Blues Music Artists
SAM CHATMON
When Sam Chatmon was ‘re-discovered’ during the Folk/Blues revival around 1960, musicologists found they had a true original on their hands. Sporting a wild grey beard, Sam had been playing and singing since he was a child, and his repertoire of old Blues, especially the raunchy songs that celebrated the Delta Blues in their heyday,…
Read MoreLEROY ‘Baby Face’ FOSTER
Leroy Foster was never exactly a Blues star, but he certainly made his mark in Chicago as one of ‘The Headhunters’, along with Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers and Little Walter. They got that nick-name because they would meet up in some South-side club, then invade the stage when the band finished their set, proceeding to…
Read MoreCHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
Charlie Musselwhite and Paul Butterfield were the two white kids who took Chicago Blues across the colour line to a new younger generation. The authentic sound of wailing amplified Blues harp, as developed by Little Walter and Sonny Boy II, gave a focus to their self-named Blues bands and showed that this music is relevant…
Read MoreBUSTER BROWN
This Georgia-born singer and harp player had a wild, animated style with whoops and shrieks borrowed from Sonny Terry. Someone said he played harp like he was falling off a cliff! Buster was well into his forties when Fire Records brought him to New York to record ‘Fanny Mae’ in 1960. It was a big…
Read MoreProfessor Longhair
New Orleans is famous for funky music, and Professor Longhair played a big part in bringing that funky feel to the clubs where he banged out his Afro-Cuban rhythms after WWII. Fats Domino, Huey ‘Piano’ Smith, Dr. John and Allen Toussaint all cite the Professor as a major influence on the characteristic ‘rhumba-boogie’ piano music…
Read MoreDICK TAYLOR
Dick Taylor is a British Blues guitarist who played with Mick Jagger and Keef Richards before they were in a band, and went on to form The Pretty Things. Mick and Dick went to the same school in Dartford, near London and when Dick went to Sidcup Art School, he met up with Keef. The…
Read MoreHUEY ‘PIANO’ SMITH
New Orleans pianist Huey specialised in the rocking R&B flavoured boogie-woogie that was so popular in his home-town in the early 50s. He played local clubs in the company of his friend Eddie Jones (Guitar Slim) for about four years, and after session work with Little Richard and Lloyd Price he formed The Clowns in…
Read MoreSLEEPY JOHN ESTES
Sleepy John Estes was an important and influential re-discovery of the Folk/Blues revival of the early 60s. His guitar work was never more than rudimentary, but his clear piercing voice conveyed his authentic and personal country Blues to a new generation of fans and performers, and his songs live on in the work of many…
Read MoreJAMES ‘THUNDERBIRD’ DAVIS
This gospel sounding Blues singer from Pritchard AL got started in 1957 as an opening act for Guitar Slim, who gave him the ‘Thunderbird’ tag after a drinking contest. Duke Records of Houston signed James up and his emotive style on ‘Blue Monday’ and ‘Your Turn to Cry’ were great examples of the current Blues…
Read More‘GEORGIA TOM’ DORSEY
The Rev. Thomas A Dorsey was the founder of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs, composer of ‘Precious Lord’, mentor of Mahalia Jackson and a wonderful singer and pianist in his own right, but as ‘Georgia Tom’, he had a great early career in the Blues. He was a talent-scout, accompanist, arranger and songwriter in…
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