In Remembrance 2010

In Remembrance 2010

A small farewell to our blues friends who left us during the 2010 blues year.  As always not everyone listed is a blues player, but were important people to the blues. 

Tina Marie
James Peterson
Robin Rogers
Abe Little Smokey Smothers
Stanly Sarge Davis
Reggie Boyd
Dennis Taylor
Albertina Walker
Solomon Burke
Foster Wiley
Calvin Fuzz Jones
Steve Arredondo
Phillip Walker
Randy Joe Fullerton
James Slim Sroggins
Calvin Leavy
Esther Mabry
Rene Solis
Larry Dale
Willie Pooch
Lena Horne
Roy Carrier
Walter Horn Mississippi Slim
Ray Hoff
Herb Ellis
Barbara Brown
Rod Beechhead Jeffery
Marva Wright
Rockie Charles
Clayton Love
Pattie Williams
Brian BB Bruce
Jeff Ward
Wilroy Sanders
Lil Dave Thompson
Dale Hawkins
Bobby Charles
Arnie Caplin
Teddy Pendergrass
Willie Mitchell

For more information about each blues person please follow this link
http://bluesman2001.blogspot.com/search/label/obit%202010
Or click the Obit 2010 tag below.

Photo Of The Week: Jimmy The Midnite Cowboy Pryor

I have been so freaking melancholy this month. I think a lot of it has to do with the one year anniversary of the death of my mentor Jimmy Pryor, and the death of my good friend John Woody Wood. I suppose that I need to accept that this is part of life, and part of the blues. Especially the blues, since we more than any other art form celebrate our older performers. I think that is why I have always loved the blues. It fits into my love of history since we see our blues players as living history. So when they go, even when they have been with us for years, it still hurts. You think of Pop or Rock music, and a lot of them fade away and disappear only years later to end up as a blurb in a newspaper Obit. (Yes, I know the Stones are still going, but they are an exception)

Of course, it not true that all blues performers get that respect. Some have faded away into history, and that is sad. I really believe that if an old blues performer lives in your area and has the desire and need to play, then find them a gig. I think we did a great job in Des Moines searching out those players. Hopefully, other towns can follow our example. Get active and find those jewels of blues history, and give them another chance to shine!

Jazz News: Paul Rishell and Annie Raines

Jazz News website has press release on the upcoming tour of Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, that will include BB's Lawnside in KC, and Blues On Grand in Des Moines. For more info Click on this link.




Here is the tour dates, since Jazz News didn't fix their link.

7/16-20 Augusta Heritage Blues Workshop, Elkins, WV
7/21 The Winchester Tavern, Cleveland, OH
7/26 Elks Lodge, Livingston, MT
7/29-8/4 Centrum Country Blues Workshop, Port Townsend, WA

8/5 Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
8/7 Sierra Nevada Brewery, Chico, CA
8/8 Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, NV
8/9 Martin Hotel, Winnemucca, NV
8/10 Creekside Grille, Caldwell, ID
8/11 Bronze, Blues and Brews Festival, Joseph, OR
8/14 Avogadro's Number, Fort Collins, CO
8/17 BB's Lawnside Barbecue, Kansas City, MO
8/18 Mid-America Ribfest, Council Bluffs, IA
8/19 Blues on Grand, Des Moines, IA
8/20 The Redstone Room, Davenport, IA

9/1 Berkshires BluesFest, Great Barrington, MA - w/CBR Band
9/8 First Encounter Coffeehouse, Eastham, MA
9/22 Chan's, Woonsocket, RI - with band!

10/5 Me & Thee Coffeehouse, Marblehead, MA
10/6 The Vanilla Bean, Pomfret, CT

10/11-11/3 UK TOUR: Dates are being added. Please check back every now and then.
Wed 10/10 Bishops Stortford, UK The Half Moon
Mon 10/15 Lydney, UK The Miners Arms
Tue 10/16 Crawley, UK The Hawth
Wed 10/24 Sutton Coldfield, UK The Station Pub
Thu 10/25 Barnstaple, UK Queen's Theatre
Fri 10/26 Oxford, UK The X
Sat 10/27 Bristol, UK Harmonica 2007 Festival
Sun 10/28 Bristol, UK The Mayor’s Arms
Thur 11/1 Cockermouth, UK The Fletcher Christian
Fri 11/2 Keighley, UK Bronte Blues Club
Fri 11/16 Luxembourg City, LX Sang & Klang