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Blues Cruisin' with Lil' Ed
and the Blues Imperials
The Kansas City Blues Society
presents Lil' Ed and the Blues
Imperials on Blues Cruise II on
September 25with the Blues Notions. The
Missouri River Queen is located at 1River
City Drive in Kansas City, Ks. The Boat
will begin boarding at
7 p.m. and departs at8p.m. Tickets are now
on saleatNightmoves,
The Grand Empo-
rium, Missouri River
Queen and
Ticketmaster. This is
KCBS' last BluesMUSIC REVIew Cruise of'91 and here VI
B y SHIRlEY OWENS is a fundraiser that is ~
....................................pure fun. 0
Lil' Ed Williams learned the slide ijj'
guitar from his legendary Uncle, J.B. EHut~o. "When J.B. played slide, you could ~
feel It all though your body," remarked Ed 0
in a 1988 L.A. interview. Today, Ed WH- aliams iskeeping his Uncle's tradition alive
and well.
He plays his Uncle's Gibson guitar
with enthusiasm as he duckwalks,
backbends, and literally crawls through
the audience sliding on his knees and then
walks on top ofhis toes back up the stage
steps never missing a lick.
Ed Williams was born in Chicago in
1955. Ed began his first band in 1975 with
his half brother, bassist James (Pooki)
Young. They took their name from an
Imperial Margarine commercial. In 1985,
Ed had to decide between his full-time dayjob at the Red Carpet car wash in Chicago
or his night gig playing the blues. The
turning point came when Bruce Iglauer,
President ofAlligator records offered the
group to record for the anthology called
The New Bluebloods, a recording ofthe up
and coming Chicago Blues stars. The ses-
sion produced 30 songs in three hours with
no overdubs or second takes. From this
production, Alligator released
Roughhousin'in 1986. Their next release,
ur Ed on the slide guitar.
Chicken, Gravy & Biscuits was also re-
corded "live" in the studio with Lil' Ed's
eight originals.
Today, Lil' Ed no longer has the car
wash blues. Even back in the car wash
days, Ed was ready to play, "I'm a slider.
Thatsoundjust kills me. Itmakes mybody
rumble. I want stay rough and wild, rough
and rugged, baby." Now, he is doing just
that; Lil' Ed gets down on the slide guitar
and makes people smile. Don't miss this
rare occasion on the Missouri River Queenwith Lil' Ed&the Blues Imperials plus the
Blues Notions on Wednesday, September
25. •
Let It Roll
The Blues Pavilion Tent which the KC
Blues Society Is
hosting over Labor
Day weekend at
Spirit Fest '91.,
will seat over 200
blues fans. Located
southeast of Uberty
Memorial, the Blues begins on Friday,
August 30 at 6 p.m. and continues
through Sunday, September 1.. The Spirit
Fest Blues Tent will feature 1.7 Kansas
City Blues bands and on Saturday, Doyle
Bramhall from Dallas, Texas will per-
form.
Inside the Blues Tent, KC Blues SocI-
ety Is hosting a beverage booth, staffed
by KCBS volunteers. Volunteers are stili
needed for the shifts from 2:30 p.m. til
NOT E 5
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
INSIDE
B lues No tes 1
Music Rev iews 3
Mattie & Mae 4
Perfo rmanc e D ia ry 6
Blues/Jazz Volunteers 5
B lues C lubs & Radio 9
Performers L is ting 9
Festivals 9
BLUES NEW S • 1
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Robert Johnson, the Blues& the Devil
Lastyear, Columbia Records re-is
sued on CD and cassette all the
known recordings made by Rob-
ert Johnson, a total of forty-one. The re-
lease was a blockbuster success, with sales
in the hundreds ofthou sands, making the
Billboard charts and winning a Grammy
for an artist who has been dead for 53
years! This is just another in a series of
strange twists of
fate surrounding
this extraordinary
blues genius. Rob-
ert, whose first re-
cordings were
made just twoyears
before his death,
never sold very
many copies, and,
although he influ-
enced a lot ofmusi-
cians, like Muddy
Waters, Johnny
Shines, Howlin'
Wolf, and Sonny BoyWilliamson, he prob-ably would have remained in obscurity if
he had not been discovered by young rock
musicians in the 1960's. Since then, Rob-
ert Johnson has attained a stature of
mythic proportions among rock and blues
adherents of the last three decades.
Robert Leroy Johnson was born May
8,1911, inHazelhurst, Mississippi, a small
town just south of the Delta. His father
was Noah Johnson, a man with whom his
mother Julia was having an affair in the
absence of her husband, Charlie Dobbs,
who had been forced to skip town three
years before as a result of some troublewith a prominent white man. Eventually,
Dodds sent for Julia and baby Robert to
join him inMemphis, where he had settled
and adopted the name, C.D.Spencer. After
a couple of years, Julia took off, leaving
Robert with his stepfather. Before long,
though, the boy became a problem, and he
was sent to his mother, who had gone to
theMississippi Delta town ofRobinsonville
and had remarried to a man by the name
ofDusty Willis. Robert had a third father
by the time he was seven years old!
Robert used the surname Spencer
until he was in his teens, when his mother
told him about his real father. After that
he called himself Robert Johnson. Itwas
about this time that he developed an inter-
est in music. First be played around with
the Jew's harp, but soon went on to the
harmonica. Against his mother's wishes,
Robert started hanging around other
musicians in Robinsonville, particularly
Willie Brown, a widely respected guitar
player. Brown took an interest in the boy
and showed him the fundamentals of the
guitar. BothCharley Patton and SonHouse
2 • SEPTEMBER 1991
also started staying in Robinsonville, and
Robert could usually be found following
this trio whenever they played, absorbing
all he could from these accomplished
bluesmen. However, Robert's early at-
tempts at the guitarmust have been rather
amateurish and the frequent butt ofjokes
among the older musicians.
Suddenly, Robert left town and noone
heard from him for several months. When
he showed up again, he exhibited a guitar
virtuosity that astounded Brown, Patton,
and House. Robert was playing with such
control and inventiveness that somepeople
believed that itmust have come from some
supernatural source. What the boys in
Robinsonville didn't know and Robert
didn't tell them was that, during his ab-
sence, he had been in his birthplace of
Hazelhurst, some 200 miles to the south,
trying to locate his father, but also pains-
takingly perfecting his guitar technique.
He had come under the tutelage of Ike
Zimmerman, a guitarist with a reputation
as an outstanding musician who played inthe melodious East Coast style, rather
than the rougher Delta style that Robert
was used to.
Robert learned everything he could
from Zimmerman, as well as studying the
urbane and sophisticated blues of Scrap-
per -Blackwell, Leroy Carr, and Lonny
Johnson fromphonograph records. Robert
would spend hours in solitary practice,
playing a tune over and over until he had
refined it toperfection. Soon after he came
to Hazelburst, Robert married his second
wife, a woman several years older than
himself named Callie Craft. (Robert's firstwife had died in childbirth when she was
only 16 and Robert was 19.)
The notion ofa mortal trading his souI
toSatan for fortune, fame, or glory was not
new with Robert Johnson, certainly. This
intriguing proposition has been around in
literature and music as long as the devil
himself. Since the blues are considered
the devil's music anyway, other blues
musicians have used the Satan connection
to enhance their reputations. Robert's
mentor, Ike Zimmerman, suggested that
Lucifer was his muse by insisting that he
had learned to play the guitar while sit-
ting on a tombstone in a graveyard at
midnight. Tommy Johnson, another con-
temporary ofRobert's and possibly a dis-
tantrelative, unabashedly claimed tohave
acovenant with Old Scratch, and, ofcourse,
there was the High Sheriff from Hell,
Peetie Wheatstraw, thedevil's son-in-law.
(See "Yesterday's Blues," March 1991.)
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
SEPTEMBER1991
The Kansas City BLUES NEWS is pub-
lished monthly by the Kansas City Blues
SOCiety, Inc. Articles, reviews, band cat-
endar dates, and items of interest must be
submitted by the 20th of each month, and
become the property of the SOCiety.
Founding Editor Roger Naber
Editor Shirley Owens
Contributing Writer/Photographer. Larry Smith
Typesetting/Layout Matt Quinn
Advertising inserts must be received by the
I 5th of each month. For more information
on advertising in the BLUES NEWS, call
737-0713. FAX: (816) 246-6065.
Advertising Rates:1/8 page $20
1/4 page _ $30
1/2 page $60
Full page $ 120
Board of Directors and Officers:
President Roger Naber
Vice-President Jon Lowe
Vice-President Kenny Taylor
Secretary Suzanne Colbert
Treasurer Bernie Pope
Director Patrick Flemington
Director _ Larry Smith
Director.............................. Provine Hatch
Director Monica LarsonDirector John Stuerke
Director Peter Horak
KCBS Chairperson Shirley Qwens
Membership Chairperson Marcie Ryan
The Kansas City Blues Society, a
Missouri not-for-profit corporation was
formed for the sole purpose of promoting
and preserving various styles of blues
music. Founded in December of 1980, the
Kansas City Blues Society presents:
monthly jam sessions, various local and
national groups in concert, and our main
presentation The Kansas City Blues and
Heritage Festival.Members receive the newsletter, dis-
counts on Society events and discounts on
purchases at certain participating busi-
nesses. Annual dues are $ 10 per person or
$ 15 per family and $50 per Corporate
MemberShip. Tojoin the Society send your
name, address, phone number and dues
to: Kansas City Blues Society, P.O. Box
321 31, Kansas City, Missouri 641 11.
For more information,
call 531·7557 or 737·0713.
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EMI Blues Series has released
Albert Collins, The Complete Imperial
Recordings. Collins known as "The Mas-
ter of the Telecaster," "The IceMan, ""The
Houston Twister" and "Razor Blade" be-
gan his recording career in 1958. His new
reissue, a double CD package with inter-
esting liner notes, is the compilation of3
Imperial LPs, Love Can Be Found Any-
where (Even on Guitar), Trash Talkin'
and The Complete Albert Collins. All were
produced beginning in 1969 for Imperial
by blues struck Bill Hite, Canned Heat'slead singer. In 1977, Collins began record-
ing with the Alligator label,
Collins' Imperial recordings gather
material from his early years but for many
today these are like a new Collins sound.
Another reissue CD package is
from Alligator, The Living Chicago Blues
Series, which is 4 CDs released in 1978
and 1980 on vinyl. This Alligator blues
series features living Chicago blues veter-
ans like Pinetop Perkins, Louie Lee, Eddie
Shaw, Magic Slim, Luther "Guitar Jr"
Johnson, Lonnie Brooks, Carey Bell and
Detroit Jr. Each CD is a volume ofreviews
ofeach artist and well worth checking out
with, of course, excellent blues listening.
Blues Review
The Complete Stax/Volt Singles,
1959-1968. Fantasy Records.Asman southern soul Memphis label,
StaxIVolt is over thirty years old. Today,
you can spin out one of the 9 CDs and
It all began in an old neighborhood movie
theater at 926 E. McClemore in Memphis,
Tn. The Stax sound was born and created
what was to be later categorized as 60's
Southern soul.
A few months ago, Fantasy Records,
who bought StaxIVolt in 1977 after Atlan-
tic sold out, has compiled The Complete
Stax/Volt Singles, 1959-1968. It is a 9 CD
package with 244 cuts.
The giants ofsoul, Otis Redding, Rufus
and Carla Thomas, Sam and Dave, Eddie
Floyd, Booker T. & the MGs, Johnnie
Taylor, Albert King, Mable John & the
Mark-Keys, to name a few, were the pio-
neers of the Stax sound.
Accompanying the CDs is a beautiful
63-page booklet which documents and puts
all the pieces together about how it hap-
pened. Stories are revealed about how
songs were written by notably Isaac Hayes
and David Porter. They were in an envi-ronment chock full of talented studio
musicians, such as Steve Cropper, Donald
"Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr., and Booker
T. who made the Stax sound work and
brought it to the forefront of American
music.
catch, reflect and learn a part of history
that still will make you want to twist and
shout.
(Shirley Mae Owens plays the Blues on
KKFI-FM 90.1 on Monday, Wednesday
and Thursday from 4 to5p.m.)
ON SALE NOW!!
Blues Calendar
",,,,n"'," of BluesClaude
Jackson,R a y
Blue, UttleVinson, and
with theTraffic Jam Blues Hour 4-5 pm
and on Tuesdays & Thursdayswith the Breakfast Club
7:30 - 9:00 am
T o t a l
Calendar($8 K C S S m em be rs )
Calendar($10 1 ' I J b I i c )
~~oooo~, __
C h~ payable to 'K CBS ' and Mail to : KCBS Me r ch an d is e D e par tme n t7 94 8 W om all R d., S uite 1 20 5 • Kan s a s City, M O 6 41 14
BLUES NEWS • 3
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NOTES FROM MATTIE & MAE
Dear Blues readers, estmember,gui-
Yup, yup, ya! It's time to kick off those tarist Willy
high heel sneakers (we'll still be Phillips (not his
sneaky ...M&M), loosen up that beehive r e eel
(we're always loose and on the loose) and. name ... M&M) _
let it all hang out! (with the blues in the " had fun checkin'Blues Capital of the World, right here in: out the Mutual
Kansas City ...M&M). • Musicians Foun-
We'll flip us a fish (we'll seal it with a: dation. He will
kiss) and turn us inside out, boy, have we. soon marry his Willy Phillipshad fund partying, dancing, spending cash • girlfriend of ten- _
and talkin' trash. : plus years, the magnificent Chicago-based
First, we want to thank you, baby, for. singer Liz Mandville who introduced
making our cocktail party the best. (You. Willy-to the fabulous wonderful marvel-
were a dream to work with, Rick: ous, too-cool-for-school Bel Airs, Dicky
Starr!!".M&M) • and Davey Pruitt and Pat O'Connor.
• (Faves, faves and faves. Do a fave forHot Gossip: Legendary : us ...M&M.)
Blues Band • Not to be missed (we don't miss
Well, let us tell you, Willie "Big Eyes": anything ...M&M) is the Bel Airs first CD
SmithandCalvin"Fuzzy"Joneshaven't. ever produced by Lou Whitney of the
aged abit since the Blues Brothers movie .• Morrells and Skeletons fame from
Besides playin' the lottery, they played· Springfield, Mo. The name was inspired
them Blues --and how --with the Legend- : by us - "Dangerous Curves." (Hear it on
aryBlues Band at Nigbtmoves. • the Mattie & Mae Blues Hour on
They told us they've put down tracks: Wednesdays from 4 to 5p.m. onKKFI-FM :
with Pinetop Perkins and Hubert. 90.1...M&M) •
Sumlin for the newMuddyWatersTrib-
ute album. Recording over these tracks
with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and
more. More on this later.
After leaving KC, they made tracks
(choo,choo, cha boogie...M&M)to Ichiban
studios in Atlanta to lay more tracks forLegendary Blues Band's next release.
(They promise to release us sometime!
(They've got us
under their
spell ...M&M)
Legendary
Blues Band's
newest and cut-
Blues Happens at ,...Home of the RIlles A ' J I M I I I iM I I I i i _ J ; ; t
~ : : : ~ : l ~ ~ ; ~ ~ ; ~ .niliftlM~452-4393
Monday is Import Night· Texas Tuesday - 24 oz. BeersWednesday is Open Jam Night featuring The 39th St. Blues Band
All Bands Play 9:30 pm - 1:30am"Coldest Beer North of tile Riner" - Lilldsay Shannon
. Thursday is Ladies Night- Live Music- Free Pool-
. Every Wednesday ...The 39th St. Blues Band-
4 • SEPTEMBER 1991
The ever young Zora Young will soo
be recording with Pinetop Perkins, Wil
lie "Big Eyes" Smith, Calvin Jones,
Madison "Meat Counter Swimmer"
Slim and more great stars. (not the one
in our eyes...M&M)Zora knows the Blues
being Howlin' Wolf's cousin. (We're alrelated. Does that relate? ..M&M)
George Meyers, Grand Emporium co
owner, says "I'm only interested in tw
things -- women and minor key Blues.
(Wethought it was Mattie &Mae ...M&M
We were able to take a side trip thi
month (we're always trippin' ...M&M) t
the club Sweetwater in Mill Valley, Ca
There John LeeHooker was performing
• songs off his soon to be released in Sep
tember album, Mr. Lucky. Joining us and
John Lee on stage were Ry Cooder,
Carlos Santana and Albert Collins wh
are on this latest endeavor. Also appear-ing on the new LP will be Van Morrison,
Keith Richards, Robert Cray, Johnnie
Johnson, Johnny Winter, John
Hammond and us doing our famous
backup lip syncing.
Well, folks, that's it for this month
Remember:
UR 2 Good 2 B 4 Gotten.
Love & kisses,
Mattie &Mae
(2 dolls with great personalities)
P.S. Tad, Tad, Tad--comesee us soonand
always buckle up.
P.P.S. We love correspondence and gifts
Send to Mattie &Mae, KCBS, P.O
Box 32131, KCMO 64111.
SEPTEMBER LINE-UPSept. 6 & 7 Little Jimmy King
(Rounder Record Release Party)
September 13 Duke Elephant
September 14 .. Dangerfield McNally
September 29 Cat DaddysSeptember 21 T.B.A.September 27 &28 Eddie Kirkland,
"Mr. Energy Man"
Saturday Afternoon Blues - 3-7 pm
Sept. 7 Little Hatch
Sept. 14 Dan Doran BandSept. 21 Little Hatch
Sept. 28 Dan Doran Band
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SPIRIT FESTBLUES
'91TEN TPAVILION
SOME FEATURED KC PERFORMERS...
Nobody better than Abb Lockeat the Blues Tent withhis Chicago band. 2:30 pm,Sunday. Sept. l.
Back where she belongs on aKC stage. Linda Shell. atthe Spirit Fest. Saturday.August 30. 7:30 pm.
The Dan Doran Band (pictured left to right)Doran (piano/vocals). John Selzer (trumpet). DanaSmith (sax) will jump your blues away at 7:30 pm,Sunday. Sept. 1.
AUGUST 30, 31, SEPTEMBER 1 , 1991BLU ES PA VILIO N IS LOCA TE D SOUTH O F LIBE RTYMEMORIA L & EAST OF THE DRIVE
BIU;~~Booze& ~ ma r b e q u e
September 8 - Noon to ? ~ ~
Rain D ate - O ctober 1 3 ) ~ ,
$6.00 with a eovered dish or
$10without
Tryst Fa lls - 5 1/ 2 m ile s E ast of 1 -3 5 on 92 H wy.Carpoo lI j Po ss ib le
ALL YOU CAN
EAT, DRINK & HEAR5 BANDS • 5 PIGS • 50 K EGS OF BEER
39th Stre e t B lues Band • D an D oran Band
L ittl e H a tc h & t he House r ock e rs
D a ng erfie ld N cN aU y • T he B lu es N otio ns
F or M o re In fo rm atio n C o nta ct K en ny a t 4 52 -8 39 9
7230 W . 75th St . • Overland Park , KS( 913 ) 236 -6211
Ever~ Swn,cet~ -- Blwes J e t ' " 8-12 ...i,cnight
with The Blwes lJotions
'9 1 Blues Calendar
BLUES NEWS. 5
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August 31
Junior We l ls and
John Paul & the Hellhounds
Sep tember 28
Darrell Nulisch & Texas Hea t
~ H ~ ~ M A I N S ~ ) - ) S 0 4
6 • SEPTEMBER 1991
Performance Diary
Blues for EveryoneKind ofa short month, for a number of
reasons. Plus I didn't stray too far from the
lair.
August Z • Nightmoves
Mark Dufre sne 's Bar·B-O H it Parade
A homecoming and class reunion allin one. Dufresne is a Kansas City native
whonowresides in S e -
" ....",," ...." ...." attle. In 1990 he was
voted Seattle's top
harmonica player by
the Washington Blues
Society. He is also a
powerful vocalist with
more than three oc-
taves range.
MUSIC REVIEw Joining Dufresne
By LM. SMITH this night were Rick
............................................."Cardy" Quintero on
guitar, in like Smith on bass and drummerTim Osbarn. Considering they only had
one day of rehearsal they sounded amaz-
ingly good. Quintero's playing had more
fire than I've heard from him oflate. The
setting provided him room to stretch out,
and maybe that made the difference.
Dufresne did some exceptional work
on chromatic harp, something very few
players use. It's a tough axe, but when
used properly changes the sound of the
harp totally.
Dufresne, Quintero and Nightmoves
proprietor Kenny Taylor have known each
other since grade school, which helps to
explain why Quintero and Dufresne
meshed their playing sowell onsuch short
notice.
All in all it was a fun night with some
musical hot spots and a few clunkers. It
was what the blues is supposed to be;
spontaneous, a bit rough and sincere.
August 9 • Crown Center
Dan Doran Band
This little excursion reminded me of
why I dislike going to the Free Friday
Night Concerts at Crown Center.
The sound mix was terrible. Way toomuch drum, not enough vocal, horns a
little weak. Also the set up, which was
designed for headliners Sha Na Na was
not the best. Doran was at an acoustic
piano seton a riser behind the band, facing
about three-quarters away from the audi-
ence.
Still the band sounded pretty good.
They hit a good groove on "Marie Marie."
Trumpeter John Selzer turned in some
nice mute work. Guitarist Bill Dye dis-
played his unerring sense ofcontrol, eve
when he's flailing away at his axe. He als
showed he knows how to use the entire
fretboard. "Party Girl" made me wonde
why Selzer's vocal mike had more volum
than Doran's. At the same time, it was the
first time that Dana Smith's tenor wor
could be heard.They closed out with "Fat GuyWiggle
which drew big crowd response. Dye's sol
was exceptional. He used a flurry ofnote
that actually shaped into a great line. Th
guy is a master of a variety of styles, and
uses them all. Drummer Alan Fishell se
up his solo real well, then developed i
even better. When he's on, Fishell re
minds me ofJoe Morello. This evening h
was on.
I made a quick exit at the end of the
set, because there was someone else I wa
anxious to see.
August 9 • Nightmoves
Legendary Blues Band
In military terminology these guy
would be Band, Blues, Legendary. In thi
case that would be appropriate because
first and foremost this is a band in the
classical sense ofthe word. Itisn't a fron
man, with four other guys. This is a true
Legendary Bluesmen Ileft to right':
Willie -Big Eyes- Smith, Madison
Slim and Calvin -Fuzzy- Jones
ensemble. Five players, four of who take
turns singing lead. Three soloist who share
the duty.
Madison Slim, harp and vocal, has
good voice. He gets most of the solos, sayabout 40%. "Piano" Willy O'Shawny has
wonderful growl of a voice and a banging
piano style. He makes very good use o
dissonance. Guitarist Willy Phillips is the
only non-vocalist in the band. He just
sticks to playing the guitar. Willie "Bi
Eyes" Smith is the drummer/vocalist and
Calvin Jones does bass/vocal duties.
Smith did the vocals on "Hoochi
Coochie Man." He's abitofa shouter. Slim
shouted right back on harp. Jones on "Hip
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Shakin' Mama" displayed his voice well.
Good solos from harp and piano. An al-
most solo from Smith was solid.
Smith is the leaderofthe band, but it's
obvious there is a lot of respect between
the members. That's the only way to have
a complete band like this. Smith and Jones
have been playing together for 20 years,
back to their days with Muddy Waters.
Slim has been with the band about
five years. Piano Willie over a year and
Phillips is the new guy.
"We all love the blues," said Smith.
"We search till everyone finds the groove."
He added, "it's no big deal, but it's hard to
get it right. We try to get to the feeling of
it. The blues tells a story like it is." •
" Y ESTER DA Y'S BLU ES" FR OM PAG E 2
Robert exploited this theme in some of
his songs. "Hell Hound on My Trail," "Me
and the DevilB1ues," and "Crossroad Blues"
eerily imply that the devil is about to
collect his due.
Robert developed other personality
traits during his sojourn south of the
Delta that enhanced his mystique. Heperfected an uncanny ability to recall any
song that he heard - even ifhe had only
beard it once - and then play it back
without a mistake. Other musicians were
mystified by this and could never figure
out how hedid it.After be left Robinsonville
the second time, Robert became the quin-
tessence of a traveling musician. He made
Helena, Arkansas, the capital of Delta
Blues, his home base for the few years left
of his life, but be was constantly on the
move. As a result, he was seen by a lot ofpeople in a lot of different places. In fact,
he moved so rapidly and so often, thatsometimes he seemed to be in different
towns at the same time.
Robert really didn't trust anyone and
rarely spent much time playingwith other
musicians. Ifanyone tried tostudy him too
closely, he would turn away or even stop
playing, walk away, and, perhaps disap-
pear again for months. Johnny Shines was
one musician who Robert seemed to like,
and, inreturn, Johnny idolized Robert and
determined to stick with him in order to
learn all be could. They traveled exten-
sively outside the Delta, through Illinois,
Michigan, on into Canada, and back down
the East Coast. But even on this trip,
Robert would skip out without telling
Johnny where he was going, leaving poor
Johnny to figure out which way to go.
Another young musician that inter-
ested Robert was Robert Lockwood.When
Lockwood was a teenager, Robert John-
son started living with his mother. He
seemed to think of the young Lockwood as
his musical heir and taught him every-
thing he could. Lockwood became so at-
tached to Johnson that be started using
the name, "Robert, Jr."
Another attribute ofRobert Johnson's
was his attraction to women, and, in theend, it proved to be a fatal attraction. One
Saturday night, on August 13, 1938, to be
exact, Robert and Sonny Boy Williamson
were playing a gig in a jook joint near
Greenwood, Mississippi.
Robert became too friendly with the
owner's wife, and the proprietor sent Rob-
ert a drink of whiskey heavily laced with
strychnine. The devil, at last, had col-
lected his due. •
Sources:
1. Oliver, Paul, The Story of the Blues.
Philadelphia: Chilton, 1974.
2. Palmer, Robert, Deep Blues. New York:
Penguin Books, 1982.
[[00 ~Or{/ f i ] 0 r m r m ~ @ I T I D 1 b D m n t b 0
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********** ..C O M P L E T E B A B S E B V I C E ***********B E E R B U C K E T S P E C I I L S . . . P B R a n d L a B a t t ' s
B I K - B - QB L U B SB B B R
Volunteer Report
Thanlls, Part IIThe Kansas City Blues Society spon-
sors many events month we want to
recognize our veteran volunteers and
those who worked hard both days at the
First Blues & Jazz Festival.
Many of our 10th Annual Blues &
Heritage Festival (1990) volunteers
signed up for a second year. We would
like to thank them for their continuing
support: Dorothy Adams, Tom Baker,
Debbie Butterfield, Fred Chatlos, Suzi
Cohen, Chuck Conwell, Cowboy, Walt
Devolt, Susan Dickey, Charles Downs,
Tom Duncan, Robert Eller, Charles
Fertig, Bianca Holcomb, Pat Horton,
Jerry Klukow, Ron Lacy, Leonard Ladd,
Susan Lenox, Dave MacMillian, Scott
Mackey, Kathy and Sonny Marquez,
Fenton Miller, Jeff Miller, Claude Page,
John Richardson, Rocky Scarcello,
Beverly Shaw, Steve Vastbinder, Caro-
lyn Wicker and Jeanna Williams.
Bill Jeffress "rolled out the (trash)barrels" on Friday and that was abigjob.
Cowboy should receive special thanks
for handling parking control both days
(for the second year in a row). It's not a
fun job and hopefully will not be a volun-
teer requirement in the future. Thanks,
Cowboy! Tara Coen and David McBath,
new KCBS members, worked both shifts
both days and also took a turn at parking
control.
Some of our volunteers had so much
fun on Saturday, they came back and
worked again on Sunday, even though
they weren't originally scheduled to.
Among them: Larry, Luanne and Terry
Reichard, Sheila Esckilsen, Susan Lenox,
John Edgerton, Steve Vastbinder and
Todd Vance.
We also had a group of volunteers
who committed themselves towork both
days, some of them several months be-
fore the event. These are the people who
become the backbone of events like the
Blues &Jazz Festival. Many ofthem are
two-year veterans and deserve special
thanks. Among them are: Bennie Bush,
Tara Coen, Fred Chatlos, Walt Devolt,
Carla Drum, TomEdmonds, Dale Groom,
David Handley, Bianca Holcomb, CarolJones, Dave MacMillian, David McBath,
Fenton Miller, Michael Morgan, John &Cecilia Munn, Fay Ozoh, Shirley Parks,
Randy Robinson, Carlin Smith, Elaine
Ulrich, Clara Ulrich, Jeanna Williams,
Sterling Webster-Bey, Dee Zweygardt.
Once again, we hope we haven't
forgotten tomention anyone who worked
hard at the festival. Thanks, againl
- M ARC IE R YAN
BLUES NEWS • 7
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TATTOORENDEZVOUS
O ctober 25· 26 • 27S1.00 P e r P e rs o n . P e r Day
Fri. 12 - 12, Sa l 1 2 -12. Sun. 12 - 10
H E L D A TT A no O IS T S f R O M A R O U ND T H E C O U N T R Y
Ro,. 80,. U 0._ \"
Sailor No.e. (
~dWoR~ lRudy S·"II· r
.......rt_ of -... Im : ~ c ~ ~ ~ : ; ~ ~ ~ · r e nt:
Hilton Airport iPlaza Inn I,
8801 N.W. 1121h. K.C. MO i
(1-29) i~
I Tattoo' Contest. Lectures & Videos for Regis,tered Guests i i i l l M j
U k ' : " : " , : : : " ' : ' , , : : : : : ",w:;'::;'(":":'¥':::"":"A~::";:'ki";'ilii:x:ni!§;;:iij':,"i'}t':',::%Htx::vc
BLUES BAND EACH NITEBLUES NOTIONS DAN DORAN BAND
For Info. Registration forms, etc .. write or call . ..
Il~~'millii~ __ 'm~
IEAST COAS'T II AL'S ~J
11507 Central Ave., Kansas City, KSI,~ Qll-.321-1214··'J~~:m1~~~:t~jWl:t~JU'f!i~fmll~~~:~~~~~t!'f!tli
1.-----------------MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
ANNUAL DUES:
Single -- $10.00Family -- $15.00
NAMEADDR~ __
CITY/~ATEIZIP _
TELEPHONE:
DATE: _
Send Check or Money Order to:KANSAS CITY BLUES SOCIETY
P.O. Box 32131 • Kansas City • Missouri • 64111
-----------------~
8 • SEPTEMBER1991
N BLUES NOTES· FROM PAGE I
midnight on Saturday, 8/31 and Sunday, 9/1. If yo
are available, please call Shirley Owens, 737-0713 o
Kenny Taylor, 452-4393. Come Join the fun and goo
blues over Labor Day weekend. Let It roll at Spirit Fes
'91.
Have you experienced the Blues on water? Only o
the Kansas City Blues Society's Blues Cruise will yo
have this extraordinary adventure. The Missouri Rive
Queen will be roiling down the river by Blues power
when UI Ed&the Blues Imperials and The Blues Notions
put the paddle wheel Into a natural spin. KCBS' las
Blues Cruise of '91 Is on Wednesday, September 25
TIckets are now on sale at Nlghtmoves, Grand Emp~
rlum and TIcketmaster. Remember If you are hooked o
. the Blues, you need to crulsel
September 12, the second Thursday of the month, I
KCBS' regular monthly Blues Jam Is stili roiling along
at the Grand Emporium. September's Blues Jam wil
be hosted by the fabulous 39th St. Blues Band. Thes
guys did the awesome Jobof backing up the Kansas Cit
Blues women trio at the '91 Blues & Jazz Fest. A
general KCBS' membership meeting will precede the
Blues Jam at 8:30 p.m.
As we go to press the Blues Notions are getting read
to hit the road to Memphis where they will compete I
the National Blues Talent Contest. Before they roll ou
of town, be sure to see them off at the Blues Tent fo
the Spirit Fest on Friday, August 30, 7 p.m. KCBS
wishes them all the best and a safe trlpl
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I(C BLUES JAMS
SUNDAY JAMS • JAMS - Bring your instruments• Epicurean Lounge & Restaurant, 7502 Troost. 333-8383
• H & M Barbecue, 1715 N. 13th, KansasCity, Ks .
• JCs, Truman Rd. & Jackson, 241-9030, The Blues Thunder Band, 7:30p.m.
• The Roxy, 7230 W. 75th Street . 236-6211, featuringThe Blues Notions, 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. (see advert.]
MONDAY JAMS• Blayney's, 415 Westport Road, 561-3747, 10p.m.
• Hurricane, 4048 Broadway, 753-0884, KCBlues Band, 10 pm-2 am
TUESDAY JAMS• Blayney's, 415 Westport Road, 561-3747, The 39th St. Blues Band
• The Levee, 43rd & Main, 561-2821,Sonny Kenner Blues Band, 8:30-12:30 pm
• The Point. 917 West 44th, 531-9800, Lonnie RayBlues Band,9 pm-l:00 am
WEDNESDAY JAMS• The Levee, 43rd & Main, 561-2821, The 1234 Band, 8:30-12:30 pm
• Nightmoves, 5110 NEVivion Rd, 452-4393, The 39th St. Blues Band,8-12 pm
THURSDAY JAMS• The Tuba, 333 Southwest Blvd at Broadway, 471-6510, KCBottoms Band,
9:00 pm
SATURDAY JAMS• Chateau Lounge, 5934 Prospect, 523-9333, The Freeze, 3 - 8 p.m.
• Grand Emporium (seeadvert. ], 3832 Main, 531-7557,Gilbert 's Saturday Blues Party, 4-7 pm
• Hartings Upstairs, 3941Main, 531-0303, Diana Ray& RichVan Sant. 2-6 pm• H & M Barbecue, 1715 N. 13th, Kansas City, Ks , Abb Locke, 10 pm
• Me's Lounge, 5709 Troost, 363-9376, Saturday & Sunday, The Goucho
Band, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
OTHER CLUBSQ Birdland, 1600 E. 19th, 842-8463
Q City l ight Jazz Club, 4749 Pennsylvania, Blue Monday jam 8 pm - midn.
Q Eblon's, 1601 E. 18th Street, 221-6612
Q The Fabulous Inferno Show Lounge, 4038 Troost Avenue, 931-4000,Sonny Kenner· 5 BluesBand
Q Grand Emporium,Fridays-little Hatch's Houseparty, 6-8p.m.
Q Jimmy's Jigger 1823 W. 39th St, 753-2444
Q Kiki's Bonton Maison, 1515 Westport Road, 931-9417
Q Patches, 3041 Main, 931-2711
Q The Phoenix, 302 W. 8th Street, 472-0001
Q Quaff Buffet &Saloon, 10I0 Broadway, 471-1918
Q Roxy, 7230 W. 75th St.,Overland Park. Ks., 236-6211
Q Strouds Restaurant. 454-9600, 333-2132, featuring Roy Searcy
Q uprown-oown & Dirty, 6508 Martway, Mission, Ks . 236-4300
Q Wither's Place. 110 I E.31st Street. 942-6379
BLUES FESTIVALS
September 7
WaShington, DC Blues Festival,
Langdon Park N.E., D.C., noon to 7 p.m.
September 14-15
19th Annual San Francisco Blues Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 pm
September 20, 21, 22
Sacramento Blues Festival, (916) 683-1709.
September 21
Mississippi Delta Blues Festival, Greenville, Ms., (601) 335-
3523.
September 27 & 28
Bull Durham Blues Fest, (800) 772-BULL.
October 11-1 2
King Biscuit Blues Festival.
October 13
WC Handy Awards, Memphis, Tn.
BLUES RADIOKANU-FM 9t.5
Saturday
KCUR~M 89.J
Friday
8 p.m. - "Blues in the Night-with Kyle Neuer
Saturday
8 p.m. "Blues Stage-
9 p.m. "Friday Fish Fry" with Chuck Haddock
8 p.m. "Saturday Night Fish Fry" Chuck Haddock
12 Midnight "Lonesome Pine Special "
4:00 p.m. - "Traffic Jam" Blues Hour
7:30 a.m. - "Breakfast Club" with Dave Creighton
4:00 pm - -Mattie & Mae" Blues Hour
7:30 a.m. - "Breakfast Club" with Dave Creighton
Sunday 7 p.m. - "Kansas City Blues Show"
with l indsay Shannon
Monday.fri. 12 noon "Lunch at the Oldies"
Sat. - 3 p.m. "Blues for Two" with J.S. Marshall
Daily
KKFI-FM 90. t
Daily
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
KCFX~M tOt
KPRHM tOJ.J
KCXL-AM
KIDZ-AM 15to
PERFORMERS LISTING
IIAI'lIDS Sam Johnson and Company ... .. .. .
Alaadeen & the Deans of Swing... .. 621-2896
. ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... 831-4396 Sandy Brown Quartet 523-7365
City light Jazz Ensemb1e756-2697 Steve Mil ler Orchestra 722-0887
Coco & Dan Lee 561-2623 The 39th St. Band .
Dirty Sparks 829-4951 421-2861 • 363-5080
Fast Johnny 796-2742 The Blues Notions ..
Fiermon and the Kings of Jazz 333-4697 • 262-4656
................................... 923-2812 The Dan Doran Band ..
FrankSmithTrio 339-6698 531-1589· 341-1076
J.R.'S Jazz Brokers 923-7181 The linda Shell Band 765-3556
Jazz Plus 921-5854 The New KC Seven 765-0397
Joe Cartwright Trio 756-2697 Tommy Ruskin Trio 432-6885
John Paul & the Hellhounds ........ Vince Bilardo & Friends 49 I -327 I
.. ..... ..... .... 432-0867 • 83 I -4578 .Bilu
Julie Turner Group 423-6885 Dave Williams 756-0481KC Blues Band 252-2096
KC Bottoms Band ......... 753-2470 Ik!.unIlittle Hatch & the Houserockers... David Basse 56 I -2489
.. 86 I -3 103 Marl< Gilmore 53 I -3876
Lori Tucker &Shining l ight ... ..... . .GY . i Im :
................................... 765-0640 Allen Blasco 829-495 I
Mahogany 363-6 I 73 Glen Patrik 361-2160
Mama Ray & the Rich Van Sant Band Ron Singlton 625-7880
................ 420-0093 • 648-2432 Krell Stinner 444-8266
Max Groove 756-3725
Mike Ning Trio 436-03 I 8
Milleage Gilbert Band 321-7955
Millie Edwards & the Hit and Run
Band ... ..... 523-9024 • 753-3536
Milt Abel Trio 333- I 212
MMF Big Band 42 I -9297
Modern Times 677-3763
New Riddem 333-7444
QriginalLegends of Jazz62 I -2896
Rhythm Kings 841-14 15
Rich Hill & the Riffs 363-382 I
Ronnell Bright Orchestra. 561-21 40
HiI rJlJoe Colbert 452-425 I
Saxophone
Bill Caldwell 756-28 12
Dwight Foster 32 I -6504
Y2CAIILC. (Speedy} Huggins .. 56 I -93 I I
Jim Laforte 241-0808
Rich Robben 942-5803
"Cotton Candy" WaShington .. ....
................................... 924-6763
September 5 - Sunnyland Slim (I 907); 7 - Uttle Milton
(1934); 8 - Guitar Shorty (I 947); 13 - Charles Brown
(1922); Lurie Bell (1958); 15 - Snooky Pryor (1921); 16-
B.B. King (1925); 18 - Louis Myers (1929); 23 - Ray
Charles (1932), Fenton Robinson (I 935); 24 - Chick
Willis (1934); 25 - Booba Barnes (1936); 28 - Koko
Taylor (1935), CJ. Chenier (1957).
BLUES NEW S • 9
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