Tag Archives: blues

May 15, 2017

200 Years of Illinois: Cal Coolidge, controversy, and Cairo

Posted by rkcunningham
in american history, Illinois / regional, music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 200 Years of Illinois: Cal Coolidge, controversy, and Cairo

The 1927 Mississippi River flood disaster had a far-reaching social impact, inspired timeless music, influenced policy that includes what happened during Hurricane Katrina, and received its due in at least one very interesting book. It even roused the laissez-faire federal government … Continue reading →

April 4, 2017

Happy Birthday, Muddy Waters

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in Best of Illinois, biography, music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Muddy Waters

Longing for that down home music? Looking for a shot of brilliance? Tryin’ to forget that you asked for water and your woman/man gave you gasoline? Then you must be celebrating the 100th birthday (or it might be the 102nd birthday) of McKinley Morganfield, … Continue reading →

May 10, 2016

Sweet home Chicago

Posted by sfast
in author events, authors, biography, BookExpo, Chicago, Illinois / regional, music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sweet home Chicago

May 11-13, 2016, the publishing industry will descend upon the City of Big Shoulders for the textapalooza that is BookExpo America. BEA, held at Chicago’s McCormick Place this spring, is the “leading book and author event for the North American … Continue reading →

March 10, 2016

Throwbacklist Thursday: Furry’s People

Posted by rkcunningham
in African American Studies, music, photography | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Throwbacklist Thursday: Furry’s People

“Virtuosity in playing blues licks is like virtuosity in celebrating the Mass, it is empty, it means nothing. Skill—competence—is a necessity, but a true blues player’s virtue lies in his acceptance of his life, a life for which he is … Continue reading →

July 1, 2015

Blues you can’t lose

Posted by rkcunningham
in blues, music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Blues you can’t lose

Today our 1915: Whatta Year! series turns to musician Willie Dixon, born on this date 100 years ago. Dixon brought the term “Hoochie Coochie man” to the mainstream and, oh, yeah, along with Muddy Waters shaped postwar Chicago blues. The pride of … Continue reading →

October 27, 2014

Chicken in the coffee pot: a pioneer’s blues tale

Posted by sfast
in authors, interviews, music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Chicken in the coffee pot: a pioneer’s blues tale

Steve Cushing’s book Pioneers of the Blues Revival is a treasure trove for blues fans who want to learn the stories behind such roots music giants as Mississippi John Hurt, Son House and Bukka White. As host of the award-winning … Continue reading →

June 12, 2014

Read an excerpt from Pioneers of the Blues Revival

Posted by sfast
in author commentary, authors, Chicago, interviews, music, new books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Read an excerpt from Pioneers of the Blues Revival

Steve Cushing, the award-winning host of the nationally syndicated public radio staple Blues before Sunrise, has spent over thirty years observing and participating in the Chicago blues scene. In his upcoming UIP book Pioneers of the Blues Revival, he interviews many of … Continue reading →

June 3, 2014

Happy birthday, Jimmy Rogers

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, black studies, Chicago, music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Happy birthday, Jimmy Rogers

Jimmy Rogers was born James A. Lane on this day in 1924. As Wayne Everett Goins notes in Blues All Day Long, his new biography of Rogers, the legendary guitarist carried a no-nonsense version of how he came to be. … Continue reading →

September 7, 2013

Happy birthday to Southern Soul-Bluesman Latimore

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in black studies, music | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy birthday to Southern Soul-Bluesman Latimore

Singer, songwriter and pianist Benjamin “Benny” Latimore was born on September 7, 1939. Latimore is profiled by author David Whiteis in Southern Soul-Blues, an overview of the genre that mixes blues, 60s-era Deep Soul, contemporary R&B, hip-hop and gospel. In Southern … Continue reading →

June 6, 2013

Some Southern Soul Blues in Chicago

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Chicago’s legendary Blues Festival kicks off today in Millennium Park. Friday’s Grant Park headliner is Bobby Rush, a prominent figure in the book Southern Soul Blues.  Author David Whiteis describes Rush on stage as “fluidity in motion — at any … Continue reading →