Blues Critic posted this on his facebook page.  It is Vel Omarr singing a great version of Sam Cooke's A Change Is Going To Come. 
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Blues Ring Gone. No More Being Bounced To Their Site.
For the last few months when I have put in my url to check out my webpage, I have been bounced from here and ended up on the Blues Webring.  I have had a link to that site from almost day one, but for some reason either by accident or purpose I have been forcibly bounced to their site from time to time.  I am not sure if it is happening to you my readers, but I don't like the fact that my traffic is getting redirected to the blues ring.  So I deleted their small ad down in the far corner of the website.  I think that should take care of it, but please let me know if you are getting redirected to another site.
Tom
Blues Historian
Tom
Blues Historian
Sunday, March 27, 2011
John Hammer Blues News
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John 'blueshammer' Hammer
Blue Monday Monthly Magazine
www.bluemondaymonthly.com
Hammered By The Blues Weekly Radio
KOWZ 1170am/ 100.9fm
510 West McKinley
Owatonna, MN 55060
Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update
Proving that I do indeed lead a charmed life, I had a "bucket list  moment" today (if all else fails, lower your expectations) but that's  not important now because this is The BLUE Note (dammit)...    
The Blue Band gets to be part of one of the coolest Iowa Casino/Blues events EVAH, starting tonight (Fri) at The Riverside Casino south of Iowa City. (wasn't Capt. Kirk born in Riverside?) It's Blues Weekend Fri-Sun. Tonight, guitar wiz Cory Stevens was added to the line-up and will play on the Lounge Stage prior to Robert Cray in the Ballroom. After the Cray show, we play on the Lounge Stage from 9:30-1:00. I'm really looking forward to the evening. Other acts thru the weekend include Jonny Lang, The Avey Bros., John Mayall, Shemekia Copeland, and Duke Tumatoe. All lounge stage acts are free to the public. Party in your room!...
Next Friday is The First Friday of the month (no foolin', Apr. 1) at The Hub, 4th & Main, Sparkle City USA, 6-9:30p... April 15 is our first EVAH appearance at the Campbell/Steele Art and Performance Gallery in Marion, it's geeezer gig hours too! (7-10) tickets are only $5 and there's limited space... We did add a few more really cool events to the 30th Anniversary Tour (http://www.theblueband.com/cal.htm) this week. Sunday April 17, Jeff, Mark, and I have been invited to be part of the Hartman Nature Reserve Earth Fair concert. Because of the nature (pun intended) of the Earth Fair, no electrified instruments are allowed. (nor will they be loud) The concert will include many great local acoustic performers starting at 5pm, the 3 Blue Guys, unplugged, does it's 30 minutes at 7p, all of this takes place on the Hartman Reserve grounds in Cedar Falls... We will be spending our actual 30th Blue Birthday, Fri. June 10, at the Jasper Winery in Des Moines, 7-10pm, helping to raise money for, and awareness of, all the services provided by Planned Parenthood of Iowa, bring birthday CAKE!... And Sunday July 3, we've been invited to another great Independence Weekend event, Blues-BBQ & MOMS (Mothers Of Military Support group) This is another fundraising/awareness event, taking place in Charles City Central Park 5-9pm... We still have the 4th of July available for that deck party at your cabin on the lake (or your garage and the neighborhood block party) and we're still looking for a party place for the Saturday of the band's 30th birthday weekend (June 11)...
Saturday's rock 'n' roll history radio show Backtracks (7-10pm) includes an hour long "rockumentary" on the making of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water album (celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year) plus some "leftover" requests from last week's live show. I'll be listening while driving to Tom Cooper II 60th birthday party (Happy bday, you old fart!) and Sunday's Blue Avenue blues show will be Ladies Night featuring women in the blues from all eras ranging from Janiva Magness to Big Mama Thornton to Memphis Minnie. And the Beatles Medley that follows that program is all songs with a woman's name in the song title! Ladies Night, Sun. 5-7pm on Iowa Public Radio (www.iowapublicradio.org)...
I subscribe to Sirius Satellite radio for just one reason. The NFL channel. I have some insane addiction to professional football. There, I admit it in public, that's always step number one in kicking the habit (faced with the current "labor situation" I might have to quit cold turkey) I listen to all the shows, with my favorite being, Movin' The Chains with onetime Bears defensive lineman Tim Ryan and onetime Jets General Manager Pat Kirwan. I had some ideas on compromises for the owners and players to consider regarding the current labor negotiations and somehow got thru on the call-in-line, (there's that charmed life again) stayed on hold for 64 minutes, which only built up my nervousness, thus making me have to pee even more (I had a bowl of fruit salad and two cups of coffee while sitting on hold for that hour!) and actually got to go on the air and get Tim and Pat's opinion on my ideas for compromise and THEY LIKED IT! (it's too long and involved for me to try and explain here) So I can cross "being on Sirius NFL Radio" off the bucket list. It was a thrill (it's the little things) It was better than CAKE!...
Speaking of CAKE (as we often do) many people have written suggesting we change to PIE! Vote by either bringing CAKE or PIE to the next few gigs...
See yas on the Blue Highway, use yer damn turn signals (an oldie, but a goodie) rub yer washboard tie to the tune of The Gambler's Blues, hope you win the jackpot at the slot machines (leave a hefty tip in the band tip jar if you do) and always remember, we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band.
The Blue Band gets to be part of one of the coolest Iowa Casino/Blues events EVAH, starting tonight (Fri) at The Riverside Casino south of Iowa City. (wasn't Capt. Kirk born in Riverside?) It's Blues Weekend Fri-Sun. Tonight, guitar wiz Cory Stevens was added to the line-up and will play on the Lounge Stage prior to Robert Cray in the Ballroom. After the Cray show, we play on the Lounge Stage from 9:30-1:00. I'm really looking forward to the evening. Other acts thru the weekend include Jonny Lang, The Avey Bros., John Mayall, Shemekia Copeland, and Duke Tumatoe. All lounge stage acts are free to the public. Party in your room!...
Next Friday is The First Friday of the month (no foolin', Apr. 1) at The Hub, 4th & Main, Sparkle City USA, 6-9:30p... April 15 is our first EVAH appearance at the Campbell/Steele Art and Performance Gallery in Marion, it's geeezer gig hours too! (7-10) tickets are only $5 and there's limited space... We did add a few more really cool events to the 30th Anniversary Tour (http://www.theblueband.com/cal.htm) this week. Sunday April 17, Jeff, Mark, and I have been invited to be part of the Hartman Nature Reserve Earth Fair concert. Because of the nature (pun intended) of the Earth Fair, no electrified instruments are allowed. (nor will they be loud) The concert will include many great local acoustic performers starting at 5pm, the 3 Blue Guys, unplugged, does it's 30 minutes at 7p, all of this takes place on the Hartman Reserve grounds in Cedar Falls... We will be spending our actual 30th Blue Birthday, Fri. June 10, at the Jasper Winery in Des Moines, 7-10pm, helping to raise money for, and awareness of, all the services provided by Planned Parenthood of Iowa, bring birthday CAKE!... And Sunday July 3, we've been invited to another great Independence Weekend event, Blues-BBQ & MOMS (Mothers Of Military Support group) This is another fundraising/awareness event, taking place in Charles City Central Park 5-9pm... We still have the 4th of July available for that deck party at your cabin on the lake (or your garage and the neighborhood block party) and we're still looking for a party place for the Saturday of the band's 30th birthday weekend (June 11)...
Saturday's rock 'n' roll history radio show Backtracks (7-10pm) includes an hour long "rockumentary" on the making of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water album (celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year) plus some "leftover" requests from last week's live show. I'll be listening while driving to Tom Cooper II 60th birthday party (Happy bday, you old fart!) and Sunday's Blue Avenue blues show will be Ladies Night featuring women in the blues from all eras ranging from Janiva Magness to Big Mama Thornton to Memphis Minnie. And the Beatles Medley that follows that program is all songs with a woman's name in the song title! Ladies Night, Sun. 5-7pm on Iowa Public Radio (www.iowapublicradio.org)...
I subscribe to Sirius Satellite radio for just one reason. The NFL channel. I have some insane addiction to professional football. There, I admit it in public, that's always step number one in kicking the habit (faced with the current "labor situation" I might have to quit cold turkey) I listen to all the shows, with my favorite being, Movin' The Chains with onetime Bears defensive lineman Tim Ryan and onetime Jets General Manager Pat Kirwan. I had some ideas on compromises for the owners and players to consider regarding the current labor negotiations and somehow got thru on the call-in-line, (there's that charmed life again) stayed on hold for 64 minutes, which only built up my nervousness, thus making me have to pee even more (I had a bowl of fruit salad and two cups of coffee while sitting on hold for that hour!) and actually got to go on the air and get Tim and Pat's opinion on my ideas for compromise and THEY LIKED IT! (it's too long and involved for me to try and explain here) So I can cross "being on Sirius NFL Radio" off the bucket list. It was a thrill (it's the little things) It was better than CAKE!...
Speaking of CAKE (as we often do) many people have written suggesting we change to PIE! Vote by either bringing CAKE or PIE to the next few gigs...
See yas on the Blue Highway, use yer damn turn signals (an oldie, but a goodie) rub yer washboard tie to the tune of The Gambler's Blues, hope you win the jackpot at the slot machines (leave a hefty tip in the band tip jar if you do) and always remember, we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band.
Illinois Blues News
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|        From The Editors Desk      Hey Blues Fans,    I am already feeling the pinch of the additional work of bringing you a    new cover photo and feature interview each week. But it seems worth it    as many of you responded positively to last weeks new format change. And    really, what could be more fun that getting to talk with some of the    greatest Blues artists on the planet to set up these interviews? It    is good to be me!      This week we feature Bobby Rush. Read Terry Mullins interview below to    see about the many facets and many talents of this living Blues legend.    Good Blues To You!    Bob Kieser         RIP Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins    July 7, 1913 - March 21, 2011 It is with    deep sadness that we announce Pinetop Perkins passed away peacefully at    home on Monday, March 21, 2011 in Austin, TX at the age of 97. Here is    the information on Visitation and Funeral Services. Visitation and    services will take place both in Austin, Texas and in Clarksdale,    Mississippi as follows: Austin,    Texas Visitation - Sunday, March 27, 2011, 3 - 5 p.m. at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas 78752 512.454.5611 Funeral    Service - Monday, March 28, 2011, 5 p.m. at Colonial Chapel of    Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas 78752    512.454.5611    Celebration of Life - Monday, March 28, 2011, 8 p.m., Antone's Blues    Club, 213 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701    Clarksdale, Mississippi Visitation - Friday, April 1, 2011, 4 - 7 p.m., Century Funeral Home, 506 Ashton Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614 662.627.4182 Funeral    Service - Saturday, April 2, 2011, 11 a.m., Century Funeral Home,    506 Ashton Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614 662.627.4182 Burial   - Saturday, April 2, 2011 - immediately following funeral service at    McLaurin Memorial Garden Cemetery, Highway 61 North, Clarksdale, MS    38614    Celebration of Life - Saturday, April 2, 2011 - Location and time    TBD, Clarksdale, MS Memorials    - Pinetop Perkins Foundation - Please consider honoring Pinetop's    legacy by donating to The Pinetop Perkins Foundation. Donations can be    made by check or through PayPal. The Pinetop Perkins Foundation is a tax    exempt non-profit organization. It's mission is to provide encouragement    and support for youth and young people at the beginning of their musical    career; and help provide care and safety for elderly musicians at the    twilight of their career.  Mail Your Contribution to: The Pinetop    Perkins Foundation, P.O. Box 1916, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (Photo above by    Steve Azzato)        In This Issue      Terry Mullins   has our feature interview with Bobby Rush. James "Skyy Dobro" Walker   reviews a new CD by Michael Osborn & The Drivers Mark Thompson reviews a new CD by   John Alex Mason. John   Mitchell reviews a new CD by Ross Neilsen And The Sufferin’ Bastards.      Gary “Wingman” Weeks   reviews a new CD by Gregg Allman. All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!! | 
       Featured Blues Story -    Bobby Rush Interview   
|       Sure, he rubbed shoulders with Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf during    their Windy City hey-day.       And he counted Magic Sam, Elmore James, Freddie King and Luther Allison    as members of his band at one time or another.       So sure, Bobby Rush is the real-deal blues.        No doubt about it.       But Bobby Rush is so much more than that.       He’s a family man. He’s an employer. He’s a record executive. He’s a    chef. He’s a keeper of the flame.       And Bobby Rush is one heck of an entertainer.        Whether he’s on the huge stage at the Chicago Blues Fest, decked out in    a flashy suit and backed by a big band and pair of beautiful female    dancers, or whether he’s churning out the gut-bucket blues with just a    battered acoustic guitar in a small juke joint in Clarksdale, Bobby    Rush’s goal remains the same.       To entertain and make us forget about our problems for a few hours.       With all due respect to James Brown, or to anyone else who might have    laid claim to the title, Bobby Rush is THE hardest working man in show    business.       Even after grinding it out night after night for five-plus decades.       Blues Blast: How have the first couple of months of 2011 been to Bobby    Rush?       Bobby Rush: Things are looking up. The dates (playing live) are starting    to look up from where they were the last two years. So thank God things    are looking up. I don’t know where things are going, because people are    getting used to doing without, but it’s time for a change. I can’t put    my finger on it, but so far so good.       BB: So on a good year, how many shows do you typically play?       BR: Well, I played less last year than I have in about 40 years. But I    do about 220-250 shows a year. That’s for the last 50 years. Sometimes    we do two shows a day – six for the weekend.       BB: You’re almost like two separate performers. You’ve got your big    stage production - with the female dancers everyone talks about – a show    that moves from light-hearted fun to straight-up comedy to    down-and-dirty blues, and then you’ve got your solo shows – with just    your guitar and harp. Which do you prefer doing these days?       BR: Well, when I’m doing the solo thing, I don’t have to have all the    personalities and the band to deal with. But when I have the band with    me, it makes me feel good that I’m able to employ people, especially in    times like these. I’ve got nine people on the road with me and it gives    them something to do and it feeds a lot of families. It’s something that    I’ve been able to do for 30 or 40 years and that makes me feel good that    I can supply a job for them and their kids and grandmothers and family.    But doing them both gives me a wider range, because I want to go down in    history as a performer, not just as a guitar player or a harp player.    I’m labeled as that, but I want to be known as an entertainer. And it    takes all those big-band things to make an entertainer out of me. But    when I’m doing the solo acoustic thing, it narrows it down to a lesser    worry, because sometimes I think people kind of miss what I’m about, or    where I’m going. Especially like 10 years ago. It’s better now because    they found out this old man knew what he was doing in the beginning.    Because deep down inside, I’m the same person whether I’ve got 10 people    around me – the strings, the horns, the guitars and drums – because I    talk the same talk there that I do when I’m solo - I’m talking    story-wise. I may tell it a bit different, but overall it’s the same    meat, the same story. So overall, I’m wearing three hats, but they all    keep the sun off of me.       BR: Yeah. I’m glad you mentioned that. I’m so glad you mentioned that    because my first reason for wanting to do the solo thing was not because    I was so in love with it, but because it gave people the opportunity to    see me that might not have had the chance to otherwise. Like the juke    joints – the Chitlin Circuit with the 50- or 100-seat clubs can’t afford    a Bobby Rush or a Buddy Guy or B.B. King or Clapton. But now, I can give    them Bobby Rush on a smaller setting and it won’t cost them an arm and a    leg. That makes me feel good. What we have done, I’m talking about    entertainers and musicians, by pricing ourselves like we have, it has    put the small clubs out of business. So I’m trying to bring back the    small clubs and small promoters into business. Those small places and    juke joints are where we all come from. That’s a bridge we’ve crossed    and we don’t want to forget about it.       BB: Yeah, it just seems like there’s so few of those clubs around    anymore.       BR: They are scarce and that’s why we want to save them. They’re like    hen’s teeth. We want to save the ones that’s left and encourage the ones    that were in business, or the ones that want to start a business, to    come back. And when I say juke joint, I don’t mean that as being less    than something else. It’s just a smaller business, a smaller club.       BB: In addition to a band leader, manager, performer and entertainer,    you’re also a record label owner. Did the idea for Deep Rush Records    come about because you wanted to unburden yourself from other record    labels, or was there a bigger vision, like wanting to provide an outlet    for other performers, who might not otherwise get the chance, express    themselves?       BR: I had two game-plans. I wanted to have the power to do what I wanted    to do, because I thought I could think better for me than the record    labels could think for me. Like what should I cut, how should I cut it …    I thought I could think for myself instead of having someone think for    me. And at the same time, it would let other entertainers see that they    could do this, also. Plus, it gives me the voice to speak to the issues    that I want to speak about in my records. There’s just so much control    with record companies. Don’t get me wrong, some artists needs management    and controlling, but everybody doesn’t need that. I’m not saying record    companies and management were not important, they just weren’t important    to me.       BR: That came about because in Chicago, for about 20 years, I had a    restaurant called Bobby’s BBQ House. It was successful but it took away    from me a lot of time musically. Financially, it was good for me, but    musically it just took away from me, because I didn’t have time to    create a lot music-wise. So that’s what got the BBQ thing the first time    – music. So I started making hot links, I learned how to make them as a    kid from my dad, who taught me how to make hot sausage. So I just took    that and instead of putting it in a patty, I put it in a link. And    people started eating them and I started comparing them with other links    around and I thought I was making something as good, if not better, than    what there was around. That’s how it started. I made them for 15 or 20    years and cooked them and sold them and made a couple of nickels off    them, so lately I started going back into the barbecue houses and making    and selling links again. And I’m a great cook, if I do have to pat    myself on the back. I make jelly and preserves – anything from apples,    plums or pears – from scratch.       BB: Growing up in Louisiana, that kind of cooking was just a way of    life, wasn’t it?       BR: It was. I was born between Homer and Haynesville, Louisiana, but I    left there in 1947 for Pine Bluff, Arkansas and lived with my father on    a farm there for a few years. In the early 50s I moved to Chicago and    when I got there, there were many blues guys there. But the people I    respected and knew well were Muddy Waters, Little Walter and of course,    Willie Dixon, who was there with Chess Records. And Jimmy Reed was    there, also.       BB: And you spent a good deal of time with Jimmy Reed, didn’t you?       BR: I was very good friends with Jimmy Reed. So good a friend that I    often tell it that I think Jimmy Reed was the only guy that I ever    called my friend and really cheated him. I hate that today, that I    cheated him, but I laugh about how I cheated him. He was a drinker and    he used to send me to the store to get him a bottle of gin and that    would cost about 90 cents or less. And once he had a couple of drinks, I    found out he didn’t know how much he was drinking, what he was drinking    or what I was giving him. So I would take me an empty bottle and fill it    halfway with water and halfway with gin and I would sell it to him for    about $1.20 – about 10 times a day, man. So I was making about $5 a day    or better off Jimmy. And in 1951-52, $5 or $6 was a lot of money. Yeah,    I was making about $25 a week off Jimmy Reed. I was the richest dude    around, making more than Muddy Waters or Howlin’ Wolf put together!       BR: There were so many (performers), but there so many clubs. There were    a bunch on Roosevelt …and then on Lake Street, there was Silvio’s, where    Muddy Waters played on Wednesday and Thursday. I played there on    Saturday and Sundays. And then I’d play at Walter’s Corner on Wednesday,    Thursday or Fridays … there was just a lot of gigs around. And I was in    a position as a young man, who was a little younger than Muddy Waters, I    was working two jobs a night and sometimes getting $12 or $13 a night.    And that was more money than a lot of the guys were getting. I would    jump from one club right to the next.       BB: Sounds like the opportunity was there if a guy wanted to take it.       BR: Yeah, yeah! But there weren’t a whole lot of entertainers. There    were a lot of musicians, but not a whole lot of entertainers,    understand? A lot of them didn’t stick out like Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy    Waters and Little Walter.       BB: There may be people that don’t know this, but a young Luther Allison    got his start in Chicago in your band. What made him such a special    performer?       BR: I met him when he was about 17- or 18-years-old. Luther was special    because he was always such a good guitar player. I was playing at a    place called the Squeeze-In, and at that time I had Freddie King on    guitar with me. I wanted Luther to play with me because he was a young    guy who was fresh, but he wasn’t old enough to play in the club. But I    got him into Walter’s Corner – they let him play but he had to stay in    the dressing room – but Mr. Walter (the club owner) let me bring him in,    even though he was only about 18 and you were supposed to be 21 to get    in. So I think I was one of the first guys that Luther played with. And    from that, Magic Sam and from that, Elmore James played with me.       BB: Before you got to Chicago, what was the blues scene like in Arkansas    – in Pine Bluff and Helena – in the 50s?       BB: It didn’t take Elmore James long to turn into a real force in    Chicago blues, did it?       BR: I didn’t. It was 1953 when he played with me and he had halfway    established his name out of Mississippi at that time. I met him in    Belzoni, Mississippi one time. There was a gentleman in Chicago at that    time named Lee Robizeen, that owned Lee’s Lounge. And he came down to    Mississippi and met this young lady that owned the Delta Funeral Home.    She had two of them (funeral homes) and she was a good-looking lady. And    Lee Robizeen came down and got married to this lady. Lee was a friend of    mine and Elmore James was also a friend of mine who I wanted to play    with me, but I couldn’t afford him. He wanted $35 a night and I couldn’t    pay that. So he (James) saw this lady sitting at the bar one night. He    goes, ‘Wow, Bobby Rush, who is that fine lady you just talked to?’ I    said, ‘She’s a friend of mine.’ And Elmore goes, ‘I’d do anything to get    to talk to her.’ As I was walking away, I stopped and said, ‘Anything?’    So I said, ‘Elmore, if you’ll play with me, I’ll hook you up.’ He said,    ‘I’ll play for you for free, if you hook me up.’ So it was a dirty thing    really, they were both my friends (Lee and Elmore). I know it’s dirty,    but when Lee wouldn’t be around, I’d tell Elmore and he would talk to    her while the husband was gone. And then I’d get Elmore James to play    this weekend with me for free. I didn’t have to pay Elmore James a dime.    But I know that’s the wrong hookup. I shouldn’t tell that, but they were    both my friends. Sorry about that, Lee (laughs). Sorry about that,    Elmore (laughs). Elmore might have had a little rock in his jaw because    I’d taken that gig from him (in Pine Bluff), or maybe he didn’t want to    play with me because I was too small or didn’t have enough money to pay    him. But after I introduced him to that lady, he thought I was the king.        BB: You’re nominated for (BMA) Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year again    this year, after having won it four out of the past five years. I vote    that we just go ahead and change the name of the award to The Bobby Rush    Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year. Does it mean anything to win awards    like this after all the years you’ve been playing?       BB: With the way the economy has been lately, with gas and food prices    going through the roof, meaning less disposable income for fun stuff,    like buying records and attending shows, what do you see in the    immediate future for the blues?       BR: Well, performers are going to have to be like I was when I first    started in the 1950s – you have to be self-contained. Everybody’s had to    cut back and we performers have to, also. I know the big band leaders    are going to kick me in the head for saying this, but the guy who has 20    or 30 pieces on the bandstand – it’s not like they can’t get a job – but    the way things are now, the performers and the venues will just not    allow you to make money like that. So you have to find a way to    down-size. But as far as the music, I don’t know where blues is going,    because they’re downloading everything now. I really don’t know. All I    can say is, if we as entertainers do real music and stick to the    real-deal, people will buy that. People are just having to make hard    choices on what they want to spend their money on.       BB: After performing and being on the road for so long, does retirement    ever cross your mind?       BR: Yeah, it does. I’ve decided I’m going to retire when I’m 108. After    that, we’ll talk about it again.       BB: So with no imminent plans on retirement, what’s on the horizon for    Bobby Rush?       BR: I did a new record three or four months ago, and hopefully it’ll be    out before the end of this year- I think I want to name it Down in    Mississippi – and it’s all raw – just Bobby Rush with a harp and guitar.    And I’m also dropping a new soul record in a few weeks, a regular kind    of Bobby Rush thing. This is not something I did intentionally, but it’s    like I’ve got two or three different heads (styles of music) on me. I’m    so blessed that I crossed over to a white audience and didn’t have to    cross out a black audience to do it. So many other guys like myself have    crossed over to a white audience, but they crossed out the black    audience. I did not. People expect me to be me and I’m still doing the    same thing, the folk-funk kind of record, the R&B thing, the acoustic    blues thing and they accept it all. And I’m so thankful. I just always    tried to cut the kind of records that were true to me. Now you’ve got    young black guys with the wah-wah pedals and the whole bit, trying to    sound like the white guys who were trying to sound like the black guys.    You follow what I’m saying? And there’s nothing wrong with either one,    but I think that a man should just be himself and do what you feel..         Interviewer Terry Mullins is a journalist and former record store owner whose    personal taste in music is the sonic equivalent of Attention Deficit    Disorder. Works by the Bee Gees, Captain Beefheart, Black Sabbath,    Earth, Wind & Fire and Willie Nelson share equal space with Muddy    Waters, The Staples Singers and R.L. Burnside in his compact disc    collection. He's also been known to spend time hanging out on the street    corners of Clarksdale, Miss., eating copious amounts of barbecued    delicacies while listening to the wonderful sounds of the blues.    For other reviews and interviews on our website        CLICK HERE | 
| Blind Willy Willing To Crawl Available now at | 
|   Blues Blast   has the   Lowest Advertising Prices Of The Year!   We know times are tough so  Blues Blast Magazine is offering a Spring Ad special until April 15. This is our lowest   pricing of the year and offers an effective way to get the   Blues word out for Blues festival advertising budgets and CD promotion   projects. This 6 week combo rate of only $200 allows you to affordably   add significant impact to your Blues event. It is a great way to kick   up the visibility of a CD release or Blues Festival! Normal 2011 Advertising   rates are $45 per week for magazine ads and $70 a month for website ads.     So normal price for this six week advertising is $375. But during this limited time, you can advertise your Blues event or CD in six issues of Blues Blast Magazine and on our website for a month and a half for only $200. That is less than the cost of a small ad in your local newspaper to get135,000 ad views during the six week ad run. To get the special rate simply reserve your ad space by April 15th, 2011. Ads can be scheduled to run anytime between now and September 30, 2011. Blues Blast Magazine is a great way to promote the Blues. More than 17,000 Blues fans read our magazine each week. They are located in all 50 states and in more than 80 countries. We get more than 25,000 visitors a month on our website and more than 1,000,000 (That's ONE MILLION) hits a month. Blues fans want to know about Blues events and music! Reserve your space today! Space is limited and sold on a first come. Ads must be reserved and paid for before April 15, 2011. To get more information or to book your ad call 309 267-4425 or email info@thebluesblast.com today! | 
       Featured Blues Review 1 of 4   
|    Checkerboard Records 7 songs;    30:50 minutes; Suggested Styles:    Chicago Blues; West Coast Blues My secret    weight loss program? “Sleep Your Weight Away.” It is based on the fact    that even a sleeping person is burning calories, and, most importantly,    one is not eating while asleep. Feeling hungry? Take a nap instead of    having a snack! “I went to    the doctor he said lose some weight / And, if you don’t do it quick we    got to operate .... Why Get Up?,” sings Dave Mathis, harmonicist and    vocalist for Michael Osborn and the Drivers on Osborn’s latest CD. In    the opening track, Mathis makes a convincing case for just sleeping the    troubles away as he nails the vocals on this cover of the memorable    Fabulous Thunderbirds song, written by Bill Carter and wife Ruth    Ellsworth. Mathis, in addition to listing six more reasons to just stay    in bed, adds a killer harmonica solo at mid song just after Osborn’s    tasty guitar-break licks. And, thus,    we have the beginning of another standout set of Blues from Michael    Osborn and crew. Thirty minutes is way too short for this CD, but I love    the stripped down, real-deal approach of this veteran Bluesman’s    quartet: guitar, bass, harp, drums -- and no horns!  Osborn’s guitar playing is a real highlight. With pleasing tone, he is tasteful in his note spacing, stretching, fills, and runs. Anything but over the top, he is, thankfully, not a string shredder. Osborn’s    sixth release is purest pleasing electric Blues across four originals    and three covers. My favorite original, “Needles and Pins,” is written    by bassist and vocalist K.G. Jackson. This mid-tempo shuffle opens with    ear catching single notes from Osborn’s guitar. The rhythm joins,    founded by John Moore’s pocket drumming, and then three part harmony    vocals cement this song enjoyable and memorable. Melody is what makes    this song joyously swing, a trait of the classics one remembers most. I    also liked Osborn’s multi-tracked rhythm guitar alongside his lead    guitar punctuations at the end of each vocal line. “The    Glamorous Life” is a humorous shuffle giving us our first listen to    Osborn’s serviceable vocals. After listing a litany of road woes for a    touring musician, Osborn sardonically sings, but “...it’s the glamorous    life.” his song was also included in Osborn’s previous release, 2008’s   What Goes Around. Michael    Osborn is well known and respected, especially in his home, the West    Coast. Michael grew up in Ukiah CA with the Ford brothers, including the    great Robben Ford. In 1970, he was one of the founding members of the    Charles Ford Band. In 1981, Michael became the lead guitarist and band    leader for Blues legend John Lee Hooker. For the next 13 years, Michael    toured the world with John Lee. Since then, Osborn has played with Sista    Monica, toured Europe with his own band, recorded three CDs on the Blue    Rock'it label and three more on his own Checkerboard label. For seven    years he’s been an outstanding contribution to Bill Rhoades and the    Party Kings in his current home near Portland OR. These four    cats are just killer: three part harmonies plus all but Moore take a    turn at lead vocals, Mathis deft on diatonic and chromatic harps,    Jackson writing in classic style, Osborn playing ripping guitar (even    channeling Albert King at one point), and John Moore’s veteran stick    work being the band’s heartbeat. Electric Blues fans – this one is a    delight!     Reviewer James    "Skyy Dobro" Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ, Master of Ceremonies,    and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show "Friends of the    Blues" can be heard Thursdays from 7 - 8 pm and Saturdays 8 pm -    Midnight on WKCC 91.1 FM and at    www.wkccradio.org in Kankakee, IL To See James “Skyy Dobro” Walker's CD rating system,    CLICK HERE     For other reviews and interviews on our website        CLICK HERE | 
|    Get Your Blues Music Considered for    Nomination!    We have a    simple process for Blues artists and record labels to get their    recordings considered for nomination in our annual Blues Blast Music    Awards.        We have 30 nominators and you can send    in copies of your CD to be considered. Eligibility dates for recordings    are releases between    April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011.      The 2011    nomination process started March 1st when we began accepting    submissions from labels and artists. Artist do not necessarily have to    submit their releases to be considered but any that do will have their    recordings screened by the nominators.  Read all the details at the    link below for complete information to have your CD release    considered now.    Our    nominators include, music journalists, radio DJs, festival promoters,    club owners and others who are very active in the Blues scene. This year    as every year, the nominees are artists and music that the nominators    got the opportunity to hear. (They can't nominate something they haven't    heard!)    Our diverse    group of nominators hear many CDs and see many performing artists but if    an artist or label really wants a release to be considered by all the    nominators, they can send in copies of their CDs beginning March 1. CDs    will be sent to the nominators. You must send 30 copies so that all    nominators get to listen to them. There is no charge for this in 2011.    You send us the CDs and we will cover the cost of getting the CDs into the    nominators hands. Act NOW to get your music considered! For complete    information on sending in your release      CLICK HERE    Nominators    will start submitting their nominations May 1st and final nominations will be    announced after May 31st, 2010. Voting Begins in July. The winners in    the 2011 Blues Blast Music Awards will be announced on Thursday October    27th, 2011.   | 
       Blues Society News   
|   You can submit a maximum of 125 words or less in a Text or MS Word document   format.   West Virginia Blues Society -   Charleston, WV   The West Virginia Blues Society presents the 4 th. Annual Charlie West Blues   Fest May 20 & 21, 2011 at Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston, WV .   Showtime is 4 pm to 11 pm on Friday and Saturday 1 pm to 11 pm, with after   jam to follow both nights at The Boulevard Tavern. Admission is FREE !   That’s right, FREE to everyone !Over the two day period we will be having   over 18 acts performing on both stages. There will be plenty of food vendors   to suite your fancy along with beer and wine sales this year.      The lineup includes Sit Down Baby, Izzy & Chris, Kinds of Crazy, Lil Brian &   The Zydeco Travelers, Davina & the Vagabonds and Joe Louis Walker on Friday   and Lionel Young Band, Slim Fatz, Mojo Theory, Sean Carney, Kristine   Jackson, Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King and Ana Popovich on Saturday. For   more info contact: 304-389-1439 or   bkravenhawk@hotmail.com or visit  www.charliewestbluesfest.com   or www.wvbluessociety.org       The Golden Gate Blues Society -   Redwood City, CA   The Golden Gate Blues Society Membership Meeting and Concert - Sunday April   3 at Angelica's Bell Theater and Bilstro, 863 Main Street, Redwood City, CA.   Meet from 3 - 4 then dance from 4 - 8 with Twice as Good, the award winning   father/son lead band out of Northern Sonoma County. Twice as Good play from   coast to coast and have opened for many of the top blues artists. Awards   include recognition for their recent CD.   The Golden Gate Blues Society presents concerts, educational events,   outreach, networking, and Blues in the Schools.  http://www.tggbs.org/home for more   information.   Mississippi Valley Blues Society -   Davenport, IL   The Mississippi Valley Blues Society presents guitar virtuoso Joanne Shaw   Taylor and her band on Friday March 25 at Rascals, 1414 15th Street, Moline.   The show begins at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $15, $10 for MVBS members. For   more information visit www.mvbs.org or   call (563) 322-5837   Also MVBS presents the Iowa Blues Challenge Final Round in the Quad Cities   Sunday April 3, 2011. For the first time, the Iowa Blues Challenge Final   Round will be held in the Quad-cities instead of Des Moines. The band that   wins this round will be representing the entire state of Iowa at the   International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February, 2012.   The final round of the Iowa Blues Challenge will be held on Sunday April 3   starting at 5:00 p.m. at The Muddy Waters, 1708 State Street, Bettendorf.   Competing for the prize package will be three bands from the Quad Cities:   Blunt Trauma Blues Band, the Candymakers, and the High Cotton Blues Band.   The fourth band, Trouble No More, hails from the Ames area.      The winner earns the right to compete in the International Blues Challenge   held in Memphis next February. The prize package, considered one of the best   for such a competition, includes cash, travel expenses, recording time and   the opportunity to perform at the 2011 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in   Davenport and the 2012 BBQ’Loo and Blues, Too! in Waterloo.   Also MVBS presents Hawkeye Herman Returns for Blues in the Schools. During   the week of April 11-15, blues musician Michael “Hawkeye” Herman will go   into science, math, English, social studies, ESL, and alternative high   school classrooms of four area schools. This is a new approach for Blues in   the Schools in the Quad-Cities, but not for Hawkeye, who has been conducting   cross-curricular blues workshops all over the world. Because teaching at the   classroom level is more intense in both preparation and execution than the   usual performing for school assemblies, Hawkeye will be presenting only one   open-to-the-public event on Wednesday April 13 at Mojo’s in the River Music   Experience (2nd and Main Streets in Davenport) beginning at 7:00 p.m.   Admission is free.   Rosedale Crossroads Blues Society   - Rosedale, MS   Rosedale Crossroads Blues Society presents The Crossroads Blues and Heritage   Festival Saturday, May 7, 2011 at the River Resort. Highway 1 S. in historic   Rosedale, MS. Gates open at 12:00 noon - music starts at 1:00. Admission $5   - adults, $1 - children under 12. Bring your own ice chest - $10 No beer   sold - No glass - No pets, please! Parking $5 Lineup ( in order of   appearance - subject to change): Vinnie C., Eddie Cusic, Mickey Rogers,   T-Model Ford, Daddy Mack, Big T, Guitar Mikey and the Real Thing, and Eden   Brent.   Fest Feast on Friday evening, May 6 at the River Resort with a 5-course   Creole dinner, $50 per person - Cash bar. Limited seating. Call 662-759-6443   or 662-897-0555 for reservations and information. If you have questions   about the above information, call 662-402-6251. Thank you. Mary Anna Davis   Crossroads Blues Society   www.rosedaleblues.com   Crossroads Blues Society   - Rockford, IL   Also Lucky Peterson will be making a special appearance at Big Cities Lounge   at 905 E State Street in Rockford, IL at 9:30 PM on Saturday, April 2nd,   2011. Big Cities is still open and they are proud to have Lucky coming out   for this special show. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.   Crossroads Blues Society Members can get advanced tickets for $10 and a   portion of all ticket sales will go to Crossroads' "Blues in the Schools"   Program. Come out and hear this great musician and his band and help support   keeping the blues alive! Tickets are available at Big Cities (call   815-965-6026) or through Crossroads Blues Society. Contact Steve Jones at   sub_insignia@yahoo.com for more info.  This will be a great event; we   hope that you can come out and help our BITS program and have a good time,   too!   www.crossroadsbluessociety.com      The Grafton Blues Association -   Grafton, WI   The Grafton Blues Association & the Cedarburg Cultural Center will present   Tinsley Ellis on Thursday March 24 at the Cedarburg Cultural Center. Doors   open at 6pm show starts at 7pm. Food and drink will be available for   purchase. Tickets are $14 in advance for GBA and CCC members, $15 in advance   for non-members and $17 at the door for everyone. For more info visit -  www.graftonblues.org    The Great Northern Blues Society - Wausau,   WI   The Great Northern Blues Society in Wausau, WI will be hosting their annual   fundraising event “Blues Café’”, on Saturday 3/26/11 at the Rothschild   Pavilion. (Near Wausau, WI)   Performing will be Jumpship Blues Band, 12 Year Old Tallan Noble Latz, Red   White & Blues Band, Young British Blues Diva Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Atlanta   Based Blues Guitar Flamethrower Tinsley Ellis. The Fun Starts at 1:00PM. $13   in advance, $18 at the door. Bulk ticket rates also available. For more info   see www.gnbs.org    The Friends Of The Blues - Watseka, IL   2011 Friends of the Blues shows - April 05 - Albert Castiglia, 7 pm, Kankakee Valley Boat Club, April 26 - The Rockin’ Johnny   Band, Bradley Bourbonnais Sportsmen’s Club, May 03 - Too Slim and the   Taildraggers, 7 pm, Kankakee Valley Boat Club, May 19 - The Sugar Prophets   (2011 IBC Finalists), 7 pm, Bradley Bourbonnais Sportsmen’s Club, June 23 -   Sean Chambers, 7 pm, River Bend Bar & Grill,  July 13 - Reverend Raven & C.S.A.B., 7 pm, River Bend Bar & Grill. For more info see: http://www.wazfest.com/JW.html   West Virginia Blues Society -   Charleston, WV   The West Virginia Blues Society presents the Charlie West Blues Fest May 20 &   21, 2011 in Haddad Riverfront Park, Charleston, WV Here is the lineup: Friday   May 20 - Sit Down Baby, Izzy & Chris, Mojo Theory, Lil Bryan & The   Travelers, Davina & the Vagabonds and Joe Louis Walker. Sat. May 21- IBC   Band Winner, Slim Fatz, Trampled Under Foot, Sean Carney, Kristine Jackson,   Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King and Ana Popovich.  The Charlie West   Blues Fest is produced by the West Virginia Blues Society, Inc.  www.wvbluessociety.org and  www.charliewestbluesfest.com      Illinois Central Blues Club -   Springfield, IL   Every Monday night for the last 25 years - BLUE MONDAY SHOWS - Held at the   Alamo 115 N 5th St, Springfield, IL (217) 523-1455 every Monday 8:30pm $3   cover. March 21 - March 28 - Rockin’   Johnny, Apr 4 - Andrew “Jr Boy” Jones, April 11 - Grady Champion, April 18 -   Chris Cain, April 25 - Big Jeff Chapman.  icbluesclub.org     | 
       Featured Blues Review 2 of 4   
| Naked    Jaybird Music 10    tracks/42:28 There have    been many attempts over the years to take blues music back to its roots,    to offer fresh interpretations of the traditional styles. Some    musicians, like Chris Thomas King, have tried to extend the musical    roots by incorporating modern styles like rap and hip-hop into the    music. Rarely have both goals been accomplished as successfully as they    are on this new release from John Alex Mason. Mason has    spent time busking on the streets of European cities while working for    the Army and returned home, ending up in Memphis. There Mason honed his    one-man band approach to a razor-sharp edge, utilizing a Lowebow cigar    box guitar to create his elemental sound along with a drum kit. His    skill with this rig can be heard on five of the tracks. Mason also gets    plenty of help from a stellar cast of musicians that includes Cedric and    Cody Burnside, Lightnin' Malcolm and recent IBC winner Lionel Young.    Also appearing is multi-instrumentalist Gerry Hundt, Mason's former    musical partner. Willie    Newbern’s classic “Rolled and Tumbled” gets a laidback treatment with    Hundt’s harmonica playing dancing around Mason’s expressive vocal and    slashing guitar licks. Backed by Malcolm on guitar, Andy Irvine on bass,    Hundt on mandolin and Cedric Burnside on drums, Mason tears into    “Signifying Monkey”, vocalizing like a man possessed. The same musicians    turn in a spirited rendition of “Write Me a few of Your Lines”, with    Young filling in for Irvine on bass. Mason’s lowebow purgatory hill harp    cigar box guitar up front in the mix but his exuberant singing is a    highlight, as is Hundt’s contributions on mandolin. On the    original material, Mason incorporates the African roots of blues music    on several tracks. On “Free”, Fara Tolno punctuates Mason’s one-man band    on the djembe, a skin-cover drum played with the hands. Tolno also    appears on “Diamond Rain”, a subdued folk blues with Young on fiddle,    showing the talent that has garnered him two top finishes in the IBC    Challenge competitions. Tradition    merges with modern influences on “Riding On” as Alya Sylla joins Tolno    on djembe and Fasinet Bangoura makes an appearance on the balafon, a    percussive instrument played with padded sticks that was an early    version of the xylophone and marimba. They bring a strong African flavor    to the track until Cody Burnside jumps in with a fast-paced rap that    fits like a glove. On “Gone So Long”, Burnside delivers another hip-hop    vocal that rides the trance-groove perfectly, proving that the seemingly    disparate styles can work together. Mason returns to a more traditional    style with a tribute to his wife, playing “Whisper” on a 1925 Martin    acoustic guitar and channeling all of his feelings into a magnificent    vocal performance.  In another    nod to modern technology, Mason is offering what he terms as Tracks 0    and 11 as on-line downloads, available as a Tweet, Facebook or through    e-mail at Mason’s website (johnalexmason.com). “Delta Bound” is more    upbeat than the material on the cd release while “If You’ve Got a Good    Friend “ has Mason and band playing in a more traditional electric    style. Lightnin’ Malcolm’s guitar work enlivens the former cut while    Young’s solo on the latter song has his fiddle sounding like a slide    guitar. Hundt blows some hot harp licks on both tracks. Through it    all, Mason pulls all of the elements together through the strength of    his vision that embraces the old and the new. His passion is apparent in    his heartfelt vocals and his instrumental efforts are the bedrock that    lifts this release above the ordinary. If, like me, you are not familiar    with Mr. Mason’ work up until now, take the time to check out this    marvelous recording. It bodes well for the future of the music.     Reviewer Mark    Thompson is president of the    Crossroads Blues Society in Rockford. IL.    For other reviews and interviews on our website       CLICK HERE | 
       Featured Blues Review 3 of 4   
| Thorny    Bleeder Records 2010 11    tracks; 53.32 minutes   You have    got to start with a smile when you receive a CD from a band with a name    like this one! Described as ‘Canada’s hardest working blues rock act’,    the band certainly plays a lot, with a gig almost every day from now    until May on their website. This CD was recorded in Northern Mississippi    at the famous Zebra Ranch and the intention had been for Jim Dickinson    to produce. Sadly, just as all arrangements were in place, Jim passed    away, so his son Cody, of the North Mississippi Allstars, offered to    step into the breach. To make things more complicated the band were    ineligible for funding in Canada as the CD was to be recorded in the    States, so funds were raised from their fanbase by doing a bottle drive.    Apparently vast quantities of empties were collected by the band and all    refunds went to the recording project! The core    band members are Ross on vocal and guitar, with Shawn Worden on bass and    Karl Gans on drums (The Sufferin’ Bastards). Producer Cody Dickinson    added keys on two tracks and percussion on one, brother and fellow    Allstar Luther plays slide on one track and Alvin Youngblood Hart lead    guitar on another. The material is mainly by Ross (one in collaboration    with fellow Canadian Matt Anderson) apart from covers of RJ’s “If I Had    Possession Over Judgement Day”, Wolf’s “Commit A Crime” and “Human Mud”    by Randall Cable, about whom I have not been able to discover anything! The    resulting album is very much a guitar focussed album. Ross is a powerful    player whose tone at times reflects a number of guitar influences: for    instance, when he and Luther Dickinson trade licks on the extended “She    Ain’t You” it is the Allmans that come to mind. Ross also sings well;    there is something in his voice that reminds me of Bnois King. The songs    deal with the usual topics of love, lust and loss. I was particularly    taken by the energy of the band, for which due credit should go also to    the producer. Part of the style at the Zebra Ranch is to record in the    old way, playing live in the studio, and that works very well with this    sort of material.  The CD    opens with “Afflicted”, the shortest song on the album at 2.49, which    has been released as a single (I didn’t think such things still happened    in the blues world!). This and the second song “Fire In The Ground” are    both fast moving slide driven tunes, but “Hot Little Pistol” is a slower    tune and is clearly in the ‘lust’ category! I liked this one a lot with    its exciting guitar work and impassioned vocals. “Devil    Knows” is another slower paced song on which the keyboards offer a    support that allows Ross greater freedom on guitar. “What You Can” has    an insistent riff that recalls “I Ain’t Got You” in a song that says    that we need to seize the moment – carpe diem indeed – “never said I was    perfect, I’m just a man”. “Possession” (as it is titled here) follows    the standard pattern for the song, with lots of slide and frenetic    percussion. “She Ain’t You” follows and is, for me, the standout track    on the album. Starting with big chords on guitar, Luther’s slide simply    underpins the vocal at first before taking equal billing with Ross’    lead. The instrumental section of this track is superb, a real duel    between the guitarists. Wolf’s    “Commit A Crime” attempts to recreate that ‘murky’ sound that many Wolf    originals have and is largely successful in doing that. Ross does not    have Wolf’s deep voice, but this is a good version of the song,    containing enough drama to convey the menace of the song’s lyric.    “Badlands” is not the Springsteen song but is an upbeat tale of being    pursued into the Badlands by the Devil. Alvin Youngblood Hart adds lead    guitar to the track and the doubling up of guitars adds to the    excitement of the track. “Human Mud”    is a mid-paced tune with lots of distorted guitar and percussion sounds.    Ross’ vocal is less clear here than on most tracks and this was probably    the track I liked least on the album. The final track “Bold And Beaten”,    the collaboration with Matt Anderson, considers the difficulties of life    on the road for musicians. Ross plays here with a lot of distortion at    times and Neil Young is the player that comes to mind. My    conclusion is that this CD is definitely worth investigating. It is not    straight blues, but there is a lot of guts and plenty of excellent    guitar playing. I guess that Canadian readers will already know the    band, but those of us in other countries need to keep an eye open for    this band touring and check them out. I expect we will not be    disappointed if we do.       Reviewer                   John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK.    He also travels to the States most years to see live blues music. He was    recently on the January 2011 Legendary Blues Cruise.       For other reviews and interviews on our website     CLICK HERE | 
       Featured Blues Review 4 of 4   
| Fourteen    years after his last solo release, Greg Allman comes back swinging in    fine form with Low Country Blues. Known for his work in the Allman Brothers who were the founders of psychedelic jams, Greg focuses on simplicity and the results are a cohesive group effort with the studio musicians he works with. Produced by    T-Bone Burnett, Low Country Blues grasps the sounds of old 78    recordings. And it helps that the music lives up to the title. Though    there is only one original song titled "Just Another Rider" co-written    with Warren Haynes, Allman's renditions of blues chestnuts "Devil Got My    Woman" and "I Can't Be Satisfied" are terrific treatments and unearthed    in the Delta soil from which they came. Greg's B-3    Hammond work shows up in the tracks. But the people he works with like    Doyle Bramhall II and Dr. John help a great deal as the songs are    peppered with a little gumbo for an extra spice.  Not too    many musicians cut Otis Rush' "Checking On My Baby" in the studio. Only    Allman can do it justice with his weathered blues growl pushing the song    to its Maxwell Street roots. Hopefully    the wait for his next studio album wont be a long one. Low Country Blues    captures what Allman does best: Wrenching blues from a battered soul    that has used up all of its nine lives.!       Review by Gary    “Wingman” Weeks.       For other reviews and interviews on our website     CLICK HERE | 
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|    YOU can submit your Blues performances for   FREE at:  http://www.thebluesblast.com/submitnews.htm   Performance dates were submitted by Musicians, Club Owners, Blues Societies   and Blues festivals.   TheBluesBlast.com is not responsible for errors or omissions. 
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