Blues Roadhouse

Russ Green — “Stone Cold” — Overton Music

Singer, songwriter and harmonica wizard Russ Green was born and raised in Chicago, but his life took a long and winding path before he found himself on the blues highway – and eventually back in Chicago.

As a Jimi Hendrix fan, a desire to create music had followed him through his studies and and successful work in the film industry. As a student, however, the cost of a guitar had limited Green to making music with the harmonica that he already owned.

That turned out to be more than enough. A blues life was born, nourished by returning to Chi-Town and working with harp players Sugar Blue, (“the Jimi Hendrix of the blues harp”) and Billy Branch.

Green is still following that path with the release of “Stone Cold,” the followup to his acclaimed 2018 debut, “City Soul,” named by DownBeat as one of the best blues albums of that year. His latest album displays Green’s maturity as a songwriter, his expressive vocals and the raw power of his harp work. Backing Green on the album are Giles Corey and Vince Agwada on guitar, Vic Jackson on bass, Felix “D Kat” Pollard on drums and Joe Munroe on keys.

“Stone Cold” is tightly coiled around Green’s razor-sharp harp, delivered with soul-rich vocals filled with inventive lyrical imagery. “I also wanted to write songs that people can think about, can have an emotional and/or intellectual connection to,” Green says.

“Lint Redux” cracks open the session with a fiery harp that soars throughout this hard-luck tale: “Nothin’ but lint in my pocket / It’s more than I can stand / That lint got so lonely, it’s gone and left me too.” “Stone Cold” rolls in on a boiling organ and a soulful vocal bemoaning his stone cold woman: “I went down to the river to see what I could see / I heard my baby tell the preacher man that she loves everybody but me.” “12 Feet of Water” opens with an orchestral vibe around a lengthy harp moan introducing a tale with mystical overtones: “There’s 12 feet of water in her living room / She called 911 and there’s nothing they can do / ‘Cause you know the rest of the house is just bone dry.”

“Hey Man” is a funky slice of tough life punctuated by high-caliber harp: “Got yourself a gun and became the stickup kid / Hey man look what you done / Got yourself a gun and now you’re on the run.” “Waitin’ On You” is a gently sung, easily swung tale of frustrated love: “You told me you love me, you love me so damn hard / All you wanted was my brand new credit card.”

“Nobody Knows” is an easy-rolling blues love poem with melodic guitar and harp interplay: “Nobody knows the story about me and my baby / The truth is they don’t have a clue / About the sweet love between me and you.” “Need You So Bad” cooks with percussion and jazz-like harp work in a plea for love: “I try to play it cool, but I am just your fool / Your wish is my command, nothing I can do.” “I Believe” opens with a mournful harp intro to a soulful vocal pleading for renewed love: “I gotta believe that I will see you again / I gotta believe that I will love you once more.” “Troubled World” is a traditional shuffle working hard for the blues life: “You gotta live, live the life you love / You gotta love, love the life you live / Cause that’s what you do when you live in the blues.”

The closer is the hard-driving “Boogie Joint” with a wickedly furious harp workout paying tribute to the blues, wherever it was played: “Thinking about how blues used to be / Seven nights a week and all night long.”

Russ Green may have taken a while to travel that long and winding path to the blues highway, but once he got there, the results are perfectly Stone Cold!

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Here’s a recent interview with Green by Michel Limnios of BluesGr:

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“Lint Redux” from the album:

Tracklist:

1 Lint Redux 6:38
2 Stone Cold 4:08
3 12 Feet Of Water 5:35
4 Hey Man 3:39
5 Waitin’ On You 4:41
6 Nobody Knows 4:41
7 Need You So Bad 5:21
8 I Believe 6:12
9 Troubled World 5:27
10 Boogie Joint 3:39

Carmen Ratti Band with Jill Dineen — “Come to Me” — MoMojo Records

The Carmen Ratti Band with Jill Deneen is a powerhouse blues and roots outfit from Northern California, with Ratti’s strong guitar work and Deneen’s soulful vocals creating a passionate framework for their latest album, “Come to Me.”

“This record mirrors the roots of blues while incorporating soul, gospel, rock blues and funk. These textures honor our influences and show up in many different ways throughout the album,” Ratti says.

“Come to Me” is a follow to the band’s 2021’s debut album, “The Road Back,” both produced by Kid Andersen’s increasing fabulous Greaseland Studios. The band was also a winner of the 2023 Golden Gate Blues Society International Blues Challenge.

The musical textures that Ratti talks about show up in the rootsy variety of the 11 original tracks (including two versions of the title track), all with Ratti or Deneen’s name on them.

The opener, “No Delusion,” is a funky blues by Dineen that introduces her soaring vocal style, with Ratti’s tough guitar and Tony Lufrano’s driving piano powering it all along. “Get In Line” rocks out next, another vocal showcase.

The title track, by Ratti and Dineen, is a gorgeous effort, a haunting melody overlaid with Dineen’s torchy vocal and ethereal background vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen. The song is reprised as the album closer, adding two more minutes of its pure enchantment.

Lufrano’s roiling organ licks kick off the chunky rhythms of “I Can See,” with a trenchant observation: “Open up my eyes, scroll through the news / “Looks like you’ve been messin’ round anyone with shoes.” Ratti’s haunting guitar powers the instrumental “Riley,” giving every note the space it needs to breathe its essence, while Lufrano adds elegant solos on both organ and piano.

“Blessing in the Blues” is a gospel-soaked slow blues masterpiece, drenched in gorgeous guitar and elevated by Dineen’s passionate vocal. Dineen keeps pushing higher on the foot-stomping “Coming Down,” highlighted by another wicked organ solo. “About You” features Ratti on his one vocal appearance, “Uncle Joe” is a bright and jazzy guitar-driven instrumental and Dineen’s take on her own “Pretty Good Man” is a scorching, bump-and-grind throwback with Dineen’s hard-to-resist demand for just one good man. The closer is that longer version of “Come to Me,” that adds even more depth and power to its anthemic plea.

“Come to Me” is an excellent album all around — from thoughtful songwriting from Carmen Ratti and Jill Deneen to the band’s musical sharpness elevating the power and passion of Dineens’ vocals. They can keep their hearts in San Francisco, but their music needs to be everywhere!

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Here’s “Get in Line” from the album:

Tracklist:
1. No Delusion – 3:59 (Jill Dineen)
2. Get In Line – 4:29 (David Fulford & Jill Dineen)
3. Come to Me – 4:49 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)
4. I Can See – 3:52 (Jill Dineen)
5. Riley – 5:54 (Carmen Ratti)
6. Blessing in the Blues – 4:50 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)
7. Coming Down – 5:50 (Carmen Ratti)
8. About You – 4:54 (Carmen Ratti)
9. Uncle Joe – 4:03 (Carmen Ratti)
10. Pretty Good Man – 4:06 (Jill Dineen)
11. Come to Me ~ Extended Version – 6:58 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)

Musicians:
Carmen Ratti – Guitar, Vocals
Jill Dineen – Vocals
Tony “Macaroni” Lufrano – Organ, Piano Background Vocals on Coming Down
Steve Hazlewood – Bass
Randy Hayes – Drums
Lisa Leuschner Andersen — Background Vocals on Come to Me
Recorded – Mixed – Mastered – Produced by Christoffer Lund Andersen Greaseland Studios USA

The Rev. Freakchild — “Blues & Spirituals” / “Hymn Hustler” — Treated And Released Records

The spiritual and musical enigma that is the Rev. Freakchild continues to live among us, despite two self-penned “obituaries” written as album liner notes that tried without success to unplug the good Reverend.

Most recently he proclaimed his demise on his 2025 release, A Bluesman of Sorts. Indeed, his website proclaims one of his alternate realities as “The Artist formerly known as Reverend Freakchild.”

However, the Rev has chosen to reincarnate, bringing with him the first two albums of his recording career, remastered, digitized and humanized as a double album. Blues & Spirituals from 2001 and Hymn Hustler from 2003 combine to display two sides of Freakchild’s early musical personas. The results, he says, “will soothe your sorrows, and his country blues and soul-folk grooves will heal your hurting.” No word, though, about the hole in your soul.

On Blues & Spirituals, he offers an acoustic set with just guitar and harmonica, a troubadour blending traditional songs with his own soulful creations. The liner notes are not as traditional, quoting from Søren Kierkegaard, known as the first existentialist philosopher.

The first track is the traditional Jesus On the Mainline, an eloquent blues-gospel song, beautifully picked and sung. Lose these Blues is a gently swung original: “I feel like a lost feather off an angel’s wing / so Lord, won’t you please, help me, lose these blues.” Mo’ Betta Blues dips into Greek mythology for a modern ode to love: “Gonna let the love open the door, gonna make it mo’ betta, gotta make the blues mo’ betta.” Blues for No One is a swinging jazz instrumental, followed by a gorgeous rendition of another traditional gospel song, True Religion.

The Rev gives equally reverential treatment to Billie Holiday’s classic God Bless the Child. The original Rollin’ On is filled with folk overtones and harp filigrees around its contemplative thoughts: “Now you try to let it go, that love that is no longer, / No comfort, only reassurance, at the absence of God.” Cheeba-Cheeba is a whimsical sampling of lyrics from Schooly D, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan and the 23rd Psalm – and somehow makes perfect sense. Yer Blues is a slightly softer musical version of the John Lennon track from The Beatles White Album, while keeping its dark theme: “Yes I’m lonely, want to die.” Willin’ is a lovely take on a gentle folk song from Lowell George.

The Hymn Hustler tracks reveal a tougher side to the Rev’s music, with a little help from his friends. There’s some evil slide guitar, traditional blues, more mature original writing and trippy psychedelia sounds from the windmills of the Rev’s mind.

It begins with the starkly beautiful Delta blues classic, Rollin’ and Tumblin, now traditional, but first recorded by Hambone Willie Newbern in 1929. The Rev fires up a wicked slide for his fiery version. He continues with In My Time of Dying, a traditional gospel song. The very original Supersubconscious Mind follows, a deeply introspective journey: “Just wading in the waters, of my Supersubconcious smoked mind / Careful not to disturb the universe, or let the devils waste my time.” Strange Magic is another inner mystery tour with psychedelic leanings: “Now you’re probably mellowing down easy / but it seems I’m still haunted by that strange magic.” Hawaiian Cowboy Lost in NYC is a unique original that pulls together the unlikely pairing of a gorgeous lap steel and traffic noise that all plays out its title. Search My Heart is an expertly picked and fiercely sung cover of this Rev. Gary Davis gospel song.

A Day Late and $ Short is an upbeat shuffle to every bluesman’s lament: “Well, I went down to the doctor, they said I was a day late / So, I went to get a drink, but the cash wouldn’t resonate.” WW3 Blues is another montage filled with mysterious voices, persistent percussion and lyrics from Dylan, Peter Tosh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Don’t Miss Nothing is a bluesy folk original with stunning guitar behind lyrics that speak of a blood red moon and boiling seas but evolve to an earthier blues complaint: “Ya don’t miss your water ‘til the well runs dry, Ya I say, don’t miss nothing ‘til it’s gone. / Missed my baby, miss her all night long.” The closer is Memento Mori, a Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die,” a polyglot of sounds and snippets that conclude the album in a style best described as pure Freakchild.

The good Reverend’s spiritual side stems from his Buddhist beliefs. But for all of his other-worldliness, he’s a righteous singer, songwriter and guitarist. With Blues & Spirituals and Hymn Hustler, you can hear Rev explore his mind and expand your own. It seems as though the Freakchild may actually live long and prosper!

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Here’s the Rev’s version of “Yer Blues”:

Tracklists:

Blues & Spirituals
01-Jesus on the Mainline
02-Lose these Blues
03-Mo’ Better Blues
04-Blues for No One
05-Pure Religion
06-God Bless the Child
07-Rollin’ On
08-Cheeba-Cheeba
09-Yer Blues
10-Willin’
All Songs written by the Rev. Freakchild except: Jesus on the Mainline & Pure Religion → (Traditional) / God Bless the Child (Holiday/Herzog) / Cheeba-Cheeba contains lyric content by (Schooly D, Bo Diddley, Robert Zimmerman and the 23rd Psalm) / Yer Blues (Lennon/McCartney) / Willin’ (L. George)

Hymn Hustler
11-Rollin’ and Tumblin’
12-In My Time of Dying
13-Supersubconscious Mind
14-Strange Magic
15-Hawaiian Cowboy Lost in NYC
16-Search My Heart
17-A Day Late and $ Short
18-World War 3 Blues
19-Don’t Miss Nothin’
20-Memento Mori
All Songs Written by the Reverend Freakchild except: Rollin’ and Tumblin’ → In my Time of Dying (Traditional) Search My Heart (Rev. Gary Davis) / WW3 Blues contains lyric content by (Robert Zimmerman, Peter Tosh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Living Blues Magazine has opened the voting for its 33rd annual Living Blues Awards.

Voting is open until June 15, 2026. Everyone is eligible to vote, with no subscription or membership required. There are nominees in each category, but you can write in your own choice as well.

Go here to vote.

Taj Mahal — “Time” — Thirty Tigers

Taj Mahal’s timeless music has a new home in his latest album release, “Time.”

Its timelessness is emphasized by the fact that this sparkling session was recorded in 2010, when it reignited that spark of great music generated by Mahal’s work with the Phantom Blues Band, their first pairing since 2008’s “Maestro.”

The five-time Grammy winner has an uncanny ability to incorporate blues into the other worldly rhythms of brightly colored reggae, Caribbean and Latin influences, while still keeping the faith with blues, R&B and soul music.

That zesty musical blend is on full display in “Time,” a collection of songs that flow effortlessly from one genre to the next, all held together by the Phantoms — featuring Johnny Lee Schell, Tony Braunagel, and Larry Fulcher, alongside Jon Cleary, Mick Weaver, and a crackling horn section led by Joe Sublett and Les Lovitt — and by Mahal’s majestic growl of a voice.

The title track here is a previously unreleased song written by the late Bill Withers. “Time” was discovered as an early Withers demo and even turned into the futuristic album cover art. It’s a gorgeous song, with a gentle acoustic intro, treated to a reverential Mahal vocal with soulful background vocals. The refrain, “Time will see you through,” sends a hopeful message.

Elsewhere, the album opens with “Life of Love,” a rhythmic celebration of a “soulful stew” of musical influences and love itself. “Wild About My Lovin’” adds an island beat to the fun. “Crazy About A Jukebox” is tasty R&B fun, listing songs and artists dipping back into the 1950s for a romp through great old music. “You Put the Whammy On Me,” gets a little funky, while “Talkin’ Blues” is a duet with Bob Marley’s son, David “Ziggy” Marley.

The Otis Redding track, “Sweet Lorene,” gets Mahal’s soul pipes shouting before turning to the haunting blues ballad “Ask Me ’Bout Nothing (But the Blues),” written for Bobby ‘Blue” Bland, who recorded the song in 1969. “It’s Your Voodoo Working” offers a horn-fueled take on the traditional mojoj/voodoo/conjurer blues theme.

The lively closer is “Rowdy Blues,” a rollicking old-time blend of blues and jazz with Leary’s barrel-house piano driving behind Mahal’s gritty vocal. The song itself is one of two surviving records by the little-known Delta bluesman Kid Bailey. It’s a fitting finale with its emphasis on the classic blues that’s been one of Mahal’s main driving wheels since his first guitar lessons from Lynwood Perry, the nephew of bluesman Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup.

Ruthie Foster’s liner notes for “Time” are worth a note here as well: “Taj Mahal’s fearless, open-hearted spirit still shadows the whole thing with that genre-hopping joy. He leads you down the road with a history lesson, and the Phantoms carry it with honor to the Griot.”

In the end, the music of “Time” may be16 years old, but that joyful essence is very much alive right now. It’s a must for anyone’s Taj Mahal collection.

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It’s worth mentioning (especially since I missed it the first time around) that Mahal’s previous album, the outstanding 2024 “Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa” won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. It’s a terrific concert of classic blues styles.

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Here’s “Time” from the album:

Tracklist:
Life of Love — 3:36
Wild About My Lovin’ — 5:43
Crazy About a Jukebox — 4:00
Time — 3:41
You Put the Whammy on Me — 3:18
Talkin’ Blues — 4:36
Sweet Lorene — 2:59
Ask Me ’Bout Nothing (But the Blues) — 4:08 p
It’s Your Voodoo Working — 3:15
Rowdy Blues — 4:20

Musicians:
Taj Mahal — lead vocals, acoustic guitar, ukelele, harmonica
Johnny Lee Schell — electric guitar, backing vocals
Tony Braunagel — drums, percussion
Larry Fulcher — bass, backing vocals
Jon Cleary — keyboards
Mick Weaver — keyboards
Joe Sublett — tenor saxophone
Les Lovitt — trumpet
Ziggy Marley — guest vocals on “Talkin’ Blues”

Billy Price — “Random Madness” — Get Hip Records

For decades, Billy Price has been nurturing the classic soul music that has inspired his own career, filtering the work of its innovators through his own musical sensibilities.

And the Pittsburgh-based singer has done it extremely well, performing regionally, nationally and internationally, with 21 albums, CDs and DVDs to his credit. He’s been a Pittsburgh blues and soul icon for the past half-century.

Price’s album “This Time for Real,” with Chicago soul singer Otis Clay, received a 2016 Blues Music Award for best soul blues album. He was nominated 11 times for BMAs between 2019 and 2025 and won the 2024 Bluebird Reviews Lifetime Career Award in the U.K. His most recent recording, “Person of Interest,” was nominated for 2025 BMAs for Soul Blues Album and Album of the Year.

But in the past ten years or so, Price seems to have taken to heart a question posed by one of those soulmen whose work he has performed with considerable style: “Can I Change My Mind,” recorded by soul singer Tyrone Davis in 1968, and later covered by Price in an album with that title. The most recent answer to that question is his latest album, the smoothly soulful and deeply personal vitality of “Random Madness.”

Price, always an articulate spokesman for his music, explains the shift in his music in a recent interview with Michael Limnios on his Blues Gr blog: “It wasn’t until late in my career—sometime in the new millennium—that I started working earnestly on songwriting, and as time has passed, the music I’ve created and presented has begun to evolve beyond imitative conventions of blues and soul toward something more personal and idiosyncratic.”

In other words, his soul, his music.

Price says that the success of his previous album, “Person of Interest,“ motivated him to “continue developing my songwriting, largely with my longtime writing partner Jim Britton, keyboard player in the Billy Price Band.” Price is co-writer of all 11 tracks on “Madness.”

Joining Price to make this music are his long-time band: Dave Dodd (drums), Tom Valentine (bass), Ian Arthurs (guitar), Jim Britton (keyboards), Eric Spaulding (sax), and Joe Herndon (trumpet). Joining that core group are Steve Delach (guitar), album producer Tony Braunagel (drums), Reggie Watkins (trumpet), Sean Jones (trumpet) and Delana Flowers, Willa Katy Cotten and Carmen Miller (background vocals).

In that Limnios interview, Price says: “I allowed myself and the band to stretch beyond the musical and lyrical constraints of the styles in which we have typically worked, and I expect that there will be some number of listeners whose expectations will be jarred by this recording. At the same time, I am as proud of this album as of anything I’ve ever done before.

“The songs on “Random Madness,” from lighthearted to confessional to serious, are the most personal of my career and the natural evolution of what Tony (Braunagel) and I started with “Person of Interest.,” Price says.

This “Madness” music should only be jarring to listeners in the sense that it’s Price at his apex — the use of the veteran Billy Price Band, the smart, articulate songwriting, and Price’s smoothly mature and soulful vocals combine to lift the album into rarified soul ranks. Recording the session at The Vault studio in Pittsburgh helped to keep everything grounded. “It was important to me to be able to work at home with the band I’ve been playing with for decades, Price says.

Those horns that he’s used for decades to establish the Billy Price sound kick off the first album track, the bright, R&B flavored “I Was A Fool,” with its apologetic lyric: “Good intentions die at the gates of Hell / My epitaph will be, “He thought he meant well.” The first taste of background vocals from Delana Flowers, Willa Katy Cotten and Carmen Miller is delicious, promising good things ahead.

“I Got That Dog in Me” is a funky warning about short-tempered ways: “I’m always sniffin’, I’m always on guard, yeah I’m looking for a poodle in every backyard.” “Hungry Ghost,” is a rhythmic lament on unrequited love. “I Said What I Said” highlights a funky groove, and “Curiosity” is a wistful refrain: “What is it you’re after, what is it you’re trying to see? / Oh, if I knew the answer, you’d be the first to know / What you see is what get, I’m not putting on a show.”

“Rent Free” is a jazz-inflected highlight, with its effervescent music a counterpoint to its melancholy memories of lost love: “In the years since we parted / I never think about what used to be /I have no regrets, canceled all the debts / But you’re still living in my mind rent free.”

“Creature of Habit” is a defiantly upbeat defense of his personal defects: “You won’t find people skills on my resumé / And with a creature of habit / Bad habits don’t go away.” A spoken-word warning and lyrical guitar lines add to the mood. “Exit Strategy” struts out offering good advice: “When you’re up against the wall / Your hands will not be tied / If you have an exit strategy.”

“Dirty Knee Revelation” is a soulful, gospel-drenched quest for meaning, with gorgeous background vocals: “Burned all my bridges, ran out of hope / Searching for an answer at the end of my rope.” The background vocals.” There’s a hint of Latin rhythms on “Stickers On My Suitcase,” with its invitation to explore: “So if you’re up for an adventure / I’ve had my share / My offer’s on the table / Try me if you dare / Stickers on my suitcase, oh baby / We can get them anywhere.”

The anthemic title song, “Random Madness” opens with a hot blues spark from trumpet great Sean Jones and then leans into its aching refrain: “Tomorrow’s loss, yesterday’s gain / Equal measures of pleasure and pain / When the noise dies down, all that remains / Is random madness.”

Billy Price has been shaping his life in soul music for a large chunk of his 76 years. “Random Madness” is the eloquent result, with its always-soulful groove and its slyly perceptive lyrical insights.

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Here’s an excellent recent interview with Price by Michael Limnios at Blues Gr.

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Here’s the video of “I Was A Fool” from the album:

Tracklist: 

1. I Was a Fool – Billy Price, Jim Britton (3:24)  
2. I Got That Dog in Me – Billy Price, Jim Brit (4:18)
3. Hungry Ghost – Billy Price, Jim Britton, Tony Braunagel (4:45)  
4. I Said What I Said – Billy Price, Jim Britton (4:40)  
5. Curiosity – Billy Price, Jon Tiven, Sally Tiven, Tony Braunagel (4:05)  
6. Rent Free – Billy Price, Jim Britton (3:38)  
7. Creature of Habit – Billy Price, Jim Britton (3:33)  
8. Exit Strategy – Billy Price, Fred Chapellier, Tony Braunagel  
9. Dirty Knee Revelation – Billy Price, Jim Britton, Jackie Ondrik (5:04)  
10. Stickers on My Suitcase – Billy Price, Jim Britton (4:33)  
11. Random Madness – Billy Price, Jim Britton (4:44)  

Musicians:
Tom Valentine – bass
Dave Dodd – drums
Jim Britton – keyboards
Ian Arthurs – guitar
Eric Spaulding – saxophone
Joe Herndon – trumpet
Tony Braunagel – drums
Steve Delach – guitar
Reggie Watkins – trombone
Sean Jones – trumpet
Background vocals — Delana Flowers, Willa Katy Cotten, Carmen Miller

The 2026 Blues Music Awards were announced at ceremonies May 7 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in Memphis. Here’s a list of all the nominees, with winners in bold.

The BMAs are generally recognized as the highest honor given to blues musicians and are awarded by vote of Blues Foundation members.

The Blues Foundation also announced new inductees into the Blues Hall of Fame: Kenny Neal, Bob “Steady Rollin’” Margolin, Henry “Ragtime Texas” Thomas, Rosco Gordon, Barbara Lynn and Marcia Ball. (Read about the inductees here.)

Acoustic Blues Album

• Catfish Keith — Sugar for Sugar – Vol. 1 2025 Summer Sessions
• Doug MacLeod — Between Somewhere and Goodbye
• Erin Harpe — Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt
• Hudspeth & Taylor — Kimuziki Live in Des Moines
• Johnny Iguana — At Delmark

Acoustic Blues Artist

• Catfish Keith
• Doug MacLeod
• Eric Bibb
• Kevin Burt
• Rhiannon Giddens

Album of the Year

• Blood Brothers (Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia) — Help Yourself
• Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd — Young Fashioned Ways
• D.K. Harrell — Talkin’ Heavy
• Larry McCray — Heartbreak City
• Tommy Castro & The Painkillers — Closer To The Bone

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year

• Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)
• Rick Estrin
• Ronnie Baker Brooks
• Ruthie Foster
• Vanessa Collier

Band of the Year

• Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
• John Nemeth and the Blue Dreamers
• Southern Avenue
• Tedeschi Trucks Band
• Vanessa Collier Band

Best Emerging Artist Album

• Brody Buster — Redemption
• Allison August — August Moon
• Sean McDonald — Have Mercy!
• Robbin Kapsalis — THE BLUES IS IN THE HOUSE
• Kyle Rowland — NOT HOLDING BACK!

Blues Rock Album

• Blood Brothers (Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia) — Help Yourself
• Devon Allman — BLUES SUMMIT
• Kent Burnside — Hill Country Blood
• Tom Hambridge — Down The Hatch
• Walter Trout — Sign Of The Times

Blues Rock Artist

• Ana Popovic
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd
• Kirk Fletcher
• Tommy Castro
• Walter Trout

Contemporary Blues Album

• Brandon Santini — Which Way Do We Go?
• Carolyn Wonderland — Truth Is
• D.K. Harrell — Talkin’ Heavy
• Monster Mike Welch — Keep Living Til I Die
• Southern Avenue — Family

Contemporary Blues Female Artist

• Carolyn Wonderland
• Danielle Nicole
• Ruthie Foster
• Samantha Fish
• Vanessa Collier

Contemporary Blues Male Artist

• Brandon Santini
• Castro Coleman (Mr. Sipp)
• Chris Cain
• Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
• D.K. Harrell

Instrumentalist – Bass

• Benny Turner
• Larry Fulcher
• Michael “Mudcat” Ward
• Rodrigo Mantovani
• Scot Sutherland

Instrumentalist – Drums

• Chris Layton
• Chris Peet
• Derrick D’Mar Martin
• Tom Hambridge
• Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist – Guitar

• Chris Cain
• Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
• Derek Trucks
• Joanna Connor
• Ronnie Baker Brooks

Instrumentalist – Harmonica

• Billy Branch
• Bob Corritore
• Brandon Santini
• John Nemeth
• Kim Wilson

Instrumentalist – Horn

• Greg Piccolo
• Jimmy Carpenter
• Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff
• Regi Oliver
• Trombone Shorty

Instrumentalist – Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player)

• Anthony Geraci
• Bruce Katz
• Dave Keyes
• Jon Cleary
• Marcia Ball

Instrumentalist – Vocals

• Candice Ivory
• Danielle Nicole
• John Nemeth
• Shemekia Copeland
• Susan Tedeschi

Song of the Year

• “Mile After Mile” — written by Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen
• “Bye Bye Blues” — written by Larry McCray & Charlie Walmsley
• “Can’t Catch a Break” — written by Tommy Castro & Christoffer Andersen
• “Upside” — written by Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra Jackson, Ori Naftaly, Dylan Altman & Marshall Altman
• “Who Was That?” — written by Emmett Ellis Jr. & Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Soul Blues Album

• Dave Keller — La Brea
• Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band — Full Circle
• Johnny Rawls — Make Them Dance
• Tad Robinson Band — Soul In Blue
• The Soul of John Black — Soul Salvation

Soul Blues Female Artist

• Annika Chambers
• Candice Ivory
• Kat Riggins
• Thornetta Davis
• Vaneese Thomas

Soul Blues Male Artist

• Alabama Mike
• Curtis Salgado
• John Nemeth
• Johnny Rawls
• Tad Robinson

Traditional Blues Album

• Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd — Young Fashioned Ways
• Buddy Guy — Ain’t Done With The Blues
• Charlie Musselwhite — Look Out Highway
• Maria Muldaur — One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey
• Roomful Of Blues — Steppin’ Out

Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award)

• Diunna Greenleaf
• Eden Brent
• Maria Muldaur
• Rhiannon Giddens
• Teeny Tucker

Traditional Blues Male Artist

• Billy Branch
• Jimmie Vaughan
• John Primer
• Jontavious Willis
• Rick Estrin

International Blues Album

• Brandon Isaak — Walkin With The Blues
• Honeybear, the Band — I Was Wrong
• Hubert Dorigatti & Blues harp masters — Poor Boy
• J.T. Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunters — Still be friends
• The Angelique Francis Band — Not Defeated

The CD Woodbury Trio — “Bulldog” — Lightning In A Bottle Records

Clint “CD” Woodbury is a rare find: He’s a multi-talented guitarist, a versatile vocalist and a crafty songwriter.

He’s been thriving in the Pacific Northwest blues scene for years – the Seattle-based Washington Blues Society has honored him with thirteen Best of the Blues awards and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2022. Woodbury’s two previous studio albums, “Monday Night!” and “World’s Gone Crazy” charted on international independent radio. He’s performed with countless artists, transforming from a highly valued sideman into the leader of his own band – The CD Woodbury Trio.

With his latest album, “Bulldog,” Woodbury unleashes his multiple talents on a finely crafted set of three smart originals and eight inventive covers that collar his blues, roots and rock sensibilities. His two bandmates, bassist Robert Baker and drummer Bill Ray, help Woodbury lay down sounds that range from a power trio to countrified acoustic blues. The originals are cleverly spun tales, while the covers summon up the spirit of their eclectic origins. Woodbury has transformed that spirit into his own unique creations.

Woodbury slashes open the session with “Wicked Grin,” by Michael Pickett and Gary Nicholson, a mean and evil blues about a man whose “wicked grin” signals his desire to avenge his wronged woman — with a razor.

Woodbury’s muscular guitar introduces Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign” and keeps its spirit alive throughout this classic blues. “Little Sister” was a 1961 hit for Elvis Presley, and Woodbury eases the rocker into a bluesy shuffle featuring harp by Bill Davis. It’s always worth mentioning that this song is another in a long line of great songs with Doc Pomus’s name attached.

The trio adds a funky upbeat note to Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “I Wouldn’t Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me),” with a sparkling guitar solo midway. Gaslight Road is Woodbury’s easy-rocking commentary on contemporary deception. “You say it didn’t happen, you tell me to let it slide, said ‘who you gonna believe, me or your own lying eyes,’ cause we’re livin’ on gaslight road … where the truth goes to die.”

Woodbury captures the lyrical heart of Cream’s “Politician,” adding his own psychedelic guitar backing to its statement: “I support the left, though I’m leaning to the right / Just don’t try to find me, if there should be a fight.” “Dollar Store Readers” is an original from Woodbury and Michele D’Amour, a down-home acoustic gem that casts a wry eye at his cheap Dollar Store reading glasses with their “birth control frames” – He’s “got the far-sighted, fuzzy eyed, dollar store reading glasses blues.”

Woodbury converts the raucous funk of James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” into a jazz-inflected interlude laced with more harp from Davis, restating just how good he feels: “Nice, like sugar and spice.” Then he produces a guitar-driven update of the Willie Dixon classic, “Spoonful,” with a spot-on vocal and intriguing flute lines from Mike Marinig. It’s also another nod to Cream, which included the song on its UK debut album, “Fresh Cream.”

Woodbury’s guitar and Joel Astley’s harp play a musical duet in a swinging take on Mark Dufresne’s “A Song in There,” a song about writing a song: “Wait a minute brother, there’s a song in there.” The closer is “(Call Me The) Bulldog,” an original that barks out its blues with a bite: “Swagger in my step and a face only a mother could love / Got a bark like thunder, ain’t afraid to bite the hand I’m thinkin’ of.”

Now that CD Woodbury has unleashed “Bulldog,” you can expect him to be dogging his formidable blues around well beyond the Pacific Northwest.

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Here’s a live version of “A Song in There.”

Tracklist:

1. Wicked Grin
2. Born Under a Bad Sign
3. Little Sister
4. I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me)
5. Gaslight Road
6. Politician
7. Dollar Store Readers
8. I got You (I Feel Good)
9. Spoonful
10. A Song in There
11. (Call Me The) Bulldog

Dan Penn — “Smoke Filled Room” — The Last Music Company

Dan Penn is a great American songwriter whose name is not exactly a household word. But it should be.

He wrote or co-wrote some of the classics from the early southern soul music songbook — including classics like “I’m Your Puppet,” “The Dark End of the Street,” “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” with Chips Moman and “Cry Like a Baby” with Spooner Oldham.

He’s a fine singer, too, but chose songwriting when “I’m Your Puppet” became a giant hit for Jimmy and Bobby Purify in 1966, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1967.

Here’s how Wikipedia describes his early years:
“Penn grew up in Vernon, Alabama, United States, and spent much of his teens and early twenties in the Quad Cities–Muscle Shoals area. He was a regular at Rick Hall’s FAME Studios as a performer, songwriter, and producer. It was during his time with FAME that Penn cut his first record, “Crazy Over You” in 1960, and wrote his first hit, “Is a Bluebird Blue?”, which was recorded by Conway Twitty in the same year.”

Penn has recorded only a handful of albums on his own since 1973’s “Nobody’s Fool.” His most recent was “Living On Mercy” in 2020.

His latest, “Smoke Filled Room,” is not exactly his newest work. It’s a brilliant collection of almost-never-before released collection of eleven song demos. The sole song that has been recorded is the title track, by Irma Thomas on her 1992 album, “True Believer.”

The songs here are an outstanding selection of smoothly and soulfully sung tracks, all with sparse instrumental accompaniment that serves to emphasize Penn’s superb lyricism — and his intimate vocals.

Penn was kind enough to write liner notes commenting each song, so that I could copy them here to elaborate on his choices:

“Smoke Filled Room”
I’ve been trying to get this song cut for a long time. Andy Peake played drums on it and did some computer work that allowed me to sing it. Billy Lawson gave me a great mix down which finally sounded right.
“Blues of The Month Club”
An older demo that I cut with Gary and Carson. Always loved the track. Finally getting it out there.
“There’s Nothing Out There”
Found this one in the demo files. The Do Right Woman liked it and that was good enough for me. I like it too.
“The Longest Day”
Me and Carson (Whitsett) and Bucky (Lindsey) were down in Louisiana in a cabin writing songs one day, and Carson began playing some very nice chords on the piano. I had the tape recorder on and began singing along with him—we wrote this song with no discussion or anything—it just fell—it was a gift.
“Leave It Like You Found It”
Yours truly on the keyboards. I got lucky.
“Battling The Blues”
A three-way writing session that came out great. Me and Bucky and Carson wrote it here at my studio in Nashville. Always loved this one.
“Crazy Ol’ Girl”
Written and recorded in Florida at Studebaker John’s house.
“Hellbound Snowball”
The late and great Bobby Emmons laying it down. He was just so good.
“Let Love Begin With Me”
Charlie Taylor joined me and Carson for this gem, one of a kind song.
“Creator of All Things”
Swain Schaefer was a great piano player. We cut this in my studio.
“One Blue Light”
I wrote this over a five-year period. Billy Lawson cut the track, played everything, mixed and mastered it, and I made him co-producer of this track.

All that’s left for me to say is that this album is an excellent sampling of Penn’s inspired songwriting and his personal vocal style. It’s a revealing glimpse into his creative history.

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Here are a few samples of some essential Dan Penn:

Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham perform “I’m Your Puppet.” They wrote the song in 1965, and a year later James and Bobby Purify made it a hit.

Here’s one of Penn’s first big soul hits, (written with Chips Moman) “The Dark End of the Street.” It was first recorded by James Carr in 1967. Carr was a great, but largely unheralded, soul singer.

Here’s “Smoke Filled Room” from the album:

Tracks and credits:

1. Smoke Filled Room (4:12) Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music; Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Johnny Barnett/Silver Bay Music. (BMI).
2. Blues of The Month Club (4:42) Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music. (BMI) Gary Nicholson/Sony ATV Crosskeys (ASCAP)
3. There’s Nothing Out There (3:49) Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music. (BMI)
4. The Longest Day (3:04) Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music. (BMI)
5. Leave It Like You Found It (3:55) Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music (BMI).
6. Battling The Blues (3:29) Bucky Lindsey/Hoy Lindsey Music; Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music(BMI).
7. Crazy Ol’ Girl (4:01) Bucky Lindsey/Hoy Lindsey Music; Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music(BMI).
8. Hellbound Snowball (3:43) Bobby Emmons/Attadoo Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music (BMI).
9. Let Love Begin With Me (3:19) Charlie Taylor/Momo Taylor Music (ASCAP); Carson Whitsett/High Horse Music; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music. (BMI)
10. Creator of All Things (4:33) Swain Schaefer/Swainsongs; Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music (BMI).
11. One Blue Light (3:49) Dan Penn/Dan Penn Music (BMI).

Musicians by track:
1. B3 ~ Carson Whitsett, Guitar ~ Mike Durham, Programming ~ Andy Peake, Bass ~ Paul Ossola.
2. Keyboards ~ Carson Whitsett, Guitar ~ Gary Nicholson.
3. Keyboards ~ Carson Whitsett.
4. Keyboards ~ Carson Whitsett.
5. All instruments played by Dan Penn.
6. Keyboards ~ Carson Whitsett, Bass ~ Bucky Lindsey.
7. Keyboards ~ Carson Whitsett, Lead Vocal ~ Bucky Lindsey.
8. Keyboards ~ Bobby Emmons, Guitar ~ Dan Penn.
9. All instruments played by Carson Whitsett.
10. Piano ~ Swain Schaefer.
11. All instruments played by Billy Lawson

Curtis Salgado — “Legacy Rewind – Live in ’25” — Nola Blue Records

Let me say right at the start: Curtis Salgado is one of my favorite artists.

I’ve seen him perform live many times, and he never disappoints. His recorded albums are splendid musical statements. His blend of smart songwriting, funky R&B, rock, soul and blues never disappoints. He’s been making music for a half-century plus, and he just seems to get better and better, his soulful pipes aging like good whiskey until he pours his heart out into song. (Salgado’s impressive biography is worth reading here. He’s already lived several lifetimes.)

But Salgado has never recorded an album that captures the magical impact of his amazing live performances. Until now. “Legacy Rewind – Live in ’25” is a project with its genesis in the mind of a fan named Randy Maag in 2019, who asked Salgado if he’d ever thought about recording a live album. The answer: “Hell yes!” Covid intervened; the project dropped, but in 2024 Maag again asked the same question. Again, the same answer: “Hell yes!”

“Legacy Rewind – Live in ’25” is the result, recorded live from two performances at The Triple Door in Seattle, Wash., on April 5, 2025. Ten of the thirteen songs are from Salgado’s extensive list of Blues Music Award-nominated projects and award-winning albums:

Salgado and Maag went to work, as Salgado describes in the liner notes:

“The set list for the recording was a collection of R&B, funk, soul and blues songs that I’ve written or performed myself. Some of these songs I’ve never performed live, or if I have, it’s been years. I put together a 15‑piece band of my favorite musicians that I’ve worked with over the years and asked my long‑time engineer/Tour Manager/Partner in Crime, Michael Crider, to handle the technical side. We rehearsed as much as we could, as time allowed. After a dress rehearsal performance in Portland, we went to Eugene to perform a matinee show and an evening show, one after the other.”

“When it was over, to tell the truth, I wasn’t really sure if we had done good. Not only was this a new experience for all of us, but Randy was filming the event, so we were all feeling the pressure. Later, in the studio in Portland, my doubts were unfounded. The band is killing it. The recording sounds amazing and the energy is palpable. You can feel it. The groove on this recording? Well, you couldn’t cut it with a chainsaw.”

And of course, he’s right. The groove is chainsaw-proof.

The album collects 13 memorable songs from Salgado’s past, 11 with his name as writer or co-writer, and remakes them with this razor-sharp band and his gritty, weathered vocals. His lyrical content is a constant delight, filled with sharpness and wit and topped with his unique phrasing.

That greasy Salgado groove is obvious from the first fat chunky notes and Dalgado’s soulful moan on the opening track, “Sing My Song,” from his 1999 debut album “Wiggle Outta This.” Then he kicks off the title track from that album, “Wiggle Outta This,” another throbbing blend of B3 and kick-ass horns, with a crisp harmonica solo. Those openers set the majestic tone for everything that follows. “Sweet Jesus Buddha the Doctor,” is also reprised from the ’99 album, grabbing John Linn’s funk-filled bass attack, riding it hard and putting it away wet.

The selections weave in and out of the years, coming from a half-dozen albums ranging from his ’99 debut to last year’s “Fine With Me.” 2004’s “Strong Suspicion” contributes “Money Must Think I’m Dead,” where he’s “spending my pride for a poverty wage.” The 2008 album “Clean Getaway” delivers three tracks: “Clean Getaway,” the tough rocker “I Don’t Want to Discuss It” and the epic blues of “20 Years of B.B. King”: “I’ve learned more about the blues in two weeks from you / Than 20 years of B.B. King.”

“Soul Shot,” from 2012, delivers the soul-drenched “Nobody But You” and the powerful church-hewn anthem “A Woman or the Blues.” 2021’s Damage Control offers a melodic “Count of Three” introduced by Chuck Berry-like guitar licks and “Precious Time” with its own stinging guitar. The most recent revivals include the funky vocal exhortations of relationship limits “My Girlfriend,” from 2023’s “The Beautiful Lowdown,” and a Latin-tinged “Fine With Me,” the title track of that 2025 release.

It’s essential to the greatness of any music to hear it performed live. On “Legacy,” Salgado’s music is lifted to another level with all the musicians in the same room, feeding off of each other as well as the enthusiasm of the crowd.

“Legacy” overflows with powerful music that puts everything Salgado does best on full display: His vocals strut, shout, plead and moan, surrounded by the band’s massive, relentless groove. Backup singers add a brilliant choral texture throughout. This may not be an album of new music, but it’s classical American music, played to perfection. enjoy it anytime, but start immediately!

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Here’s “Wiggle Out of This” from the album:

Tracklist and credits:

1. Sing My Song — 4:49 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP)
2. Wiggle Outta This — 4:58 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Marlon McClain/ASCAP, Peter Boe/BMI)
3. Clean Getaway — 5:48 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Rusty Hall, Alby Allan, Brian Ward/ASCAP)
4. My Girlfriend — 4:09 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Brian A. Foxworth/ASCAP, Vyasa Dodson, Brian J. Harris/BMI, Tracy Arrington/BMI)
5. Money Must Think I’m Dead — 5:30 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Willie Barber/BMI, Rick Estrin/BMI)
6. Sweet Jesus Buddha the Doctor — 7:01 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Matthias Baumann, Manford Huber, Harald Ahamer, Markus Marageter, Manfred Franzmeier/Edition Spray c/o BMG Music Publishing Vienna)
7. Count of Three — 3:54 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, Vyasa Dodson/ASCAP)
8. Precious Time — 4:36 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, George Marinelli/BMI, Andrew J. Harrison/BMI, Michael K. Finnegan/BMI)
9. Nobody But You — 3:32 (Charles Hodges)
10. I Don’t Want to Discuss It — 3:03 (Beth Beatty/BMI, Dick Cooper/BMI, Ernie Shelby/BMI)
11. A Woman or the Blues — 6:39 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, David Duncan/BMI)
12. 20 Years of B.B. King — 5:02 (David Duncan/BMI, Curtis Salgado/ASCAP)
13. Fine By Me — 4:07 (Curtis Salgado/ASCAP, George Marinelli/BMI)

Musicians:
Curtis Salgado – lead vocals, harmonica (track 3) Keashaun Jones, Margaret Linn, Lindsey Reynolds – backing vocals Alan Hager, Ben Rice – lead & rhythm guitar Kenny Meriedeth – rhythm guitar (track 2) John Linn – bass Act I John Wolcott – bass Act II Gary Harris – alto & tenor saxophone Timothy Bryson – tenor & baritone saxophone Dave Mills – trumpet Lars Campbell – trombone Brady Goss – piano Brian Harris – B3 Ron Tuttle – drums & percussion Act I Patrick Seals – drums & percussion Act II
Recorded at the Triple Door, Seattle – April 5, 2025