Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

March is Fundraising month for Iowa Public Broadcasting outlets. As soon as I hit the send button on this note, I'm off to Des Moines (my 5th trip to the Capitol City in the last 11 days!) to help with Iowa Public Television's money raising efforts. In case you missed last week's fabulously successful Moody Blues at The Royal Albert Hall concert, you've got yer chance to catch the show tonight, starting at 7:30pm, and make a pledge and get some tickets to the Moody's show in Des Moines in late June! Other thank you gifts including CDs and DVDs are available at other levels of support. Other music shows are scheduled after the Moody Blues, I'm just not sure which ones! You'll just have to tune in, turn on, and make that pledge either by calling 800-779-7000 or cyber pledge at www.iptv.org...

Then, on Saturday, Iowa Public Radio starts it's on-air fundraiser. This is the first IPR fundraiser that I am officially an "independent radio producer" rather than an IPR employee. I'm not really sure why IPR refuses to let me come in and help ask for calls of support, but I think I've crafted prerecorded fundraising editions of my two programs that are worthy of your support. My rock'n'roll history show Backtracks runs 7-10pm Saturday night and the new blues show Blue Avenue airs Sunday afternoon 5-6:30p, with The Beatles Medley following 6:30-7pm. I am thankful that IPR distributes these shows and I hope you'll be able to help financially support those programs. I have a feeling that fundraising success will be necessary for IPR to continue to carry the shows. Pledge numbers are 800-897-9204 or www.iowapublicradio.org. It would be great if you could mention something nice about the shows that you support. I am proud of my 35+ year history of producing programming for Iowa Public Broadcasting stations. Please be generous in your donations...

The Blue Band has not gotten any last minute gigs for this week or next (there's still time for that WELCOME SPRING deck party at your mansion on the outskirts of town next weekend!) (or your garage or basement in a smaller neighborhood like mine) Otherwise, we're looking forward to seeing you at The Hub, 4th & Main, right here in Sparkle City, on Friday April 2. In the meantime, Phil Maass has been doing his usual Sultan of Sound/Wizard of Wires/Deacon of Decibels/Knave of Knobs magic on the mixing of the tapes from New Year's Eve. We're hoping to have the project finished by the middle of April...

No doubt you have heard that the BIG TIME music business is struggling. I'm here to tell you that us little timers are struggling also. Continue to tell people about us. Encourage your local festival, private party, or nightclub to consider hiring us. (OK, I admit it, we're not the cheapest band you can hire, but we're still one of the best!) Consider purchasing a CD or DVD the next time you come out (you won't believe the merchandise specials we'll be offering on our back catalog as soon as the new NYE CD gets out- tentatively titled Blue Moon Honeymoon) How do we do it?? VOLUME!!! (and CAKE)...

Without work next week and the radio shows in prerecorded fundraising mode, I'm gonna take next week off from this Blue Note. See ya on the Blue Highway (probably somewhere between Des Moines and Sparkle City!) Watch out for that SNOW that's predicted for this weekend, keep workin' on your washboard tie chops (the new CD will have a spot where you can play along with the band!) don't hesitate to stop over for CAKE, and always remember we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band

Soul Searchers Update

the soul searchers
click here for our website
click here for our myspace page
click here to buy the CD

friday, march 19, 9pm
tally's (formerly B&B)

2712 beaver ave, des moines

saturday, march 20, 8pm
trostel's dish

12851 university ave, clive

every wednesday, 8pm
greenwood lounge

3707 ingersoll ave, des moines

"the soul searchers lay down authentic west coast blues from their des moines, iowa surroundings" -BLUES REVUE magazine "the soul searchers are a veteran group of players who roll along slickly and confidently" -BLUESWAX "this band puts down energetic jump-blues with a vintage vibe that harks back to early fabulous thunderbirds" -OMAHA READER

Si Cranstoun: Dynamo

Cool clip from one of our favorite English Jumpblues/R&B/Ska performers Si Cranstoun. According to Si this song is a tribute to Jackie Wilson, and you certainly can hear the great Jackie Wilson in this song! Great Job!!!!!

Pattie Williams RIP

From Bob Corritore

• RIP Patte' Williams - November. 21, 1945 to March 8, 2010. Phoenix's first lady of soul, Patte' Williams (AKA Patti Williams) passed away Saturday, March 8th while recuperating in the hospital from surgery a few days before. She was 64. Though barely known outside the Phoenix area, and terribly under-recorded, Patte' Williams was considered by many to be Phoenix's top female soul singer. She possessed a powerful, gospel inflected singing voice that was often compared to that of Aretha Franklin. During the seventies she released a wonderful single called "One Time Around Kind Of Thing" and had an acting part in the Rudy Ray Moore Movie Human Tornado. She performed regularly in Phoenix and California, and was also very active in the church community. She was a beautiful woman with kind word and a smile for everyone. She will be greatly missed. To read the Arizona Republic article by Larry Rodgers click here. To hear Patte' singing "Doing The Best That I Can" click here. To see a YouTube Clip of Patte' performing "Damn Your Eyes" at the Rhythm Room click here. To see an interview on Backstage Pass with both Chico Chism and Patte' Click here. Services will be held on Saturday at 10am at First Pentecosal Church, 2701 E. Marguerite, Phoenix, 85040. Thank you Patte', for blessing Phoenix with your musical gifts and your exemplary dignity.

Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

Well, I was gonna send off this note tonight (a day earlier than normal) but got inspired by a phone call from IPTV, wanting to know if I would like to be part of the fundraising team TONIGHT for the Moody Blues show. Showtime is 6:30p so I gotta get moving to get ready and make the drive to Des Moines. I am told that tickets to the Moody's show in DM later this year are available at certain pledge levels. I've been a fan of the band since their cover of the old R & B song Go Now! in the mid 60s, so I gotta be there! Tune in, turn on, and MAKE THAT PLEDGE!!... And speaking of making that financial investment in Iowa Public Television, I'll be helping to try and inspire calls of support tomorrow too! Tomorrow's show deals with perhaps the greatest country picker OF ALL TIME! Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar Player is the name of that show, it airs at 9pm on statewide IPTV. I absolutely LOVE being part of the IPTV family and hope you'll make your annual contribution early (and often!) to this great resource in our state. Find out more and/or pledge on line at www.iptv.org... So it was Mark Twain that said "everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it"! Well, The Twisted Parrot is DOING something about it! I love playing outside, even if it's in a tent, but I really dislike the combination of wet and cold. The weather for the rest of the week is predicted to be rainy with a high (if we're lucky) in the low 40s. So I was not disappointed when The Parrot decided to move this week's St. Paddy's weekend celebration inside. Warm/dry always trumps wet/cold in my book! So see ya at the Twisted Parrot, 6500 Hickman Rd in the Des Moines suburb of Windsor Heights, Saturday night, same (geezer gig) hours: 7-11pm. Wear green, drink green beer, go green, pee green, spend some green (the whole world is going green) (remember, green ain't nothin' but a little yellow and a whole lotta BLUE!) Bring shamrock CAKE!... It takes A LONG TIME for me to look good enough to be on TV, so I gotta get goin'. (the makeup artist needs LOTS of time with me) Please give IPTV a call tonight (and tomorrow night) See yas on the Blue/Green Highway, I'm wishing you a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (be sure and share some of that loot with IPTV) for St. Patrick's Day, rub yer washboard tie to the tune of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, and no matter what color you are, (it ain't easy bein' green) always know that we love you! Bob Dorr & The Blue Band

Todd Rundgren Is Doing WHAT???

I got a tip from a fellow bluesman that Todd Rundgren is making a tribute CD to Robert Johnson. All I have to say is WHY! Why do we need another tribute disc to Robert Johnson. I Mean, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and John Hammond all have CDs already out, do we really need one more. Seriously how about a Charlie Patton, Skip James, or Tommy Johnson tribute?? Or perhaps a Son House, Johnny Shines, or R L Burnside tribute???

Seriously Todd, lets spread the love around! There are plenty of great songs by great delta blues artists that you could record. In fact the family of Bukka White would love for you to cover his songs so that they could see some money.

We all love Robert, and I have blogged a lot about him over the years, but please, lets give some other old bluesman some LOVE!

Attention New York Blues Bands

Sonny Rock sent the following email announcing that he has a local licks show in New York. Bands in New York send him your stuff and get on the radio! Here is his message

Hello to all! I am hosting a brand new radio show on WRIP 97.9fm called "LOCAL LICKS". The show is on every Tues. night 6-8pm est. I'm looking for original, well recorded music. If your interested in having your music played on the air or coming in the studio for a live performance please contact me. Email or phone 518-291-2837. You can catch show by web at (www.rip979.com). Look forward to hearing from you soon!! Thanks. Sonny

Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

There is a store, a little past Vickie's Place in the mall, called Variety or Vanity or Varsity or actually, I don't know EXACTLY what it's called because it's a clothing store for young women and those clothes don't fit me, but all this week, there was a HUGE sign in front of the store that said TWO FOR $60!! but in very small type under that was "one for $29.80". What?? No wonder this country is going bankrupt. Which brings me to the health care "summit" this afternoon. But for those that just want the Blue Band appearance info:

This week, we don't have a gig...

Next week, 3/5, is the First Friday Geeezzzer Gig at The Hub, 4th & Main, in sweet home Sparkle City, 6-9pm. I love this gig. Sat. 3/6 we return to Davenport, the home of the Sudlow Jr. High Tigers for a cool showcase at the hippest place in town, The Redstone Room at the River Music Experience at 2nd & Main. Doors open at 8p, showtime at 9p. We'll play til a little past midnight. My return to the town of my Jr. High days always warrants CAKE!...

But get this: it's currently -9 windchill and the first OUTDOOR gig of the season is two weeks from Saturday!! OK, it's in a cozy little heated tent outside of the Twisted Parrot Lounge as part of their weekend long St. Paddy's Day Celebration and honestly (would I lie to you?) it actually got too HOT in their last year, but it's still OUTSIDE. The Parrot is located at 6500 Hickman Rd. in the Des Moines suburb that seems to have adopted us as their own-Windsor Heights. We play 7-11p. Party in the Parking Lot!!...

Other than that, we're hurtin' for workin'. Maybe we could play your heated garage...

Well, I titled this note the "world's quickest" and that health care summit lasted EIGHT hours, so I'll have to hold those comments til next week. All I can say now is that everyone would be a lot healthier if they came out and danced to The Blue Band, took regular walks past Vickie's Place (and WHATEVAH that other store is) and ate more CAKE! Oh, and don't forget the advice of Paul from San Antonio: always drink upstream from the herd! See yas on The Blue Highway, we love you, Bob Dorr & The Blue Band

From Bob Corritore

February 26, 2010

RIP Brian "B.B".Bruce - September 17, 1946 - February 24, 2010. Harmonica player, Brian "B.B." Bruce passed away Wednesday, February 24th, of colon cancer in his home of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was 63. Best known for his long association with Henry Gray, Brian and Andy Cornett co-founded Henry Gray & The Cats in the mid 1970s. Bruce also worked with the legendary Tabby Thomas, Rudy Richard, Larry Garner, Lil' Buck Sinegal, Harry "Big Daddy" Hypolite, Carol Fran and a host of other Louisiana artists. Bruce received a Slim Harpo Award from the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation in the mid 1990s. Cornett has this to say about his longtime friend and musical associate; "Brian"B.B." Bruce embodied a sense of delight and gratefulness, delivered 110% commitment, dedication, heart and soul in all of his performances no matter where he performed in the world. He touched and many people's hearts with his music and his life." Memorial services will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Florida Blvd. in Baton Rouge, LA this Saturday, February 27th, at 3:00 pm. Thanks to Andy Cornett for providing the biographical information.

Murali Coryell Update

Look for feature in April Guitar Player Magazine! and Elmore Magazine March/April review!

Buy "Sugar Lips" @ CDbaby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/murali7

Buy "Sugar Lips" @ Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Lips-Murali-Coryell/dp/B002UOKXUQ/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_lnk

Murali Coryell

Friday, March 12th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band - 11:00pm
Crabby Daddy

25186 Interstate 45
The Woodlands, TX 77386
(281) 296-2722

Price: $10

Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band w/Ernie Durawa-Drums & Brad Taylor-Bass - 11:00pm
Crabby Daddy

25186 Interstate 45
The Woodlands, TX 77386
(281) 296-2722

Price: $10

Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band - 8:00pm
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa

575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road
Lost Pines, TX 78612
512 308 1234

Price: Free!

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band - 8:00pm
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa

575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road
Lost Pines, TX 78612
512 308 1234

Price: Free!

Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band w/Ernie Durawa-Drums & Brad Taylor-Bass - 11:30pm-2:00am
Nuno's on Sixth

422 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 833-5133

Price: TBA

Friday, March 26th, 2010
Joe Louis Walker - 8:00pm & 10:00pm
Warm Daddy's

1400 South Columbus Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19147-5526
(215) 462-2000

Price: $20

w/Joe Louis Walker

Saturday, March 27th, 2010
Joe Louis Walker - 8:00pm & 10:00pm
Warm Daddy's

1400 South Columbus Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19147-5526
(215) 462-2000

Price: $20

w/Joe Louis Walker

Monday, March 29th, 2010
Joe Louis Walker - 8:00pm & 10:30pm
The Blue Note

131 West 3rd Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-8592

Price: $10 bar $15 table

w/Joe Louis Walker

Sunday, April 11th, 2010
Joe Louis Walker - 4:30 pm
Tampa Bay Blues Festival

Vinoy Waterfront Park
St. Petersburg, FL

Tampa Bay Blues Festival 2010

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
Larry Coryell & Murali Coryell - TBA
Playhouse on the Green

Bridgeport, CT

Price: $30

Saturday, July 17th, 2010
4:00pm
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival

Methow River Blues Ranch Hwy. 20
Winthrop, WA

Sunday, July 25th, 2010-July 30th, 2010
"Finding Your Voice"
National Guitar Workshop

101 Aspetuck Ave
New Milford, CT
06776
800-234-6479

Price: $995 per week

Murali Coryell shares his time, talent, knowledge and experience as he teaches a new course @ The Canterbury School

Thursday, November 18th, 2010
Murali Coryell Band - 7:30pm
Shea's Performing Arts Center

658 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 847-1410

Price: TBA

Opening for B.B. King

Jem Top Site Recommended Reading!!!

Blues Historian website has been nominated by Jem Site readers as a Recommended Reading Site! Very cool news! Make sure to check out their site listed in the blogs I read links.

Also make sure to vote for Blues Historian by clicking on the icon below.

Jemsite
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this site as
Recommended Reading

Please vote for it
in the community!






Vote for us!

The icon will also be found on the side of the blog.

Other news that I missed but you should know about. We went over 125,000 hits for the life of the blog! Thank you very much! Those of you who have been around awhile remember that I originally set up this blog for my blues students at Buena Vista University. Yet from day one I have been amazed at the number of people from all over the world that drop by. I also posted by 2,500 post a few weeks back! I missed that milestone too! Yikes!

anyway as always thank you and thanks for keeping the blues alive.

Jeff Ward RIP

More bad news from central Iowa. Another friend and musician has died. Jeff Ward was part of our horn section at the original Thursday night blues jam at the Grand Ave. Lounge. Jeff never asked for money during those early days when we were trying to make something happen downtown. Jeff lived for the blues, and in many ways lived the blues. You could always count on Jeff to show up to any gig, and he always had an open invitation to join my band. I can remember one terrible night at the Hull Ave lounge, where everything was going wrong. The cops for some reason kept showing up every 20 mins threatening to shut down the show, and the audience was getting restless. Jeff walked in with his fluglehorn, (a large mellow sounding trumpet) and turned the whole night around. Just pure magic!

I wish I had a newer photo. This one is ten years old or more. If anyone has a newer photo please send it along.

God bless you Jeff.

Wilroy Sanders RIP

From Bob Corritore

Wilroy Sanders RIP - Birthdate unkown - February 16, 2010 Beloved Memphis blues guitarist and singer Wilroy Sanders passed away on Tuesday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 76, Wilroy played in the Binghampton Blues Boys, formed and led The Fieldstones, and owned the Memphis blues bar, Green’s Lounge. though a wonderful down home singer and guitarist, Wilroy would never achieve great fame. He did make some very memorable records which appeared on the XL, High Water, HighTone, and Shangri-La labels. To read more about Wilroy's passing click here. For the Blues World article about Wilroy lick here.

Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

OK, who's done with winter? But is winter done with us? I have once again insured more snow fall in the next 24 hours by using today's nice day (you know it's been a tough winter when temperatures in the mid 20s with wind chills in the teens is a "nice day") to remove the last bits of ice and snow from all the walk ways and parking slabs at my house. Mother Nature waits for me to complete this task just so she can break my spirit by adding another couple of inches to the near record totals for the season. It's hard to be a skeptic about climate change when the last three winters have produced 3 out of the top 8 yearly snow fall totals OF ALL TIME here in Sparkle City! And now we get the Winter Olympics (take my snow, PLEASE!) The Winter Dance Party (somebody please tell me what the fascination is with bands that pretend to be someone else) and, most importantly, the Winter Specials at Vickie's place! But first...

I hope you can help us make a good first impression at the new Bourre Lounge, inside of the new restaurant Reux Orleans, in the old Black's Building at 4th and Sycamore in Waterloo. Let me see, a New Orleans themed atmosphere with cajun cuisine at Mardi Gras time. What's not to like, right Avis? Get there early for the great food and stay late to rub yer washboard tie with the band. (you do not have to give up rubbin' it for Lent) We start a little after 9 and play til at least 12:30am. Our friend from Independence, Nate Whited, is bringing a birthday party with him, CAKE is optional (but recommended) (speaking of Avis, she's throwing a birthday party for her husband Bob Guthart, at The Hub, tonight-Fri. 2/19, during Checker & The Bluetones Geeezer Gig, CAKE is mandatory!) (Bob would like an official NFL football signed by Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Boyd Dowler, Max McGhee, Jerry Kramer, Forest Gregg, Jim Taylor, Willie Wood, Ray Nitschke, and Herb Adderly as a gift, in case you have an extra one of those around)...

We are not currently booked next week (a perfect opportunity to have us play for that celebration you're planning for the first day of temperatures OVER the freezing mark) We have added a cool gig to the first weekend in March. Fri. Mar. 5 is the First Friday of the month Geeezer Gig, 6-9pm, at The Hub and Sat. Mar. 6, we've been invited to play at the Redstone Room in The River Music Experience, 2nd & Main, in Davenport. Doors open at 8, showtime at 9. I'm hoping to run into some people that I went to Sudlow Jr. High School with at that Davenport gig...

So that's the appearance info part of the note. Yer done if that's all ya need. The rest of us will talk about you after you leave...

You know yer old when you're watching the Winter Olympics and you find curling exciting! Until this year, the only contact I've had with curling was in the Beatles movie Help when George Harrison discovered a "fiendish thingy" attached to his curling iron, err, stone. BTW, are people who curl called curlers? How 'bout it girls, have you ever seen men use a broom so fast in your life? Rumor has it that as soon as my wife actually moves into my house, I'll be learning how to use a broom myself! I'm in awe of those curling broomsters already!...

Carolyn (my red headed wife) (what?) (only her hairdresser knows for sure) and I were given some tickets to the Winter Dance Party at the Gallagher/Bluedorn Performing Arts Center tonight as a wedding gift. I enjoyed the show, but I do not understand the proliferation of bands/musicians who pretend to be someone else, in this case, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. Christ, they even introduced these guys as Buddy, Richie, and The Bopper. There are bands who pretend to be The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Grateful Dead. There are musicians who pretend to be Elvis Presely (both young Elvis and Fat Elvis) There was even a band who pretended to be The Who at this year's Super Bowl! I don't get it. Part of the fascination of being a musician for me is that you get to be you. For cryin' out loud, The Blue Band doesn't even BLUE BAND songs "like the record". I know these "actors" make WAY more money than I ever will (the Gallagher/Bluedorn was sold out at $40 a head, The Blue Band doesn't even sell out The Hub for $5) but I still don't get it. Somebody 'splain this to me...

And that brings us to Vickie's Place (Victoria's Secret) Winter snowfall/temps continues to make it so that my wife (CD not CP!) and I do our exercise walking in the mall. Vickie is having a sale on bras and panties. Bras are $8 a cup and panties are half off (It's 8 minutes, 40 seconds per round of the mall, plenty of time to make this stuff up) The wife (just call her Red) got a Vickie's Gift Certificate at her bridal shower. I'm here to confirm for you fellows what you have always suspected. My wife looks real good in that short, low neckline thing...

Whew, I'm gonna have to take a cold shower just thinkin' about that one! See yas on the Blue Bourre Highway, rubbing yer washboard tie is the only way to survive the rest of the winter, CAKE is always in season, and don't forget that we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band

Curry And Lighting Red

Attention Iowa Blues Bands

Here is your chance to be a star. The Iowa blues societies are looking for a few good people to send to Memphis to represent Iowa. Here is the official press release from the Central Iowa Blues Society.

ATTENTION BLUES BANDS We are now accepting applications for the 2010 IOWA BLUES CHALLENGE!!! Play for a prize package that includes cash, recording time and performance opportunities at Mississippi Valley Blues Fest and other paid gigs, PLUS INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE In Memphis, TN. ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE? DON’T DELAY!!! Information and applications are available from the Central Iowa Blues Society at (515) 225-6638 and our website www.cibs.org The deadline is March 6th, 2010. The 2010 Iowa Blues Challenge is proudly sponsored by Central Iowa Blues Society, Mississippi Valley Blues Society, Lizard Creek Blues Society, Budweiser, KGGO/98.3 WOW., Junior’s Motel, Cityview, Rieman Musi

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Soul Searchers Update

the soul searchers
click here for our website
click here for our myspace page
click here to buy the CD

wednesday, february 17, 9pm-midnight
greenwood lounge

3707 ingersoll ave, des moines

"the soul searchers lay down authentic west coast blues from their des moines, iowa surroundings" -BLUES REVUE magazine "the soul searchers are a veteran group of players who roll along slickly and confidently" -BLUESWAX "this band puts down energetic jump-blues with a vintage vibe that harks back to early fabulous thunderbirds" -OMAHA READER

Lil' Dave Thompson RIP

From Bob Corritorre

February 15, 2010

RIP Lil' Dave Thompson - May 21, 1969 - February 14th 2010. It is with great sadness that we report that Mississippi blues guitarist Lil' Dave Thompson died yesterday from an auto accident outside of Augusta, Georgia, while touring with his band. His van overturned and Dave was thrown from the vehicle and pronouced dead on the scene by the paramedics. Other members of the group were reportedly not seriously injured. Dave was born in Hinds County, Mississippi and was greatly influenced by musicans from that area. He made his first record for Fat Possum in 1995, and subsequently had two beautiful releases for Electro-Fi. In the last few years he had toured extensively as he built his career. He had developed into a spectacular singer and a fine, modern blues guitarist. For more details on Dave's untimely death click here, and here. To see Dave Thompson's website click here. Rest In peace Lil' Dave.