and tradition and also put my own “Shawn Holt” trademark in the mix. Thanks also to Blind Pig Records and Piedmont Talent for getting us out there and giving us the opportunity to be heard, and to everyone who, in their recognition and appreciation that Magic Slim lives on, voted for us.” "DADDY TOLD ME":    CD INFO         iTUNES Two other artists associated with Blind Pig Records also received Blues Music Awards: John Nemeth, who came to national prominence with the release of his three albums on Blind Pig, was named the winner of the “Soul Blues Male Artist” award. "NAME THE DAY!":    CD INFO       iTUNES Victor Wainwright, a principal member of the critically acclaimed roots blues “supergroup” Southern Hospitality, won the prestigious “Pinetop Perkins Piano Player” award for the second year in a row. SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY    CD INFO      iTUNES Or, take advantage of our 5 CDs for $50 offer HERE. (Photos courtesy of Marilyn Stringer)

Shawn Holt #1 on Living Blues radio chart!

SHAWN HOLT AND THE TEARDROPS' NEW RELEASE TOPS LIVING BLUES RADIO CHART! Daddy Told Me, the debut release from Shawn Holt and the Teardops, is #1 on the Living Blues radio chart for October, jumping from #5 on the September chart and knocking Buddy Guy's release from the number one slot in the process.   Shawn Holt is the son of the late legendary blues master, Magic Slim. When the blues world mourned Slim's passing at a benefit this past spring, Bill Dahl of the Chicago Blues Guide wrote, "Shawn Holt, leading a second-generation lineup of Teardrops, proved conclusively he has what it takes to maintain the family legacy." The album's appeal is perhaps explained by this comment from an album review in Chicago Blues Guide: "Not many quartet blues ensembles today can reproduce the unique and deceptively simple lumps and blues that Magic Slim used to play.  This band is unique in that it can...and does!  Effortlessly."  Vintage Guitar magazine added that it's "hard to beat this strong debut featuring a duet with John Primer and standout treatments of Holt's dad Magic Slim's signature tunes." The Washington Blues Society said, "Shawn Holt shows us that Magic Slim's considerable gifts live on through his son on an excellent CD."  And speaking of Shawn's talent in particular, The Alternate Root said, "Holt's guitar has its knobs tuned to thrill.  His fret work has flash but more importantly it has the ability to watch the road ahead to make sure that it twists and turns in all the right spots." The torch has been passed.  For more info, please click HERE. For more information visit www.blindpigrecords.com.

New blues releases from Blind Pig Records!

NEW BLUES RELEASES FROM BLIND PIG RECORDS! American roots music label Blind Pig Records returns to its traditional blues origins with the release of new titles from Shawn Holt and the Teardrops and Roosevelt Sykes. Shawn Holt & the Teardrops   "Daddy Told Me" Shawn Holt is the son of the late legendary blues master, Magic Slim. After twenty-four years and ten releases as Magic Slim's label, Blind Pig Records is very proud to announce the debut recording by Shawn Holt & the Teardrops, Daddy Told Me.  John Primer, a distinguised and long time member of the Teardrops, is a special guest. When the blues world mourned the passing of Magic Slim this past spring at a tribute at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, Bill Dahl of the Chicago Blues Guide wrote, "'A Night For Magic' commenced in true torch-passing fashion with Slim's guitar-wielding son, Shawn Holt, leading a second-generation lineup of Teardrops that proved conclusively he has what it takes to maintain the family legacy." Magic Slim & the Teardrops have probably been nominated for the Blues Foundation's "Blues Band of the Year" award more times than any blues band playing today - including eight times in the last ten years. You can't become a Teardrop until Magic Slim says you're good enough.  Shawn Holt became a Teardrop last year shortly before his dad died. The high energy, hard-driving sound of the Teardrops is still alive and well with Shawn, a chip off the old block, fronting his old man's band.  Shawn's booming vocal presence is more than a little reminiscent of his father's, and his guitar playing, while similar to Slim's, exhibits a broader mix of classic and contemporary influences. Combining a couple of his Dad's songs and other songs associated with him with five of his own originals, Shawn shows himself more than capable of leading the Teardrops into a new era. Roosevelt Sykes   "The Original Honeydripper" Considered by many to be the father of modern blues piano, Roosevelt Sykes enjoyed a career that spanned some sixty years. In 1929, at age 23, he was one of the earliest blues pianists to record. In the following decades he went on to became a very prolific recording artist, a highly successful bandleader and later, a popular solo artist. He was a pioneering pianist responsible for the classic songs "44 Blues," "Driving Wheel," and "Night Time Is the Right Time." The Original Honeydripper was recorded live in 1977 in the small basement blues club of the Blind Pig Café in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was recordings and performances such as this that led to the formation of Blind Pig Records. Originally released on LP, this re-issue, with improved sound quality, also contains two original outtakes, "St. James Infirmary" and "Don't Talk Me to Death," that have been marvelously resurrected. The selections span the length and breadth of Roosevelt Sykes' career and the times in which he lived.  Featuring Roosevelt's own musical hybrid of ragtime and country blues piano, these solo performances capture Sykes as the consummate entertainer who truly delighted in singing and playing piano for lively, appreciative audiences.  As All Music Guide said, "This label can really be counted on to do a fine job on documenting an artist. For a recording of this artist in his later years, one can't really do better than this set." For more information visit www.blindpigrecords.com.

Blind Pig Records artist: Shawn Holt & the Teardrops - Daddy Told Me - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (September 24, 20130, Daddy Told Me, from Shawn Holt & the Teardrops and I really like it. A know that this is sacrilegious to say but I believe that it is the best Teardrops release in years. Opening with Buster Brown's Fannie Mae ,Holt, backed by Levi William on guitar, Chris Biedron on bass and Brian B.J. Jones on drums, does a great job or breathing fresh life into a blues standard. Guitar work is clean energetic and vocals are strong. On title track, Daddy Told Me, Holtsteps up as songwriter and lead vocalist with vocal style in the tradition of Morganfield. Grinding boogie track construction gives the band pure opportunity to groove and Holt delivers really nicely on vocals as well as guitar. Slow groove track, Hold You Again, is really a strong track with passionate vocals and stinging guitar riffs. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the release. Jimmy Reed's Down In Virginia, a loose shuffle, features Holt and William on a duet vocal. Holt takes a nice guitar stretch on this track as well. Buddy Buddy Friend features John Primer on guitar. A cool funky blues track, Holt's vocal is strong and crisp and guitar work is sparse but direct. Get Your Business Straight is a blues rocker with not only some of the best guitar tone on the release but also with some of the biggest sting when cut loose. Mean Little Woman, another Holt original has a really nice swing to it. Showing that BB isn't the only swing singer out there Holt really does a nice job on this track both on vocal and on T Bone Walker like guitar runs. On Bo Diddley track, Before You Accuse Me, Primer steps up to the mic with a much smokier sound than his contemporary Clapton on this now "popular" track. Adding his own signature guitar riffs along with Holt this is a pretty cool track. Love Got Me Walkin' really keeps my attention because not only do I play guitar but also spent some time behind the drums. The song has two rhythms going on at the same time which i really enjoy. There is the overtone rock take on this vamp accented by the guitar and the underlying groove laid down by the bass pushed by the vocal pace. Lead guitar work on this track is also really nicely placed making this one of the most musically interesting tracks on the release (in addition to just being fun to listen to). On Jr Wells track, Little By Little a broader dimension (than the original) is projected with meatier vocals and really nice guitar riffs. Holt uses a meatier voice ...more like Albert King to present this track giving it a totally different feel. Nice! From down deep in the blues crawls Please Don't Dog Me, a real slow track with gritty vibrato bending guitar work right out of the chute. This is a track that is bound to attract blues fans from all corners as not only do we love the slow blues but we love when a player who knows what he's doing chokes the crap out of his guitar... and that he does. Super job! Finishing up with a Elmore James type track, You Done Me Wrong, Holt belts out the blues and keeps the tight little EJ riffs on slide as well as riffs like Jimmy Reed as a part of his own fluid guitar solos. Nice wrap up track. This is a cool release with a super new band leader carrying on a super tradition.

  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”

 

Rock Me Baby - Shawn Holt and The Teardrops

Shawn Holt is the son of legendary Blues Legend Magic Slim. The high energy, hard-driving sound of The Teardrops is still alive and well and if you like what Magic Slim and The Teardrops have been doing for the last 35 years, you can continue to enjoy that unique sound and energy with Shawn Holt, a chip off the old block, fronting his dad's band. Shawn started playing the blues at the age of 17, when he went on the road with this father and Slim's brother, Uncle Nick Holt and The Teardrops. Shortly after that tour with his father, Shawn realized his genetic destiny (all the Holt's are talented musicians) and formed his own band. He has been watching, learning and playing blues ever since. Magic Slim and The Teardrops have probably been nominated for the WC Handy "Blues Band of the Year" award more times than any blues band playing today including eight times in the last 10 years. You can't become a Teardrop until Magic Slim says you're good enough. Shawn Holt became a Teardrop this year and when his father was hospitalized during the recent east coast tour, he stepped up to the microphone and continued the tradition. When Shawn Holt and The Teardrops opened for Johnny Winter in Phoenixville Pennsylvania, 2 hours after Slim had been admitted to the local hospital, they received a standing ovation and the promoter was so pleased with the quality, excitement and level of the performance that he paid the band the full contracted price which had been negotiated for a Magic Slim performance. Johnny Winter insisted that Shawn and The Teardrops complete the tour as the opening act.  

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!