Rock and Roll Remembrance

We’ve lost a lot of great rock and rollers lately. It seems we hardly catch our breath after one is laid to rest, then we hear of another that’s about to leave us. That’s the way it is – our heroes are getting older every day.

So today let’s blow it out with some tunes from rockers who’ve passed to the other side. R.I.P., and keep on rockin’.

MP3: “I’m Losing You” (alternate version) by John Lennon (d. 1980)

MP3: “Holy Diver” (live) by Dio (Ronnie James Dio, d. 2010)

MP3: “Smokestack Lightning” by Howlin’ Wolf (d. 1976)

MP3: “Piece Of My Heart” by Big Brother & the Holding Company (Janis Joplin, d. 1970)

MP3: “Texas Tornado” by the Sir Douglas Quintet (Doug Sahm, d. 1999)

MP3: “Ella Guru” by Captain Beefheart (d. 2010)

MP3: “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James (d. 2012)

MP3: “Lonely Lover” by Marvin Gaye (d. 1984)

MP3: “Small Town Talk” by Bobby Charles (d. 2010)

MP3: “Star Spangled Banner/Purple Haze” (live at Woodstock) by Jimi Hendrix (d. 1970)

MP3: “I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive” by Hank Williams (d. 1953)

MP3: “Deep Blue” by George Harrison (d. 2001)

YouTube: “Up On Cripple Creek” (1969 rehearsal), by the Band (Levon Helm, d. 2012; Rick Danko, d. 1999; Richard Manuel, d. 1986)

Mess O’ Monday Blues

John Lee Hooker

Don’t know about you, but my eyes are still sorta glazed over from the long weekend. No better time to blow some blues for Monday.

MP3: “Howling For My Darling (or Baby)” by Howlin’ Wolf

MP3: “I’m Shakin’ ” by Little Willie John

MP3: “Automobile” by Lightnin’ Hopkins

MP3: “Delia” by Blind Willie McTell

MP3: “Boogie Chillun” by John Lee Hooker

MP3: “Three O’ Clock In The Morning” by B. B. King

MP3: “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James

MP3: “Last Night” by Little Walter

MP3: “It’s A Shame, Shame, Shame” by Juke Boy Bonner

MP3: “Take Out Some Insurance” by Jimmy Reed

Etta James, R.I.P.

Etta James

Completing the macabre trilogy this week for R&B artists, singer Etta James has died. She suffered from dementia, kidney problems and leukemia and was just short of 74 years old. Her hits included “The Wallflower,” “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” and the wedding favorite “At Last.”

CNN obit on Etta James

MP3: “The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry)”

MP3: “At Last”

Watch Etta James on “Austin City Limits”

30 Days Out (From Christmas): Blues

Day 18 – This is about the time most people get the blues for Christmas.  You haven’t bought any presents yet, the economy’s going in the toilet and you spent all your money on booze.  You caught Santa sneakin’ out the back door and next thing you know, your baby’s left you for some douchebag in a Cadillac.  Let’s boogie woogie with Santa and have a party.  Because later, you’re going to be drinkin’ this Christmas and spendin’ a lonesome New Year’s Eve in jail.   That’s the blues.

MP3: “Christmas Celebration” by B. B. King

MP3: “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’ ” by Albert King

MP3: “Santa’s Messin’ With The Kid” by Eddie C. Campbell

MP3: “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus” by Mabel Scott

MP3: “Back Door Santa” by the Holmes Brothers

MP3: “Sonny Boy’s Christmas Blues” by Sonny Boy Williamson

MP3: “Christmas Blues” by Lightnin’ Hopkins

MP3: “Christmas Present Blues” by Charles Brown

MP3: “Lonesome Christmas Parts 1 & 2” by Lowell Fulson

MP3: “Merry Christmas Baby” by Etta James

MP3: “Christmas Blues” by Big Joe Williams

MP3: “Blues For Christmas” by John Lee Hooker

MP3: “Please Come Home For Christmas” by Charles Brown

Remembering The Blues

America’s great national music is the blues.  Without the blues, there would be no rock and roll, and no hip-hop.  The first generation of the blues masters (Robert Johnson) is pretty much the exclusive territory of college professors and fawning Brits, and latter-day giants like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf have virtually disappeared into the catalogs of countless rockers from the 1960s and 1970s.  It’s tough to hear the blues on the radio, too, unless you venture over to the far left side of the FM dial (think NPR). 

No question: the blues is definitely an endangered art form, although not totally extinct.  Modern artists like Marcia Ball and Jimmie Vaughan keep the faith in Texas, and up in Chicago luminaries like Lonnie Brooks (with his sons) and John Primer are fighting the good fight.  You have Elmore James Jr., son of the great guitarist, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards too.  Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and sometimes John Mayer put the blues on a national stage. 

So let’s celebrate our great national resource with some classic blues artists.  Pay attention, because later this week we will take a look at new albums by some current blues artists and see how they connect to the past.

MP3: I Just Wanna Make Love To You by Muddy Waters

MP3: Knockin’ At Your Door by Elmore James

MP3: Ball And Chain by Etta James

MP3: Hoodoo Man by Junior Wells

MP3: Watergate Blues by Howlin’ Wolf

MP3: Nine Below Zero by Sonny Boy Williamson