Happy Birthday To Robert Wilkins

January is also the birth month of Robert Wilkins, he was born on th 16th of January in 1896, and he passed away, on May 26, 1987. He was a seminal blues guitarist and vocalist, of African American and Cherokee descent.

According to Wikipedia;

Wilkins was born in Hernando, Mississippi, 21 miles from Memphis. He worked in Memphis during the 1920s at the same time as Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie (whom he claimed to have tutored), and Son House. He also organized a jug band to capitalize on the "jug band craze" then in vogue. Though never attaining success comparable to the Memphis Jug Band, Wilkins reinforced his local popularity with a 1927 appearance on a Memphis radio station. Like Sleepy John Estes (and unlike Gus Cannon of Cannon's Jug Stompers) he recorded alone or with a single accompanist. He sometimes performed as Tim Wilkins or as Tim Oliver (his stepfather's name).

The Guitar of Robert Wilkins

With Regards to The Hooker Family Musicians

My online friends BeautysSymphony and JadedJ commented on the fact that they did not know that Earl Hooker was related to John Lee Hooker. Which got me to thinking, didn't John Lee Hooker have a son, who is also a blues musician?

He did and According to Wikipedia;

John Lee Hooker Jr is a blues musician, born in 1952 in Detroit. He is the son of the late John Lee Hooker. The younger Hooker's musical style is markedly modernized, featuring contemporary arrangements.

In 2008 Hooker toured with a back-up band consisting of George Lacson (Bass), Jeff Horan (Guitar), Mike Rogers (Drums), and Brian James (Keys).

His third album, All Odds Against Me was released on August 19, 2008. Many of the tracks reflect the demons he has faced in his life.

Check out this video and his new album;
John Lee Hooker, Jr.'s "Blues Ain't Nothing But A Pimp"


All Odds Against Me

click image for info @Amazon.com

I Feel Like Going To Church - Blind Willie Johnson - Jesus Is Coming Soon

Blind Willie Johnson - Jesus Is Coming Soon


Blind Willie Johnson "Jesus is coming soon" with introduction by Blind Willie Mc.Tell.

The creater of this video used "sequences from the film "Blood of Jesus" as a video to this song and Mc.Tell´s interview with John Lomax as introduction."

Happy Birthday To Earl Hooker

An Introduction to Earl Hooker

please click image

Earl Hooker, the cousin of John Lee Hooker was born on January 15, 1929 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and he passed away on April 21, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois.

Hooker was a Chicago slide guitarist in the same league as Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor, and his mentor, Robert Nighthawk. Some Chicago blues guitarists even consider Hooker to have been the greatest slide player ever.

I think his CD An Introduction to Earl Hooker, makes a fine introduction to the man's music.

Track Listings

1. Blue Guitar
2. Swear to Tell the Truth
3. Blues in D Natural
4. Galloping Horses a Lazy Mule
5. Universal Rock
6. Rockin' with the Kid
7. Rockin' Wild
8. How Long Can This Go On?
9. These Cotton Pickin' Blues
10. The Leading Brand
11. Nothing But Good
12. The Bright Sounds
13. Off the Hook
14. Square Dance Rock Pts. 1-2

Friday Blues Funny - Darth Vader Feels Blue

As I have mentioned before I'm a Star Wars fan so this is kind of one of my favorite Star Wars blues music mash ups. The harmonica part is Sonny Terry, but I am sure that most of you know that.

I think that the blues are a joyous music, for the most part. Even though many of the lyrics seem to be about bad things, often times this is "tongue in cheek" and is played to get a laugh.

Living the blues means mostly having a hard time, but it also means having a good laugh too.

Darth Vader Feels Blue

It's the Birthday of Alan Lomax

This is also the birth month of Alan Lomax;

Alan Lomax (January 15, 1915 – July 19, 2002) was an American folklorist and musicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the West Indies, Italy, and Spain.

Every time I think of Mr. Lomax, I thank God for him. He is one of the most important men in the world of blues as far as I am concerned.

Alan Lomax: Blues Songbook


Alan Lomax @Amazon.com
Alan Lomax @Wikipedia
Alan Lomax @SqueezeMyLemon
Alan Lomax @YouTube

Happy Birthday To Slim Harpo

January is a very interesting month for birthdays of blues musicians. One of my favorites is Slim Harpo, who was born on 11 January 1924 and he passed away unexpectedly due to a heart attack on 31 January 1970.

One of the foremost proponents of post-war rural blues, he began performing in Baton Rouge bars under the name Harmonica Slim. He later accompanied Lightnin' Slim, his brother-in-law, both live and in the studio, before commencing his own recording career in 1957.

If you are not familiar with his music, might I recommend the mp3 CD The Best of Slim Harpo.

Track Listing

1. I'm A King Bee 3:03
2. I've Got Love If You Want It 2:47
3. Wonderin' And Worryin' 2:11
4. You'll Be Sorry One Day 2:17
5. Strange Love 2:09
6. Bobby Sox Baby 1:57
7. One More Day 2:26
8. Rainin' In My Heart 2:34
9. Blues Hangover 3:06
10. Buzzin' 2:07
11. Still Rainin' In My Heart 3:01
12. Snoopin' Around 2:16
13. Te Ni Nee Ni Nu 2:07
14. Tip On In, Part 1 2:51
15. Shake Your Hips 2:30
16. Baby Scratch My Back 2:52

Best Of Slim Harpo

please click image


Slim Harpo @SqueezeMyLemon

Happy Birthday To Tampa Red

Another bluesman who celebrated his birthday in January is Tampa Red. He was born on January 8 in 1904 and passed away on March 19, 1981.

Tampa Red - Don't Tampa with the Blues Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com



You can read about the interesting life of Tampa Red by visiting the following links;

"Tampa Red" Whittaker (1904-1981)

Tampa Red's full bio @ Wikipedia

Click below to listen to sample Tampa Red mp3s

New Release: Cold Tremors by Albert Collins

Cold Tremors

please click on image for info @Amazon.com

Track Listings

1. Intro
2. All About My Girl
3. I've Got a Mind to Travel
4. Things That I Used to Do
5. Frosty
6. Wah Heat
7. Can't See What You're Doing to Me
8. Cold Tremor
9. Johnny B Cool

Albert Collins was a blues guitarist who played his brains out. He was capable of getting more notes, more licks, more of that good stuff (as I like to call it) into every song. This is album is more of that.

Disc one features a much-recommended live album, that was recorded at the infamous El Mocambo in Toronto. The second disc features a 1969 gig Collins recorded at the Fillmore in San Francisco, when he served as an opening act for the Allman Brothers.

New Release - Derek Trucks Band – 'Already Free'

Already Free

please click image for info @Amazon.com

Track Listing

1. Down In The Flood 5:02
2. Something To Make You Happy 5:01
3. Maybe This Time 5:03
4. Sweet Inspiration 4:38
5. Don't Miss Me 4:16
6. Get What You Deserve 3:33
7. Our Love 5:18
8. Down Don't Bother Me 5:07
9. Days Is Almost Gone 5:13
10. Back Where I Started 4:20
11. I Know 4:40
12. Already Free 2:46

Derek Trucks is a dynamic blues guitarists. He has a very unique sound. According to;

Nearly a year in the making and brimming with a newfound focus on original material, Already Free is The Derek Trucks Band's natural evolution as they move forward integrating influences that span a variety of musical genres. Known for their blues roots, the group takes this album well beyond blues to incorporate the larger sounds of rock & soul. Already Free, features a stirring cover of Bob Dylan's Down In The Flood as well as the new songs, Down Don't Bother Me and Get What You Deserve. Guest appearances on the album include vocals from Susan Tedeschi and Doyle Bramhall II.