A History of the Blues: Chapter 10
10/
1/ Nobody’s fault but mine - Paul Butterfield. 1973. Better Days. Simone.
B.1942, Chicago. D.1987, Hollywood. Cleared the way for white musicians to interpret the blues instead of just replicating it & was a major catalyst in bringing electric Chicago blues to white audiences who'd previously considered acoustic Delta blues the only really genuine article. Enlisted guitarists Elvin Bishop & Mike Bloomfield in his band & supported Bob Dylan at the ’65 newport Folk Festival. Popularity on the wane in the ‘70’s & succumbed to generally poor health & heoin addiction.
Note:- 1976. Singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell visits bluesman, Furry Lewis in Memphis. The experience inspires her to write ‘Furry sings the blues’ which appears on her 1976 album ‘Hejira’.
2/ Mannish boy - Muddy Waters. 1977. Hard again. Diddley/London/Waters.
See Chapter 5 for bio.
3/ Honey hush – Albert Collins. 1978. Ice pickin’. Fulson.
B.1932, Tx. D.1993, Las Vegas. Was a cousin of Lightnin’ Hopkins, whose music heroes were Hopkins, John Lee Hooker & T-Bone Walker. Early recordings were mainly instrumentals. Workred a day job through the ‘60’s & played music at night. Was taken to L.A. in ’60 by Bob Hite (of Canned Heat). His ‘classic’ album was also his first, ‘Ice Pickin’, in 1978. Died at age 61 of Liver cancer.
4/5 Crossroads and Come on in my kitchen – John Hammond jr. 1978. Footwork. Johnson.
B. 1942, N.Y.C. One of the great white blues players. A devotee of Robert Johnson, who has recorded most of Johnsons songs during his 40 year career. As comfortable playing solo acoustic as with an electric band. The backing group on his first album was what would become ‘The Band’.
Note:- 1979. Rap emerges from underground discos with the Sugar Hill gang’s ‘Rappers delight’.
B.1942, Chicago. D.1987, Hollywood. Cleared the way for white musicians to interpret the blues instead of just replicating it & was a major catalyst in bringing electric Chicago blues to white audiences who'd previously considered acoustic Delta blues the only really genuine article. Enlisted guitarists Elvin Bishop & Mike Bloomfield in his band & supported Bob Dylan at the ’65 newport Folk Festival. Popularity on the wane in the ‘70’s & succumbed to generally poor health & heoin addiction.
Note:- 1976. Singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell visits bluesman, Furry Lewis in Memphis. The experience inspires her to write ‘Furry sings the blues’ which appears on her 1976 album ‘Hejira’.
2/ Mannish boy - Muddy Waters. 1977. Hard again. Diddley/London/Waters.
See Chapter 5 for bio.
3/ Honey hush – Albert Collins. 1978. Ice pickin’. Fulson.
B.1932, Tx. D.1993, Las Vegas. Was a cousin of Lightnin’ Hopkins, whose music heroes were Hopkins, John Lee Hooker & T-Bone Walker. Early recordings were mainly instrumentals. Workred a day job through the ‘60’s & played music at night. Was taken to L.A. in ’60 by Bob Hite (of Canned Heat). His ‘classic’ album was also his first, ‘Ice Pickin’, in 1978. Died at age 61 of Liver cancer.
4/5 Crossroads and Come on in my kitchen – John Hammond jr. 1978. Footwork. Johnson.
B. 1942, N.Y.C. One of the great white blues players. A devotee of Robert Johnson, who has recorded most of Johnsons songs during his 40 year career. As comfortable playing solo acoustic as with an electric band. The backing group on his first album was what would become ‘The Band’.
Note:- 1979. Rap emerges from underground discos with the Sugar Hill gang’s ‘Rappers delight’.
6/ Orphans blues - Mike Bloomfield. 1979. Between a hard place & the ground Brown.
B.1943, Chicago. D.1981, San Francisco. Probably the first great white blues guitarists of the modern era. Became a member of the paul Butterfield band between 1965 & ’67, before leaving due to, (Yes, you guessed it!) ‘artistic differences’. Had further success on his own & with his own group but gradually descended into alcoholism & heroin addiction, leading to his death.
7/8 Me & my chaueffer blues and Motherless children - Lucinda Williams. 1979. Ramblin’. Memphis Minnie/ Trad.
B.1953, La. Daughter of poet & English lit. proffesor, Miller Williams, spent all of her childhood travelling southern states & Central America. Absorbed many influences, particularly old blues players. Her first album is made up of early blues & country songs. Now classed as Americana, all of her albums since have been in critics years end favourites.
Note:- 1980. John Landis’ movie The blues Brothers, starring dan Ackroyd & John Belushi. The film spawns a real life touring Blues Brothers Band, & symbolizes the acceptance of the blues by suburban America.
Note:- 1981. Ruby records releases ‘Fire of love’, the debut album by the Gun Club. The L.A. based band covers various Delta blues songs, introducing the early blues restless spirit to a punk audience.
Note:- 1982. The compact disc is introduced.
B.1943, Chicago. D.1981, San Francisco. Probably the first great white blues guitarists of the modern era. Became a member of the paul Butterfield band between 1965 & ’67, before leaving due to, (Yes, you guessed it!) ‘artistic differences’. Had further success on his own & with his own group but gradually descended into alcoholism & heroin addiction, leading to his death.
7/8 Me & my chaueffer blues and Motherless children - Lucinda Williams. 1979. Ramblin’. Memphis Minnie/ Trad.
B.1953, La. Daughter of poet & English lit. proffesor, Miller Williams, spent all of her childhood travelling southern states & Central America. Absorbed many influences, particularly old blues players. Her first album is made up of early blues & country songs. Now classed as Americana, all of her albums since have been in critics years end favourites.
Note:- 1980. John Landis’ movie The blues Brothers, starring dan Ackroyd & John Belushi. The film spawns a real life touring Blues Brothers Band, & symbolizes the acceptance of the blues by suburban America.
Note:- 1981. Ruby records releases ‘Fire of love’, the debut album by the Gun Club. The L.A. based band covers various Delta blues songs, introducing the early blues restless spirit to a punk audience.
Note:- 1982. The compact disc is introduced.
9/ Blues for Ida B – Louisiana Red. 1983. Blues from the heart. L.Red.
B.1936, Miss. Louisiana Red (born Iverson Minter) is a flamboyant guitarist, harmonica player and vocalist. He lost his parents early in life through multiple tragedies; his mother died of pneumonia a week after his birth, and his father was lynched by the Klu Klux Klan when he was five. Red began recording for Chess in 1949, then joined the army. After his discharge, he played with in Detroit for almost two years in the late '50s. He maintained a busy recording and performing schedule through the 1990s, having done sessions for Chess, Checker, Atlas, Glover, Roulette, L&R and Tomato among others.
10/ Got love if you want it - Fabulous Thunderbirds. 1984. Knight.
Formed 1974, Tx. Kim Wilson (vocals, harmonica) & Jimmy Vaughan (vocals, guitar & brother of Stevie Ray) formed the group & were its mainstays. Play a blend of Texas blues & R ‘n’ B. Split up for a while in the late 80’s. Wilson made a couple of solo records, whilst Vaughan formed a duo with his brother. When Stevie died he made a couple of solo records & the group reformed in ’94.
11/ Texas flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan. 1984. Texas Flood. Davis/Scott.
B. 1954, Tx. D.1990, Wisc. Was inspired at a young age by brother Jimmie & influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, etc. By early 70’s was playing the clubs & bars of dallas & Austin where he formed his band Double Trouble. Had a succesful touring & record selling career although he was sinking into drug & alcohol addiction. He was killed in a helicopter crash following an encore gig with Eric Clapton.
12/ When a guitar plays the blues – Roy Buchanan. 1985. When a guitar plays the blues. Buchanan.
B.1939, Al. D.1988, Va. By his teens he was touring & recording with Dale hawkins. One of the great blues rock guitarists. Hung himself in a police cell after arrest for drunken driving.
B.1936, Miss. Louisiana Red (born Iverson Minter) is a flamboyant guitarist, harmonica player and vocalist. He lost his parents early in life through multiple tragedies; his mother died of pneumonia a week after his birth, and his father was lynched by the Klu Klux Klan when he was five. Red began recording for Chess in 1949, then joined the army. After his discharge, he played with in Detroit for almost two years in the late '50s. He maintained a busy recording and performing schedule through the 1990s, having done sessions for Chess, Checker, Atlas, Glover, Roulette, L&R and Tomato among others.
10/ Got love if you want it - Fabulous Thunderbirds. 1984. Knight.
Formed 1974, Tx. Kim Wilson (vocals, harmonica) & Jimmy Vaughan (vocals, guitar & brother of Stevie Ray) formed the group & were its mainstays. Play a blend of Texas blues & R ‘n’ B. Split up for a while in the late 80’s. Wilson made a couple of solo records, whilst Vaughan formed a duo with his brother. When Stevie died he made a couple of solo records & the group reformed in ’94.
11/ Texas flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan. 1984. Texas Flood. Davis/Scott.
B. 1954, Tx. D.1990, Wisc. Was inspired at a young age by brother Jimmie & influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, etc. By early 70’s was playing the clubs & bars of dallas & Austin where he formed his band Double Trouble. Had a succesful touring & record selling career although he was sinking into drug & alcohol addiction. He was killed in a helicopter crash following an encore gig with Eric Clapton.
12/ When a guitar plays the blues – Roy Buchanan. 1985. When a guitar plays the blues. Buchanan.
B.1939, Al. D.1988, Va. By his teens he was touring & recording with Dale hawkins. One of the great blues rock guitarists. Hung himself in a police cell after arrest for drunken driving.
Note:- 1986. Robert Cray’s ‘Strong Persuader’. Reaches number 13 on the pop chart & yields the number 22 single ‘Smoking Gun’. Cray is one of the few young, contemporary black performers still embracing the blues form.
13/ Smoking gun - Robert Cray. 1986. Strong Persuader. Amy.
B. 1953, Ga. Helped to jump start the modern day blues revival. Has his own style of blues/soul that can at times seem a little bland, but has made consistently listenable albums.
14/ Moon s goin’ down – Rory Block. 1986. Best blues & originals. Patton.
See Chapter 3 for bio.
15/ Midnight prowler – Frank Frost. 1988. Midnight Prowler. Frost.
B. 1936, Ar. D.1999. Played modern day, tough, uncompromising Mississippi blues. Played guitar & harmonica, (which he learnt from Sonny Boy Williamson) & formed the ‘Jelly Roll Kings’ in 1979.
16/ Don’t be afraid of the dark – Philip Walker. 1988. Blues Walker.
B.1937, La. Learnt his guitar playing along the gulf coast from the likes of Lightnin’ Hopkins & Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown. Made a few singles through the sixties but started making a few albums in the 70’s that have been consistently good.
17/ I’ll get to heavan on my own – Joe Louis Walker. 1989. Blue Soul. Walker.
B.1949, Calif. One of the best contemporary blues players around. Plays Blues/ soul & Texas blues. Albums sell well as do his tours. Slightly harder style than the likes of Robert Cray.
18/ The Healer - John Lee hooker. 1989. The Healer. Hooker.
See Chapter 6 for bio.
13/ Smoking gun - Robert Cray. 1986. Strong Persuader. Amy.
B. 1953, Ga. Helped to jump start the modern day blues revival. Has his own style of blues/soul that can at times seem a little bland, but has made consistently listenable albums.
14/ Moon s goin’ down – Rory Block. 1986. Best blues & originals. Patton.
See Chapter 3 for bio.
15/ Midnight prowler – Frank Frost. 1988. Midnight Prowler. Frost.
B. 1936, Ar. D.1999. Played modern day, tough, uncompromising Mississippi blues. Played guitar & harmonica, (which he learnt from Sonny Boy Williamson) & formed the ‘Jelly Roll Kings’ in 1979.
16/ Don’t be afraid of the dark – Philip Walker. 1988. Blues Walker.
B.1937, La. Learnt his guitar playing along the gulf coast from the likes of Lightnin’ Hopkins & Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown. Made a few singles through the sixties but started making a few albums in the 70’s that have been consistently good.
17/ I’ll get to heavan on my own – Joe Louis Walker. 1989. Blue Soul. Walker.
B.1949, Calif. One of the best contemporary blues players around. Plays Blues/ soul & Texas blues. Albums sell well as do his tours. Slightly harder style than the likes of Robert Cray.
18/ The Healer - John Lee hooker. 1989. The Healer. Hooker.
See Chapter 6 for bio.
