ZZ Top – RAW (That Little Ol’ Band From Texas Original Soundtrack) (2022 Shelter Records/BMG)
Recorded in 2019 as part of the documentary “That Little Ol’ Band from Texas“, this legendary trio retreated to their garage rock roots by renting the oldest dance hall in Texas, the Gruene Hall, and then crankin’ out versions of a dozen of their classic tunes. There were no crowds; just the band and recording staff. Dusty Hill was magical on the bass, Frank Beard kept a tight pocket with an insistent beat, and Billy Gibbons provided his signature guitar licks and raw vocals. With the death of Dusty, the magic that was ZZ Top will never pass this way again. And as the last recording of the group, it stands as a mighty testament to their fusion of rock and blues. It is well worth every nickel you pay for the download or the vinyl.
Creedence Clearwater Revival – At the Royal Albert Hall April 14, 1970(2022 Craft Records)
Recorded by the BBC during Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first tour of Europe in 1970, this music was never released because of the never ending battles between the band and their original label, Fantasy Records. Now, after 52 years, you get to hear CCR at their finest with John Fogerty on vocals and guitars, his older brother Tim Fogerty on rhythm guitars, Stu Cook on bass and Doug ‘Cosmo’ Clifford on drums.
CCR sprang to fame in 1968 with a cover of Dale Hawkin’s Suzy Q, burned brightly as a true super group for 4 years and then they were gone; the victim of internal band strife and business battles. But on this spring night in 1970, they were in top musical form for the 13 songs on the recording kicking out what I have always referred to as swamp blues rock. For me, this was a nostalgic trip back to the golden era of music. For those of you who may have never have heard CCR live, this recording is well worth a listen and representative of the talent of Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Joan Osborne – Radio Waves(2022 Womanly Hips Records)
Joan Osborne is one of those artists that I have always included in the pantheon of Roadhouse Blues artists because her music and songwriting are an outpouring of her soul; to me the essence of the blues. She got her start singing at blues mic open nights at clubs in New York City in the 1980’s. She had a mega hit with One of Us in the 1990’s but I have never felt the song was representative of her body of work which is much more blues, soul and R&B influenced. In fact, she was nominated for a Grammy for the best blues album of 2013, Bring It On Home.
Her newest recording, Radio Waves, is an interesting compilation of 13 songs that she recorded at radio stations between 1995 and 2012. Normally these type recordings are done as part of a promotional tour and have more of a live feel to them which is a strong suit for Joan. Give Shake Your Hips, Only You and I Know, and My Love Is Alive a listen They should help remind you of the talent of this gifted songwriter and singer.
Hundred Seventy Split – The Story So Far(2022 Repertoire Records )
Formed in 2010, this blues rock trio features the legendary Leo Lyons of Ten Years After on bass, Joe Gooch on vocals and guitars, and Damon Sawyer on drums. They are a fabulous band and this recording features songs from five of their recordings over the past decade. Joe on guitar is a fantastic replacement for the late great Alvin Lee. Take a listen to Going Home to see what I mean. Devil To Pay is some straight up badass blues rock and I Grew Up on Muddy Waters is a live tribute to the man who is the father of the electric Roadhouse Blues. This compilation recordings should serve as a great introduction to the many of you that are not yet familiar with this great British roadhouse blues group!!
I listened to a lot of new music this past year; 750 albums and over 10,000 individual recordings! Amongst all that music there were four notable Posthumous recordings that I believe are worth your attention and your ear!!
Dr. John – Things Happen That Way(Rounder Records 2022)
He was born Malcolm John Rebennack and he was a mainstay of the New Orleans music scene as I grew up. His first album Gris Gris released in 1968 featured Caribbean and New Orleans influences that melded easily with the psychedelic spirit of the time. The persona of Dr. John the Night Tripper emerged in those days borne on the wings of emerging album oriented rock FM stations and stage show performances featuring outlandish fashions and eccentric creativity replete with allusions to the voodoo mystique of his hometown.
Over his career, Dr. John released 30 studio albums and contributed to dozens of others by artists that most of us know. At the time of his sudden death in June of 2019, he was working on a recording that became the material for the 2022 release, Things Happen That Way. It is a distinctive recording featuring contributions by Willie Nelson, Willie’s son Lukas, Dr. John’s life long hometown friend Aaron Neville, and some great vocals by Nashville artist Katie Pruitt on End of the Line and Holy Water. Dr. John’s rendition of the Traveling Wilburys End of the Line is absolutely spot on! And I enjoyed Funny How Time Slips Away, Ramblin’ Man, Sleeping Dog Best Left Alone, and the prophetic Guess Things Happen That Way.
On Dr. John’s first album Gris Gris in 1968, he recorded a tune, I Walk On Guilded Splintersthat has always been one of my favorites. And it is fitting for his last recording that he comes full circle on his career with a rerecording of this fabulous song (and my favorite on an album) that is a touching close to the storied life and career of Dr. John.
The Doors – Paris Blues(Rhino Records 2022)
Over 51 years after his death, the final known studio recording of Jim Morrison and The Doors has been released. Paris Blues is a song that was recorded sometime before the L.A. Woman album in 1971. Morrison died in July of that year and in the ensuing years, neither Robby Krieger or Ray Manzarek felt inclined to release it on a series of posthumous recording which were uneven snippets of live recording and outtakes featuring an often drunk and unintelligible Morrison.
Doors diehard fans have been aware of the song recording for a long time but it was thought lost forever when Manzarek took the studio tape home and his young toddler accidentally taped over a very small portion of it. Through the use of modern digital recording techniques, the song was been resuscitated and is the title cut of a new recording released by Rhino Records. The album includes two other previously unreleased songs, I Will Never Be True (an original) and a cover of Robert Johnson’s Me And the Devil Blues. There are a couple of other songs recorded live at a political event for Norman Mailer back in 1968 and three songs featuring Albert King that were released originally on Live In Vancouver 1970.
To be blunt, Paris Blues is a keeper as a single but the rest of album is only of interest to die hard Doors fans and record collectors fleshing out their Doors discography. My theme for my shows on the internet and my blog is based on the Door’s tune, Roadhouse Blues. I love the mental imagery associated with this song of friends getting together at a roadhouse and havin’ a good time drinking and smoking while listening to blues based rock tunes. And I have tried to flesh out that imagery with contemporary blues, blues rock, and “head music” during my roadhouse blues shows over the years. For me, this “new” recording is a sad reminder of both Jim’s love of the blues and the way he squandered his talent in a haze of smoke, booze, and hard drugs. I am still mad at him about it. But every show that I do and every line that I write about blues music is a testament to the influence of Jim Morrison and The Doors music on my life.
Janis Joplin & Jorma Kaukonen – The Legendary Typewriter Tape: 6/25/64 Jorma’s House(Omnivore Records 2022)
Back in the day, the Queen of the Psychedelic Blues was Janis Joplin. Like Johnny and Edgar Winter, Janis had been raised in the Golden Triangle of East Texas. She burst onto the national music scene in 1967 in San Francisco as part of the Big Brother & the Holding Company band at the Monterey Pop Festival. And two years later, she was enshrined in the annals of music history with her performance at Woodstock.
Janis first went to San Francisco in 1963 and during a two year stint there Janet’s drug use got her arrested for shoplifting and she developed a reputation as a “speed freak”. But no one could deny her talent amongst the local San Francisco artists including Jorma Kaukonen, later to become an original member of Jefferson Airplane. Jorma had met her soon after arriving in California at a local club where other aspiring artists including the Grateful Dead were playing. They hit it off and Janis asked him to play with her for some gigs she had going. During 1964, Jorma invited Janis to rehearse with him at his home. As Jorma’s wife Margareta typed a letter to her parents in Russia in the background, Jorma and Janis used a Sony mono tape recorder to rehearse and then listen to the playback. That one day rehearsal in June of 1964 would become known at the Legendary Typewriter Tape. It has been available for years as a raw bootleg. Now it has been mixed professionally (and legally) and released by Omnivore Recordings.
For Joplin fans, this recording is pure magic. Janis is sittin’ in a living room singing the blues that she most certainly lived in her own life. For me, the recording brings to mind another great blues woman, Memphis Minnie, who eventually settled in my hometown of New Orleans. Both had charming southern drawls and a vocal delivery that takes the blues right down into your soul.
Even as a rehearsal tape, I love Janis’ renditions of Trouble In Mind, Hesitation Blues, Long Black Train, Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out, and Daddy Daddy Daddy. All are blues standards and she does justice to all of them. The enhanced quality of the new release should make it more accessible to blues lovers, not just collectors. Janis ended her life tragically with a heroin overdose in 1970 at the age of 27. This recording reinforces just what a rare and genuine blues talent Janis was. It is just so sad to think of all the great music she could have made if she had lived into her eighties like Koko Taylor and Etta James.
Sven Zetterberg – Rain On (The Lost Session) (Parma Records 2022)
One of the all time great Swedish bluesmen Sven Zetterberg passed away in December of 2016 at the age of 64. He was never well known to the general public in North America but what a talent he was. His voice was equally at home singing classic blues, soul and Rhythm & Blues and his artistry on the guitar and harmonica were matched by his songwriting skills. As sometimes happens, he did a studio session in 1999, as he was beginning a solo career, that was put in the can and saved for another day. It is an incredible recording that has been released by Parma Records entitled Rain On (The Lost Session).
As a testament to how highly Sven was regarded by American blues artists, Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds) appears on two of the songs on harmonica; I Ain’t from Mississippi and Start from Scratch. For me personally, I best loved Sven when he was belting out R&B and soul songs and there are a couple on the recording that are jewels; the title cut Rain On and That’s All I Need. And as examples of his straight up blues talent there are You Oughta Be Ashamed and Blues in My Heart.
I can not figure out for the life of me why this recording was not issued back in 1999 or 2000. My only guesses are that because he released his first solo album in 1999 (Blues From Within), the tracks on this recording were put on hold or there was a disagreement between music business entities (which happens more often than it should) that put this recording session to the side. Whatever the case, I am glad the Parma Records has released the recording now. It is a lasting testament to a bluesman who helped bring the good news of the blues to a whole generation of European blues audiences. Now, posthumously, North American audiences will get another chance to appreciate his talent.
#blues #bluesmusic #bluesrock #bestof2022
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB as well as a Youtube channel.
I have started compiling my Roadhouse Blues “Best of” lists and over the next couple of months, they will begin to appear here on my blues blog, on my Youtube Video channel, and on my Spotify playlists. During 2022, I reviewed or sampled over 750 new blues and blues rock albums and over 10,000 songs submitted to me directly or that I received via my association with BluesMusicFan Radio. For 2022, there are three albums that pay tribute to Roadhouse blues rock artists and their music that I think are well worth your time!
Beth Hart – A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group 2022)
Beth Hart has one of the best and most distinctive voices of her generation. She has been a perennial member of my internet radio show playlists over the last decade. She is a California native who got her big break when she won the annual Ed McMahon Star Search competition back in the early 1990’s. One of the highlights of her early concerts were renditions she did of Led Zeppelin tunes. There are videos on the net that show her singing her heart out and even dropping to the floor belting out Zepp tunes Robert Plant style. But as the nineties progressed, Beth got steadily more and more out of control as she dealt with drug issues and she eventually had to take a break to get her life back together. The albums Leave The Light On and My California helped revive her career in the mid 2000’s and she became a favorite amongst blues and blues rock audiences through her association with Joe Bonamassa on the 2011 Don’t Explain, the 2013 See Saw, and the 2018 Black Coffee releases.
In 2022, Beth Hart returned to her blues rock roots with the 12 song release of “A Tribute to Led Zeppelin“. Always known as a high energy concert performer, the power and quality of her voice are a perfect match for the tunes. She covers songs from a number of the eight Led Zeppelin studio recordings including the classics Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir. My personal favorite is her cover of The Rain Song; it is Beth in her full majesty!
The Rock House All Stars – Let It Bleed Revisited – An Ovation from Nashville(Qualified Records 2022)
Released in 1969, Let It Bleed by the Rolling Stones is still considered one of the best rock recording of all time. For a group of Nashville studio musicians, together with a talented array of local vocal artists, to take on the challenge of recreating the songs on the album speaks volumes to the lasting legacy of the initial album. Guided by producers Kevin McKendree and John Heithaus, The Rock House All Stars band does justice to the songs while allowing the vocalists some creativity in the their interpretation of the music on the ten songs.
Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie) roars out of the gate on the album with his cover of Gimme Shelter and is assisted on vocals by Bekka Bramlett, the daughter of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett. Jimmy has been one of my favorite blues and blues rock singers (and harmonica players) over the years and he does a great job on the tune. The title cut, Let It Bleed, is sung by Emil Justian & Greg Mayo. They give it a bit more of a Nashville feel than the original but it is a great cover. Wendy Moten, a finalist on The Voice in 2021, belts out You Can’t Always Get What You Want and Rick Huckaby does a great job on Midnight Rambler. And I really liked the Mike Farris rendition of Monkey Man.
Over the years, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, have toyed at the fringes of country music on a handful of their recordings. The Rock House All Stars have run with that thought and produced an entertaining and respectful rendering of the original album.
Various Artists – Legacy – A Tribute to Leslie West (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group 2022)
I first listened to Leslie West as a member of Mountain back in the day and I was a fan for all of his life. As the years went by, Leslie became a blues rock fan favorite and produced a series of stellar albums that have regularly been featured on my shows. On Legacy – A Tribute to Leslie West, a heavy weight group of guitar players including Zakk Wylde, Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Robby Krieger (the Doors), Slash, and Yngwie Malmsteen all pay respect to the songwriting and music of Leslie.
As would be expected, my favorite on the album is Mississippi Queen featuring Marc Labelle, vocalist for Dirty Honey and Slash on guitar. Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple, Rainbow) and guitar master Marty Friedman do an incredible job on Nantucket Sleighride and I loved Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke) on Silver Paper as well as the Bachman Brothers (Randy & Tal) on Money.
Listening to all of these Leslie West tribute songs brought back a lot of great memories. If you were a Leslie fan, I am sure it will do so for you also.
#blues #bluesrock #bluesmusic
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB as well as a Youtube channel.
It’s summertime here in the northern hemisphere and many of us will be taking road trips to see family and friends. Whether the journey is an hour away or across the continent, here are the Roadhouse 66 best blues songs of 2021 to listen to along the way. And this year, for the first time, the playlist is available on the Ben Vee Youtube channel and on the Ben Vee Spotify account. I hope you enjoy reviewing and listening to the songs. And bear in mind that music is not a sports competition…..whether the song is listed at number 4 or number 64, these are all truly great tunes culled from an initial list of over 4,000 new songs that I reviewed or streamed during the course of 2021!! And if you have a comment or want to tell us what your best roadhouse blues song of 2021 was, just leave a comment below.
The Roadhouse 66 Best Blues Songs of 2021 Top Ten
#1 Altered Five Blues Band – Full Moon, Half Crazy
Another in a long series of vibrant upbeat tunes from this amazing band out of Wisconsin, the group is powered by the voice of Jeff Taylor.
#2 Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Long Distance Woman
The Kingfish is a true superstar of the contemporary blues and…..he is only 23!! He first came to my attention four or five years ago and his musical trajectory just keeps rising and rising!
#3 Dion – I’ve Got to Get to You (ft. Boz Scaggs, Mike Menza, and Joe Menza)
His career started over 60 years ago and at the age of 82 he is still kickin’ out some badass blues songs!
#4 Colin James – Open Road
Stevie Ray Vaughan opened the door for him in the 1980’s and in the years since he has become a mainstay of the Canadian music scene. This is the title cut from his latest album that was also the Roadhouse Blues 61 best album of the year!
#5 Tommy Castro – Somewhere
This California based bluesman is a personal favorite. I have seen him in concert 3 times and he is an absolutely incredible performer. He also walked away from this year’s Blue Music Awards in Memphis with a bevy of the top awards. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
#6 J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls – Highway
This blues rock band out of the UK just cranks out some badass music!
#7 Atomic 44s – Fade to Black
I tried to see this southern California band last summer when I went to visit my younger daughter. They are the perfect roadhouse blues band. Unfortunately, COVID cancelled the show. I hope to see them on a future trip!
#8 JP Williams Blues Band featuring Ekat Pereya – Mighty Dangerous Boogie
I just love JP’s style of roadhouse blues. And I appreciate the fact that he appeared in chat on several of my BluesMusicFan Radio shows during 2021.
#9 Polly O’Keary & the Rhythm Method – I’m Not Guilty
A long time star of the blues from the American northwest, Polly O’Keary has paid her blues dues! I just love her voice!
#10 Blues Traveler – Roadhouse Blues
John Popper and company do an amazing blues version of the Doors classic. Easily one of my favorite tunes of 2021….I wonder why?!!
The entire Roadhouse 66 Best blues songs of 2021
The Roadhouse 66 list includes perennial music stars like Melissa Etheridge, Jimmy Barnes, Billy Gibbons, Van Morrison, and Doobie Brothers as well as personal favorites like Uncle Watson’s Widow, Mike Zito, Carolyn Wonderland, the Black Keys, and Davy Knowles. There are a slew of contemporary blues stars on the list such as Eddie 9V, Joanne Shaw Taylor, the Record Company, and Sue Foley. Also included are some rising stars of the genre that you may not have heard before; 8 Ball Aitken, Veronica Lewis, Ben Levin, Hendrikse, and AJ Fullerton to name just a few! I hope you get a chance to listen to all of them sometime soon. Just remember you can use my playlists on Youtube and Spotify to listen to them all and hopefully buy and download a few….the ultimate compliment to the artists!!
ARTIST
TITLE
1
Altered Five Blues Band
Full Moon, Half Crazy
2
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Long Distance Woman
3
Dion
I’ve Got To Get To You
4
Colin James
Open Road
5
Tommy Castro
Somewhere
6
J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls
Highway
7
Atomic 44s
Fade To Black
8
JP Williams Blues Band featuring Ekat Pereyra
Mighty Dangerous Boogie
9
Polly O’Keary & The Rhythm Method
I’m Not Guilty
10
Blues Traveler
Roadhouse Blues
11
Mike Zito
Dreaming Of You
12
Billy F Gibbons
Stackin’ Bones (Feat. Larkin Poe)
13
Markus K.
Rollin’ and Tumblin’
14
Sean Chambers
Rockin’ Daddy
15
Carolyn Wonderland
Broken Hearted Blues
16
8 Ball Aitken
What Goes Up
17
Eddie 9V
Dog Me Around
18
Sue Foley
Hurricane Girl (ft. Jimmie Vaughan)
19
The Black Keys
Coal Black Mattie
20
Uncle Watson’s Widow
Nasty Dogs Funky Kings Precious and Grace
21
Melissa Etheridge
For The Last Time
22
Jimmy Barnes
End Of The Road
23
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Stop Messin’ Round
24
Steve Marriner
Take Me To The City
25
Simon Kinny-Lewis
Swamp Rat
26
Chickenbone Slim
Serve It to Me Hot
27
The Dirty Mojo Blues Band
My Little Sue
28
The Doobie Brothers
Cannonball
29
Dirty Dave Osti
River Of Shame
30
Eldon Backhouse And The Electric Blues Band
Another Man
31
Band Of Friends
Livin’ Like a Trucker
32
Steve Cropper
She’s So Fine
33
Joe Metzka
Walk
34
Tom Feldmann and Noah Levy
Going Away Baby
35
The Record Company
Today Forever
36
The Kokomo Kings
She´s Shaking Up A Storm
37
Superdownhome
Homework
38
Vintage Trouble
Low Down Dirty Dog
39
Delta Fuse
Letter on the Table
40
Gov’t Mule
Snatch It Back And Hold It
41
AJ Fullerton
The Forgiver And The Runaway
42
Davy Knowles
One & The Same
43
Captain Morgan Express
Hanging Tree
44
Quinn Sullivan
Wide Awake
45
Dave Kalz
Shes Got A Hemi
46
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Too Cool To Dance
47
Tommy Z
Tommy Guns
48
Hendrikse
Try to Save Your Soul
49
Andy Lindquist
The River Queen
50
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
Choo Choo
51
Dionne Bennett
Full Time Job
52
Cactus
Preaching Woman Man Blues
53
Bernie Marsden
Me And My Guitar
54
Teresa James and The Rhythm Tramps
Gonna Rise Together
55
Ben Levin
I Can’t Stop It
56
The Liberators
Wrong Distraction
57
Trainman Blues
Troubled Mind
58
Mike Goudreau Band
Tonight’s The Night For Big Fun
59
Van Morrison
Deadbeat Saturday Night
60
The Immediate Family
Slippin’ and Slidin’
61
Colin Linden
4 Cars
62
WellBad
One Kiss Too Late
63
Dennis Siggery
Gypsy Woman
64
Early Times & The High Rollers
Do What She Do
65
Selwyn Birchwood
I’d Climb Mountains
66
Veronica Lewis
Put Your Wig On Mama
#blues #roadhouseblues #bluesrock
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB as well as a Youtube channel.
A special thanks to the SL DJ Hall of Fame for inducting me last night. I started spinning on the Second LIfe grid in 2011 to spread the news about the roadhouse blues and continue to do so today. I appreciate all the listeners I have garnered over the years on SL and the number of enduring friendships that I have made there. Pretty damn badass award….I am honored…..THANK YOU
United States Highway 61 starts in Wyoming, Minnesota and over its 1400 mile length generally follows the mighty Mississippi River to its terminus in New Orleans. It has earned the proud appellation as the “Blues Highway” primarily because of its route through the heart of the Mississippi delta country where the blues was born. It also intersects in Clarksdale Mississippi with Highway 49 at a spot known as the Crossroads that is stamped indelibly on the tale of the blues. In honor of this great highway and all of the blues men and women who have transited lengths of it over their careers , I present my list of the 61 best roadhouse blues albums of 2021.
The year 2021 will not be treated kindly by history. The dark foreboding shadow of the pandemic continued to loom over the months. Strife and division marked our public discourse and even enveloped the blues. But despite it all, thousands of blues artists continued to release new recordings in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, South America, and Africa. Through my association with BluesMusicFan Radio and my own contacts in the industry, I received hundreds and hundreds of new releases. I reviewed them and rated each album song by song with additional factors for creativity and “paying the blues dues”. This list is not about an individual song but an album as a creative whole. Needless to say, it takes time to do this. I started culling the list down in mid November. First to 300, then 150, and now the final list. While the list includes 61 releases, it is not strictly a numerical listing. Artists are not in a sports competition with their fellow artists and most I have known over the years will be the first to sing the praises of other groups. With this in mind, I break the lists down by album of the year and then Best Ten albums as a group, Top Twenty, and so on. ANY album on this list is worth your time to listen to. And I hope many of you will AND pay the artists the ultimate compliment by purchasing their work.
The Ben Vee Roadhouse Blues Album of the Year 2021 is…..
Colin James – Open Road
Colin James got his big break in the 1980’s when he was drafted as a last minute replacement for a cancelled opening act for Stevie Ray Vaughan. He has been a rocker, blues rocker, and successful Swing music artist over the years and has won dozens of music honors in Canada. For the Open Road recording, he made a conscious decision to emphasize his love of the blues genre and we are all its beneficiaries. It has rockin’ blues songs, traditional blues numbers, and beautiful roots blues tunes. (For an in depth review of the album songs, please see my blog dated November 4, 2021). With echoes of Chuck Berry and Stevie Ray Vaughan in the music combined with Colin’s voice and guitar mastery, I invite you to listen to Leave This House as just one sampling of this incredible recording and my choice as Roadhouse Blues album of the year.
Roadhouse Blues Best Ten Recordings of 2021
This year’s Roadhouse Blues Best Ten recordings include artists from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. One is 22 and has such a bright future, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Another is 82 and still kicking out vibrant and thoughtful jams, Dion. There is a great group out of the UK, J Lee and Hoodoo Skulls, that won my award for Blues Rock album of 2021. There are two artists, the JP Williams Blues Band and the Atomic 44’s that I tried to see during the year but Covid raised its ugly head. Polly O’Keary makes the list based on the power of her voice and all the dues she has paid to the blues over the years. Perennial favorite Tommy Castro also shows up as well as John Popper with Blues Traveler. And one of the defining voices of the contemporary blues, Jeff Taylor, makes the list with the Altered Five Blues Band.
Artist
2021 Album
Country
Colin James
Open Road
Canada
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
662
USA
Dion
Stomping Ground
USA
Altered Five Blues Band
Holler If You Hear Me
USA
J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls
Beggars Soul
UK
JP Williams Blues Band
JP & Ekat
USA
Polly O’Keary & the Rhythm Method
50
USA
Tommy Castro
A Bluesman Came to Town
USA
Atomic 44’s
Volume One
USA
Blues Traveler
Traveler’s Blues
USA
Roadhouse Blues Top Twenty Recordings of 2021
My Top Twenty albums for 2021 included artists from Canada (Sue Foley), Australia (8 Ball Aiken), and the street busker from the UK (Markus K.). Carolyn Wonderland, based in Austin, makes the list with an incredible recording. Established stars Mike Zito, Billy Gibbons, and the Black Keys all contributed significant works to the roadhouse blues this year. An emerging artist that I believe still has his best work in front of him, Eddie 9V, makes the list and is well worth a listen as hint of the future of the blues. And Ricci and Krown put out a recording that should warm the heart of anyone that enjoys harmonica based blues. I also highly recommend the Sean Chambers album which is a tribute to his mentor and famed blues man, Hubert Sumlin.
8 Ball Aiken
Ice Cream Man
Australia
Carolyn Wonderland
Tempting Fate
USA
Eddie 9V
Little Black Flies
USA
Sean Chambers
That’s What I’m Talkin’ About
USA
Mike Zito
Resurrection
USA
Ricci and Krown
City Country City
USA
Billy F. Gibbons
Hardware
USA
Sue Foley
Pinky’s Blues
Canada
The Black Keys
Delta Kream
USA
Markus K.
Live With Looper No. 1
UK
Roadhouse Blues Thrillin’ Thirty Recordings of 2021
Band of Friends
Spotlight on the G-Man Vol. 2
UK/Ireland
Uncle Watson’s Widow
Hindsight
USA
Simon Kinney Lewis
King Biscuit
Australia
Chickenbone Slim
Serve It to Me Hot
USA
The Dirty Mojo Blues Band
It is What It is
USA
The Doobie Brothers
Liberte
USA
Melissa Etheridge
One Way Out
USA
Dirty Dave Osti
Retro-Sonic Blues Train
Australia
Eldon Backhouse and the Electric Blues Band
Portrait Gallery
UK
Steve Marriner
Hope Dies Last
Canada
The Roadhouse Blues Thrillin’ Thirty recordings list has an international flavor with two artists from Australia (Simon Kinney Lewis & Dirty Dave Osti) as well as two from the UK (Band of Friends & Eldon Backhouse and the Electric Blues Band) and one from Canada (Steve Marriner). If you love Rory Gallagher, then I highly recommend the Band of Friends recording which features bassist Gerry McAvoy and the stellar guitar playing of Davy Knowles. If you enjoy what I term “roots blues”, then Steve Marriner’s latest recording is well worth a listen. Additionally two major music artists, Melissa Etheridge and the Doobie Brothers, both released albums that a perfect representations of what I term the “roadhouse blues”…a mix of contemporary blues, blues rock, and roots blues. And I highly recommend a blues rock group out of North Carolina, Uncle Watson’s Widow, that plays a high energy mix of ZZ Top and Joe Bonamassa related music.
Roadhouse Blues Top 61 Recordings of 2021
The rest of the list of the 61 Best Roadhouse Albums of 2021 includes notable names like Steve Cropper, Jimmy Barnes, Gov’t Mule, Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Bernie Marsden as well as established roadhouse blues artists like The Record Company, Davy Knowles, Cactus, Colin Linden, and “up and comers” like Veronica Lewis, The Kokomo Kings, Hendrikse, and Quinn Sullivan. All of them put out quality recordings that I enjoyed listening to!
Steve Cropper
Fire It Up
USA
Jimmy Barnes
Flesh And Blood
Australia
Joe Metzka
Another Disaster
USA
Tom Feldman and Noah Levy
Brothers in Mud
USA
The Record Company
Play Loud
USA
Quinn Sullivan
Wide Awake
USA
The Kokomo Kings
A Drive-By Love Affair
Denmark
Vintage Trouble
Juke Joint Gems
USA
Delta Fuse
A Matter of Love and War
UK
Gov’t Mule
Heavy Load Blues
USA
AJ Fullerton
The Forgiver
USA
Davy Knowles
What Happens Next
UK
Captain Morgan Express
No Weirdos Please
Germany
Superdownhome
No Balls, No Blues Chips
Italy
Dave Kalz
Relish
USA
Joanne Shaw Taylor
The Blues Album
UK
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Dance Songs for Hard Times
USA
Tommy Z
Plug in and Play
USA
Hendrikse
A Good Day for the Blues
Netherlands
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
Bloodstains and Teardrops
USA
Dionne Bennett
Sugar Hip Ya Ya
UK
Cactus
Tightrope
USA
Bernie Marsden
Kings
UK
Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps
Rose Colored Glasses
USA
The Liberators
Waitin’
Netherlands
Trainman Blues
Shadows & Shapes
Denmark
Mike Goudreau Band
The Isolation Blues
Canada
Colin Linden
Blow
Canada
Veronica Lewis
You Ain’t Lucky
USA
Dennis Siggery
Higher Ground
UK
Early Times & the High Rollers
The Corner
USA
The Roadhouse Blues 61 Best Blues albums of 2021 is not THE list of lists for 2021. It is based on the types of blues that I enjoy spinning for my audiences and that is a bias that I readily admit to. Other blues writers and organizations (including the BluesMusicFan Radio Top 20) have produced charts that differ, sometimes widely, from mine. However I do believe this list is a representative overview of the state of the blues in 2021 and the forecast is pretty dang good. The blues is not dying…it is not just surviving….it is thriving in terms of the number of great artists that are attracted to the genre. The challenge is to get the mainstream music media to give the blues its proper due and consequentially pump up the sales so that the artists can derive a meaningful income. I am so thankful to the major blues labels like Delmark Records, Ruff Records, Alligator Records, Stony Plain Records, Mascot/Provogue, Gulf Coast Records, KTBA Records, and a whole host of other “indie” labels for encouraging and promoting groups that fit my roadhouse blues format.
And YOU have a part to play also. My part is to listen, select, and spin contemporary blues, blues rock, and roots blues tunes to help get the word out. I do this for no financial renumeration (though I would not begrudge it!). YOUR part, if you love the roadhouse blues, is to pass the word when given the opportunity to friends and family. Particularly to younger audiences that probably have no clue about most, if not all, the artists on this list. AND, once in awhile, when finances permit, you can support your favorite artist(s) on this list by downloading their album. I estimate that I reach about 10,000 people each week through my shows and other social media. That is a pittance compared to the several million people reached by terrestrial radio and media on any given day in a major city in Europe or North America. But if the people I do reach each spent 50 dollars downloading albums (not just listening to streams) this year, that would be an infusion of $500,000 into the blues music market. It is a “drop in the bucket” compared to what artists on the Billboard 200 weekly list of albums generate but it is something. Almost to a person, the blues artists that I have met and conversed with are down to earth people and they definitely haven’t committed their musical lives to the blues seeking fame and fortune. But they do deserve the chance to make a decent living during a period when they can’t perform before live audiences. It starts with you and me…..pass on a link for this list to someone you know….you never know who will be the next convert to the blues. After all, you and I were converted at some point….and I think we are doin’ just fine!
#blues #roadhouse blues
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB
The Roadhouse 2021 Blues Rock Album of the Year is by a British group from Surrey, England…. J. Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls. The recording, Beggars Soul, is a vibrant energetic collection of tunes that are brash and edgy. Drawing from the same musical well as Chuck Berry, Larkin Poe, the Black Keys and the Record Company, this 4 piece band cranks out songs that will get ya pumped and wanting to gather once again with friends at a rowdy roadhouse or pub for some good times.
The band is composed of J. Lee (vocals), Harun Kotch (Lead Guitar/ Writer), Wayne Riches (Drums) and Mike Hartnett (Bass). The album was recorded at an old church chapel which gives the songs a cool texture that just enhances the aura of the music. Just give the title cut, Beggars Soul, a listen……you will hear what I mean.
I also just love tunes that capture the magic of the era when Muddy Water’s famously said that the blues had a baby and it was called rock & roll. The song Baby Can’t Sing the Blues is an absolute time capsule of a roadhouse blues tune that perfectly illustrates Muddy’s statement.
Every recording on this album is worth a listen, particularly if you are feeling dreary or depressed and need a musical “pick me up”. So…..go to your favorite music download site….get your own copy of Beggars Soul as your endorsement of the very best badass Roadhouse blues rock of 2021!
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB
As you might expect, there were not a lot of Live albums released during 2021 but of the ones that were these are the five best that I got to listen to and spin during my shows…..enjoy!
The Teskey Brothers & Orchestra Victoria – LIve At Hamer Hall
A case can be made that the best current R&B band in the world is from a place in the Yarra valley outside Melbourne Australia. The four brothers write and sing as though they have emerged from a time capsule found in a wall in MoTown with Otis Redding 45s in their hands. Just listen to Rain, So Caught Up, and San Francisco and be teleported back to the golden age of modern music for an evening.
Greg Copeland & Steve ‘Guitar’ Giles – LIve in Aotearoa New Zealand
Greg Copeland & Steve ‘Guitar’ Giles serve as ambassadors for the blues on this recording done in New Zealand. Greg is a smoky voiced singer and master storyteller of the blues who is from Virginia and has been living in Germany for a number of years. Greg and Steve capture the heart of the contemporary acoustic blues on songs like Don’t Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down and Going Home. Greg’s love of the blues comes through in every note and I can’t think of a better person to sing the story of the blues to audiences in New Zealand, Europe, and here in North America.
Pat Fulgoni – Dark Side of the Blues – Live in Prague
Out of the UK, Pat Fulgoni is the Mountain Man of the roadhouse blues with his long hair, full beard, and a blues style and voice perfect for roadhouses from Prague to New Orleans. The recording features covers of blues classics including Rock Me Baby and the jammin’ How Many More Times.
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Layla Revisited
Stellar guitar work, a rocking rhythm section, and fantastic vocals mark this one off live concert recorded by the Tedeschi Trucks band as a remembrance of the Derek & the Dominos album that featured Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. Trey Anastasio (Phish) and Doyle Bramhall II also joined the band on the recording. Listening to Susan Tedeschi belt out Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out is worth the price of admission.
The Brothers – Madison Square Garden March 10, 2020
Recorded days before the world as we knew it changed radically, the recording was organized by Jaimoe and will probably stand as one of the last live recordings featuring an original member of the Allman Brothers Band (ABB). ABB alumni including Warren Haynes on all vocals, Derek Trucks on guitar, bassist Oteil Burbridge, and percussionist Marc Quinones provide a trip down memory lane with most of the two dozen songs coming from the golden era of ABB from 1969 to 1973.
Honorable Mentions
Mary Stokes Band – Clouds In My Heart (LIve In Dublin)
The Mary Stokes Band is a very tight blues band out of Ireland centered around Mary’s robust vocals, her life partner Brian Palm’s badass harmonica playing, and some mighty fine licks on the guitar by Sarah Michelle. This is live roadhouse blues at its very finest!!! Listen to The Last Time and I’m So Glad and tell me it ain’t so!!! Originally recorded in 1999, the CD was released internationally this November.
Joe Bonamassa – Now Serving Royal Tea Live from the Ryman
My first exposure to Joe Bonamassa was live on PBS and I still enjoy listening to him perform on a stage. As much a rock recording as a blues album, Royal Tea Live From the Ryman features a performance of A New Day Yesterday/Starship Trooper – Wurm that I love.
Legacy Releases of 2021
Stevie Ray Vaughan – The First Broadcast
Muddy Waters – Muddy Waters: The Montreux Years
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB
The Year 2020 was one that we all were glad to see go. Not only were our family, friends, and neighbors ravaged by COVID but our political systems were stressed and our rights to meet and gather were often suspended. And performing artists and musicians took the financial brunt of the frenzied response as outdoor venues, bars, and restraunts closed across the world throwing millions of performers out of work. But musicians are a resilient and creative group. They retreated, like the rest of us, to their homes, their garages, and their basements and began the process of creating new music using novel internet collaborative tools to record and share their music with other band members and recording studios. The product of their work is what I want us to celebrate in this article. It took new thinking, creative use of software, and dogged perseverance to write, record, and release new music during 2020 and EVERY artist and group that did so should be commended for not giving in to the darkness and continuing to bring the joy of music to us all.
During 2020, I played over 7000 songs on my DJ shows and listened to hundreds of albums sent to me by the artists, publicists, and record companies. I received even more as part of the staff of Blues Music Fan Radio. Out of all that music, I have chosen my favorite 66 roadhouse blues songs for 2020 using only two rules; I had to have played the tune during one of my shows in 2020 and I could only select one song per album. The list represents less than 1% of all music that I broadcast during the year and includes both perennial favorites as well as artists you may not have heard of. These are the best of the best and regardless of position on this listing, they are all fabulous tunes in my opinion. I hope you enjoy reviewing the list, listening to the songs, and hopefully, downloading some for your own music collection or as a gift to family and friends.
The Roadhouse Blues Top 66 Songs
61
The Smoke Wagon Blues Band
The Fat Man
The Ballad Of Albert Johnson
62
Misty Blues
Treat Me Like I Want
Weed ‘Em & Reap
63
Peter Parcek
Beyond Here Lies Nothing
Mississippi Suitcase
64
Nora Jean Wallace
I’m A Blues Woman
Blues Woman
65
Lloyd Jones
Turn Me Loose
Tennessee Run
66
The Rolling Stones
Living In A Ghost Town
Living In A Ghost Town
The Roadhouse Blues Top 50 & 60 songs
51
John Primer and Bob Corritore
Keep A-Driving
The Gypsy Woman Told Me
52
Cary Morin
Nobody Gotta Know
Dockside Saints
53
Pinkie Rideau
Bring Me Sugar
Bring Me Sugar
54
Dudley Taft
The End Of The Blues
Cosmic Radio
55
Henrik Freischlader Band
What Have I Done to You
Missing Pieces
56
JD3 & The Jondo Trio
Rocks At The Moon
Something Good
57
Shaun Murphy
Living In The Palace Of The King
Flame Still Burns
58
The Nighthawks
Chairman Of The Board
Tryin’ to Get to You
59
Paul Buchanan’s Voodoo Preachers
Some Kind Of Voodoo
Testimony
60
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers
Night Time (feat Jimbo Mathis)
Volume I
41
Mary Jo Curry Band
Nothin’ Is Easy
Front Porch
42
Kerry Kearney
Voodoo Down the River
Tales From The Psychedelta
43
Simon Kinny-Lewis
Black Cat Moan
Another Day In San Jose
44
The Reverend Shawn Amos & The Brotherhood
Counting Down The Days
Blue Sky
45
The Lucky Losers
Half a Nothing
Godless Land
46
Marcus King
The Well
El Dorado
47
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar
Sacrifice
The Reckless On
48
Coco Montoya
Trouble
Coming In Hot
49
Robert Cray
Anything You Want
That’s What I Heard
50
Dave Fields
Force of Will
Force of Will
The Roadhouse Blues Top 40 songs
31
Steve Washington (feat Lucky Peterson)
Blues Don’t Cost a Thing
Just A Matter of Time
32
Tammi Savoy & The Chris Casello Combo
As Long As I’m Movin’
That Rock ‘n’ Roll Rhythm!
33
Too Slim and the Taildraggers
Devil’s Hostage
The Remedy
34
David Rotundo Band
I Must Be Crazy
So Much Trouble
35
Mick Clarke
Ain’t Beggin’ Nobody
Crazy with the Blues
36
Casey Hensley
Searching For A Man
Good As Gone
37
Tas Cru
Save Me
Drive On
38
Sass Jordan
The Key
Rebel Moon Blues
39
Mark May
Barbecue And Blues
Deep Dark Demon
40
Shemekia Copeland
Walk Until I Ride
Uncivil War
The Roadhouse Blues Top 30 Songs
21
Eric Johanson
Down To The Bottom
Below Sea Level
22
Tinsley Ellis
Evil Till Sunrise
Ice Cream In Hell
23
The Immediate Family
Cruel Twist
Slippin’ and Slidin’
24
Mike Zito
After The Storm
Quarantine Blues
25
Savoy Brown
Jaguar Car
Ain’t Done Yet
26
Kirsten Thien
Shoulda Been
Two Sides
27
Larkin Poe
Every Bird That Flies
Self Made Man
28
Eric Steckel
Since I Been Loving You
Grandview Drive
29
Sonny Landreth
Somebody Gotta Make A Move
Blacktop Run
30
Crystal Shawanda
Evil Memory
Church House Blues
The Roadhouse House Top 20 Songs
11
Rae Gordon Band
Get Right With The World
Wrong Kind Of Love
12
Fantastic Negrito
Chocolate Samurai
Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
13
Ben Levin
My Back Scratcher
Carryout Or Delivery
14
Kat Riggins
The Storm
Cry Out
15
Albert Cummings
Red Rooster
Believe
16
The War and Treaty
Beautiful (feat. Jason Isbell)
Hearts Town
17
Anthony Gomes
Until The End Of Time
Containment Blues
18
Popa Chubby
I’m The Beast From The East
It’s A Mighty Hard Road
19
The Mary Stokes Band
Comin’ Home
Comin’ Home
20
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Human
Reckless Blues
The Roadhouse Top Ten Tunes for 2020
10. Johnny Iguana – Shake Your Money Maker [Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular] (Delmark Records)
Johnny Iguana’s cover of the Elmore James song from 1961 should get you movin’ in your easy chair as you listen. Johnny’s energetic keyboard playing is superbly matched by the slide guitar work of Lil’ Ed.
9. Layla Zoe – Nowhere Left To Go [Title Cut] (Self Release)
Though not officially released until January 8, 2021, I got a promo copy in December and started spinning it so it makes the list! Layla’s growling delivery is just badass and harkens back to Janis Joplin.
8. Wily Bo Walker/Danny Flam – Ain’t No Man a Good Man [Title Cut] (Mescal Canyon Records)
Blues rock with a hint of Dr. John in his voice, Wily Bo is a fantastic UK artist with a growing following. Wily’s delivery is theatric in nature and I can’t wait for the opportunity to see him and Danny perform live on stage one day…SOON!
7. Alastair Greene – Bayou Mile [The New World Blues] (Whiskey Bayou Records)
A native of Ventura, California, Alastair got to collaborate with the great Tab Benoit from my home state of Louisiana to make this recording and the result is a haunting beautiful song.
6. Thorbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado – Come On In [Title Cut] (Ruf Records)
A Danish powerhouse and one of my favorite European roadhouse blues artists, Thorbjorn has a unique voice and he is backed by an incredible seven piece ensemble that just continue to crank out catchy and upbeat roadhouse blues tunes.
5. Dion – Blues Comin’ On (ft. Joe Bonamassa) [Blues With Friends] (KTBA Records)
An American treasure, Dion is still creating vibrant music at the age of 81! Produced by Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive label, Dion got Joe to sit in on this track!
4. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Rock & Roll [Empty Promises] (Alligator Records)
This song is about a deal with the angels and a family’s devotion to a young artist’s future. It is simply beautiful and Christone’s delivery is authentic and riveting.
3. Joe Bonamassa – Why Does It Take So Long to Say Goodbye [Royal Tea] (J&R Adventures)
Another Joe Bonamassa ballad that meshes rock and blues like only he can. He is known as a world class guitar player, but I love his voice and his songwriting. This one is a roadhouse jewel!
2. Walter Trout – Make It Right [Ordinary Madness] (Provogue Records)
At 69, Walter is creating some of the best music of his storied career. The guitar playing on this tune is vintage Trout. I hope I get to see him perform it live sometime this year or next!
1……. Avey Grouws Band – Rise Up [The Devil May Care] (Self Release)
A self released debut album by a group from Iowa features a song that is my #1 roadhouse tune for 2020! Who would have thought?? I know I didn’t until I heard Jeni Grouw’s voice and Chris Avey’s guitar playing on Rise Up. It is not only a catchy but topical tune. We all need to rise up, in love, and confront the issues of our times head on without hate or rancor. It’s a song and a message we all need to spread around! Oh…and by the way…..the Avey Grouws Band will be appearing in concert in June with…..Walter Trout. My #1 and #2 artists on the same stage…..if you are close…go see them!!!!
Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB.
Ben Vee Blues 