Rare footage of the late Magic Sam. Sam is playing on Earl Hookers guitar. I have seen this clip before, but I think this is the first time I have posted it. As you know a lot of the videos I posted over the last year from Youtube were deleted. I believe the number was well over 250! I spent at least two months digging through the archive deleting them. I am not planning on doing that again. However, if you find a video that doesn't work email me, and I will either replace it or delete it.
Showing posts with label Chicago Rick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Rick. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Photo Of The Week: Chicago Rick Lussie And Jimmy Pryor
This weeks photo is of two of my heroes Chicago Rick Lussie, and Jimmy The Midnite Cowboy Pryor. These two guys were the only ones playing real blues music in Des Moines in the 1970s. While other bands were playing soul, funk, and disco, Rick and Jimmy were still playing the blues. Granted they didn't play a whole lot since there weren't a lot of gigs, but they keep the blues alive. Both Rick and Jimmy used to tell me stories about playing Vickie's Poor House where the current Blues On Grand is located. Vickie was quite the charactor, and used to give free drinks to guys who had just got out of jail! Needless to say it was a wild place. This photo was taken many years later at the opening of The Grand. The Grand was the second attempt at a blues bar at that location. The First was The Grand Avenue Lounge.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Bringing Back The True Blue
Okay, after that last post I need to put something up that will make me feel better:-)
These guys were the true blues. These bluesmen played the blues not for the money, because lord knows there was no money to be made playing blues in Iowa, but they played it for the love the of music. Of all of them Perhaps Jimmy Pryor was the most remarkable. He started playing the blues in high school which would make him one of those artists who was both Pre-war and Post-war. From the 1930s until his death just a few years ago Jimmy Pryor played the blues as much, and as long as he could. He left Detroit Michigan, to move to Des Moines Iowa in 1960, because Des Moines in 1960 still had clubs open 24 hours. He played his heart out, and kept on playing until he died in 2006.
Louis McTizic was a wonderful man who despite daily dialysis that HE TOOK BY HIMSELF EVEN ON THE FREAKING ROAD, kept performing until he died. Louis was a kind man that took time to talk to his fans, and he held together one of those wonderful jam/blues bands that true blues lovers love to watch. Louis had some great side performers like Frenchy Campbell who could belt out Muddy like the old man himself, Sam Cochran an outstanding bass player, and Ethaline Wright who was a fine guitarist and singer herself.
Chicago Rick Lussie was a dear friend of mine that learned to play the blues on the Southside of Chicago. Much like Mike Bloomfield, and Paul Butterfield. Rick was one of those white kids who loved the blues and learned from the masters himself. Rick came to Iowa in 1960 to work as a teacher by day and musician at night. He stumbled upon Center Street in Des Moines, which was the black business district, and joined in with the rest of the blues players. He played the blues until he died much too young a few years ago.
John Woody Wood, a good friend (we shared a birthday) and always first call drummer. He lived life large, and was always pursuing a career in music. They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead was one of his favorite songs, and he performed it often. He was a brother to me, and almost every blues cat that played in Iowa. He left for California in 2002, and many of us took bets on when he would return, since he always returned home in a year or two. However, Woody never made it back. He suffered from Cancer and we lost one of our dearest friends in the blues.
Gary Smith died just a few months ago, and I am still saddened by his death. He had such a positive outlook on life, and considering his early life, or his childhood that was amazing. I think Gary was someone who certainly had a right to sing the blues because he lived them. However, no matter how bad things got with the death of his love Clover Buckingham, and his eventual loosing fight with Cancer he never seemed down. When I talked to him a few weeks before he died he told me he was going to get back to playing soon. I guess he didn't want me to worry about him, which was typical of Gary. He was such a kind person looking out for everyone else but himself. We truly need more Gary Smiths in the world.
I suppose that when I read something that riles me up, it is always important to think about what is right in the world, and about the people who have helped me be where I am. I suppose I get angry thinking of the hard work that my friends have made and never made a dime at it, versus bands that seem to fall into money and fame. However, I think that if I had the money and fame it would just bring more grief. It is nice to be semi anonymous and to be able to perform what I what and not want some corporate hack wants. Perhaps Capra was right. It is a wonderful life:-)
These guys were the true blues. These bluesmen played the blues not for the money, because lord knows there was no money to be made playing blues in Iowa, but they played it for the love the of music. Of all of them Perhaps Jimmy Pryor was the most remarkable. He started playing the blues in high school which would make him one of those artists who was both Pre-war and Post-war. From the 1930s until his death just a few years ago Jimmy Pryor played the blues as much, and as long as he could. He left Detroit Michigan, to move to Des Moines Iowa in 1960, because Des Moines in 1960 still had clubs open 24 hours. He played his heart out, and kept on playing until he died in 2006.
Louis McTizic was a wonderful man who despite daily dialysis that HE TOOK BY HIMSELF EVEN ON THE FREAKING ROAD, kept performing until he died. Louis was a kind man that took time to talk to his fans, and he held together one of those wonderful jam/blues bands that true blues lovers love to watch. Louis had some great side performers like Frenchy Campbell who could belt out Muddy like the old man himself, Sam Cochran an outstanding bass player, and Ethaline Wright who was a fine guitarist and singer herself.
Chicago Rick Lussie was a dear friend of mine that learned to play the blues on the Southside of Chicago. Much like Mike Bloomfield, and Paul Butterfield. Rick was one of those white kids who loved the blues and learned from the masters himself. Rick came to Iowa in 1960 to work as a teacher by day and musician at night. He stumbled upon Center Street in Des Moines, which was the black business district, and joined in with the rest of the blues players. He played the blues until he died much too young a few years ago.
John Woody Wood, a good friend (we shared a birthday) and always first call drummer. He lived life large, and was always pursuing a career in music. They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead was one of his favorite songs, and he performed it often. He was a brother to me, and almost every blues cat that played in Iowa. He left for California in 2002, and many of us took bets on when he would return, since he always returned home in a year or two. However, Woody never made it back. He suffered from Cancer and we lost one of our dearest friends in the blues.
Gary Smith died just a few months ago, and I am still saddened by his death. He had such a positive outlook on life, and considering his early life, or his childhood that was amazing. I think Gary was someone who certainly had a right to sing the blues because he lived them. However, no matter how bad things got with the death of his love Clover Buckingham, and his eventual loosing fight with Cancer he never seemed down. When I talked to him a few weeks before he died he told me he was going to get back to playing soon. I guess he didn't want me to worry about him, which was typical of Gary. He was such a kind person looking out for everyone else but himself. We truly need more Gary Smiths in the world.
I suppose that when I read something that riles me up, it is always important to think about what is right in the world, and about the people who have helped me be where I am. I suppose I get angry thinking of the hard work that my friends have made and never made a dime at it, versus bands that seem to fall into money and fame. However, I think that if I had the money and fame it would just bring more grief. It is nice to be semi anonymous and to be able to perform what I what and not want some corporate hack wants. Perhaps Capra was right. It is a wonderful life:-)
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Photo Of The Week: "Chicago" Rick Lussie
Todays photo of the week, is the late Rick Lussie. Known as Chicago Rick, because he grew up in Chicago and hung out with the real deal Chicago blues players. Magic Slim, and Luther Allison were big influences on him. He was just one of many white players who learned Chicago Blues from the feet of the masters. Rick came to Des Moines in 1960 to teach school. He eventually became superintendent of Special Education for the Des Moines public schools. However, Rick loved the blues and was one of the few players who kept playing blues in Des Moines, long after its popularity died out in the late 60s. Rick was introduced to the Des Moines music scene by one of the legendary Grey brothers who happened to be playing sax in a Rock band that Lussie was playing in. He invited Lussie to go to his bar at the intermission. They went to the Sepia club, and as Rick put it years later. He never went back to Rock and Roll.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Magic Sam: All Your Love, and Magic Sam's Boogie
One of Chicago Rick Lussie's favorite blues guitarist, and one of his good friends was Magic Sam. If you ever heard Chicago Rick play guitar in Des Moines you would swear that he was channeling his late friend by the way he played guitar. Unfortunately both of them left us too soon. Magic Sam died in 1969, while Chicago Rick died a few years ago.
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