Author Archives: Mike

International bluesmen Roly Platt, Thorbjorn Risager impress on debut offerings

Even several weeks into the new year, we’re not ready to give up on 2014 quite yet. Not when it comes to having CDs as good as these to still tell you about, some recent releases from two non-U.S. bluesmen … Continue reading

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Old Man Winter Blues (Blues Lyrics radio hour edition)

With Old Man Winter biting and blowing here in the northeast U.S., we thought you might enjoy this double dose of blues to help keep you warm, featuring a talk-free edition of our BluesPowR Radio Hour as well as a … Continue reading

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Chicago guitarist Dave Specter delivers Message in Blue with latest Delmark release

There aren’t many musicians out there who could pull off a song acknowledging some of the biggest names in Chicago blues without coming across as somewhat opportunistic or trite. But Chicago native guitarist, bandleader, and producer Dave Specter manages to … Continue reading

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Blues Lyrics of the Week: Happy New Year Blues

Here’s one to help kick off your new year. Recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson back in 1928, the song has the “Father of the Texas Blues” looking ahead a bit “thinkin’ ’bout the year of 19 and 29”. Sadly, that … Continue reading

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Forget the champagne… Bootleg Whiskey is the way to go this New Year’s Eve

A few weeks back, we promised to bring you more on the latest album from Grady Champion. With the new year now just mere hours away, we couldn’t think of a better note on which to end 2014 than a closer … Continue reading

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Chicago tribute show, latest album Step Back both good ways to remember blues guitar legend Johnny Winter

If, like us, you weren’t able to make it to Chicago for the Johnny Winter remembrance show that took place at Buddy Guy’s Legends a few weekends back (or to a computer for the accompanying live webstream of the program), … Continue reading

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Liz Mandeville tells it from the heart on Heart ‘O’ Chicago

Though not as widely known perhaps as such contemporaries as Shemekia Copeland, Marcia Ball, Deanna Bogart, and Janiva Magness, Wisconsin-born singer and guitarist Liz Mandeville is really starting to make a name for herself among today’s top ladies of the … Continue reading

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Episode 10 – Fall into the Blues

Start your week off right with the latest edition of our BluesPowR Radio Hour, featuring recent releases from Joe Bonamassa, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, The Knickerbocker All-Stars, Rory Block, The Nighthawks, Dave Specter and more. Episode 10 Playlist I … Continue reading

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Sugar Ray Norcia, Elvin Bishop and John Nemeth lead latest Blues Music Awards nominations

Last week, we told you about this year’s nominees for the annual Grammy Awards, where the type of music on which this blog focuses is often confined to a handful of categories at best, with now just one dedicated blues … Continue reading

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Keb’ Mo’s BLUESAmericana gets three Grammy nods; Johnny Winter, Ruthie Foster, Gregg Allman & Taj Mahal, and Charlie Musselwhite among other nominees

We’re sure that Keb’ Mo’s decision to title his latest album BLUESAmericana had little, if anything, to do with looking to maximize his chances for a nomination in the annual Grammy Awards, where Best Blues Album and Best Americana Album … Continue reading

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