James Cotton was born into a Mississippi farming family in the middle of the summer, 1935. As the youngest of eight children, his prospects in the Tunica cotton fields held few opportunities beyond hauling water buckets for laborers or endless hours on a plantation tractor seat in the sweltering Delta sun.
Luther Tucker loved the blues. Born in Memphis in 1936 his path in life seemed pre-destined when he moved to Chicago in the early 1940s. His mother played piano and she would eventually introduce young Luther to some of Chicago’s most legendary bluesmen.
It’s been almost 30 years now since I ran into Carey Bell. He was touring through Europe and was gracious enough to sit down and talk for awhile about his friends, his life in music and the road he travelled. He was a remarkable talent and genuinely funny human being.
If you grew up in New England in the 70s and 80s, you were exposed to an incredibly diverse music scene. Chart rockers abound, Aerosmith, J. Geils and the Cars filled the airwaves. Radio playlists were laced with alternatives like the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, Pixies, Til Tuesday and Watermelon Slim.
Nena Anderson is in constant motion. She has to be. She has a garden and confesses “I like to cook out of it.” There are also two dogs, three chickens, teen-agers, a husband and five on-going, musical projects. Six, if you count her collaboration on Alex Woodard’s, For the Sender.
Its 2020, so it should be perfectly clear to you there is simply no better way to start the decade than with a new project from Sue Palmer. She continues to mine her four decade, freakishly large catalog of music in order to provide us with Gems: Volume 2.
Sax man extraordinaire Jonny Viau is always in demand. It took four years to get this interview, and before I could ask a single question, his phone goes off. The ringtone is a wailing harmonica solo; just file that away for later in our conversation.
Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan are set to play the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California on Saturday night, October 26th. A momentous occasion that marks the 40th Anniversary in the duo’s life of ‘Good Time Blues.’ Truly a phenomenal achievement; 40 Years!
I miss Willie Dixon. I had the tremendous good fortune to sit and talk with him on several occasions during the 1980's, and he never failed to amaze, entertain and enlighten me. During those years you couldn't go into a Southern California club, blues venue or attend a music festival without seeing the man surrounded by an entourage of adoring friends and fans.
Alex Woodson comes from a family of musicians, so it only seemed natural for him to become…an athlete? “I grew up playing sports.” Woodson says. “But I was surrounded by music.” And that would make a lasting difference.