Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal may have explored more far-flung corners of African-rooted musical traditions than any other performer, but he has always returned to the sound at the core of his journeys, the blues. Born Henry St. [...]
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas has reigned as 'The Soul Queen of New Orleans' since the 1960s and remains not only a hometown favorite but also an international legend in the annals of rhythm & blues. Born Irma [...]
T-Bone Blues (Atlantic, 1959) — T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Walker is best remembered as the father of electric blues guitar, the icon who paved the way for B.B. King, Albert King, Otis Rush, and the rest. His work on his 1959 Atlantic LP [...]
Boom Boom — John Lee Hooker (Vee-Jay, 1961)
Vee-Jay Records of Chicago came up with an unlikely formula to put John Lee Hooker on both the rhythm & blues and pop music charts with the catchy original version of his bad-man theme, 'Boom [...]