Blues Roadhouse

Here are all the nominees for the 2026 Blues Music Awards. The winners will be announced at ceremonies in Memphis on May 7.

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 — 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 — 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 Award)

• 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 — Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen
• Bye Bye Blues — Larry McCray & Charlie Walmsley
• Can’t Catch a Break — Tommy Castro & Christoffer Andersen
• Upside — Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra Jackson, Ori Naftaly, Dylan Altman & Marshall Altman
• Who Was That? — 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

Eddie Kold Band — “Blues In My Heart” — L+R Records

Although the music of the blues is deeply rooted in the American South, it has always had an emotional appeal that reaches far beyond its humble origins.

That appeal has attracted musicians and fans worldwide for decades. Witness the broad appeal of American blues musicians in other countries. And check out the contestants in the annual International Blues Challenge for artists from Croatia, France, Australia, Finland, Korea, Belgium and many more. Blues music is its own international language.

All of this is just a long-winded introduction to the Eddie Kold Band, a blues combo from Cologne, Germany, and their new album, “Blues in My Heart.”

Kold (real name Jorg Fennekold) is a guitarist who cut his blues teeth in Chicago in the early 1980s, and performed at the 1991 Chicago Blues Festival with Zora Young. He’s also played the Montreal Jazz Fest, Winnipeg Blues Fest, and Amsterdam Blues Fest.

Now he fronts his band in Germany, featuring vocalist Larry “Doc” Watkins, a Meadowview, Va., transplant for the past 20 years. His bandmates here include Klaus Brunschede, bass; Christian Wübben, drums, and Lukas Diehl, keyboards.

Kold’s guitar work is a highlight throughout. It’s soulful and supple, with influences drawn from jazz, blues and rock, adding a freshness to traditional blues styles. Kold flexes his jazz-influenced muscles on “Backpain” a breezy, bluesy instrumental excursion.

Watkins’ vocals have a deep blue feeling — gritty and soulful, soaring on “Burnin’ Outta Control,” with an effervescent guitar solo from Kold. The album, the band’s third, is mostly originals, but features an inventive upbeat cover of the classic “Further on Up the Road” with guests L.P. Davenport, Honeydew Melon Davenport on vocals and Tom Holland on piano. The title track opens with a bluesy intro to Watkins’ soulful vocal turn, with a tough guitar solo that combine to make this track an album highlight. “Last Two Dollars” brings back Honeydew Melon for a sensuous, soulful outing. (A complete list of tracks and credits follows this post.)

This is a thoroughly enjoyable album from a versatile guitar slinger who’s learned his art well. Kold’s guitar work sparkles throughout, never intrusive, always complimentary behind the vocals. Enjoy it with a fine schnapps!

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About the L+R record label: Important blues recordings were released on the L+R label, including the recordings of the well-known American Folk Blues Festival tours from 1962 to 1985, recordings with Louisiana Red, but also the 14-part LP series Living Country Blues USA, which Axel Küstner produced together with Ziggy Christmann in 1980. 

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Here’s “Around Three or Four” from the album:

And here’s a fine version of “Before You Accuse Me” by the band from a previous album, “Chicago Alley Blues”

Tracklist and personnel:

1. Around Three or Four – 4:26
2. Backpain – 3:21
3. Burnin’ Outta Control – 4:50
4. Further on Up the Road – 3:05
5. Girls – 3:39
6. Blues in My Heart – 4:49
7. I’ve Got to Find a Woman – 4:41
8. Last Two Dollars – 4:10
9. Lipstick on Your Bra – 4:22
10. Lovesick Blues – 5:09
11. My Whole World Shook – 3:43
12. Student – 4:40
13. Three Way Combination – 3:59

Eddie Kold (guitar)
Larry ‘Doc’ Watkins (vocals)
Klaus Brunschede (bass)
Christian Wübben (drums)
Lukas Diehl (piano, keyboards)

Special Guests:
L.P. Davenport (vocals – #4)
Honeydew Melon Davenport (vocals – #8, backing vocals – #4)
Tom Holland (guitar – #4,8)
Terho Keskitapio (guitar solo – #6)
Trina Williams (backing vocals – #6,9)

Paul Cowley — “Long Shadow”

Country blues is a simple acoustic music made complex by its personal storytelling, its emotional themes and its eloquently spare musical structures.

Paul Cowley, an English singer/songwriter/guitarist living in the French countryside, inspired by this century-old American music, has soaked up its mysteries, only to reveal them in his own uniquely elegant musical creations.

“Long Shadow” is his latest album, filled with songs whose authenticity reflects everyday truths, delivered by Cowley’s soulful, world-weary vocals.

Cowley’s music lives in the fertile borderlands connecting genres, and he describes the songs here as a “diverse collection rooted in country blues, ranging from ballads, love songs, straight blues, Americana, stories, truths, half-truths, untruths and commentary.” That’s a headful of ideas, not meant for elevators, but for listening on nights warmed by brandy with meanings hiding in the long shadows.

Multiple influences may shape Cowley’s music, but his lyrics seem pulled from deep within — unhurried reflections of the world around him. Eight originals grace the session, with three deep-blue covers, all recorded in the granite-walled barn in rural Brittany that serves as his studio.

The delicately picked, gently sung “Time” opens the album, a low-key rumination on how time becomes more important as it passes” “It won’t wait for you, it won’t wait for me … nor a woman nor a man, time keeps movin’, grab it while you can.” The light-hearted, traditional blues “Big Hitter” shuffles in with its soft-spoken braggadocio. “I’m big hitter mama, it’s what I do….”

“Old Man” is a pensive, reflective blues, fueled by mournful harp from Rob Venables: “I’m an old man do what I can, old man, don’t give a damn.” The first of three covers is the Skip James classic, “Crow Jane,” played with a melodic verve that belies its murderous message.

Next, the title track carries its own history: For more than 35 years, Cowley’s family has owned a cottage overlooking the River Dyfi in Snowdonia, Wales, A tree by the river casts a long shadow in the morning sun, and that image became the name of a short-lived musical duo, then a song title, and now this album. Whenever he performs the song, Cowley says, “I’m transported to the valley. I like that sort of authenticity.” It’s that authenticity that permeates everything here, and helps to make “Long Shadow” the delight it is.

“First Born” is an ode to Cowley’s own life, and likely the story of many others. “Dirt Poor” looks back again, with a whimsical tale of a chicken with a prolapse and other farm animals that come up wanting. “Once In a While” asks more profound questions: “World flashing by, ask myself why, what is it we all need?” “Where Are You Now” – A fiction prompted by an early summer morning, sparkling ocean view across Douarnenez Bay.

Two more well-chosen classic blues covers close this excellent album — “Train I Ride” by Mississippi Fred McDowell .and “Same Thing,” by Willie Dixon. Cowley’s rich vocals and expressive guitar emphasize the timeless message of this music.

Of this session, Coley says: “There is no algorithm social media driven strategy here. The songs have arrived in their own way & time, they are mostly autobiographical in one way or another. The recording process couldn’t be more simple. In the studio here, I set up three mics to record the first track “Time” and haven’t moved them until the last song was done. I’ve recorded live, standing, only with slight adjustment to my position depending on the song. Each song has had a level playing field. No effects have been employed.”

In a world obsessed with flash and immediacy, Paul Cowley has cast his perceptive “Long Shadow” on a record that values patience, craft and honesty. It’s the exquisite work of an artist completely at ease with himself and his musical vision. Listen at your pleasure!

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Here’s “Once In a While” from the album:

Tracklist, with Cowley’s comments:

Time – It has occurred to me that for probably the first two thirds of our lives, we barely ever consider time. From there on we constantly contemplate it! The song reflects those thoughts.
Big Hitter – Lots of clichés. No trouble writing songs like this one.
Old Man – Statement of fact, embrace it!
Crow Jane – Skip James classic emerged at some point in the process.
Long Shadow – Read notes about album title.
First Born – Autobiography
Dirt Poor – One of our chickens did have a prolapse. Inspiring the theme for the song.
Once In a While – The short sighted nature of mankind!
Where Are You Now – A fiction prompted by an early summer morning, sparkling ocean view across Douarnenez Bay.
Train I Ride – Fred McDowell . Increasingly the governor!
Same Thing – Been on my to-do list for a long time.

Harmonica 3 – Rob Venables.
Lapsteel 9 – Pascal Ferrari
Bass,drums 2,3,10,11 – Pascal Ferrari.

Alex Lopez — “Retro Revival” — Maremil Music

Muddy Waters wasn’t just playing the blues when he sang, “The blues had a baby and they named the baby rock and roll” — he was predicting the future.

Blues power has always focused on the rawness and passion of its music, and modern blues-rock bands tap that intensity to rock their musical marriage with the essence of the blues.

Guitarist Alex Lopez and his trio, the Xpress, have captured that emotional lightning in a bottle, and use it to ignite their hard-driving, original blues-rock.

That’s the essence of Retro Revival, the latest album from ALX (Alex Lopez Xpress), a stripped-down name for a stripped down,, guitar-driven band that’s just Lopez on guitar and vocals, Steve Roberts (originally from England) on bass and Kana Leimbach (originally from Japan) on drums. Lopez wrote or co-wrote all eleven songs, combining the traditions of blues lyricism with his potent rock sensibilities.

ALX accelerates onto its blues-rock speedway with the rugged opener, One More Time, the first of multiple songs evoking the traditional blues fascination with love: lost love, joyful love, painful love. “One more time to love you before I leave this town,” is all he asks. Your Lovin’ follows, with a searing vocal bemoaning his treatment: “The way you treat me baby, you keep me in such pain / The way you tease me baby, coming back again.”

When I Sing The Blues opens with a mournful guitar intro to a slow-burning lament of love that’s lost but still painfully present: “The way you left me baby, you took all that I have / And you hurt me baby, I can’t take no more of that.” The vibe shifts to a hard-times blues theme with Here I Am, a rocker with a cynical eye on the world outside: “Trying to pay the mortgage send my kids through school / Everyone’s forgotten what they call the golden rule.” Then What The World Needs Now rocks with hope: “A little bit loving, a little bit of hope / A little bit of patience, find some way to cope.”

Hey Little Sister is a bouncy, bluesy bid to be appreciated for who you are: “Hey little sister, I got the right stuff / Not all that I need to be, not enough money / But I got good loving, that’s all you need.” Angry is just that; a fiercely played and sung worldly judgment: “Seems the sky is on fire, And everyone is a liar / Angry here to justify / Angry here to testify.”

The jaunty melody of Loving You Gave Me The Blues is a lively counterpoint to its downhearted bluesified message: “I was kneeling, praying you’d treat me right / Double dealing, hiding the truth from my sight / Never knew loving you gave me the blues.” In The Name Of Love is a gently rocking resumption of his optimism: “In the name of love, Not the same without love / Don’t know what I’m going to try / Out to prove all my love will never die.”

Black Hole rocks out with a bluesy shuffle of unrequited love, with the band forming an emphatic vocal trio: “I need your love, get none / Got no place to go, pulled into the big black hole.” The heartfelt closer, Keep On Living, is an elegant anthemic ballad filled with hope: Time to keep on living / Take what I’ve been given / Find my path to heaven / Time to keep on living.”

Alex Lopez isn’t just revisiting blues past, he’s made it his mission to revive and expand the music for new audiences with power and passion. With the birth of “Retro Revival,’ ALX is delivering that rocking baby of the blues.

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“Your Lovin'” from the album:

Tracklist:

01. One More Time
02. Your Lovin’
03. When I Sing The Blues
04. Here I Am
05. What The World Needs Now
06. Hey Little Sister
07. Angry
08. Loving You Gave Me The Blues
09. Name Of Love
10. Black Hole
11. Keep On Living

Charles Tiner — “Good Soul” — Self-Released

Charles Tiner says he’s “just a regular guy with a whole lot of soul.”

He’s also a regular guy who just happens to play passionate piano and organ, write spellbinding lyrics, arrange vibrant music, and sing with the soul of a bluesman and the fire of a preacher – his musical roots having been nourished in the Baptist church where his father was a pastor, opening the door to this blues life.

The Chicago native has wrapped all those talents into a joyous session of soulful blues for his second album, Good Soul. It follows his 2021 debut album, the self-produced N’Treble, when his music earned him a finalist spot in the 2022 International Blues Challenge representing the Illinois Central Blues Club.

“Good Soul” showcases Tiner’s songwriting, rich with imagery, delivered in his soulful vocals, all woven into the tapestry of his sparkling musical arrangements. Eleven of the twelve songs are originals, with one creative cover.

The opening track, “Be A Man,” is a fierce vocal statement of survival, backed by Tiner’s rousing organ riffs: “I watched the sun go down / And laid awake all night, I seen trouble in my way, It didn’t seem very bright.” Sassy horns spike Bad Woman, a blues with a vengeance: “If she ain’t a bad woman, I’m not gonna spend one dime / Come on girl, don’t make me waste my time.”

“Blue Moon” rises out of stinging guitar intro into a down-home blues vibe with Tiner’s gutsy piano and vocal: “I can’t miss having a silver spoon, I was born under a blue moon.” Don’t Baw Me Nun is a front-porch blues lament with a mournful harp wailing in the background and countrified acoustic guitar from Eddie Smith: “You can cut me like a fish, easy as butter / You keep it going until you thought I was done / But you really found out, it don’t baw me nun.”

“Night Rider” is an anthemic ode to a mysterious nocturnal visitor: “Night rider alone in the dark, riding in the moonlight / It don’t matter, the street is home, he’ll ride through midnight.” “Peace By the River” runs deep with an orchestral torrent of emotion creating a storm before the calm: “Thunder can roar, shake the land / It will make you shiver / No matter what it looks like …. There’s peace by the river.” “Stick Around” is elegant soul, enriched by eloquent horns, declaring Tiner’s love for his music: “The blues has been consistent / The blues has been real sound …. The blues will always stick around.”

“She Made The Move On Me” tells its tale with its title, a jazzy piano interlude, and the unanswered question of what came next. Tiner’s sensuous organ lines introduce the torchy slow blues of “Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right,” with his soaring vocals and fierce guitar solo from Smith: “We played on each other, all day and night / But one thing is for sure, two wrongs don’t make it right.”

“Don’t Be A Fool Too Long” offers worldly advice with a spoken-word sermon midway: “I got a message for you / You’re gonna do what you do / But don’t be a fool too long.” “Don’t Let The Devil Ride” is a gospel song written by Rev. Orvis Mays in 1968, re-imagined by Tiner as a funky blues, breathing fire from the pulpit: “Don’t let the devil ride / If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive / Don’t let him ride.”

The closer is the lighthearted optimism of “Put Ya Money On Me” with Tiner’s melodious piano, Camp’s swinging harp and Charles Fox’s upright bass. Tiner’s playful falsetto brings the session to a joyous conclusion: “Sometimes the day seems dark and cold …. But if you ever have a doubt, put your money on me.”

That’s a good bet for just a regular guy with a whole lot of Good Soul.

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Here’s an interview with Charles Tiner from Michael Limnios at Blues Gr

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Here’s “Be A Man” from the album:

Album tracklist:

1. Be a Man
2. Bad Woman
3. Blue Moon
4. Don’t Bau Me Nun
5. Night Rider
6. Peace by the River
7. Stick Around
8. She Made a Move on Me
9. Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right
10. Don’t Be a Fool Too Long
11. Don’t Let the Devil Ride (cover)
12. Put Ya Money on Me

Tinsley Ellis — “Labor of Love” — Alligator Records

Acoustic guitar blues always raises the feral specter of the music’s murky origins, buried in the roots of field hollers and church music, conjured up by the spirits of bluesmen like Charley Patton, Son House and Willie Brown a century ago.

When contemporary blues artists decide to revisit that historical form, they invite listeners on a journey back up the long and winding road of primeval blues history. Some give new life to the original music; others bring that spirit into their own creations. Both can be vital, expressive forms.

Tinsley Ellis, who has been a premier blues-rock performer for decades, has pulled the plug on his own past to live in an acoustic present. His latest album, “Labor of Love,” is a follow to his brilliant 2024 acoustic debut, “Naked Truth.”

While that first impressive solo effort included a few reworked classics, “Love” is entirely Ellis. He’s created a raw and rootsy set of personal songs filled with the emotional essence of the blues, distilled by his expressive vocals and inventive guitar work. On a technical note, Ellis used six different open tunings on his 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. For the first time, he also played mandolin on three songs.

Ellis says the endless possibilities created by those instruments keeps him constantly invigorated by the music. And it shows on this gorgeous session, as he weaves a tapestry of modern tales drawn from the fabric of his spirit.

The opener is the pulsating, hypnotic “Hoodoo Woman,” featuring Ellis sounding ethereal on the mandolin. “Long Time” follows, a rhythmic, mythic and slyly lyrically tale of Adam and Eve. “To A Hammer” (everything’s a nail) is a slowly picked blues that emphasizes a rich vocal. “Sad Sad Song” offers a cheerful mandolin and handclaps as a counterpoint to its mournful lyric.

“The Trouble With Love” is a gentle ballad of unrequited love plaintively sung in a higher register. “Sunnyland” showcases his National Steel in a fierce vocal take. “Whole Wide World” offers a melodic bit of philosophy that says “the whole wide world needs love.” “Sweet Ice Tea” is a tasty blues hungering for “soul food and sweet ice tea.”

“I’d Rather Be Saved” is a gospel-soaked plea to be saved — from his “mean old boss man.” A sprightly mandolin highlights “Too Broke,” with its fatalistic outlook — “never seen a bank truck in a funeral parade.” The delicately picked “Low Land of Sorrow” seeks escape from the low land in the coming storm. Tinsley uses his higher register again to great effect on the elegant love song, “Fountain Of Love.” The closer is the rich gospel of “Lay My Burden Down.” It’s an eloquent, passionate finale to an album filled with eloquent and passionate moments.

“Labor of Love” is just that: A testament to the music that has driven Ellis throughout his career in the blues. As he puts it — “No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.”

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Here’s “Hoodoo Woman” from the album:

Tracklist:
1. Hoodoo Woman 3:12
2. Long Time 2:55
3. To A Hammer 3:40
4. Sad Sad Song 2:33
5. The Trouble With Love 2:59
6. Sunnyland 2:50
7. Whole Wide World 2:59
8. Sweet Ice Tea 2:53
9. I’d Rather Be Saved 4:20
10. Too Broke 3:00
11. Low Land Of Sorrow 3:18
12. Fountain Of Love 2:57
13. Lay My Burden Down 3:28

Here are the 2026 Grammy award winners for the two categories of blues albums, and for Americana and roots albums. The winners are listed in bold with the other nominees. You can look for all the Grammys here.

Best Traditional Blues Album
● Ain’t Done With The Blues by Buddy Guy
● Room On The Porch by Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo
● One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey by Maria Muldaur
● Look Out Highway by Charlie Musselwhite
● Young Fashioned Ways by Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush

Best Contemporary Blues Album
● Breakthrough by Joe Bonamassa
● Paper Doll by Samantha Fish
● A Tribute to LJK by Eric Gales
● Preacher Kids by Robert Randolph
● Family by Southern Avenue

Best Americana Album
● Big Money by Jon Batiste
● Bloom by Larkin Poe
● Last Leaf On The Tree by Willie Nelson
● So Long Little Miss Sunshine by Molly Tuttle
● Middle by Jesse Welles

52. Best Regional Roots Music Album
● Live At Vaughan’s by Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet
● For Fat Man by Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
● Church Of New Orleans by Kyle Roussel
● Second Line Sunday by Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band
● A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco (Various Artists)

Mississippi Heat — “”Don’t look Back” — Delmark Records

Mississippi Heat is not your traditional Chicago blues band — except for the magnificent music that it creates.

Since the release of their its first album in 1992, this crackling sharp band, led by harmonica wizard Pierre Lacocque, works with a core group of musicians that now includes Lacocque, Sheryl Youngblood on vocals, Giles Corey on guitar, Brian Quinn on bass and Jason Edwards on drums.

What sets them apart is the addition of a variety of singers and musicians on each session. Their latest, “Don’t Look Back,” adds a musical cast that pushes the band to another level on each of the 14 original Lacocque songs. (A complete list of contributors is listed by track at the end of this post.)

Former vocalists Inetta Visor and Daneshia Hamilton share the vocals on one cut, and Danielle Nicole sings on two tracks, Omar Coleman sings on one song and plays harp with Lacocque on another. It all makes for a very special session. This time around, Youngblood has been added as the vocalist on nine songs. She’s a powerful singer with a take-no-prisoners style honed in church music and polished to perfection in the blues.

Youngblood launches the album with a fierce vocal turn on the high-spirited “You Ain’t the Only One,” with horns blazing and Lacocque’s devilish harp. Nicole’s tough vocal highlights the torrid blues of “Third Wheel,” driven hard by Lacocque’s harp and Johnny Iguana’s rocking piano.

Visor and Hamilton duet on the fast-paced blues shuffle, “Quarter To Three,” when the train leaves for Chicago, with more dazzling harp and rollicking piano. Youngblood returns for the gospel-drenched torch of “Stepped Out Of Line,” with the haunting choral backup vocals of man who’s NADIMA — Nanette Frank, Diane Madison and Mae Koen. Youngblood returns with “Can’t Take It,” an uptempo lament about a man who’s “a hot mess that I can’t take.”

Next, Lacocque and Coleman deliver the high-energy instrumental, “Moonshine Man,” then Youngblood turns in “Champin’ At The Bit,” with its gorgeous harp solo, before shouting her enthusiasm about “Love (It Makes You Do Most Anything).”

Nicole’s emotional vocal inhabits “Shiverin’ Blues,” dedicated to Lacocque’s father Andre, who died due to Covid-19. Corey’s slide work adds an appropriately ethereal note. That mood quickly shifts to the dance-friendly “The Sock Hop,” with Youngblood rocking and rolling the vocals. The band turns funky behind Youngblood on “Blue Amber,” a thoughtful piece of songwriting with John Kattke boiling beneath the surface.

 “I Ain’t Evil” is driven by Corey’s fluid guitar work with a Latin vibe and more B3, with Youngblood explaining how she “ain’t evil.” On the title track, Youngblood’s soaring vocal offers encouraging advice on relationships and life — “don’t look back.” The closer showcases a Coleman vocal on the rousing “Four Steel Walls,” with the band and backup singers pulling everything together in a powerful finale.

Lacocque says “Don’t Look Back” is “the bluesiest project I’ve done in years.” And it’s a complete package — sharply crafted songs, emotional vocal performances and muscular musical backing. It’s classic Chicago blues that’s looking ahead, not back. The album was released last September, so I’m late to the party, but it that won’t keep me from recommending this powerful blues album as one of the best of 2025.

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Here’s a Q&A with Pierre Lacocque by Michael Limnios of Blues Gr.

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Pierre Lacocque took an interesting route to the Chicago blues. Read his bio here.

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“You Ain’t the Only One” from the album:

Tracklist and credits:

1. You Ain’t the Only One Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA — Nanette Frank, Diane Madison, Mae Koen (background vocals).

2. Third Wheel Danielle Nicole (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

3. Quarter to Three Inetta Visor & Daneshia Hamilton (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

4. Stepped Out of Line Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

5. Can’t Take It Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

6. Moonshine Man Omar Coleman (acoustic harp), Pierre Lacocque (amplified harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), NADIMA (handclaps), Pierre Lacocque (handclaps), Natalie Bennison (handclaps).

7. Champin’ at the Bit Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

8. Love (It Makes You Do Most Anything) Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA (background vocals).

9. Shiverin’ Blues Danielle Nicole (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (slide guitar), John Kattke (piano), Brian Quinn (acoustic bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

10. The Sock Hop Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (slide guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA (background vocals).

11. Blue Amber Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), John Kattke (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

12. I Ain’t Evil Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Anthony “Tony” Alexander (percussion).

13. Don’t Look Back Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

14. Four Steel Walls Omar Coleman (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax solo), Anthony “Tony” Alexander (percussion), NADIMA (background vocals).

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY P. Lacocque (Ransart Music, BMI)

Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps — “Bad at Being Good” — MoMojo Records

Teresa James’ sassy-sweet vocals are instantly recognizable, always squeezing every drop of life, love and lusty femininity from her Texas blues-rooted pipes.

Wrap those signature vocals in the razor-sharp backing of the criminally talented Rhythm Tramps, and you’ve got another luminous James album — “Bad at Being Good.”

It’s James and the Tramps at their rhythmic roadhouse best on their 14th album, a smartly crafted session of 12 original songs expertly tailored to fit James’ shape-shifting musical moods.

“This music truly represents our roadhouse and blues roots, but also shows off the band’s soul inspiration and heart,” James says.

The Tramps include the multi-talented Terry Wilson — James’ partner, band bassist, and primary songwriter who contributes their deliciously imaginative repertoire. James plays piano, and of course, sings. Also: Billy Watts (lead guitar), Dean Parks (lead guitar), John Porter (slide guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3, piano, Wurlitzer), Bennett Salvay (piano), Jon Cleary (guests on piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), David P. Jackson (accordion). (The musicians are listed by track below.)

The fun begins with the easy-rocking “Love’s A Full Time Job” — “Love’s a full-time job, and you’ve got me working overtime.” The achingly tender “Is Anything Alright” is a soulful delight, a slow-dancing blues. “I Got This Thing” is a sultry come-hither invitation to love.

“All About the Benjamins” slyly counts that loving feeling that registers on a strictly cash basis. “Trouble in Paradise” is a smoothly done exploration of love going wrong. “Angel on My Shoulder” rocks gently through a personal message to the love who’s the angel on her shoulder, with McKendree’s B-3 rolling underneath.

“Treat Her Like You Want Her to Treat You” is a sensuous, belt-buckle polishing slow-dance blues, with James’ sultry vocal leaving you weak in the knees. “Bad at Being Good” is a swinging, soulful gem with smart lyrics — “You’re gonna need your own personal Jesus / To make up for all your malfeasance …. You’re so bad at being good.” Cleary adds his tasty piano to the mix.

“Say What You Will” swings in with a jazzy lyricism, before “We Came to Rock” shifts into a rollicking honky-tonk roadhouse gear with the band cranking out great old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll behind James’ soaring vocals. “Anytime is Alright” puts a chunky beat behind James pleading that “Any day, any night … anytime is alright.”

“Close Down the Blues Bar” is a fitting closer — a greasy, slow-drag blues with a warning: “He’s so crazy about that funky beat / He forgot he’s got a wife.”

“Bad at Being Good” is another in a long line of albums from Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps that showcase a unique ability to create a joyful reunion of their bright new music and its deep roots. The music is perfectly crafted to blend insightful songwriting and whip-smart musical backing with James’ honeyed vocals. The result is your listening pleasure.

As James says, “I am so excited about our new album – even after having already released 13 albums, I feel like Bad at Being Good is the best yet… with great performances by everyone (including some very special guest artists) and some of the best songs ever, this music truly represents our roadhouse and blues roots, but also shows off the band’s soul inspiration and heart,” observes James. “Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!”

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Here’s “Close Down the Blues Bar” from the album:

Tracks and credits:

Track 1 – “Love’s A Full Time Job” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 2 – “Is Anything Alright” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Bennett Salvay (piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 3 – “I Got This Thing” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 4 – “All About the Benjamins” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3).

Track 5 – “Trouble in Paradise” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, B3), Dean Parks (lead guitar), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (Wurlitzer).

Track 6 – “Angel on My Shoulder” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3).

Track 7 – “Treat Her Like You Want Her to Treat You” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Bennett Salvay (piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 8 – “Bad at Being Good” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, slide guitar, background vocals), John Porter (slide guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion, background vocals), Kevin McKendree (B3), Jon Cleary (piano).

Track 9 – “Say What You Will” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3, piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 10 – “We Came to Rock” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 11 – “Anytime is Alright” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), David P. Jackson (accordion).

Track 12 – “Close Down the Blues Bar” (Gary Nicholson & Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

(This post has been republished to update now that the film is available again. It’s a timeless look at blues history.)

Most blues fans have probably heard about, and even heard, the primitive and powerful Mississippi Hill Country blues style. If you haven’t, you’re missing a primeval blues experience.

It’s a rhythmic, hypnotic, drum-and-guitar-heavy style that grew up in the Mississippi Hill Country and almost never left home. Most of its practitioners rarely or never left the areas where they were born and raised. A few were found and recorded by Fat Possum Records.

Some, like R.L. Burnside, recorded and toured and became, if not exactly household names, well-known to blues fans. In fact, Burnside’s 2009 album, “Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down” on Fat Possum, was named the second best blues album of the preceding decade by the old Blues Revue Magazine.

Mostly these bluesmen lived their hardscrabble lives in rural towns and played their blues in jukes and on front porches, where they made music for the simplest and best of reasons — for their own pleasure.

All of this was brought back to me a while back when, whilst perusing the interwebs for music, I ran across the 2002 documentary on this Hill Country music, “You See Me Laughin’.” The film features artists Asie Payton, Cedell Davis, David Cardwell, Johnny Farmer, Junior Kimbrough, Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside and T-Model Ford.

Davis, who suffered crippling polio, played his guitar with a butter knife as a kind of slide, Ford saying how he “can’t read, can’t write, can’t spell nothin’, but I can play this guitar when I have to.”

Fat Possum co-funder Matthew Johnson hovers around, trying to get gigs and record these men. “I don’t want my guys to die unknown,” he says near the end of the film. If you watch this film, he will have at least partly succeeded.

The film was directed by filmmaking newcomer Mandy Stein, who described her work for the website Stay Thirsty:

“My first documentary was titled, You See Me Laughin’ (2002) where I followed the last of the Hill Country Bluesmen.  The idea was sparked in early 1999, from a Mike Rubin article in Spin Magazine about the Bluesmen.  So I went on and called Mississippi where the label (Fat Possum) was based.  I had no education in the field and never attended film school. The funding came from borrowed money from my grandfather, and I just went down there, figured it out and created a documentary.”

It’s an excellent look at the music lives that these men lived, and how and why they made their music. There’s power and beauty in the music, but a poignant undercurrent throughout of struggles to survive, to live. And to create music.

The movie was unavailable for a time, but seems to be accessible again.