BluePower.Com

In The Beginning....Skip James!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:10:23 -0500

After several months of deliberation, BluePower has come to the conclusion that it would be beneficial to develop a series which exposed the many fine artists who added so much to the rich heritage of the American folk tradition called The Blues.

In order to accomplish our goals in this regard, we needed the product necessary to assemble these pieces of business. Coming to our aid in the form of early Blues product was Mr. Alec Palao and his great company, Ace Records of London, England whom we gratefully thank for their generosity and kindness.

Our first show highlights one of the strangest and most unique Blues artists of all time....Nehemiah Curtis James who came to be known as Skip James.

Born in 1902 in Bentonia, Mississippi in 1902, Mr. James struggled all his life to find a place in the world of the Blues. It took him til nearly the end of his life before he was discovered by three, up and coming, young musicians who talked him into taking a giant step to become known.

Listen as BluePower tells a brief history of Mr. Skip James and plays some of his amazing music.

Stay Tuned....
John Rhys

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records
2)...."Hard Time Killing Floor Blues....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
3)...."Careless Love"....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
4)...."Devil Got My Woman"....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
5)...."Crow Jane"....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
6)...."I'm So Glad"....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
7)...."I'm So Glad"....Cream....Fresh Cream....Atlantic Records
8)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records

Click here to listen to....In The Beginning....The Birth Of The Blues....Skip James!

Click here to go to Ace Records!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

An Evening With Barry McCabe!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:26:54 -0500

The strength of the Blues can be determined by the sheer amount of ground the music has covered in the last 80 years. In that time, this purely American art-form has managed to blossom in nearly every country in the world. The Blues has been transformed into nearly every language and is understood by every man and woman ever born. No one can honestly say they "have not" had the Blues at one time or another.

In this presentation, BluePower honors a man for his contributions to the Blues and Rock from the beautiful country of Ireland. Barry McCabe was born in Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland and has managed to travel the world bringing his music to hundreds of thousands of people. Barry's music can best be described as Rock and Blues with a Celtic twist.

This show features music from many of Barry's CDs but primarily from his new release, Beyond The Tears.

Tune in to this masterful player, writer and performer as he guides us through many stories of life and the pursuit of happiness. A true storyteller in every sense of the word, Barry McCabe gives his all to his art; to our benefit.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

The songs are:

1)...."Sunrise"....Barry McCabe/Davey Spillane
2)...."In The Dead Of Night"....Barry McCabe
3)...."Oh Well"....Barry McCabe written by Peter Green
4)...."Sheilagh"....Barry McCabe
5)...."Rollin'"....Barry McCabe
6)...."Trouble"....Barry McCabe
7)...."The Emigrant"....Barry McCabe/Davey Spillane
8)...."Talkin' Woman Blues"....Barry McCabe
9)...."Full Moon On Main Street"....Barry McCabe
10)..."Arthur"....Barry McCabe
11)..."Tempted"....Barry McCabe

Listen to....BluePower Presents....An Evening With Barry McCabe!

To Find more on Barry McCabe....Click here!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Bluesmen Of The 20th Century....Stevie Ray Vaughan!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:28:22 -0500

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Born in Dallas, Texas on October 3rd, 1954, Stevie Ray Vaughan grew up to become one of America's finest gifts to the blues world.

After playing with several garage bands, Vaughan dropped out of high school to concentrate full time on playing music. When his original band, The Cobras broke up, Stevie formed Triple Threat in 1975. Triple Threat featured bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton and vocalist Lou Ann Barton.

When Barton left the band in 1978, Stevie decided to continue the band and call it Double Trouble. At this point, Stevie Ray Vaughan became the the band's lead singer.

Vaughan's debut album, Texas Flood, was released in the summer of 1983 to rave reviews although much talk was stemming from Stevie's fine backup work on David Bowie's Let's Dance LP.

In the late summer of 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble set out to do an American headline tour. On August 26th, 1990, after concluding their East Troy, Wisconsin job, Stevie boarded a helicopter bound for Chicago. Just minutes after takeoff, the helicopter crashed, killing Stevie Ray and several other passengers. Stevie was 35 years old.

And so....one of America's and the blues world's finest performers was gone in an instant. Stevie has left us with so much great recorded music. All we have to do is listen to keep his spirit alive.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin "....Red Prysock....Mercury
2)...."The House Is Rockin' "....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
3)...."Texas Flood"....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
4)...."Texas Flood"....Fredrik Strand Halland....Self
5)...."Little Wing"....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
6)...."Pride And Joy"....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
7)...."Life Without You"....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
8)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury

Click here to listen to....Influential Guitarists Featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Bluesmen Of The 20th Century....Freddie King!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:30:06 -0500

Freddie King

All this week BluePower will feature highly influential guitarists. Players a novice must listen to and emulate in order to learn. Today we are featuring Freddie King. Freddie wrote "Hide Away" and "The Stumble". Two of the most copied guitar instrumentals of all time.

Freddie King was born in Gilmer, Texas on September 3rd, 1934. Taught to play guitar by his mother and his uncle, Freddie originally studied Lightnin' Hopkins and his style of country blues.

When Freddie became a teen, he fell in love with the electrified sounds of the Chicago blues and when he was 16, his prayer was answered....he moved to Chicago. In 1950, Chicago was overflowing with emigrants from the South. With them came the rural blues or country blues which was transformed into the basic electrified Chicago blues which in turn, generated some great record labels. Chess and Vee-Jay are labels which were spawned by the huge focus of primary blues artists streaming into Chicago. It was a mighty time!

It's funny that Syd Nathan at King Records in Cincinnati wound up releasing Freddie King's major hits considering Freddie was living right in Chicago. Such is the entertainment world.

Thanks for listening....
John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records
2)...."Hide Away"....Freddie King....King Records
3)...."I'm Tore Down"....Freddie King....King Records
4)...."Dust My Broom"....Freddie King....Black Top Records
5)...."Ain't Nobody's Bizness"....Freddie King....Black Top Records
6)...."Key To The Highway"....Freddie King....Black Top Records
7)...."San-Ho-Zay"....Freddie King....King Records
8)...."Hand Clappin'"....Red Prysock....Mercury Records

Click here to listen to....Influential Guitarists Featuring Freddie King!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Hugh Jarrett....Last Of The Great WLAC DJ's, Gone To Glory!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:06:53 -0500

You know, it's strange that nearly every story relating to Hugh Jarrett's untimely death left out the fact that Hugh was one of the five most successful disc-jockeys of our time. After leaving the gospel business of The Jordanaires, Hugh became a highly visible air personality at WLAC Radio in Nashville, Tennessee.

It was at WLAC Radio in Nashville that I met Hugh Jarrett for the first time. To say goings on at WLAC were insane is an understatement. The humor and raucousness of the jocks assembled there was well-known and that insanity bled into the music and general feeling of the jocks on the air. WLAC was the station of choice for the entire Eastern seaboard of the USA.

Hugh Jarrett was hired to take Bill Allen's (The Hossman) place in the Big Four which consisted of John Richbourg (John R.), Gene Nobles, Bill Allen and Herman Grizzard. WLAC was hugely responsible for the development of the Independent Record Business and bringing to the forefront dozens of young black entertainers. It was in this milieu that Hugh Jarrett adopted the name "Big Hugh Baby." Big Hugh became an instant icon and drew numbers to match that status. And then the FCC stepped in....and because of one silly statement, Hugh temporarily lost his broadcasting license, thus ending his meteoric rise at WLAC.

When I interviewed Hugh in 2006, he did not want to discuss this issue because he was then involved with a religious station in Marietta, Georgia and felt our discussing those facts from long ago would not cast an honorable light on his career.

Yes....Hugh sang bass for The Jordanaires and spent a number of years working with Elvis but that's certainly not all he did. His contributions to radio in the United States goes far beyond what is currently recognized.

Hugh Jarrett was an excellent human being and a good friend for many years. I will miss him as will the entire entertainment world.

May Big Hugh Baby ride that 50 gallon drum of White Rose into Paradise.

John Rhys/BluePower.com
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I have had the pleasure of meeting some remarkable people in my time but rarely has there been anyone quite like Hugh Jarrett.

Born in Nashville, Hugh started his career in the music business singing with several local gospel groups prior to joining the world famous Jordanaires.

While with the Jordanaires, in early 1954, Hugh and the group were approached by Colonel Tom Parker to sing back-up for the up and coming star, Elvis Presley. The first records on which the Jordanaires sang back-up vocals were "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel." Two of the largest selling records in recording history up to that time.

When the group wasn't on tour with Elvis, they were busy 'round the clock singing in studios in Nashville and Los Angeles with such luminaries as Patsy Cline, Ricky Nelson, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and literally thousands of other young and aspiring artists.

It was after his years with the Jordanaires that I first met Hugh Jarrett. It was on a trip to Nashville in 1963 while promoting for Mercury Records that I met Hugh at WLAC Radio where he was sitting in for Bill Allen, "The Hoss Man." Hugh had an extraordinary way with a microphone and you can still hear it in his voice today.

A year or so later I met Hugh again at WPLO Radio in Atlanta where he had resumed his Big Hugh Baby shows. In fact, when I left Atlanta for Detroit in 1965, Hugh was the last person I saw there. We had lunch and he waved goodbye in my rear view mirror.

It had been a long time since I'd seen Hugh or spoken with him. (41 years) To be able to sit for a few hours and reminisce with this dignified, gentle man was pure pleasure.

Tune in to hear a very talented human being and one of the truly great radio voices of our time. The recording quality of the interview is not great but the history is amazing.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music for the show:

1)...."On The Wings Of A Dove"....The Jordanaires....Capitol
2)...."Hound Dog"....Elvis Presley....RCA
3)...."Don't Be Cruel"....Elvis Presley....RCA
4)...."Are You Lonesome Tonight"....Elvis Presley....RCA
5)...."Will The Circle Be Unbroken"....The Jordanaires....Capitol
6)...."Young Love"....Sonny James....Capitol
7)...."I Can't Help Falling In Love With You"....Elvis Presley....RCA

Click here to play....BluePower Presents....What Ever Happened To Big Hugh Baby?

This show is dedicated to our dear friend....JoAnn Braheny. Or, as Hugh would have known her....JoAnn Jaffe, who worked on the air in the fledgling FM division at WPLO in Atlanta, Georgia with Big Hugh Jarrett.
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Bo Diddley Passes on at 79!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:55:33 -0500

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive ''shave and a haircut, two bits'' rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton.

Diddley appreciated the honors he received, ''but it didn't put no figures in my checkbook.''

''If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey,'' he quipped.

The name Bo Diddley came from other youngsters when he was growing up in Chicago, he said in a 1999 interview.

''I don't know where the kids got it, but the kids in grammar school gave me that name,'' he said, adding that he liked it so it became his stage name. Other times, he gave somewhat differing stories on where he got the name. Some experts believe a possible source for the name is a one-string instrument used in traditional blues music called a diddley bow.

His first single, ''Bo Diddley,'' introduced record buyers in 1955 to his signature rhythm: bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp, often summarized as ''shave and a haircut, two bits.'' The B side, ''I'm a Man,'' with its slightly humorous take on macho pride, also became a rock standard.

The company that issued his early songs was Chess-Checker Records, the storied Chicago-based labels that also recorded Chuck Berry and other stars.

Howard Kramer, assistant curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, said in 2006 that Diddley's Chess recordings ''stand among the best singular recordings of the 20th century.''

Diddley's other major songs included, ''Say Man,'' ''You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover,'' ''Shave and a Haircut,'' ''Uncle John,'' ''Who Do You Love?'' and ''The Mule.''

Diddley's influence was felt on both sides of the Atlantic. Buddy Holly borrowed the bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp rhythm for his song ''Not Fade Away.''

The Rolling Stones' bluesy remake of that Holly song gave them their first chart single in the United States, in 1964. The following year, another British band, the Yardbirds, had a Top 20 hit in the U.S. with their version of ''I'm a Man.''

Diddley was also one of the pioneers of the electric guitar, adding reverb and tremelo effects. He even rigged some of his guitars himself.

''He treats it like it was a drum, very rhythmic,'' E. Michael Harrington, professor of music theory and composition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., said in 2006.

Many other artists, including the Who, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello copied aspects of Diddley's style.

Growing up, Diddley said he had no musical idols, and he wasn't entirely pleased that others drew on his innovations.

''I don't like to copy anybody. Everybody tries to do what I do, update it,'' he said. ''I don't have any idols I copied after.''

''They copied everything I did, upgraded it, messed it up. It seems to me that nobody can come up with their own thing, they have to put a little bit of Bo Diddley there,'' he said.

Despite his success, Diddley claimed he only received a small portion of the money he made during his career. Partly as a result, he continued to tour and record music until his stroke. Between tours, he made his home near Gainesville in north Florida.

''Seventy ain't nothing but a damn number,'' he told The Associated Press in 1999. ''I'm writing and creating new stuff and putting together new different things. Trying to stay out there and roll with the punches. I ain't quit yet.''

Diddley, like other artists of his generations, was paid a flat fee for his recordings and said he received no royalty payments on record sales. He also said he was never paid for many of his performances.

''I am owed. I've never got paid,'' he said. ''A dude with a pencil is worse than a cat with a machine gun.''

In the early 1950s, Diddley said, disc jockeys called his type of music, ''Jungle Music.'' It was Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed who is credited with inventing the term ''rock 'n' roll.''

Diddley said Freed was talking about him, when he introduced him, saying, ''Here is a man with an original sound, who is going to rock and roll you right out of your seat.''

Diddley won attention from a new generation in 1989 when he took part in the ''Bo Knows'' ad campaign for Nike, built around football and baseball star Bo Jackson. Commenting on Jackson's guitar skills, Diddley turned to the camera and said, ''He don't know Diddley.''

''I never could figure out what it had to do with shoes, but it worked,'' Diddley said. ''I got into a lot of new front rooms on the tube.''

Born as Ellas Bates on Dec. 30, 1928, in McComb, Miss., Diddley was later adopted by his mother's cousin and took on the name Ellis McDaniel, which his wife always called him.

When he was 5, his family moved to Chicago, where he learned the violin at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. He learned guitar at 10 and entertained passers-by on street corners.

By his early teens, Diddley was playing Chicago's Maxwell Street.

''I came out of school and made something out of myself. I am known all over the globe, all over the world. There are guys who have done a lot of things that don't have the same impact that I had,'' he said.

From: The Associated Press
Writer unknown.

Click here to go to original article.

Click to listen to...."Bo Diddley".

Click here to go to Bo Diddley's Web Site.
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

BluePower Presents....Influential Guitarists!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:52:33 -0500

T-Bone Walker

Born: May 28, 1910 in Linden, Texas
Died: March 16, 1975 in Los Angeles, Ca.

Aaron Thibeaux Walker was a product of the early Dallas, Texas blues scene. Marco Washington, T-Bone's step-father, was a bass fiddle player with a group called The Dallas String Band. Almost all of T-bone's family played instruments of one kind or another and the young man followed his step-dad's example by learning every stringed instrument his talented hands could find. Once he learned the guitar, that was it.

T-Bone and his friend Charlie Christian hustled many gigs which included both playing and dancing. Neither one of the young men went to school that much. They were into making money so they could eat.

T-Bone Walker recorded from 1929 until 1973. During that time Walker recorded over 400 records. A recording discography unmatched by any guitar player to date. He also played with some of the most prestigious band leaders and performed in the world's finest venues.

Anyone who has enjoyed the music of BB King, Albert King or Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, Albert Collins, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Duane Allman, Mike Bloomfield, Stevie Ray Vaughan or any of a host of other blues and blues-influenced players has heard the influences of T-Bone Walker.

T-Bone Walker suffered a stroke 1n 1974 brought on by persistent stomach problems and died in Los Angeles, California in 1975.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records
2)...."Strollin' With Bone"....T-Bone Walker....Imperial Records
3)...."The Hustle Is On"....T-Bone Walker....Imperial Records
4)...."Black Snake Moan"....Blind Lemon Jefferson....Gold Box Records 5)...."Stormy Monday Blues"....T-Bone Walker....Black and White Records 6)...."Tomorrow Night"....Lonnie Johnson....King Records
7)...."Johnny B. Goode"....Chuck Berry....Chess Records
8)...."Hard Way"....T-Bone Walker....Imperial
9)...."Blue Mood"....T-Bone Walker....Imperial Records
10)..."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records

Click here to listen to....Influential Guitarists....T-Bone Walker!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

BluePower Presents....Blues Of The 20th Century!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:58:37 -0500

Southern Guitar Masters

Mississippi Fred McDowell
Charley Patton
Robert Johnson
Skip James
Bukka White
Rose Hemphill
Sunnyland Slim

From southern England:
Cream

The blues is about many things. About how your woman done you wrong. The Boss Man being mean to you. Things humorous. Things sad. Death. Dying and all manner of worldly matters concern the blues.

The blues was created long before the turn of the 19th century. The blues was built on slavery and the fact that a man was taken from his family and homeland against his will. Slavery happened for centuries. However; it wasn't until those slaves were brought to the shores of the United States that the blues, as we know the art form today, was born.

The blues reside in almost every country in the world. Even countries that don't call English it's first language.

Everyone in the world can relate to the blues. And today, with all the problems in the world, more and more people have an absolute right to sing the blues.

Today's show presents the blues from the early part of the 20th century. These are but a handful of the original blues men who traveled the dusty roads of the south; did time in many of the prisons and rode the rods, as the trains were called back then, into the annals of musical history. Just imagine that time.

This is one show I really enjoyed putting together. I hope you enjoy listening to Southern Guitar Masters.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."I'm Goin' Home"....Ervin Webb & Prisoners....Alan Lomax Collection
2)...."61 Highway Blues"....Fred McDowell....Alan Lomax Collection
3)...."Fred McDowell's Blues"....Fred McDowell....Alan Lomax Collection 4)...."Stone Pony Blues....Charley Patton....VMK
5)...."Crossroads"....Robert Johnson....Columbia
6)...."Fixin' To Die Blues"....Bukka White....Columbia Legacy Series
7)...."Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues"....Skip James....VMK
8)...."Rolled And Tumbled"....Rose Hemphill....Alan Lomax Collection
9)...."Roll And Tumble Blues"....Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Shines and Big Joe Williams....Blue Sun
10)..."Rollin' And Tumblin' "....Cream....Reaction

Some dialog taken from the All Music Guide to the Blues.

Click here to listen to....Southern Guitar Masters!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

The Wheel Man Takes Top Honors!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:36:55 -0500

Ojn April 19th, 2007, BluePower released this CD review of Watermelon Slim and The Workers. We believed in the CD then and time has proved our point. The Wheel Man just took top honors for best Album of The Year and Band of The Year at 2008's Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee.

Congratulations to Northern Blues of Canada and to Watermelon Slim and The Workers!
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Since BluePower has been forced into taking the independent route, we have received so many great pieces of product that it's hard to believe. They come from all over the world as far as Italy and Spain. We just sit and look at each other in amazement at the shear reach of the Blues and the various shapes the art form has taken.

Today, we've chosen a CD produced by an organization from Canada....Northern Blues. They are producing some mighty talented artists. Today's Blues treasure is a CD titled The Wheel Man performed by Watermelon Slim and The Workers. Slim has produced several bodies of work prior to The Wheel Man and this time, Slim has gone above and beyond.

The Wheel Man covers a lot of territory from Slim's lament to the victims of Katrina, "Black Water" to the solo vocal and harp piece, "Jimmy Bell" with great songs of all tempos in between. The band is articulate and plays Slim's music with great feel and a foot stompin' rhythm guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The title cut...."The Wheel Man" features a man we all know, Magic Slim, on vocals and slide guitar.

This is one CD you can pop in your iPod and cruise to all day long or slam the CD in your truck and drive all night, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Check out....The Wheel Man!

Todays music is:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury
2)...."Black Water"....Watermelon Slim....Northern Blues
3)...."I Know One"....Watermelon Slim....Northern Blues
4)...."Truck Drivin' Mama"....Watermelon Slim....Northern Blues
5)...."Jimmy Bell"....Watermelon Slim....Northern Blues
6)...."Rattlesnake"....Watermelon Slim....Northern Blues
7)...."The Wheel Man"....Watermelon Slim/Magic Slim....Northern Blues
8)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury

Enjoy the show!
John Rhys-Eddins/BluePower.com

Play....A BluePower Re-Run....Watermelon Slim And The Workers....The Wheel Man!

To purchase a copy of The Wheel Man, go to Northern Blues!

To find out more about Watermelon Slim, click here!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Thelonius James Rides Again!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:39:40 -0500

Here at BluePower, we are always on the lookout for what we feel is inspired product. We receive so many CDs that just don't go that extra step to make the music different and unique. This CD is the best of both of those worlds.

Thelonius James Presents The Sunland Chronicles is a piece of work which contains all the elements necessary to make it an outstanding contribution to the world of American music. It has great playing and a sense of humor which can only be attributed to the artist involved.

There is something exciting going on with this record. A spontaneity which transcends most releases today. Trying to explain this is difficult. It's something one has to hear. All we know is that when we listened to the material....we enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Sunland Chronicles runs the gamut musically, stretching from the blues to near jazz. Fine playing and vocals with nothing too heavy or intense. Just a real good feel. Overall....this CD is a lot of fun and a guaranteed party pleaser.

It made me smile.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Popcorn Paws"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
2)...."Step On The Gas"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
3)...."The Blues Is Like A Baseball Game"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
4)...."More Than A Fool"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
5)...."With You"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
6)...."You Give Me Hope"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records
7)...."Chicken Pie"....Thelonius James....Pick Strum Records

Produced by....Phil Bloch and Andrew Bush

Click to play....BP CD Review....Thelonius James Presents The Sunland Chronicles!

Click to purchase....Thelonius James....The Sunland Chronicles!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Smokestack Lightning's Rocking New Show!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:30:12 -0500

Smokestack Lightnin’s Top Ten Blues CDs for the Week

#10 Clarence Spady/24/7 Luv/Just Between Us/ Severn

#9 Mississippi Heat/Say Something Good/Hattiesburg Blues/Delmark

#8 Kenny Neal/Fly Away/Let Life Flow/Blind Pig

#7 Tab Benoit&Jimmy Hall/New Orleans Ladies/Nightville Train to Nashville/Telarc

#6 Mannish Boys/The Same Thing/Lowdown Feelin’/Delta Groove

#5 Jeff Healey/Sittin’ On Top Of The World/Mess Of Blues/Ruf

#4 Michael Burks/Empty Promises/Iron Man/Alligator

#3 The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue/If I Had A Nickel/Command Performance/Delta Groove

#2 Eric Gales/You Ain’t The Boss Of Me/The Story Of My Life/BBI

#1 Mac Arnold/Backbone & Gristle/Backbone & Gristle/self

Otis Blue (Collectors Edition) - Brand new reissue from Volt Records

Otis Redding/Old Man Trouble/Otis Blue:Otis Redding Sings Soul (Collectors Edition)/Volt

Otis Redding/Respect (Live)/same

Otis Redding/I’ve been Loving You Too Long/same

Otis Redding/Shake (Live)/same

Otis Redding/Satisfaction

All New Blues

Paul Orta&Tonky De La Pena/Pawn Shop/Pawn Shop/Great Blues Recordings

Carl Sims/Jody’s Got Your Girl and Gone/Can’t Stop Me/Ecko

Dave Specter/What’s Your Angle?/Live In Chicago/Delmark

Gary Allegretto/Good To Go/Many Shades Of Blue/Big Fiore

Floyd Taylor/I’m Hooked On These Blues/Still Got It/Malaco

Joe Moss/My Life/Maricela’s Smile/212

Thelonius James/Step On The Gas/The Sunland Chronicles/self

J.W. Jones/Can’t Play A Playboy/Blue Listed/Northern Blues

Big G & The Real Deal/Shake Your Money Maker/Chicago Blues Party/Universal

The Nouveaux Honkies/Strong Brain/Where Do I Go?/self

J.T. Coldfire/Hangin’ Tree/Crazy Sun/self

Gregg Juke & The Mighty No Stars/Jesus Just left Chicago/Blues Power/self

Lil Cliff & The Cliffhangers/Cuttin’ In/God Bless Women/Shank Bone

Darrell Raines/Love Doctor/Moanin’ Time/Bluz

Austin Walkin’ Cane/Georgia Moon/Murder Of A Blues Singer/Lazy Cat

Jeff Healey/I’m Tore Down/Mess Of Blues/Ruf

Close

Melvin Guitar Williams/Mustard Greens/Shut Your Mouth/Sticky Bo

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America's Got The Blues....4/29/08!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:38:02 -0500

The show tonight kicks off with a piece of Dr. Ray Griffin's....The Creature From Jekyll Island. A provocative look at how and why the Federal Reserve was created. This is a "must" listen if you are at all concerned with how money works throughout the world. The implications are astounding.

A private security firm hired "former" secret service agents and CIA agents to spy on various environmental organizations for years. Guess who the shadow employers were? No less than the Monsanto Corporation, Halliburton, Wal-Mart and Allied Waste.

This show also goes into the huge profits being taken by the oil companies. There's no doubt they're all sticking it to the good old USA.

The DOD funded company Raytheon has developed a monster weapon called Silent Guardian. One of it's primary purposes is large crowd control. Welcome to the new wave of military madness. Click here for an explanation of this device.

Are you upset yet?

BluePower feels someone should speak up. We will also let you know others who are sticking their chins out. They're out there. All you have to do is turn on your computer. No wonder ComCast wants to scrutinize all their content. Don't they want people to know whats really happening in our country?

Our way of life is being systematically destroyed. Not only that, but these people controlling the money and the flow of wheat and rice are starving millions of children throughout the world. What for? Because they can? I think it goes much deeper than greed.

Why haven't these stories been reported by CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News etc? Have you heard them there? We certainly haven't. All we hear are the spin doctors and talking heads and I don't mean those two great musical acts. Why aren't we hearing the flat out truth? Where is Edward R. Morrow when we need him?

We have to play the Blues along with the news because the music always says it like it is.

Our primary source of unreported news tonight is The Huffington Post with a byline to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Brendan DeMelle

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Money"....Barrett Strong....Anna Records
2)...."Everybody's Got The Blues"....Johnny Stevenson....unreleased
3)...."Outlaws Rule"....Scott Richardson and Buddy Miles....unreleased
4)...."On The Bottom Of The Pile"....Kermit Deveaux....Demo....HASM
5)...."California"....Jackie Lomax....Demo
6)...."The Freedom Wall"....Freebo....Before The Separation....Self

Click here to listen to....America's Got The Blues....4/29/08!

Click to listen to....The Creature From Jekyll Island....1:13:30.

Remember....Get Out And Vote!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

America's Got The Blues!

noreply@blogger.com (John Rhys Eddins) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:41:28 -0500

If you don't think our country is in trouble, you'd better think again. From spiraling gas prices to corruption in all levels of the government, America is being hijacked by the very people it voted into office.

Just the fact that the war in Iraq has cost the American taxpayer 2 trillion dollars should be evidence enough. The average American must ask himself, "What the hell is going on?" Do you really think we have stopped Al Qaeda? No! We've just created more terrorists.

Yesterday, the Pentagon was exposed for hiring writers to produce copy spinning a positive picture of the war in Iraq through American news media outlets. The major networks, cable channels and newspapers are touting this copy as though it were fact. This alone is completely illegal and should be stopped now.

Rupert Murdoch is attempting to buy Newsweek magazine which would give him control of far too many media outlets in New York City. Murdoch can already spin any situation the way he wants it and who would know. Is nothing sacred?

Airlines, attempting to cut costs, are now running flights with "minimum" jet fuel, causing all hell to break loose in many airports and effecting many of the delays happening today. God forbid one of them runs out of fuel while landing and this situation is guaranteed to make things rougher on the already over-loaded Air Traffic Controllers.

It's time for some major changes; not only in government itself but in all the major departments and bureaucracies. There is no longer the slightest bit of oversight and American citizens deserve better than this.

It's time for a change!

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues....Skip James....Skip James....Ace Records 2)...."Accidentally Like A Martyr"....Warren Zevon....The Rhys Masters....Unreleased
3)...."Starting All Over Again"....Mel and Tim....Stax Story....Stax
4)...."For What It's Worth"....Jeffrey Osborne....From The Soul....Unknown 5)...."Motherless Child"....Andy Cowan....Troubadour Nights....Unknown 6)...."Working Man's Pay"....Warren Zevon....The Rhys Masters....Unreleased 7)...."Keep On Pushin' "....Rastus....Steamin'....Neighborhood
8)...."You're Free"....Brenda Russell....Brenda Russell....A&M/Horizon

Click here to listen to....America's Got The Blues!

Don't Forget To Vote!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.