Castro Coleman has had and continues to have a masterful career in the Gospel music realm. His gospel catalogue includes over 125 recording credits on more than 50 national releases and the man continues to perform and produce music in that genre with his quartet, The True Believers. But his versatility and showmanship has blossomed in so many directions over the years even fans are surprised by his accomplishments; and there are many.
When you grow up in a family where your father is known as Lil’ Howlin’ Wolf, the chances are pretty good that you may end up as a bluesman. If you come of age on Chicago's Southside and your band is forced to practice in the basement laundry room of the projects, you may end up as a bluesman. But when childhood memories include your dad taking you by the hand into some of the Windy City's most legendary bars and you witness B.B. King live for the first time at the Burning Spear on State Street, damn you have to be a bluesman!
It's not every day you can sing someone's praises about singing someone's praises, yet here we are. The Blind Boys of Alabama along with friend and fellow musician, Charlie Musselwhite commanded the stage at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido recently and converted about 500 people in the process.
Primer has been amazingly productive over the years; he's recorded and toured with everyone from Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon to Junior Wells and James Cotton. I lost track of the number of albums he's listed on at around 87 or 88. John just smiles at me "probably more than that." From a sharecropping family to a legendary blues man, John Primer is the real deal so we started our conversation with his first instrument.