ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 20, 2000 By Steve Newton There are a helluva lot of lead guitarists in the world, and a tidy portion of them are blues pickers. Increasingly, that category includes females, from veteran slide specialist Bonnie Raitt to 14-year-old blues-rock sensation Shannon Curfman. But for some reason there aren’t many black female … Continue reading Stellar blues guitarist Deborah Coleman was wowed by the grooves of Hooker, Waters, and Wolf
Category: blues
Alvin Youngblood Hart loves Southern rock, was an Allman Brother for a night
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 25, 2000 By Steve Newton Until now, Alvin Youngblood Hart has been best-known as an acoustic folk-blues performer. His first two albums—1996’s Big Mama’s Door and 1998’s Territory—showed him carrying a traditional torch similar to that of blues revivalists Taj Mahal and Guy Davis. So it comes as quite a surprise … Continue reading Alvin Youngblood Hart loves Southern rock, was an Allman Brother for a night
Ray Bonneville hits his stride with Juno-winning Gust of WInd
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 6, 2000 By Steve Newton Only two songs into Ray Bonneville’s new CD, Gust of Wind, and I’m starting to think: “This guy reminds me of someone.” There’s a familiar timbre to his laid-back vocals, and the gently percolating blues rings a bell. I’ve got it! Eric Clapton, circa 1977. When … Continue reading Ray Bonneville hits his stride with Juno-winning Gust of WInd
John Mayall recruits slide wizard Sonny Landreth for A Sense of Place, okays Eric Clapton sitting in
When legendary bluesman John Mayall gets rolling on stage there’s nothing fancy about his approach to the music.
Kelly Joe Phelps earns raves from the Edge, Steve Earle, and Bill Frisell
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 16, 1999 By Steve Newton When singer-songwriter-guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps released his second album, Roll Away the Stone, in 1997, it didn’t take long for the accolades to come rolling in. Q magazine gave it four stars, Blues Revue hailed it as “the acoustic blues album of the year”, and Musician … Continue reading Kelly Joe Phelps earns raves from the Edge, Steve Earle, and Bill Frisell
Robert Cray’s Rykodisc debut is a paean to sixties soul
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 8, 1999 By Steve Newton Robert Cray isn’t known for covering other people’s material, but on his latest CD, Take Your Shoes Off, he was happy to take on Willie Dixon’s “Tollin’ Bells”, as well as the 1964 Solomon Burke chestnut “Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance)”. The latter tune … Continue reading Robert Cray’s Rykodisc debut is a paean to sixties soul
Magic Sam gave Magic Slim his nickname, told him to get his own style
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 1, 1999 By Steve Newton There are few blues guitarists around today who can match the fire and passion of Buddy Guy, but Morris “Magic Slim” Holt is right up there with the best of them. As can be heard on Magic Slim & the Teardrops’ latest CD, Black Tornado, the … Continue reading Magic Sam gave Magic Slim his nickname, told him to get his own style
R.L. Burnside keeps his fridge chained shut and his blues cool as hell
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 24, 1999 By Steve Newton On the back cover of his latest CD, Come On In, Mississippi bluesman R.L. Burnside is pictured standing in his modest kitchen, strumming a Stratocaster and gazing toward his fridge—which is chained shut. Since Burnside has been known to distill his own moonshine, you might think … Continue reading R.L. Burnside keeps his fridge chained shut and his blues cool as hell
Eddy Clearwater took Magic lessons on Chicago’s West Side
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 24, 1999 By Steve Newton Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater chose a good guy to hang with when he moved to Chicago’s West Side in 1950. As a budding, 15-year-old bluesman, Clearwater became close friends with Magic Sam, the legendary West Side guitarist who died of a heart attack at the age … Continue reading Eddy Clearwater took Magic lessons on Chicago’s West Side
Sonny Rhodes’ journey to the lap-steel guitar started with a one-stringed Stella
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 17, 1999 By Steve Newton Ya gotta like interviewing those old blues guys, ’cause they’ve seen some things and have a few tales to tell. Often all it takes to get them going is an innocent little query like: “So, when did you pick up your first guitar?” … Continue reading Sonny Rhodes’ journey to the lap-steel guitar started with a one-stringed Stella
Smokin’ Joe Kubek thanks Jimmie Vaughan for turning him on to barbecued bologna
I knew a Smokin’ Joe once. He was a driftin’ country musician who moved into the duplex next door to my party pad in Chilliwack.
Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 3, 1998 By Steve Newton When Susan Tedeschi’s cell phone rings in an L.A. hotel room, a female voice answers, but it isn’t the one I’m looking for. It’s actually Tedeschi’s mom, who, in a very motherly way, explains that her daughter’s in the bathtub. Sounding concerned that her child might … Continue reading Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
Colin Linden inspired by Howlin’ Wolf and George Chuvalo on Raised by Wolves
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 1, 1998 By Steve Newton When you write for a weekly paper most of your interviews with touring musicians happen over the phone, because the story has to be out before your subject hits town. But once in a while you get to actually meet a performer in the flesh and … Continue reading Colin Linden inspired by Howlin’ Wolf and George Chuvalo on Raised by Wolves