News of new projects a-plenty on last night's STAR BLUES. Both Duke Robillard and Memphis Gold chosen to open proceedings will have new projects before we get too much older: Duke's will be a lovely project to showcase the late Les Paul's mastery over guitar and overdub technology and I urge you to investigate the web to find out more. The other characteristic of the first hour was for soulful singing backed with passionate guitar, Bobby Bland and Robert Cray being two cases in point. The premier exponent of electric blues guitar - T-Bone Walker - was on hand with a 1949 recording from his Capitol days and Roscoe Robinson showed off his fine vocals from twenty years after (done for Atlantic Records) and why he has a feature in the new issue of Living Blues magazine (others are available).
While on air, I learned of "Six Generations of Blues" put together by the Earwig label featuring the veteran HoneyBoy Edwards and Big Jack Johnson. It'll be screened Stateside in November and as soon as I find out the date for our side of the pond, I'll let you know. Steve Winwood used a pseudonym for a duet with John Mayall, we tracked down the 1960's rarity on Deram for the show.
Our oldest recording was done in 1930 and reproduced with pretty decent fidelity, showing why JT "Funny Papa" Smith was known as the Original Howlin' Wolf. The Pilgrim Travellers turned up with some gospel and Henry Gray and Otis Spann served us well on the piano blues front. The latter had superb harp from James Cotton, who was on duty 35 years after helping our his friend Joe Louis Walker. Elvin Bishop and George Thorogood completed the stylistic mix with a raucous run through of "Going Back To Georgia". I doubt any other radio station in the world had as much variety in two hours as we had last night. You provided me with great company, I hope you can make it again next Sunday at 10pm on FM from the Home of the 9-5 no-repeat workday and on the net streaming from http://www.star107.co.uk/ Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
Gary Blue
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