One of the few down sides to this job is having to pass on news of the deaths of artists and producers that have shaped the music we love. So it was that STAR BLUES had short musical tributes to Willie Mitchell and Earl Gaines last night. Papa Willie was a trumpet player who founded Hi Records that gave the world Al Green, Syl Johnson and Ann Peebles. It also had a very healthy roster of Blues and R&B artists particularly in the early days of the label. To mark the piece we did tracks from Big Lucky Carter, Big Amos Patten, a gorgeous version of Roosevelt Sykes' "Driving wheel" by Al Green and two from Mitchell himself. We will not see his like again.
On New Years Eve Earl Gaines died, the third major loss from the Nashville music scene in almost as many months: Ted Jarrett and Johnny Jones being the other two men. Gaines had a big sonorous voice full of heartache, he had in recent years become a live favourite on the European Festival circuit while his studio work was reactivated by Fred James (well overdue for a knighthood in my opinion for the sheer dedication to these guys and the quality of his songs and guidance). I came to Earl's music fairly late but set about acquiring everything he ever did, nothing disappoints.
By coincidence the Fred James connection extended to the exclusive plays on UK commercial radio for upcoming releases on Sam Carr and the much underrated Charles Walker - both out on Superbird in February, on STAR BLUES last night. We also had Wynonie Harris' version of "Loving Machine" that was ably covered by Paolo Nutini at New Years Hootenanny, as well as the Elvis Presley original of "Little Sister" that Ry Cooder brought to my New Years Day experiment "Another Side of Gary Blue". I'm planning another one but don't tell our Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, mighty Mark Peters. In the meantime I'll be back - God Willing - with more blues, news, reviews and tomfoolery at 10 pm (GMT) next Sunday if you'll have me. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Gary Blue.
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