This week you will get to hear Tail Dragger talk about what the real blues are as well as songs from his new CD Live at Rooster’s Lounge.
.

 

 126 - Tail Dragger – Live at Rooster’s Lounge [39:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

.

Tail Dragger was born James Yancey Jones in 1940 in Altheimer, Arkansas, USA. He moved to Chicago in 1966 where his idol Howlin’ Wolf let him get on the bandstand with him. In this show Tail Dragger talks a lot about working with Howlin’ Wolf and how Wolf not only gave Tail Dragger his name but was also a mentor to Tail Dragger.

Even though his history will be interesting to listen to, the real thrill is to hear this blues man and his music. This is raw music from the heart of Tail Dragger. He told me his job is to get out there and entertain the people. He said he never uses a playlist because he wants to see and feel what his audience will want to hear next. He also explains on the show why he never has rehearsals for the songs they are going to be playing. Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, the guitarist, seems to know where the song is going all the time even without rehearsals. Harp player Martin Lang does a really fine job on all the songs. Our old friend Jimmy Dawkins sets in one song called “Wander”.

Besides this being a really good old school blues CD there is also a DVD available of the concert. You really get a better idea of what it’s like to be in a club with an old time blues man that really wants his audience to have a good time. There is no rock n’ roll here it’s all low down gritty blues. Just like with the Byther Smith DVD Blues On The Moon from 2008 one of the real treats is the bonus track. It’s only an audio track with Tail Dragger and some band members talking about all sorts of things. Sometimes Tail Dragger is a little hard to understand and could maybe have used a little more of guidance on what to talk about. However, when it’s over you really feel you have stepped in to Tail Dragger’s world. I liked watching the DVD of the concert and the bonus track was really nice. Depending on how or what you listen to music on the DVD may be a better choice because you still hear all the songs and today’s TVs have really good sound quality. Whatever your choice is, run by Delmark Records and pick up a copy of Tail Dragger,
Live at Rooster’s Lounge. They also have a short video at Delmark Records website of Tail Dragger, check that out too.

The songs heard on this week’s show:
Wander
She’s Worryin’ Me
Stop Lying
Bought Me a New Home

Tail Dragger MySpace

To buy Tail Dragger’s CD\DVD or see the free video at Delmark Records

Check out other great CDs on Delmark Records like Quintus McCormick, Shirley Johnson, Zora Young, Eddie C. Campbell or Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of Blues.
All these artists are up for Blues Music Awards this year with the exception of Quintus who’s CD is too new to be on the list. It better be next year because it’s one of the best.
Thanks to Tail Dragger for taking time to do this interview.
Thanks also to Kevin Johnson for all his help in getting everything set up.

.

 

 Bruce Iglauer - The Story of Alligator Records - Episode # 2 Bruce Iglauer & Hound Dog Taylor [34:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

.

Episode # 2 Bruce Iglauer & Hound Dog Taylor

This week you will hear Bruce Iglauer talk about why he thought Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers was such a good band even though the first time he saw them he didn’t get into what they were doing. Bruce talks a bit about what went into the recording of that first record in order to making it sound so full of energy like you were really there at a concert with them.

Getting the money to start Alligator Records was one thing. Getting radio stations to play an artist they’d never heard of could be a real problem but Bruce had a plan for selling Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers LP, boy did it work out good. He loaded his car with a bunch of LP’s and drive to all the radio stations asking them to play this record he had just made of his favorite artist and they did. Warning: to all you blues artists out there today don’t try this at home till you’ve listened to the show and understand how Bruce got radio stations to play his record and how he sold out of all the records before he got back home.

One of the things I liked so much about this episode is that besides hearing about how Alligator Records was started it’s also partly a show about Hound Dog Taylor, someone I’ve wanted to do a show on for quite awhile.

Bruce Iglauer will be back with us the first Thursday of next month to talk about the early years of this struggling record label and how they started getting well known blues artists to sign up.

Songs in this week’s show:
“She’s Gone” from Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers
“Give Me Back My Wig” from Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers
Elvin Bishop – “Let’s Get Funky” from Hound Dog Taylor A Tribute
“Gonna Send You Back to Georgia” from Release the Hound

Be sure to go by Alligator Records’ Website where you can read about all the artists that have been on the label, see when their tours comes near you, buy your favorite CD’s, DVD’s, T-shirts, or just enjoy the music on the Alligator Steaming Radio.

If you missed part one of the interview with Bruce Iglauer click here.

.

Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
formerly A1 Artist Spotlight. Com
by A1 Mark

This week you will hear Henry Gray telling us about his rich blues history and about his new record Times Are Getting’ Hard.
.

 

 124 - Henry Gray - Times Are Getting’ Hard [37:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

.

Henry Gray was born in 1925 in Louisiana, USA. He started playing piano when he was around seven or eight years old. His father was the deacon of the church and after some lessons from an elderly woman by the named of Mrs. White, Henry started playing piano and organ in church. Because many people in those days thought the blues was the devils music Henry was not allowed to play the blues in their home. Henry had to sneak to find places he could go to play the blues like to Mrs. White’s house. When he was 16 he got a job playing blues in a club. He served seven years during World War II in the south Pacific. After getting out of the army he returned home for a brief time them moved to Chicago. In the show Henry talks about getting to work in Chicago with Big Maceo Merriwether. Big Maceo was a big name in those days and he took Henry Gray under his wing. In 1956 Howlin’ Wolf asked him to join his band which is where Henry stayed till 1968. Over the years Henry has played with a who’s who of famous blues artists like Little Walter (whom he knew before moving to Chicago), Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush and many more.

Henry Gray does not have too many solo records considering how long he has been around and playing. Most of them are available through his website as well as a DVD. What I liked so much about Henry’s music the very first time I heard it is its old time Barrelhouse Blues sound. Seems like the only time you hear this style of music nowadays is on an old scratchy record with poor sound quality. Times Are Getting’ Hard was recorded in 2009 and the sound quality is real good. The music has a very strong beat similar to what would eventually become rock & roll. This however is led by the piano as the lead instrument instead of the guitar. This show is a great chance to hear one of the last blues men that played from the mid-forties to the mid-sixties talk about what it was like in those days. The music of course speaks for itself. If you only own one CD of Barrelhouse Blues Times Are Getting’ Hard by Henry Gray would be a really good one to have.

Blues Music Awards has nominated Henry Gray for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award this year.

Songs in this week’s show by Henry Gray & The Cats:
Times Are Getting’ Hard
How Could You Do It
Katrina Katrina
Come On In
Goin’ Downtown
Barack Obama Boogie

Henry Gray’s Website

Henry Gray’s MySpace

Henry Gray’s Facebook

Buy Henry Gray’s cd Times Are Getting’ Hard from his Website

Thanks to Henry Gray for doing the interview and to Andy Cornett for all his help in setting everything up.
.

Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
formerly A1 Artist Spotlight. Com
by A1 Mark

Hear Debbie Davies talk about her new instrumental CD Holdin’ Court.
.

 

 123 - Debbie Davies – Holdin’ Court [35:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

.

You probably recall we talked to Debbie Davies about her last CD Blues Blast not all that long ago (click here to hear that show). Blues Blast had a lot of special guest on it like Coco Montoya and Charlie Musselwhite. Past recordings have had guest appearances by people like Albert Collins, Ike Turner, Duke Robillard, James Cotton, Mick Taylor, and Peter Green. This time out Debbie has decided to do something different. The band you will be hearing is her touring band that consists of Debbie Davies on all the guitars, Casandra Faulconer on bass guitar and Don Castagno on drums. Paul Opalach plays organ on some tracks but is not part of the touring band. The other big difference in this new record is that it is an all-instrumental adventure in different styles of 1960’s blues artists that inspired Debbie to play guitar. This is a fresh change in what we have been hearing from most blues artists. In the past, people like Kenny Burrell and Albert Collins have done many instrumentals. Freddie King’s biggest hit was the instrumental “Hide Away”. Getting a whole record of blues instrumentals should not seem like an unusual thing however I cannot think of any that have come out in the last few years.

Debbie Davies’ Holdin’ Court starts with the Duke Robillard song “Fishnet”. This was not an instrumental on Duke’s New Blues for Modern Man but hearing Debbie do it you can’t imagine it any other way. Debbie said over the years she has been playing the Clarence Gatemouth Brown song “Oike Dokie Stomp” in her shows and a lot of fans have asked her to record that song. The fans know best because this is a really cool fast jazzy-blues song that is bound to put a smile on your face. There is also the John Lee Hooker song “I Wonder Why” that Debbie said she is doing more in a slow blues style of Otis Rush when he had done the song. As you probably remember from the last interview Debbie played guitar in Albert Collins band early on. “If You Love Me Like You Say” was a song she remembered playing in his band many times so she decided to recorded it herself this time. She also said her song “So What” is kind of based on the real funky blues style she got to play with Albert Collins.

In the show this week you will get to hear five songs Debbie wrote. She said some of the songs had appeared on her other records but got re-recorded for Holdin’ Court by her touring band. “Tryin’ to Keep It Real“ was on the 2005 record All I Found but appears here as a very nice instrumental. “Atras De Tus Ojos” was on the 1999 record Tales from the Austin Motel. This was redone even more beautiful than the last time with more Spanish flavor too. Holdin’ Court has been enjoyable to listen to as a regular record but also found it very refreshing to just hear music with no words, it really lets your mind follow the instruments more. Holdin’ Court is well on it’s way as my favorite CD to play while reading. Below are some links to buy Debbie Davies CD’s please pick one or two up and help keep the blues alive for another year.

The songs on this weeks show:
Tryin’ to Keep It Real
Atras De Tus Ojos
Percolatin’
Zoom-in’
Holdin’ Court

Debbie Davies Website

Debbie Davies’s MySpace

Debbie Davies on You Tube

Buy any of Debbie Davies CD’s at her Website Plus some exclovice Live ones ONLY at this website

Debbie Davies’ Live CD ONLY at her Website

Debbie Davies Tour Dates

Buy Debbie Davies Holdin’ Court at Amazon.com

Buy Debbie Davies Blues Blast at Amazon.com

Buy Debbie Davies All I Found at Amazon.com

Buy Debbie Davies Tales from the Austin Motel at Amazon.com

Buy Debbie Davies I Got That Feeling at Amazon.com

Thanks to Debbie Davies for taking the time to do this interview also thanks to Harley Erickson for setting everything up. You may want to listen to Harley Erickson’s MySpace page too she has some very good music.

.

 

 122 - Duke Robillard - Stomp! The Blues Tonight [40:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

.

This week you will get to hear Duke Robillard talk about his Grammy nominated CD Stomp! The Blues Tonight.

Very little needs to be said about Duke Robillard because everyone knows him and respects him very highly. He was the founder of Roomful of Blues when he was still a teenager. In 1979 he left to work with Robert Gordon, then Legendary Blues Band then, just solo till about 1990 when he replaced Jimmie Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Duke will be asked about all of these bands he was in on this weeks show. After the Fabulous Thunderbirds he went back to being a solo act and has worked with just about everyone and has had his songs recorded by just about everyone too.

His newest record Stomp! The Blues Tonight was released by Stony Plain Records in June of 2009. This record is more of a jump blues style than his other records. Since not many people do this style of blues anymore it is very nice to get to have someone of Duke’s caliber doing this. He also has Sunny Crownover sing on some of the songs, which is a nice change of pace.

Besides being nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Traditional Blues” category, Duke has been nominated by the Blues Music Awards for “Band of the Year”, “Album of the Year”, “Instrumentalist-Guitar”, and “Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year”.

As you listen to this weeks show on Duke Robillard you will understand why he is up for so many awards, enjoy.

As Duke announced in the show he also has a new CD coming out February 2nd called Tales from the Tiki Lounge. You can order an advance copy of it from his website.

Songs played this week:
Swinging with Lucy Mae (is from 2008 -A Swingin’ Session with Duke Robillard)
Jumpin’ the Bone
Look But Don’t Touch
Stomp the Blues Tonight

Duke Robillard’s Website

Duke Robillard’s MySpace

But any of Duke Robillard’s CD from his Website (ask for it to be autographed free)

Check out other blues artists at Stony Plain Records like Joe Louis Walker, Maria Muldaur, Ronnie Earl and Jeff Healey.

Thanks to Duke Robillard for talking time do this interview and to Mark Pucci for setting everything up again.

.

Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
formerly A1 Artist Spotlight. Com
by A1 Mark