William R. “Bill” Ferris, a prominent figure in the world of blues, is celebrated for his multifaceted contributions as an author, folklorist, professor, lecturer, and administrator. Born on February 5, 1942, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ferris [...]
Odetta, hailed as “The Mother Goddess of Folk Blues” by The New York Times, left an indelible mark on the world of folk music for five decades. Her influential career not only showcased her extraordinary [...]
The Red Rooster (Little Red Rooster) -- Howlin' Wolf (Chess, 1961) “The Red Rooster,” better known as “Little Red Rooster,” is widely acknowledged as one of Howlin’ Wolf’s classics, but oddly enough it was not [...]
Mojo Hand -- Lightnin' Hopkins (Fire, 1960) Lightnin’ Hopkins, who never had a problem with coming up with songs for cash on the spot, recorded more than 40 songs in the month of November 1960 [...]
My Black Mama -- Son House (Paramount, 1930) “My Black Mama” may not be a title familiar to the many admirers of Son House’s work during his revived 1960s career, but while the title was [...]
I'm Tore Down - Freddy King, (Federal, 1961) “I’m Tore Down,” a tale of despondency set to a shuffle rhythm, was written by producer-pianist Sonny Thompson and sung with appropriate verve by Freddy (aka Freddie) [...]
Black Nights-- Lowell Fulson (Kent, 1965) Lowell Fulson (or Fulsom, as Kent Records spelled it) excelled as a songwriter, singer and guitarist, and “Black Nights” is one of his finest works and biggest hits, charting [...]
The vaudeville theater was the major public venue for blues in its earliest years, before the advent of radio, blues records, and jukeboxes. Lynn Abbott and Doug Seroff, whose previous books chronicled the minstrel and [...]
Little Walter: The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) (Hip-O Select, 2009) Little Walter Jacobs was the best blues harmonica player ever, in the opinion of many fans and musicians, and certainly the most influential, so Hip-O’s [...]
David Evans’ induction in a Blues Hall of Fame category covering “Business, Academic, Media & Production” achievements could not be more fitting, for he has covered multiple bases as an educator, field researcher, and producer [...]