A Ton Of Blues Live

A Ton of Blues was created out of the love for real Blues Music and appreciation for the old school Open Blues Jams that brought tremendous support to the genre. Since then, the band has made it their priority to create quality Blues music, emit a positive presence among the Blues community and rekindle the support of our own American Roots Music: The Blues. A Ton of Blues is a group of musicians who have played collectively and separately over the last 15 years. They eat, sleep & breaths the Blues. "May the spirit of the blues bring you peace & strength to carry on !"
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Work With Me Annie - Hank Ballard and The Midnighters

Hank Ballard (November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003), born John Henry Kendricks, was a rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters and one of the first proto-rock 'n' roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of rock music, releasing the hit singles "Work With Me, Annie" and answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie" with his Midnighters. He later wrote and recorded "The Twist" and invented the dance, which was notably covered by Chubby Checker. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
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WNTI 91.5 Rock-it Science with Greg Lewis - Playlist November 17, 2011

On The Road Again (alternate take), Canned Heat, Uncanned The Best Of...
Start: 20:02:00 End: 20:09:00 Duration : 7:00

Can't Find My Way Home, Bonnie Bramlett, Piece Of My Heart :The Best Of 1969-78
Start: 20:10:00 End: 20:13:00 Duration : 3:00

Driftin', Eric Clapton, Nothing But The Blues
Start: 20:13:00 End: 20:21:40 Duration : 8:40

Crossroads, Robin Trower, Another Day's Blues
Start: 20:28:21 End: 20:31:48 Duration : 3:27

That's What I Know, Rocky Athas, That's What I Know
Start: 20:31:48 End: 20:34:48 Duration : 3:00

Blues In The Morning, Mick Taylor, A Stone's Throw
Start: 20:34:48 End: 20:41:18 Duration : 6:30

Lost In The Congo, Doyle Bramhall, Is It News
Start: 20:46:18 End: 20:50:18 Duration : 4:00

Tears Like A River, Mike Henderson and The Bluebloods, Thicker Then Water
Start: 20:50:18 End: 20:54:46 Duration : 4:28

Sleeping In The Ground, Mick Clarke & Lou Martin, Happy Home
Start: 20:54:46 End: 20:58:36 Duration : 3:50

Moon Tears, Nils Lofgren, Pinkpot
Start: 21:01:36 End: 21:08:06 Duration : 6:30

Heart On Fire, Grin, All Out
Start: 21:09:06 End: 21:14:06 Duration : 5:00

Blues Otani, Roy Buchanan, Live in Japan
Start: 21:14:06 End: 21:21:36 Duration : 7:30


Salvation, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Space Age Blues
Start: 21:26:31 End: 21:30:31 Duration : 4:00

Crying In The Road, Chris Youlden, Nowhere Road
Start: 21:30:31 End: 21:34:07 Duration : 3:36

Round And Round, Savoy Brown, Voodoo Moon
Start: 21:34:07 End: 21:39:03 Duration : 4:56

I Love Your Truth, Rod Price, West 4
Start: 21:39:03 End: 21:44:03 Duration : 5:00

Game of Skill, Ray Manzarek / Roy Rogers, Translucent Blues
Start: 21:47:03 End: 21:51:03 Duration : 4:00

Alabama Town, Peter Karp Roadshow, Roadshow
Start: 21:51:03 End: 21:55:35 Duration : 4:32

Too Much Time, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, The Dust Blows Forward
Start: 21:55:35 End: 21:58:07 Duration : 2:32
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Ball and Chain - The Strata-tones

Bright Lights, Big City and the 1950's Blues scene.
Dark, raucous clubs. Brightly lit marquees upon worn brick exteriors. The moment you enter the door, the heat hits you.
The sights, smells, and primitive sounds within. This is
'The Strata-tones'.

Down in the alley Blues. Take no prisoners.
No one gets out without feeling the groove.
So put on your best two tone slides and walk thru the door.
They'll be waiting for you.

Get ready for our feature vocalist; Ms. Valerie Johnson, to take you on a vocal experience that will blow your mind.
Guitar's; Bruce Krupnik, Harmonica; Kevin McCracken, Mr. Hammond; Ken Burton.
The Nitty Gritty Rhythm Section of The Strata-tones, Bass; Wil Anderson, Drums; Rick Pittman.

Valerie Johnson - Vocals
Kevin McCracken - Harmonica & Vocals
Wil Anderson - Upright & Electric Bass Guitar
Rick Pittman - Drums
Ken Burton - Keyboards
Bruce Krupnik - Guitars, Vocals
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Brush With The Blues - Broken Arrow Blues Band

Got to love a band from Detroit playing Jeff Beck and calling it blues... my kind of band. I'm working on getting a bio and more info. In the mean time ENJOY!

Detroit Style Electric Blues & Boogie Band that has come together in years out of a group of 4 stellar Musicians from the South Eastern part of Michigan.
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Devil Down Records Artist Earl "Little Joe" Ayers

Here's an honest blues musician who is obviously uncomfortable in front of the camera... but he still tells a good story!
Earl “Little Joe” Ayers is a blues guitarist and singer based in Holly Springs, Mississippi. For over thirty years, he was a member of the Soul Blues Boys, Junior Kimbrough’s long-time backing band.

Ayers was born in nearby Lamar and began performing at house parties in the area when he was 15. When asked what inspired him to begin playing the guitar, he replied, “It was something that other people weren’t doing.” He also saw the enjoyment that his second cousin, Lindsey Boga, and Junior Kimbrough derived from their musical pursuits, and “didn’t want to be left behind.”

Boga was a contemporary of Kimbrough’s as well as the first person he performed publicly with. Ayers bought his first guitar from Boga’s father for $4 and began learning from his second cousin. “I was around Junior about every other Sunday; I was around [Boga] every other day,“ Ayers says. After Boga went into the Army, Ayers learned more from Kimbrough himself, “picking up his sound.” Ayers absorbed Kimbrough’s unique style so well that eventually Kimbrough asked him to play with him, and in 1965 he joined his band.

Calling themselves the Soul Blues Boys, the band was initially composed of Kimbrough and Ayers on guitar and George Scales on bass. Kimbrough later added a drummer to their group; John Henry Smith, John Henry McGee (both now deceased), and Calvin Jackson all served terms behind the drum kit for Kimbrough. Scales was frequently absent due to the demands of his job as a concrete finisher for a construction firm, and during his long absences Ayers began to play bass in his place. He remained the bassist for the Soul Blues Boys until Kimbrough’s death in 1998.

Ayers toured extensively in the region with Kimbrough and company, but drew the line on playing overseas as he doesn’t care for flying. They made the rounds of the festival circuits in the summertime, and played at house parties and local jukes such as Marshall Scruggs’ in winter. They also frequently performed with members of the Burnside family. “It became almost like a combining thing,“ Ayers recalls. “Whenever they’d have a gig, we’d get one; whenever we’d get a gig, they’d get one.“ In 1991 Ayers played bass behind Kimbrough in Robert Palmer’s documentary Deep Blues; their performance of “All Night Long” was filmed before the release of Kimbrough’s debut album of the same name on Fat Possum Records, which was also produced by Palmer.

Ayers has performed irregularly since Kimbrough’s death. In recent years he has made appearances at the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, as well as at Red’s in Clarksdale. He also occasionally sits in with fellow Hill Country blues musicians such as Kenny Brown. Having recently retired from his job as an electrician for the Holly Springs School District, he and fellow Soul Blues Boys George Scales and Calvin Jackson are discussing a possible return to full-time performing. Ayers has four children and two grandchildren; his son Trenton Ayers is also a bassist, and currently performs with the Mississippi Delta-based blues-rock band The Electric Mudd. Ayers released "Backatchya", a solo album, on Devil Down Records in September 2011.
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Update on Rod Piazza - Tour Schedule

ROD PIAZZA This past June saw the release of Rod Piazza's 25th recording "Almighty Dollar" on Delta Groove Music and the response so far has been strong. The CD has been riding high on the charts since its release which already includes ten weeks on the Roots Music Report and four months on the Living Blues Radio Chart where the album hit #1 in July. Blues Revue magazine has an upcoming feature about Rod written by Tom Cullen III, tentatively scheduled for their 2012 January/February issue, and the band is already gearing up for another busy Spring/Summer touring season which will include making their first appearance at our very own 7th Annual Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue at the Cajun & Blues Music Festival held in Simi Valley next Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to catch Rod Piazza and the All Mighty Flyers when they hit your town!

11/03/11: Las Vegas, NV – Boulder Station Hotel & Casino 11/05/11: Arcadia, CA – Arcadia Blues Club 11/23/11: Long Beach, CA – Golden Sails 12/11/11: Riverside, CA – American Legion 12/17/11: Phoenix, CA – The Rhythm Room 12/31/11: Arcadia, CA – Arcadia Blues Club 01/07/12: Atascadero, CA – House Concert 01/22/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/23/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/24/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/25/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/26/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/27/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/28/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 01/29/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 03/03/12: San Francisco, CA – Biscuits & Blues 03/16/12: San Juan Capistrano, CA – The Coach House 05/18/12: Charleston, WV – Charlie West Blues Fest 05/26-27/12: Simi Valley, CA – Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival07/14/12: Tuolumne, CA – Black Oak Casino08/17/12: Lebanon, OR – Harvest Moon Blues Festival

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Blind Raccoon artist: Levee Town - Pages of Paperwork - new recording review

I just received the new recording "Pages of Paperwork" by Levee Town. An assembly of 14 original tunes, Levee Town explores a lot of territory with a solid rhythm section of Jacque Garoutte on bass and vocals and Jan Faircloth on drums. This release is just spiked with terrific harp tone produced by Jimmie Meade and complimented by strong guitar leads by Brandon Hudspeth. Although rooted in the tradition of Chicago blues this recording has a lot of newer ideas happening and I actually keep thinking I'm listening to the original Yardbirds sometimes. The basic sound just keeps you moving through the entire set but there are some knock back solos on guitar and I especially love some of the harp tones that make me stop what I'm doing to admire what I'm hearing. All in all a very good recording.

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Tech Talk - 1960 National 1210 Twin-Tone Amplifier Demo

The Valco 1210 is a simple 3 tube amp (5Y3, 6V6, 12AX7) with volume and tone controls, 3 inputs, and a pair of Rola 6" x 11" speakers. While about comparable to a Fender Champ in wattage, the Valco built amp has significantly more grit and growl thanks to a Grid leek bias design. The 4 ohm speakers are wired in series which offers a lot more power handling than you'd expect to find in a small amp. Sure, you'll need to mic it for band volumes, but if you're looking for killer small amp tone for guitar or harmonica this on is a perfect choice.
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TIM SEARCY - WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE- Mike Packer correspondent

Tim Searcy is no ordinary song and dance man. I realize that this blog is about blues but after hearing his music which is rooted in gospel and R&B and the fact that he is Al Green's cousin I couldn't resist to write this article. The man is good.

Tim Searcy has starred with Grammy and Tony award winners Jeniffer Holiday and Stephanie Mills in the Hit Broadway musical tour of "Your Arms Too Short To Box With God". Tim who resides in Las Vegas also recently won two Las Vegas Toddy awards for best male vocalist and best in show for his live performance of his new hit single "We Can Make A Difference ":. To top this off his rendition of the hit song " I Can't Make You Love Me" made famous by Bonnie Raitt was just reissued by Interscope Records last week.

The blues is not a melody. It is not a chord or a beat or a rhythm or a tone. The blues is a state of mind. It's the human condition and in Tim Searcy's case he makes you feel good! He is dedicated and passionate about his music which is what he does best! I believe Tim Searcy is destined for great things! Check him out!
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SF's Psychedelic Rockers Electric Shepherd Playing "Help Save KUSF" Benefit - Fri. Dec. 2 At Rock-It Room

SF's Psychedelic Rockers Electric Shepherd Playing

"Help Save KUSF" Benefit - Fri. Dec. 2 At Rock-It Room

"Warrior music...driving and strong...last two tracks, which happen to total over twenty minutes combined, are worth digging into and are where Electric Shepherd shines." SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"The Seventies are back with a vengeance. And jam-rock trio Electric Shepherd is perhaps the most staggeringly talented outfit in the local revivalist scene. Its members are innovators, rather than mere imitators, and their work vacillates from gnarly art-rock to loping, minimalist blues. "Mildred Harris" could hold its own against any Zeppelin tune." EAST BAY EXPRESS

(San Francisco) - "Help Save KUSF!" is the rallying cry; Bay Area psychedelic-rockers Electric Shepherd are there to answer the call. The trio performs at a "Help Save KUSF Benefit" at the Rock-It Room, 406 Clement St., Friday, December 2. Doors 7:30 p.m., Show 8:00 p.m.. $10. Info: (415) 387-6343 or www.rock-it-room.com. Also on the bill: John Trubee & The Ugly Janitors; Ants & Orchids; and Filter Bubble.

Recently back from their first U.S. tour, Electric Shepherd performed at high-profile psychedelic dance party Frisco Freakout in October 8 and the 34th Annual Haight Ashbury Street Fair this past June. The band also released a limited edition 12" Vinyl EP of the song "Chem Trails" in October of this year.

Read a recent article on the band by Tom Lanham in the San Francisco Examiner here: http://bit.ly/rpPpk8. The young trio whose progressive-aggressive psychedelic rock sound is described as "warrior music" by the San Francisco Chronicle's Tony DuShane consist of Mark Nelsen, guitars-vocals; Tommy Anderson, bass; and Sonny Pearce, drums. San Francisco born and bred, Electric Shepherd seamlessly blend the best elements of psychedelic, blues, and trance, in addition to a hearty dose of indie-rock. The group sports a very cerebral, jam-based musicianship. Found in their songs are intimate journeys of vast color and warmth - resulting in inspirational, operatic bliss with the occasional haunting pit stop. Along with bands such as Sleepy Sun, Wooden Shjips, The Gris Gris, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Ty Segall, Electric Shepherd are at the fore of this re-born, distinctly San Francisco sound.

Some Of The Most Memorable Rock Music came out of the much-loved psychedelic rock era of the '60's, circa San Francisco; bands such as the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Hot Tuna, Big Brother & The Holding Company, The Jefferson Airplane, and others mesmerized the music world with their melodic, hypnotic brand of what would later become known as 'Trance-Rock." Indeed, their music is still as popular today as it was some four decades ago - if not more so.

Electric Shepherd contain strong musical elements of the Doors, Blue Cheer, Cream, and Pink Floyd in their sound, heard to fine effect on such future classics as "ChemTrails" (which clocks in at 7:40), "Mildred Harris" (6:53), "Down the River" (6:09) and "The Misled Herd" (10:48). The music of Electric Shepherd is like a fine wine - made to be ingested slowly, not rushed, that grows on you more with each listen.

"Very authentic both in sound and style...8 (out of 10!)," muses English rock publication Metalliville. Rockwired Radio writes, "harboring an array of unique aesthetics painted into the jowels of modern confusion, Electric Shepherd masks the gaps between old and new, forgotten and undiscovered, with the hopes of destroying past lives and diverging from new ones; a forcible means to an end." CASHBOX concurs: "The vibes on this CD will make your freak flag fly and then some...I can tell you this... If Jim Morrison were alive, I'm sure he would approve."

Electric Shepherd were selected "Amoeba Homegrown Artist of the Month" in January by the influential San Francisco/Berkeley-based record store. The Deli Magazine in San Francisco also chose Electric Shepherd as a "Top 50 Bay Area Psychedelic Rock Act" in their recent poll.

Watch a recent performance by Electric Shepherd at the Knockout in San Francisco here:

Herd yourself through vibrant landscapes and forgotten passions with Electric Shepherd's self-titled debut album (available on I-Tunes).

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TEXAS BLUES GUITARIST ROY TREVIÑO COMES OUT SMOKIN’ ON NEW SELF-TITLED CD PRODUCED BY JIM GAINES, TO BE RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 29

PHARR, TX – South Texas-based blues guitarist/singer Roy Treviño announces the November 29 release of his debut self-titled CD on Troubadour Records, produced by Grammy-winner Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Luther Allison). The new CD was recorded at Church House Studio in Austin, San Jose Studio in Pharr, and Busy at Play Studios in Nashville, and highlights Trevino’s stingingly fluid guitar lines and soulful vocals backed by a stellar cast of musicians.

“I had a list of folks in my mind that I had always wanted to work with and one of those was Chris Maresh, who plays bass with Eric Johnson,” says Treviño about the sessions. “He agreed and suggested a cool studio in Austin called Church House, an old Baptist church converted into a recording studio. The owner, David Boyle, is also a great keyboardist who has worked with a bunch of people including Robert Plant, Patti Griffin, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Justin Timberlake and Eric Johnson. After a false start with one drummer, I found one who had played with one of my buddies (Andres Cantisani) that had given me my first professional gig. It was none other than J.J. Johnson, who I had just watched on the John Mayer DVD, Where the Light Is, and been blown away by his playing. I called J.J. up and he agreed.

“Church House has a Neve Melbourne Console as its heart and we got some great sounds out of that and various other vintage gear and mics, all recorded in this old Baptist church in East Austin. We went down to my studio (San Jose Studios) in Pharr, Texas, for overdubs and recorded background vocals at my compadre Johnny Garcia’s (Trisha Yearwood’s and Garth Brooks’ guitarist and musical director) studio in Nashville.”

The tracks on Roy Treviño are all original songs, save for a cover of Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself,” which Treviño gives a suitably funky treatment with some added scintillating guitar sounds. “I absolutely love and respect Bob Marley; that’s why I was initially hesitant to put this on the album,” says Roy. “I thought that the concept of a Hendrix-y type of guitar in a funked-up Bob Marley tune would be cool. The playing of Chris Maresh, JJ Johnson and David Boyle sealed the deal; they did a phenomenal job.”

The album’s nine other tunes all have some autobiographical background to Roy Treviño’s upbringing in South Texas. The bluesy, gospel opener, “Gloria,” was the culmination of Treviño wanting to write a blues mass. On “The Boy Can Play,” he name-checks a host of guitarists who’ve influenced him over the years, including blues forefathers like Robert Johnson and Son House, through electric blues masters such as the three “Kings,” British guitar gods (Clapton, Beck, Page, Green) and Texas homeboys Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter and the Vaughan Brothers.

Throughout Roy Treviño, the guitarist/singer/songwriter showcases his Mexican and Latin influences, especially on the songs “Sin Ella,” with its Santana-esque guitar lines; the lush, tropical instrumental, “Trinidad;” and the beautiful, romantic mid-tempo “La Luna,” a song which began life under the moon on South Padre Island and was the first time he’d recorded with a nylon string guitar (“This song and ‘Sin Ella’ are my first recorded tunes in Spanish,” adds Treviño.).      

Blues sounds are all over the new album, punctuated by Roy Treviño’s outstanding electric guitar and slide guitar work. “Thank You” was recorded live in the studio,” he recalls. “I had always wanted to write a minor blues tune that I thought was good and I am very happy with these results. I was definitely inspired by Led Zeppelin’s ‘Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You,’ one of my favorite minor blues tunes of all time. This song is about the danger of being lured into doing wrong, when someone does you wrong.”

The song “Going Away” displays some of Treviño’s most powerful blues playing on the album. “It’s a tune about a Civil War soldier having a last supper with his family and afterward explaining to his daughter why he’s going away to do something that he knows is right and necessary,” he says. “In order to accomplish good, we sometimes have to do things that we don’t want to do.”

Roy Treviño was born and raised in South Texas and first became enamored with the guitar and blues at a young age. He studied guitar with one of the best, Ronnie Earl, whose other “students” at the time included a young Sean Costello. Early on, he had a blues band (Kingpin) that recorded two albums and played shows with Three Dog Night, Esteban Jordan, Marcia Ball and Chicano blues legend, Randy Garibay. (Roy Trevino will appear soon in a documentary film on Garibay’s life directed by pioneering Chicano filmmaker, Efrain Gutierrez.) “Lazy Lester would use us as his band when he would come to Texas. That was a blast,” Roy remembers. “It was with this band - Kingpin - that I worked with (harmonica virtuoso) Tim Gonzalez. We got to be great friends and it was he who suggested that I should do an album with Jim Gaines producing. I had heard the name, and when I looked up his discography was amazed at all the great records he had worked on. I got his number from Tim and called him up; but even though Jim had never heard of me, he was kind enough to ask me to send him some tunes.  I did and he agreed to produce the record.”

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Tab Benoit on 2011 Blues Cruise

Jimmy Thackery with Tab Benoit Lionel Young and Curtis Salgado. Pro Jam on Last night on the October 2011 Bluescruise. Main Stage
Tab Benoit (born November 17, 1967, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American blues guitarist, musician and singer. He plays a style that is a combination of blues styles, primarily Delta blues. He plays a Fender Telecaster electric guitar and writes his own musical compositions. Benoit graduated from Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, Louisiana in May, 1985. In 2003, he formed an organization promoting awareness of coastal wetlands preservation known as "Voice of the Wetlands."

A guitar player since his teenage years, he appeared at the Blues Box, a music club and cultural center in Baton Rouge run by guitarist Tabby Thomas. Playing guitar alongside Thomas, Raful Neal, Henry Gray and other high-profile regulars at the club, Benoit learned the blues first-hand from a faculty of living blues legends. He formed a trio in 1987 and began playing clubs in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. He began touring other parts of the south two years later and started touring more of the United States in 1991- and he continues to this day.

He was featured in the IMAX film, Hurricane on the Bayou.

On May 16, 2010, at the LMHOF Louisiana Music Homecoming in Erwinville, Louisiana, Benoit was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
“Like” Bman’s Facebook page. I use Facebook to spread the word about my blog (Now with translation in over 50 languages). I will not hit you with 50 posts a day. I will not relay senseless nonsense. I use it only to draw attention to some of the key posts on my blog each day. In this way I can get out the word on new talent, venues and blues happenings! - click Here

Ball & Chain - Big Mama Thornton with Francis Clay

Big Mama's last appearance in 1984.Same year she died from heart and liver complications since she drunk too much and brought 350 pounds Big Mama to a mere of 95 pounds.Big Mama was nominated for the Blues Music Awards six times.In her history,1966 Thornton recorded Big Mama Thornton With The Muddy Waters Blues Band, with Muddy Waters (guitar), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Luther Johnson (bass guitar), and Francis Clay (drums). Songs included "Everything Gonna Be Alright", "Big Mama's Blues", "I'm Feeling Alright", "Big Mama's Bumble Bee Blues", "Looking The World Over", "Big Mama's Shuffle", and "Since I Fell For You".
Her Ball 'n' Chain album in 1968, recorded with Lightnin' Hopkins (guitar) and Larry Williams (vocals), included the songs "Hound Dog", "Wade in the Water", "Little Red Rooster", "Ball 'n' Chain", "Money Taker", and "Prison Blues".

Francis Clay's work is well known to those who have studied Chicago Blues. If you've listened to Muddy Waters, you've heard Francis. He was Muddy's drummer on and off for about 15 years starting in 1957. Francis was in the thick of things during the heyday of Chicago blues and played with all the greats. His highly original and immensely propulsive drumming drives numerous recordings by Muddy Waters and others. You can find his name on some of the classics of Chicago blues, including the much-acclaimed album "Muddy Waters At Newport." He has toured and recorded with Little Walter, Otis Spann, Clifton Chenier, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Lightnin' Hopkins and Jimmy Reed (to name a few) and was a founding member of the James Cotton Blues Band. Francis Clay is truly one of the all-time masters of blues drumming.
One of Thornton's last albums was Jail (1975) that captures her charm during a couple of mid-'70's gigs at two northwestern prisons.Enjoy !!!
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Music Makers Relief Foundation - Neal Pattman Music Maker PSA

Neal Pattman (January 10, 1926 – May 4, 2005) was an American electric blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.[1] Sometimes billed as Big Daddy Pattman, he is best known for his self-penned tracks, "Prison Blues" and "Goin' Back To Georgia". In the latter, and most notable stages of his long career, Pattman worked with Cootie Stark, Taj Mahal, Dave Peabody, Jimmy Rip, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Guitar Gabriel, and Lee Konitz
Pattman was born in Madison County, Georgia, United States, one of fourteen children. He learned harmonica playing from his father, after an accident involving a wagon wheel at the age of nine left him with only his left arm. Inspired by Sonny Terry's playing and distinctive whoops and hollers, Pattman played on the street corners of nearby Athens, Georgia. He found regular employment in the University of Georgia's kitchens, and gained further experience and local adoration for his regular live performances at various clubs and festivals. However, his more general renown was minimal until 1989, when he performed at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

A meeting in 1991 with Tim Duffy, of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, led to Pattman playing with Cootie Stark, supporting Taj Mahal, on a nationwide Blues Revival Tour. Playing with the British blues guitarist, Dave Peabody,[3] led to Pattman releasing three albums between 1995 and 2001. He also contributed to Kenny Wayne Shepherd's album and DVD, 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads (2007).

However, Pattman had already died of bone cancer in May 2005, in Athens, Georgia, aged 79.
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Devil's Playground - Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo

Formed as a trio in May of 2008, Aaron Williams (Vocals, Guitar), Eric Shackelford (Drums, Vocals) and Z (Bass, Vocals) have the blues deeply rooted in the music they love to play. The trio all met while Aaron was hosting a blues jam at the now defunct club, The Cuda Café. Not to long after this fateful night the band was playing all over their hometown of Madison, WI.
Aaron, like so many other determined young player’s had a veteran musician to learn the craft from, none other then his father Cadillac Joe Andersen. At the age of 16, Aaron picked up the guitar and became obsessed with the instrument. At the ripe old age of 18 he was already sneaking into some of the areas top jams and was keeping up with veteran players. He eventually found a home at the Silver Moon where many great players would show up on Thursday nights for this blues jam. With the likes of Looper Lucas, Michael Coleman and Buddy Guy playing, he was in the right place to learn the craft of a blues front man. After noticing this skinny little kid showing up and belting out the blues week after week Michael Coleman dubbed him “Youngblood” and would call him up to get on stage whenever the crowd needed a boost. Aaron still credits these years as the stepping stone to the kind of player he is today.

Cadillac Joe, noticing his kid’s prowess for the blues signed him on for his next project, The Cadillac Joe Blues Band. Touring the Midwest extensively with his father, Aaron was able to learn the craft and business of music. “I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in this world, spending all those miles in a truck with the old man….you learn a lot of things, not only about music, but life.” The road took them to some of the Midwest’s top blues cities and clubs, playing large music festivals all over the U.S. With the stock rising on the Cadillac Joe Blues Band, one of the top blues clubs in the Midwest, Luther Blues in Madison, took them on as their house band. This gave Aaron a large following and he was able to play with some of the foremost blues players in the world. Shemekia Copeland, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery, Carey Bell, Lil’ Ed, Anthony Gomes, Ana Popovic, Taj Mahal, Canned Heat and the list goes on. Upon hearing Aaron play Coco Montoya said, “Kid, you got a real future in this business, keep it up!”
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Have You Ever Loved A Woman - Reckless Drivers

Found a real good blues band in Spain... The Reckless Drivers. Check them out!

Reckless Drivers rests on the roots of the blues to extract forward a project based on the weight that gives the black music to his later heredities as the rock of the 60s and 70s, funk soul etc.

Reckless Drivers se apoyan en la raices del blues para sacar adelante un proyecto basado en el peso que da la música negra a sus herencias posteriores como el rock de los años 60 y 70 , funk soul etc.
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Disappear Again - Terry Quiett Band

Here's another track by Terry Quiett Band in case you missed the last one. These guys have a great sound. I particularly like the glistening chords.
The winner of the 2010 Memphis Bound Competiton was the Terry Quiett Band. Terry and his band have Terry put on two smokin' hot performances for both the semi-finals and the finals. Here's the bio the band sent in for the competition:

Over the last three years the Terry Quiett Band has played over three-hundred shows across the heartland of this country. They've mesmerized audiences with their original, blues-soaked, groove-inducing, soul-filled sound from 6th Street in "the live music capital" Austin to Beale Street in "the birthplace of rock and blues" Memphis. They've paid their share of dues and tolls from the Rocky Mountains of Denver all the way to the blue grass of Kentucky, winning fans and growing their core grassroots audience with each performance. Terry Quiett Band has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Grammy Award winners and international guitar legends such as the Robert Cray,Walter Trout,Robin Trower, Eric Sardinas,Albert Cummings,Bernard Allison, Kenny Wayne Shephard,Bugs Henderson,Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang,Robert Randolph and many others.
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Music Maker Relief Foundation

Support Music Maker with a gift to our annual fund Please donate today!  Your support of Music Maker makes it possible for partner artists contribute their music, enriching our national culture. It is imperative that Music Maker document these senior artists while they can still share their talents with the world. We are so grateful that supporters like you enabled us to produce Haskell "Whistlin Britches" Thompson's album, Clickin' King of Hip Poppin', this year - a truly unique recording that will be passed on through the generations. We will also ensure that Whistlin' enjoys safety and comfort as he is moved to hospice due to advanced throat cancer.    Please support Music Maker's efforts to document and sustain senior Roots musicians with a gift to our Annual Fund - Donate Today!  Dance, Blues and Fun!     Last Friday Music Maker and the NC Youth Tap Ensemble presented "Tap the Blues", featuring performances from John Dee Holeman, Big Ron Hunter, Ironing Board Sam, Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen and Lakota John Locklear, alongside the NC Youth Tap Ensemble dancers. It was a great night, and the MMRF artists really enjoyed seeing the dancers add a new dimension to their music. And we did too! For photos, check out Chapel Hill Magazine's blog post, or Chapelboro.com's slideshow! Thank you to our generous sponsors!  Digging Through the Stacks: Mystery Track Aaron and I love listening to Nammy-award winner artist Pura Fé while we're working. Her deep and soulful voice provides the perfect backdrop when we've got a deadline to meet or an event in the works. This week's track was labeled "Hey, Hey, Hey" in the database, but I like to think of it as "the Mystery Track" because it took us a little while to figure out where it came from. Tim told us it was recorded at the Hillsborough, N.C. studio during the last recording session with Pura Fé, but was not released on any of her albums. She's playing a steel guitar and using a loop, enabling those strong, haunting sounds to become even more potent. The vocal harmonies are inspired by the music of the Tuscarora Nation, and remind Aaron and I of what we hear when we listen to MMRF Next Generation group the Deer Clan Singers. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! -- Corinne  Listen:  Pura Fé - Hey Hey Hey   Photo of the Week   Luke Hickey rehearses for Tap the Blues - Photo by David LeBron of Chapelboro.com   Quick Links:     Website  Merch  Music

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events  11/18 - Big Ron Hunter, Captain Luke, Robert Lee Coleman, Mudcat - Oyster Riot, Washington, D.C. 11/21 - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins - Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Atlanta 11/26 - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins - Underground Atlanta    1/08 - Lakota John Locklear - NC Museum of History 1/28 - Ironing Board Sam - NC Museum of History 3/09 - Pura Fé, Deer Clan Singers - UNC Pembroke    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.

Bman's Review :Spider Lake Music artist: Pete Thelen - Travels To The Edge - New Recording

I have just received the new release of "Travels To The Edge" by Pete Thelen. This is certainly not in the standard blues vein and stretches your imagination to define at all. That being said... I like it. One of the reasons that I get releases like this is because I have an open mind and don't want to hear new uncreative artists doing 100 year old songs not... changing a note or phrase. Pete Thelen has certainly put together something unique. Born in Chicago, Pete was raised in the lap of modern day blues music but went off to the army and saw the world. This had a profound influence on his perception of life.
Working many years in a suit and tie after his return, Pete got reacquainted with the music business writing and producing music. Now Pete is on another journey and has invited us along. The music that I hear has the darkness of the Delta blues laid over the ethereal sounds of say King Crimson or Trey Gunn. Included is an 8 page booklet with lyrics and pictures. If you are up for something totally different, you should give this a listen. It will stretch your imagination!

Enjoy
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