Blues Archives

Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign [1] - One of 13 children. As a child in Arkansas, picked cotton. Grew up to be 6’4”, 250 pounds on a thin day.

Best of Friends, John Lee Hooker [2] - When the bullshit level in the national conversation approaches the red line, I go back to basics. Men. Women. Sex. Love.

Big Mama Thornton: Ball 'N Chain [3] - The first night she sang at Harlem's Apollo Theater, she was Willie Mae Thornton, and she was the opening act.

Blind Willie Johnson [4] - Guest Butler Mark Hipgrave lends his voluminous musical expertise to a blues show on community radio station 4ZZZ in Brisbane, Australia. On Head

Buddy Guy: A Man and the The Blues [5] - His music is hot and sexy, cool and elegant, the soundtrack for a hard life dotted with moments of radiance --- no wonder women set bottles of li

Canned Heat [6] - If the creation of beauty is its own reward, then Canned Heat is in the Pantheon of Gorgeousness. But if beauty is held to worldly metrics --- fame an

Charlie Musselwhite [7] - Bring me my nightshirt Put on your morning gown I don't feel like sleeping Babe, I want to lay down..... He was born in Mississippi, a poor

Etta James (1938 - 2012) [8] - Talk about “born to sing the blues.” She was named Jamesetta Hawkins.

Junior Wells [9] - He was making $1.50 a week on a soda truck in West Memphis to earn the money for a harmonica. But it cost $2.

Otis Spann [10] - At 8, Otis Spann was playing piano. At 14, he was performing with groups in Jackson, Mississippi.

R.L. Burnside [11] - R.L. Burnside (1926-2005) was the last of the hard-core blues musicians.

Seasick Steve [12] - There are unlikely success stories, and then there is Seasick Steve. Born Steven Gene Wold, Seasick Steve is in his 60s, lives in Norway, mostly plays

Son House [13] - At community ratio station 4ZZZ in Brisbane, Australia, they indulge me by letting me do a monthly historical piece on an artist who has moved on to t

Watch Your Step, Ted Hawkins [14] - Watch Your Step Ted Hawkins A

Links:
[1] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/albert-king-born-under-bad-sign
[2] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/best-friends
[3] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/blues-singer
[4] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/blind-willie-johnson
[5] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/man-and-blues
[6] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/canned-heat
[7] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/stand-back-charlie-musselwhite
[8] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/etta-james
[9] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/hoodoo-man-blues
[10] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/otis-spann
[11] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/rl-burnside
[12] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/seasick-steve
[13] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/son-house
[14] http://www.headbutler.com/music/blues/watch-your-step