Happened to be down in the music Capital of The World…Austin TX last week and was happy to catch Tommy Shannon (Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Arc Angels, and the list goes on), David Holt (long time axe man including Storyville with Double Trouble) and Tommy Taylor (drummer Christopher Cross, Eric Johnson) at Anotone’s
They played the early show and the crowd was thin (Wed night at 6:30 is not exactly prime blues concert time), but the music was SWEET!
Here’s a little clip, guys sounded great…couldn’t help think that they were a little miffed at the poor turnout, maybe doing a better job at engaging the people who WERE there would have been a good second option as Antone’s builds it’s clientele once again after moving to a 6th location on East 5’th street across from the tall Hilton Hotel (a little off the East 6th street music row, but easily walkable from most locations downtown)
Get out and support Antone’s, get out to see Tommy and the boys – they really are super talented…lots of fun!
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends by on May 1st, 2016. Comment. 
Love this interview with blues legend Jimmie Vaughan, has so many great stories – music or otherwise.
How one of his guitars is now for sale in LA for $1M, why he chose to play Fender guitars and how he learned to stop imitating his heroes instead choosing to find his own voice.
Such great advice…think of yourself sitting with all of your greats and it comes to your turn, what would you play?
You can’t imitate them…you’re screwed unless you have something original that sounds like you to play…such great advice.
Filed under Blues Legends, jimmie vaughan by on May 9th, 2016. Comment.
Just back from a trip to Texas, can’t be in that state without thinking of ZZTop – been to many of their concerts and have even dabbled a time or two with some of their songs and guitar licks…great music.
Take a look at this early picture they posted on their Instagram account…he Billy, where’s the BIG beard dude?
Filed under blues guitar, texas blues by on May 13th, 2016. Comment.
It always seemed to me that BB King was larger than life itself.
That perfect note, that deep felt solo, that big smile and that deep growl followed by perfect vibrato in his gifted voice.
The definition of a great musician is when you instantly recognize them no matter what they play – more than anyone else that was true of BB King
He not only set the bar for multiple generations of blues guitar players and blues musicians, but held everyone to a human standard that we need so much in today’s world.
An unconditional love, optimistic view that sets expectations for those who may have been down or trodden to rise up and be the best they can be…and we get that through his music too. Just because he played blues didn’t mean it gave us the blues. In fact, he gave us an outlet through which to FEEL real emotion, to stop and think about things and get back in tune with our heart instead of our head.
Here is one of my favorite BB King tunes…I can’t believe an entire year has gone by since the King of the Blues was silenced – maybe that’s because he still sings and plays on in my head as if he were just around the corner at his favorite juke joint or concert hall.
That sound will carry me through the next year, until we stop and remember the King of the Blues once again…until then, let’s continue to listen and learn from the vast material BB King left us with.
This is “How Blue Can You Get” performed live at Sing Sing Prison in 1972 – all I can say is WOW!
Filed under bb king, Blues Legends by on May 15th, 2016. Comment.
