Texas Blues Radio Volume 5

  Available NOW!!   Limited to just 1,000 CDs, 2,000 downloads, and will NEVER be re-issued!!  CDs are available at Forever Young Records in Grand Prairie, Record Town in Fort Worth, and in Dallas at Bill's Records and Rewind Music. 

To receive the CD as a gift for your donation  use the PayPal link below:

 

TO Download the CD, CLICK HERE!

 

To Read the review of the CD by the DMN please click here!

And to prove that KNON really knows its Blues, the Blues formart director, Don O, sat down with the Dallas Obeserver for an interview about Dallas Blues.  Click Here to read the article.

Track 1- Baby Got a Good Thing

Sir Loin and the Ass Kicking Machine

Website: myspace.com/toddblalock

Bio:

The Ass Kicking Machine began as a guitar-drum duo in the summer of 2004 in the East Texas town of Tyler.  Formed by the inventive beat man, Nick Pencis (formerly of Greyhounds, Tabasco Mammie's, Stanley's Famous BBQ) and the alter-ego of guitarist Todd Blalock (The Mercuries, Randy McAllister), who carries the moniker "Sir Loin", The Ass Kicking Machine was borne from the raucous sensibilities of muses like, Hound Dog Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, and Jimmie Reed. Shortly after forming, the AKM welcomed another area talent, named Doug "Doc" Allgood into the fold.  Holding down the bass, guitar, and vocals, Doug also brought his songwriting experience and laid-back approach to the table.  The final pieces were in place and the band was better than ever!  Thanks to the creative guidance of renowned bassist and studio owner, Rhandy Simmons, the band recorded several sides at the secluded Siesta Ranch Studios in 2007.  These tracks included the acclaimed "Baby Got A Good Thing (feat. Hash Brown)" and "My Baby Shines Like Gold".  However, an album was never released.  Due to growing families and professional obligations, the Ass Kicking Machine hasn't performed together since 2010. The band remains close friends and haven't closed the door on reuniting in the near future.  

Track 2- Letter From Home

Michael Jay with the Paul Byrd Band

Bio:

Michael Jay is a long time sideman to artists Delbert McClinton, Anson Funderburgh, Gary Nicholson, Denny Freeman & Glen Clark, among others.  A native Texan, he returned from Los Angeles where he established himself with appearances on radio, TV and film, as well as numerous studio and live performances.  He has played and sung with an impressive list of artists including Roy Buchanan, Cornell Dupree, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, Steve Miller and Paul McCartney.  On screen performances include TV shows "The Two of Us" and "General Hospital" and feature films "Swing Shift", "Iron Eagles" and "The Wedding Singer".   He is an in demand artist in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and a regular on the local scene.  A veteran Texas drummer and commanding vocalist, he pours his heart and soul into each performance.

Track 3- Six Pack

Tutu Jones

Website: myspace.com/tutujones

Bio:

The son of Dallas-based R&B guitarist Johnny B. Jones, “Tutu” Jones was truly a product of his environment -- growing up in a house frequently populated by guests including Freddie King, Little Joe Blue and Ernie Johnson, his own future as a bluesman was never in doubt. Born John Jones Jr. on September 9, 1966 in South Dallas, Texas. As a child, Tutu was constantly surrounded by blues luminaries such as Ernie Johnson, Little Joe Blue, and even Jones’ uncle L.C. Clark who was a fine guitar player in his own right. Tutu grew up steeped in in-house jam sessions of truly stellar quality. He was 4 ½ years old when he first began his musical career as a drummer. “Next thing I know, I’m playin’ drums in some club in Southeast Dallas,” says Tutu. Jones turned pro with R.L. Griffin, with whose band Tutu took on the road. He became a professional drummer while still a teen, backing his uncles Curly "Barefoot" Miller and L.C. Clark before moving on to work with the likes of Z.Z. Hill and R.L. Burnside. His life became a dizzying mélange of tours and Texas dates, hiring out as drummer for Z.Z. Hill, Al “TNT” Braggs, Ernie Johnson, and Little Joe Blue.
One night, Tutu was fooling around with Joe Blue’s guitar backstage at a gig in the part of Dallas called Oak Cliff (turf to T-Bone Walker and more recently, the Vaughn Brothers). Joe Blue told him, if he could play guitar that well he should be fronting his own band. Not long after, Tutu started showing up at the myriad blues jams in the clubs in North Dallas. Joe Blue’s advice had been good, and things started happening for Tutu Jones. As Jones steadily honed his guitar and songwriting skills, he eventually began fronting bands of his own; he cut his solo debut “I'm for Real” in 1994, followed by “Blue Texas Soul” in 1996. Two years later, he released “Staying Power”.
Tutu is more than the sum of his influences (though distinguished influences they are!) He is first and foremost an individualist, who puts a very personal stamp on every note that he plays and every syllable that he sings. You could call him the living personification of the sound of South Dallas, where Blues and Soul meet and are stronger for it.
Tutu is truly one of our brightest stars in the future of the blues in the 21st Century.

 

Track 4- Watch Me Burn

Andrea Dawson

Website: andreadawson.com

Bio:

This talented lady is a Late Bloomer with one hell of a Flower! She is known by some as (Hashbrown's) Baby Sister and by others the Sultry Soulstress of the Blues. With an eclectic taste in music, Andrea Dawson's repertoire swings from Ella to Aretha to BB King to Tracy Chapman...all in one show. She offers a mixture of Smooth Blues and Rocking Jazz. Having started late in life to pursue a dream of entertaining, she was spurred on by childhood memories of being touched by singers like Mahalia Jackson in "Imitation of Life" who left an indelible impression on her psyche. Andrea is a self-taught band leader and performer with a driving ambition to integrate herself in the Dallas music scene. From juke joints to the prestigious Museum of Art, from intimate wine bars to rowdy Roadhouses, Andrea has lived by the adage that if there's music to be made and lives to touch, what better place to be? Along with tours to sunny Portugal with the Lucky Peterson Band and headlining in Santiago, Chile, Andrea has also performed at several local and regional festivals including the Frog Blues Festival, Dallas Juneteenth Festival, Amarillo Texas Blues Festival and many more.

 

Track 5- The Devils Back

Dave Millsap

Website: davemillsap.com

Bio:

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, April 30th, 1955.  Being the son of a preacher exposed Dave to  music  as a young child.   His Grandmother was a piano teacher, and one of Dave's earliest memories was standing next to his Grandfather playing a guitar while playing a mouth harp around his neck. His Mother played the piano, his Dad, two brothers and sister  also played the guitar.  He would wait until  the guitar was left unattended,  which usually meant his brother had left the house and Dave would play the guitar until he got caught .

"There was music everywhere.  Home , church, car radio.  There were always older men and women standing around  me in the pews at church singing harmony.  Some better than others.  You could sing as loud as you wanted to.   I was always trying to sing harmony,  even if I  didn't know the words."

"At home,  the music coming out of the record player  was  Ricky Nelson.   Without realizing it  I  was molding my ears to what a great guitarist should sound like.  I was listening to James Burton and didn't even know it.  Records back then didn't tell you who was playing,  just the singer.   I was listening to Marty Robbins,  Everly Brothers, and my sister came home with "Meet the Beatles."   I knew at that moment that I wanted to be in a band.   I think it had something to do with the screaming girls"

But as years went on life as a musician  wasn't where Dave was headed.  He was one of the top pole vaulters in Texas  and his  last year of high school he was being offered many chances to attend  Universities  of his choice  on a track scholarship.  That summer during a Karate match his knee was torn so bad that it required surgery and years of rehabilitation.  It was during that  time  the focus became guitar and nothing else.

"I had lost my chance to be a great  athlete and recovery wasn't as swift as it is today.   I was in a cast for almost a year and that's when I played  night and day.   I wasn't interested in the electric guitar yet.   I  wanted to follow in James Taylor's footsteps so  I was singing in coffee houses in college towns. "

Dave spent the next few years living in East Texas and playing any gig that would pay him a little money to get by day to day.  It was in a little club in Nacadogoches that he met Sonny Terry, one of the most famous delta blues singers ever, from the famed Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee.

"I played a few shows as a warm up act for them and Sonny's driver had to leave to go back to Philly to visit his sick mother for a while.  So Sonny asked me if I would drive him around in his white Cadillac until his driver got back.   We would sit in his hotel room and Sonny would sing, play his harp  and stomp his feet while I tried to play like Brownie.  I recorded a few of those  nights and  I was pretty bad.   Sonny was great and he would sing all these songs and help me along.  He must of thought , this  white boy would never be a blues guitar player."

 

Track 6- Back in the Saddle

J.J. and the Detonators

Bio:

The "J.J." of J.J. and the Detonators is dynamic Fort Worth guitarist "Jumpin Jerry" Clark.  Jerry has been a fixture on the Fort Worth blues scene for many years, often playing with his friend Bobby "Count Blue" Counts.  The Detonators no longer perform together as a band.

 

Track 7- Gumbo Mombo

Johnnie Red and the Roosters

Website: johnniered.com

Bio:

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Johnnie Latham, who was inspired by B.B. King and Eric Clapton, started playing guitar on April 1st, 1967, at the age of 15.
In 1971, he started playing with his first rock & roll band. But by the late 70's he rediscovered his passion for the blues and started Johnnie Red & the Roosters, backing up Robert Ealey and Ray Sharpe.
Over the years his band has played with Tina Turner, Chuck Berry (4 times), Buddy Guy, John Mayhall, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Delbert McClinton, and many more.
After 28 years with the Roosters, he still plays with the same passion and energy as when he started the band in 1980.

 

Track 8- Pack It Up and Go

Sonny Collie

Bio:

Born in Dallas in 1951 and playing since he was a baby, Sonny was a staple of the Austin music scene in the 1970s, a singer / songwriter, drummer and bassist recording and touring with Willis Alan Ramsey, B.W. Stephenson, Balcones Fault, The Explosives and many others. Returning to Dallas and his lifetime love of blues in 1986, he has held the bass chair with a long list of luminaries including Joe Jonas, Robery Ealey, Hash Brown, Mike Morgan, Cheryl Arena and a near endless list -- there are few DFW blues acts he has not appeared with. He has done blues and R&B based solo acoustic guitar playing and singing across the region for seven years.

Track 9- So Full of Jive

Jeff Stone with Charlie Love

Website: jeffstoneblues.com

Bio:

Jeff Stone is a Blues and Gospel Harmonica player…pure and simple. His love and gift for the music is aptly attributed to the Lord and he will be the first to tell you that his music ‘is simply a channeling of God’s voice through his musical instrument.

Whether playing with his church brothers and sisters (Victory World Outreach, Denton, TX,) doing Gospel Shows with the Rev. K.M. Williams close to his North Texas home, touring with the great bluesman Zac Harmon (2002-2008,) playing with Chicago’s blues mainstay Charlie Love or any of his countless friends throughout the country, Jeff Stone will reach you with his music.

With Zac Harmon, their band accomplished an impressive run since their formation back in 2003: 2004 Winner, International Blues Challenge, Best Unsigned Band 2005 XM Radio Best New Blues Artist (Zac Harmon) 2006 Winner, Blues Music Awards (W.C. Handy Awards) Best New Artist Debut

In 2003, Stone , Harmon and Larry Davis founded BlueStone Records, a label devoted to the blues. The 2005 release, ‘The Blues According to Zacariah," won the prestigious BMA (formerly W.C. Handy Award) for Best New Artist Debut Album.

Winning the 2004 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN as part of Zac Harmon & the Mid South Blues Revue, was a gratifying, humbling and proud achievement. "The true blues authenticity of what we have built as the sound of Zac Harmon's blues, is what we strive to achieve. As Little Walter was to Muddy Waters, and as Junior Wells was to Buddy Guy...this is how I approach the sound that is Jeff Stone to Zac Harmon,' Stone describes the Mid South Blues Revue's nature. 'This achievement (the IBC award) allowed for a sharing of what their music was all about with a much wider audience than where they came from.

Stone’s association with Harmon is earmarked as a turning point in his career. "Playing with Zac gave me the opportunity to expand on my traditional base as well as reaching out to as many listeners as possible. Zac is a tremendous talent, who plays with the same spirit and heart as I do."

'Cutting teeth,' as it is said, by playing with mentor Charlie Love (and the Silky Smooth Band,) in Chicago, as well as the years at Babe's and Ricky's Inn, in Los Angeles, under the watchful eye of 'Mama' Laura Mae Gross, Stone developed a style that Lowell Fulson once called, 'unique...all his own,' and the legendary Sam Meyers described as ‘one BAAD harmonica player!’

True to his Chicago roots, Stone is a bluesman in a traditional way and a Gospel musician in a spiritual sense. Though playing jazz, soul, R&B, funk and gospel had broadened his range, and allowed him to truly express what he hears and feels, it is through the blues that Stone expresses most truly. It is through Gospel that allows him to reach people with his music with an awakening effect.

Born and raised on Chicago's South-Side, Stone grew up listening to the fathers of 'America's music.' Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Little Walter Jacobs, Otis Rush, Luther Allison, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Magic Sam, were the majority of the blues education that Stone subscribed to. Rounding that out with a heavy jazz influence of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson, Kenny Burrell and others, giving Stone the improvisational background that permeates throughout his playing. The 1970's and 80's found Stone discovering Gospel, Soul, Funk and R&B, all genres that have stayed with him throughout his playing career.

It is the recent rediscovery of Gospel and Delta roots music that has allowed Stone to continue the evolution of what is to come through his deeply spiritual belief that God will direct what is to be musically achieved. ‘The Lord will show me what it is that he wants me to do…how it is to be done…and when it is to happen….my mission, is to be ready!’

Now living just north of Dallas, TX, with his wife Kelley, gives Stone the base to grow on, as a Christian, husband, father and brother. Working a day job in the graphics and printing industry for over 25 years to help raise a family of three children, has helped Stone focus on his art form and perfect his craft. It is not uncommon to find Jeff Stone playing in church or involved with recording sessions or Gospel-based projects and/or sitting in with some of the great musicians throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other areas, playing the music he loves most.

 

Track 10- You Lose

Blues Boy Bo

Bio:

Blues Boy Bo, AKA Vann Boardingham was born October 15, 1957, in Sherman Texas, to Mary Boardingham and Rev. Roderick Brown, Blues Boy Bo grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he attended and graduated from S.H. Rider High School, at a very young age Blues Boy started singing in his father church as a soloist, later on in Blues Boy young adult life he join the U.S. Navy, and upon Blues Boy departure from the U.S. Navy, he became a DJ, in Norfolk Virgin, at the age of 23, at the Batman’s Den, Blues Boy became M.C. Master of ceremonies, where he M.C. for such great artist as Millie Jackson, Joe Simon, the Dill, and Atlantis Star. Blues Boy is currently resides in Euless, Texas, Blues Boy currently working on his 2nd CD of songs that he wrote, and performs through out the Dallas, Forth worth area, Blues Boy goal is to become the next greatest performer and song writer ever lived.

 

Track 11- The Fowler Street Stumble

Ruff Kutt Blues Band

Website: ruffkuttblues.com

Bio:

Ruff Kutt Blues is the name of the project started by James Goode blues song writer and bassist. The other names you need to know on this project is the name of Texas Blues guitar legend Anson Funderburgh, 3 time Blues Music Award Winner & 2 Grammy nominees  vocalist Zac Harmon and Blues vocalist Finis Tasby.  
James' last CD called The Mill Block Blues won The Coolest Blues Song of 2011 competition sponsored by The Big City Rhythm and Blues Magazine and The Lunie Award for The Best Contempory Blues Album, The Mill Block Blues, 2011. James has donated all proceeds from the sale of Mill Block Blues to the Blues Foundation's  HART Fund.  The fund provides support for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. It also helps with acute, chronic, and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses.   To date the project has raised over $10,000 for the HART Fund.

 

Track 12- Hip Shakin' Woman

The Tu-Tones

Website: myspace.com/tutones

Bio:

This powerful Texas Duo lays down Roots - Americana like you would expect to hear from a Texas band. Rhythm & Blues, Rock'n Roll, Swing, Boogie-Woogie, Rockabilly and Surf Guitar are all apart of The Tu-Tones classic sound. Legendary and nationally recognized harmonica player, Stompin' Bill Johnston, excites audiences with his dead-on vocals and unbelievable harp tone and riffs. Johnston's chromatic harp organ-type sound is truly awesome, setting him apart from most seasoned players. Johnston is accompanied by Mr. 18 Karat who performs foot drums (bass/snare or bass/high-hat), guitar and vocals. Mr. 18 Karat lays down the beat and supports the duo with classic guitar licks coupled with the cool tone of his Les Paul Special P90's. Johnston's and Mr. 18 Karat's combined artistry, spirited diversity and creativity have made The Tu-Tones "Texas' Favorite Two Man Band".

 

Track 13- Miss You

Kirkland James

Website: myspace.com/kirklandjames

Bio:

Kirkland James: Kirkland James’ guitar playing skips across musical styles like a slick river rock. Slide guitar to gut-bucket blues, Kirkland James is a genre vagabond; anything from country to Cuban rhythms, to an all out New Orleans style blues stomp. After the Young James Long European tour, slide guitarist Kirkland James suffered a near fatal motorcycle crash in Fort Worth, Texas. The guitarist is most noted for his work with Kansas City –based blues rockers Tenderloin and one time touring guitarist for Alejandro Escovedo. While in Tenderloin, James gained notoriety opening shows for Soundgarden, Social Distortion, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Recovered and back playing and recording music, the Fort Worth native steps to the front of the stage this time with brothers Andrew and Richard Aguirre for the rhythm section. Andrew Aguirre, bassist for Donny Ray Ford, Nope, The Gingers, The Mary Astors, is a top notch roots rock veteran of the Texas music scene. Brother and drummer Richard Aguirre has played before with Andrew in The Gingers and The Mary Astors along with other pop rock outfits including The Estellines. Catch this Texas trio as they set out on tour and finish up their debut recording to be out by the fall.

 

Track 14- Minor Blues

Buddy Whittington

Website: buddywhittington.com

Bio:

A lifelong Texan, Buddy Whittington 'entered the arena' on December 28, 1956, in Fort Worth, and became enamored of the electric guitar like countless kids of his vintage shortly thereafter, who were mesmerized at the reality that 'you plucked a string...'here', and the sound came out...'over THERE.'

Though no other family members played an instrument, there was always music in the home, be it emanating from the TV on Saturday evenings ('Cowtown Jamboree' and Big 'D' Jamboree were locally produced live weekly shows featuring top name country artists of the day) AM radio also featured prominently, with KXOL, KFJZ, KLIF, KKDA, WBAP, WRR and KNOK providing a wide variety of sounds and styles to open and expand a young would-be musician's ears long before the advent of 'Underground' Album Rock Radio stations like KFAD and KNUS, KTXQ 'Q102' and KZEW 'The Zoo' 98 FM.

Western Swing music also played a part, as Mr. and Mrs. Whittington were big fans of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Probably the biggest influence in young Bud's musical makeup was the record collection of his big sister, encompassing everything from British Invasion bands to R&B hits of the day, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Beatles, Stones, The Who, The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to 'The Temps and The Tops', Gary 'U.S.' Bond, Jimmy Reed, and Slim Harpo.

A succession of fledgling musical efforts with varying degrees of success ensued, culminating in an offer by John Mayall to join The Bluesbreakers in 1993.

"The band I was in at the time, 'The Sidemen', had a good friend in Mr. Jerry Thompson, who these days is President of Promoterline Inc., but back then was managing the Dallas Alley complex, where he would book us as the opening act on any number of outdoor events and shows, and we were booked as the opener for a Bluesbreakers' show.... Mr. Mayall asked me for my contact info, we stayed loosely in touch for the next two years, and when then-Bluesbreakers guitarist Coco Montoya decided it was time to hit the highway on his own, I 'received the call' and appeared on countless Mayall shows and recordings worldwide for the 15 years between 1993 and 2008, at which time the existing Bluesbreakers were 'kicked out of the nest' and the band was reformed by Mayall."

Buddy's self-titled solo CD appeared in 2007, and has garnered very favorable reviews and considerable airplay. The CD, recorded at Hurricane Sound in Garland, Texas by engineer / producer / drummer / 'ubertalentedmultiinstrumentalist' Mike Gage, features performances by Gage, longtime bassist Wayne Six, co-guitarist Michael 'Mouse' Mayes, and this configuration makes up the core of the current working band. 'We can play just about anything we need to between us, as we have all 'played in different bands together' for years, and really enjoy working with each other.' says Bud, who is currently writing songs for his second solo outing.

 

Track 15- T-Bone Swing

Chris Watson Band

Website: chriswatsonband.com

Bio:

Chris Watson was born in Denton, TX in 1986. Growing up in a musical household, Chris’ father Wallace was a major blues lover and supporter. Early on in Chris’ life the importance of this music was portrayed in the way of a father son bond. Later on in life Chris became interested in playing the guitar and wanted to imitate the blues men he had grown up listening to. Around age 13 he received his first guitar and amplifier and proceeded to reproduce the sounds he heard coming from such guitars as BB King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Garth Brooks, and so many others.
It was apparent very early on that he had a tremendous knack for playing the guitar. After learning a few scales and chords Chris was off to the races soaking everything up that he could find musically that caught his ear. Not too long after learning the small bit that he was initially taught, Chris was performing at local jams. He was able to cut his teeth with some of the finest local artists in the D/FW area and was writing songs in his free time. Eventually people got used to seeing this minor making his way around all the old clubs and showing his obvious passion for music and portraying his “old soul,” as most would put it.
After a while of gathering stage time, and with a bag full of riffs and licks, Chris was added into his father’s band, the UpAllNight Band, as the new lead guitar player. It was in this band that he got a taste of what it was like to be up on stage and in the spotlight. This revelation was the first stepping stone to his singing career, and in no time Chris was performing the new blues rock songs he was writing as well as some of the oldest blues classics. With help from his father and everyone else around that he had come to know and respect, Chris was able to form the band that he now has been fronting for years.
The CHRIS WATSON BAND is now a staple on the Denton music scene, as well as in all of the known Texas music clubs in and out of Dallas and Ft. Worth. He has taken everything he has learned from the old blues men, country stars, and the tapes that he used to listen to as a child and has added his own unique touch, style and feel to create a Blues Rock sound that is not subjective to any particular demographic. After shows in many different venues, people of all ages and backgrounds flock to say how much they enjoyed the show and get involved in the future events.

 

KNON thanks all the performers for their generous participation in this project.  KNON thanks Forever Young Records in Grand Prairie for their generous
financial support for this project.