Blues Music Artists

PEG-LEG SAM

This Carolina harp virtuoso spent most of his life travelling the South with carnivals and medicine shows. As a teenager, Arthur Jackson lived the life of a hobo, ‘riding the blinds’ on the railroads between South-Eastern towns where he would play his harp for tips. On his one journey North to Buffalo NY, he almost…

LEROY CARR

At a time when record companies were scouring the Delta for country Blues talent, Leroy Carr of Indianapolis came along with his sophisticated piano Blues that was rooted in an extremely different urban setting. His measured and melodic style and crooning vocals, especially in the company of his guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, introduced a new, more…

EDDIE BOYD

Born in Clarksdale MS, Eddie was a self-taught pianist who learned his trade around the Delta juke-joints before moving to Memphis when he was 22 years old. Eddie formed The Dixie Rhythm Boys to play in the Beale Street clubs and in 1941, he caught the train to Chicago where he played with John Lee…

ALBERT COLLINS

Albert Collins was at the forefront of the Blues revival of the mid-80s, along with fellow Texans Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Copeland and with Robert Cray. Known as ‘The Ice-Man’ for his sparse, ringing guitar tone, he would often wander into the audience while playing. Albert took a while to get famous and left…

R L BURNSIDE

Like his friend and mentor, Mississippi Fred McDowell, RL Burnside was a farmer from the hill country of north-east Mississippi. He could play his rhythmic and often lyrical slide-guitar very much in the style of his long time neighbour Fred, and like him RL was a late entrant into the world of recording and touring,…

ANGELA STREHLI

Singer and songwriter Angela has been an important part of the modern Texas Blues scene although, like so many of those old-timers who took the Sunset Route, she now lives on the West coast. Angela took an early interest in the Blues, learning to play bass and harp, and travelling to Chicago so she could…

DR. JOHN

Dr. John is the living embodiment of New Orleans. Talented, scary, steeped in tradition, no stranger to drugs and violence, but always entertaining; Dr. John is also the character adopted by Mac Rebennack when it’s Showtime! With roots deep in jazz and R&B, with costumes and voodoo imagery coupled with that distinctive growl and piano…

DUANE ALLMAN

Nashville born slide-guitar maestro Duane formed the Allman Brothers band, with his kid brother Gregg on keyboards and vocals, in 1969. They had played together in various Blues and soul bands, and Duane had been getting work as a session guitarist for Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett when they formed the band, which included Butch…

LITTLE JOHNNY JONES

Mississippi born Johnny was a stalwart of the post-War Blues scene in Chicago, as a session pianist and side-man for Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed and Magic Sam. He was a pretty good barrelhouse pianist when he arrived in Chicago from Jackson MS, at the age of 22, and was soon taking the stage…

JUNIOR PARKER

A voice as sweet as honey and a clean, clipped harp sound made Junior Parker a Blues star in the 50s with many hit records. From busking on streetcorners, he was recruited by a Blues legend, was signed by major labels and fronted a renowned touring show. He managed to keep one foot in the…