Author Archives: Mike

D.K. Harrell is Talkin’ Heavy about the blues on Alligator Records debut

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Mike

Rising bluesman D.K. Harrell keeps on rolling with his sophomore album–and Alligator Records debut–Talkin’ Heavy. Released last week, the album includes another dozen extremely impressive original tracks that demonstrate why the 27-year-old Harrell is one of the hottest acts on … Continue reading →

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Gary Clark Jr. goes “Catfish”in’ too on one of two new singles from Antone’s 50th anniversary box set

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Mike

We know we just spotlighted a cover of Robert Petway’s blues classic “Catfish Blues” and had every intention of going a different direction with this week’s featured single, but then this happened… New West Records this week released another couple … Continue reading →

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New Englander Ryan Lee Crosby teams with Bentonia blues master Jimmy “Duck” Holmes for Delta blues classic “Catfish”

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Mike

Ryan Lee Crosby may not be from Mississippi, or anywhere near it, but that didn’t stop the under-45-year-old Rhode Islander from packing up his bags and equipment and heading there to record his latest album At the Blue Front, due … Continue reading →

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Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ make Room on the Porch for everyone with sophomore album

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Mike

There’s simply no better pairing in the blues today than when Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ get together, as we heard and saw back in 2017 with their Grammy Award-winning debut collaboration TajMo, which also captured both the Album of … Continue reading →

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Blues guitarist and singer Larry McCray looks on the “Bright Side” with track originally written for Bobby “Blue” Bland

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Mike

We’ve been a big fan of Michigan-raised blues guitarist Larry McCray ever since we first heard him play the Pittsburgh Blues Festival a decade and a half back — and then discovered that McCray was the first artist to record … Continue reading →

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Tune into the Weekend: Blind Boys of Alabama’s Joey Williams joins North Mississippi Allstars on soul-stirring single “Don’t Let the Devil Ride”

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Mike

The North Mississippi Allstars have a new album coming in early June, but you don’t have–or want–to wait until then to take this one in: a simmering, soulful take on the oft-covered gospel blues classic “Don’t Let the Devil Ride” … Continue reading →

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Jus’ Blues Music Foundation celebrates 25 years with essential anniversary album

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Mike

We haven’t talked about the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation much here over the years, but their 25th anniversary seems as good a time as any to tell you about the organization’s good works, especially when that anniversary is accompanied by … Continue reading →

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Charlie Musselwhite blows up a Storm (Warning) on this single from upcoming album

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Mike

Here’s one from veteran bluesman Charlie Musselwhite‘s soon-to-be-released (as in, this Friday) album Look Out Highway (Forty Below Records) that we like for several reasons: in addition to having a bit more fire vocally than many Musselwhite tracks, this number … Continue reading →

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Catfish blues: final act from UK blues-rock band concludes masterful run

Posted on May 10, 2025 by Mike

Recently, we spotlighted the video for the title track from the final album from UK blues-rockers Catfish, Time to Fly. Today, we’re here to tell you about the rest of that album, a bittersweet project that stands as another terrific … Continue reading →

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Check out this “Bad Boy” of a single from Doyle Bramhall II off upcoming Antone’s 50th anniversary box set

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Mike

Late in April, New West Records announced the August release of a four LP, 41-track box set celebrating the 50th anniversary of Austin, Texas, blues music club Antone’s, a place that has helped launch or bolster the careers of many … Continue reading →

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