Tag Archives: B.B. King

“I’m trying to get people to see that we are our brother’s keeper. Red, white, black, brown or yellow, rich or poor, we all have the blues.” — B.B. King

WHAT a performance. And WHAT an audience. The mood – the back and forth – the communication going on – not just from up on the stage, but coming back at him from the crowd – is what live performance … Continue reading

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“Memphis amateurs are the world’s professionals.” — Rufus Thomas

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie was filled with deep cuts, so appreciated if you care about this story, and not just Elvis’ story, but the environment from which he came. Memphis. Beale Street. Rufus Thomas was a singer, yes, and he … Continue reading

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“I was looking for what was coming from a man’s soul and a man’s conviction. I didn’t care about his past. If it was innate and natural and felt good to him and it communicated.” — Sam Phillips

The myth. The legend. There’s a lot of bull shit with the legend, and saying that does not mean throwing out the whole thing. But Sam did have a way of placing him at the center of every story in … Continue reading

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Autumnal iPod Shuffle

“Family Tradition” – Hank Williams, Jr. Bitter! It’s such a great “fuck you” to Nashville country-music prudes and a great wielding of his autobiography as a weapon: “If I get stoned and sing all night long, it’s a family tradition.” … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Shooting My Mouth Off in 2017

It’s been a God-awful year in so many unprecedented ways. It’s also been a great year for me professionally (which has brought with it its own set of challenges.) Here are some of the things I’ve written this year. Reviews, … Continue reading

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R.I.P. B.B. King

Two “King”s. Backstage at Ellis Auditorium, Memphis. Legendary bluesman B.B. King has died at the age of 89. A long life and a six-decade career. He toured constantly, almost up until the very end. The news had come that his … Continue reading

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