I have some great new blues rockin’ tunes from Dennis Johnson (one of world’s finest slide guitar players), Eliza Neals, MIcki Free (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram), Dom Martin (from Ireland), Armin Sabol, Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs, Bacon Fat Louis and some classics from Robin Trower, Rocky Athas, and Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood. Sooooo…..join us from 3-5 pm ET on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com. You won’t be disappointed!!
Here is the intended playlist:
ARTIST
TITLE
Dom Martin
Maxwell Shuffle
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
Lightning Boogie
Bacon Fat Louis
It Won’t Be Easy
The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer
Roll with the Punches (Live)
Greyhounds
No Other Woman (OurVinyl Sessions)
Bluesman
Cold Coffee and Cigarettes
AJ Plug
Train Of Love
Dennis Johnson
Going Down
The Delta Project
Love My Baby
Mudlow
So Long Lee (Redux)
Mesquite Cafe
Need A Place To Hide
The Cadillac Cats
Catfish
The Wake Woods
Electric Boogie
R.C. and the 3rd Shift
7 Years
Armin Sabol
Bad Harvest (Album Version)
Katie Henry
Bury You
Malone Sibun
Evil
Dom Martin
12 Gauge
Micki Free
Judicator Blues (feat. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram)
Today is Veterans Day in the USA and I’d like to take this chance to thank the men and women from the United States and around the world that serve their nations and protect the peace. Many spend holidays away from family and do their duty on stations in remote and lonely places. Over the years, I have heard from some of them listening in to my shows from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. To a person, they all comment on how the blues remind them of home and today it reminds me of all of YOU! Thank you for your service and listening to the songs I spin!!
Hope you get a chance to listen in today to the Ben Vee Roadhouse Blues Nooner on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com from 12-2 pm EST. We will roll out with a Faces tune featuring Rod Stewart from back in the day and then spend the rest of the show spinning some incredible new contemporary blues from artists all over the USA and around the world:Manny Fizzotti, Joe Louis Walker, Natalia M. King, Malted Milk, Bad Temper Joe, Colin James, Carolyn Wonderland, and a whole bunch more!!
ARTIST
TITLE
Country
Manny Fizzotti
Sliding Away
Italy
Faces
Three Button Hand Me Down
UK
Joe Louis Walker
Two Trains Running
USA
Son Of Dave
Gimme A Doctor
UK
Natalia M. King
Pink Houses (Feat. Elliott Murphy)
France
Mick Schafer Band
Don’t Wanna B Judged
USA
Zoom With Shawn Kellerman
Born To Sing The Blues
Canada
Jesse Roper
Does Anybody Know
Canada
P K Mayo
Truth
USA
Santana ft. Chris Stapleton
Joy
USA
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
I’m On Your Side
USA
Eric Gales
I Want My Crown (Feat. Joe Bonamassa)
USA
Altered Five Blues Band
All Suit, No Soul
USA
The Head Hunters Blues Band
Forty Days And Forty Nights
UK
Black Pumas
I’m Ready
USA
Manny Fizzotti
Turn Me On
Italy
Malted Milk
Let Me Ride
France
Circle Of Mud
Native Man
France
Andreas Diehlmann Band
Made It My Way
Germany
Bad Temper Joe
3rd Floor Elevator Blues
Germany
Colin James
Raging River
Canada
The Doobie Brothers
Cannonball
USA
Carolyn Wonderland
Broken Hearted Blues
USA
Phillip-Michael Scales
When They Put Me in My Grave
USA
Simon Kinny-Lewis
Just Need A Kind Hearted Woman ( Feat Robben Ford )
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.
Got some Good Time Roadhouse Blues comin’ your way at http://www.bluesmusicfan.com today (October 1st) from 3 to 5 pm EDST. Tune in and listen to new contemporary blues from a slew of great artists including Linsey Alexander, Nick Moss, Johnny Iguana, Johnny Burgin, and Heather Newman.
This is the intended playlist:
ARTIST
TITLE
ALBUM
Dave Specter
Soul Drop
Blues from the Inside Out
Jimmy Johnson
Down In The Valley
Every Day Of Your Life
Linsey Alexander
I Got A Woman
Live at Rosa’s
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers
Night Time (feat Jimbo Mathis)
Volume I
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones feat. Little Charlie Baty
Too Far from the Bar
Too Far from the Bar
John Nemeth
Sometimes
Stronger Than Strong
Heather Newman
His Soul
Rise From The Flames
Gaetano Pellino
Money Talks
Tribute
Nick Moss Band Feat. Dennis Gruenling
Full Moon Ache
Lucky Guy!
Willie Buck
(All I’m Doin’ Is) Thinking Of You
Willie Buck Way
Johnny Iguana
Down In The Bottom
Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular!
Bob Margolin & Dennis Gruenling
Low Life Blues
Don’t Pass Me By
Johnny Burgin
Late Night Date Night (Feat. Rae Gordon)
Live
Coco Montoya
Trouble
Coming In Hot
Whitney Shay
Love’s Creeping up on You
A Woman Rules the World
Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters
Big Town Playboy
Rise Up
Mary Jo Curry Band
Front Porch
Front Porch
AJ Crawdaddy Band
Don’t Think About It, Baby! Featuring Baxter Robertson
It’s back to the real world after a long Labor Day Weekend here in the United States. Join us from High Noon until 2 pm EST today on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com for the Ben Vee Roadhouse Blues Nooner.
Here is the intended playlist:
ARTIST
TITLE
ALBUM
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones feat. Little Charlie Baty
Reel Burner
Too Far from the Bar
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers
Night Time (feat Jimbo Mathis)
Volume I
Curtis Salgado
The Longer That I Live
2020 Blues Sampler Alligator Records
Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters
You Don’t Know What Love Is
Rise Up
Al Basile
Second Wind
Last Hand
Mary Bridget Davies
Thunder and Lightin’
Wanna Feel Somethin’
Chris Bevington Organisation
Bad Bad Bad
Sand & Stone
A Band Called Sam
Voice Of The Blues
Legacy
Chris Cain
I Believe I Got Off Cheap
2020 Blues Sampler Alligator Records
Marc Broussard
Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul
S.O.S.-Save Our Soul
Selwyn Birchwood
Living In A Burning House
2020 Blues Sampler Alligator Records
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones feat. Little Charlie Baty
The year 2019 was a banner year for the roadhouse blues across the world. From Australia to Copenhagen and along all points in between, both debut artists and well established performers released a stunning number of new recordings. Every month my in box and my mail box were full of some fabulous blues recordings which makes picking the Ben Vee Roadhouse Blues 66 this year much more daunting.
This year’s list includes classic blues, roots oriented blues, R&B, soul, contemporary blues and blues rock artists with songs that span the genre from “almost the blues” tunes to the stellar classic blues sound of Mary Lane. Given that many of us have some extra time on our hands due to the ongoing global pandemic, I hope you enjoy downloading and listening to every one of these songs.
The position of the songs on the list is of little consequence…you might list them in a different order and get no argument from me. Whether it is song #23 by Samantha Fish or number 66 by the Coyote Kings, all of these tunes made my playlists for my roadhouse blues shows at http://www.bluesmusicfan.com, got mentioned on my Ben Vee Facebook page or Twitter account, and/or got written about on this website at http://www.benveeblues.com during 2019. All 66 are representative of the energy and vitality that permeates the modern contemporary blues….by and large they are upbeat…sometimes loud…and truly international.
The Top Ten (in no particular order other than #1)
#1 Mary Lane – Blues Give Me a Feeling (2019 Travelin’ Woman)
Mary Lane, from Chicago, recorded the Roadhouse Blues 66 number one tune of 2019 at the age of 83!! How cool is that! She is one of the last living legendary singers of the blues to have been part of the great migration from the American Deep South to Chicago in the 1940’s. Just a fabulous tune!
Big Daddy Wilson – Crazy World (2019 Deep In My Soul)
An expat from the United States who has lived in Germany for years, Big Daddy aces an sumptuous slow soul ballad.
Altered Five Blues Band – Mischief Man (2019 Ten Thousand Watts)
Led by the deep blues voice of Jeff Taylor, this group out of Wisconsin once again makes one of my top performer annual blues lists.
Keb’ Mo’ – Cold Outside (2019 Oklahoma)
I played this song over and over when it came out on the album this past summer. You can nevah get enough of Keb’ Mo’!
Christone Kingfish Ingram – Fresh Out (2019 Kingfish)
A 20 year old with a debut album that features a cut with Buddy Guy as well as another with Keb’ Mo’. Life is good for this very talented young man.
Jontavious Willis – Low Down Ways (2019 Spectacular Class)
Another young blues artist that attracted the attention of Taj Mahal as well as Keb’ Mo’, Jontavious has stardom written all over him. It will be interesting to see how he evolves as a blues artist as the years roll by.
Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson – Blues In My Blood (2019 Blues In My Blood)
This blues duo hails from my hometown of New Orleans. Tiffany has a haunting voice that is framed by a strong beat and memorable guitar licks by Eric on this song.
Beth Hart – Bad Woman Blues (2019 War In My Mind)
Beth just has a great time with this tune and shows off the chops that have made her a fan favorite amongst blues rockers.
Brandon Santini – Drive You Off My Mind (2019 The Longshot)
This long time resident of Memphis had a great year in 2019. He was my 2019 Roadhouse Bluesman of the Year for both this album and one he did with Tennessee Redemption. A great voice and world class harmonica player; what’s not to like!
Allman Betts Band – Shinin’ (2019 Down to the River)
The sons of the Allman Brothers pick up where their dads left off! Not much else to be said but get yer tickets when they get close by!!
As you look through the rest of the list and hopefully listen to many, if not all, of the tunes, I hope you get an appreciation for what I term as the roadhouse blues. From its roots in the deep American south, the blues has grown and expanded to become a worldwide phenomenon. (And if someone you know states “the blues is dead” just show them this list and ask them how so?!) I am proud to be one of the DJs and influencers helping get the word out about just how great this music is!!!
Artist
Song Title
Album
1
Mary Lane
Blues Give Me A Feeling
Travelin’ Woman
2
Big Daddy Wilson
Crazy World
Deep In My Soul
3
Altered Five Blues Band
Mischief Man
Ten Thousand Watts
4
Keb’ Mo’
Cold Outside
Oklahoma
5
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Fresh Out (ft Buddy Guy)
Kingfish
6
Jontavious Willis
Low Down Ways
Spectacular Class
7
Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson
Blues In My Blood
Blues In My Blood
8
Beth Hart
Bad Woman Blues
War in my Mind
9
Brandon Santini
Drive You Off My Mind
The Longshot
10
The Allman Betts Band
Shinin’
Down to the River
11
Amnesia Blues Band
Fast Johnny Cool
Hailstorm
12
HeavyDrunk
If I Love You Hard Enough
Holywater
13
Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers
Who’s Gonna Save My Soul
No Good Deed
14
Walter Trout
Me My Guitar and the Blues
Survivor Blues
15
Coco Montoya
Lights On But Nobody’s Home
Coming In Hot
16
Ghost Town Blues Band
Shine
Shine
17
Chris O’Leary
7 Minutes
7 Minutes
18
Tedeschi Trucks Band
They Don’t Shine
Signs
19
Van Morrison
Three Chords and the Truth
Three Chords and the Truth
20
Terry Hanck
Howlin’ For My Darlin’
I Still Get Excited
21
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Woman Like You
The Traveler
22
Zack Walther Band
Bad Girl
The Westerner
23
Samantha Fish
Dirty
Kill or Be Kind
24
Giles Robson
Don’t Give Up on the Blues
Don’t Give Up on the Blues
25
Lucky Peterson
Pack It Up
50: Just Warming Up!
26
Heather Newman
I’m Coming For You
Rise from the Flames
27
Left Lane Cruiser
Smooth Commander
Shake and Bake
28
Delbert McClinton
A Fool Like Me
Tall, Dark, and Handsome
29
Miss Bix and the Blues Fix
Follow Me Down
We Don’t Own the Blues
30
Ash Grunwald
Ain’t My Problem (ft The Teskey Brothers)
Mojo
31
The Texas Horns
I’m Doin’ Alright (ft. Carolyn Wonderland)
Get Here Quick
32
The Mike Duke Project
I’m Not Sad Tonight
….Took a Whlle
33
Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters
Baby How Long
Beyond the Blue Door
34
Travelin’ Blue Kings
Ninety Minutes
Wired Up
35
Al Basile
So Called Story Teller
B’s Hothouse
36
Ida Bang & the Blue Tears
Shelter Me
Good to Me
37
Arsen Shomakhov
Women and Whiskey
Rainy City Blues
38
Elles Bailey
Help Somebody
Road I Call Home
39
The Teskey Brothers
So Caught Up
Run Home Slow
40
Kerry Pastine and the Crime Scene
Down Down
City of Love
41
Tad Robinson
Real Street
Real Street
42
Sugaray Rayford
The Revelator
Somebody Save Me
43
Southern Avenue
Whiskey Love
Keep On
44
Honey Hounds
Shine On
The Flame
45
Zac Harmon
Gypsy Road
Mississippi BarBQ
46
Annika Chambers
I Feel the Same (ft Paul DesLauriers)
Kiss My Sass
47
Tennessee Redemption
Back To Tennessee
Tennessee Redemption
48
Ivy Ford
Start a Fight
Harvesting My Roots
49
Wentus Blues Band w/ Duke Robillard
2:19
Too Much Mustard
50
Rockin’ Johnny & QuiQue Gomez
Everybody Loves My Baby
Dos Hombres Wanted
51
Albert Castiglia
Heavy
Masterpiece
52
Seth Rosenbloom
Broke And Lonely
Keep On Turning
53
Arlen Roth
I Can Fix It (ft Jack Pearson)
Tele Masters
54
Eliza Neals
Pawn Shop Blues (Roadhouse)
Sweet Or Mean
55
The Kokomo Kings
Heatwave
Fighting Fire with Gasoline
56
Robin Trower
Coming Closer to the Day
Coming Closer to the Day
57
Blue Moon Marquee
As I Lay Dying
Bare Knuckes & Brawn
58
Peter Ward
Train to Key Biscayne
Train to Key Biscayne
59
Duke Robillard
Don’t Bother Trying To Steal Her Love
Ear Worms
60
Harpdog Brown
Thinkin’ and Drinkin’
For Love & Money
61
Brother Yusef
I’m a Bluesman
Jook Joint Jam
62
Manx Mariner Manline
Rattlesnake
Hell Bound for Heaven
63
Josh Newcom
Girl Got the Mojo
The Blues Gonna Getcha
64
Savoy Brown
Conjure Rhythm
City Night
65
Big Wolf Band
Be Free
Be Free
66
Coyote Kings
Drive Me
Rocket
Ben Vee is an internet DJ and writer from New Orleans that now lives in Connecticut with his wife Annette. He started spinning records back in the 1970’s and has been writing about the roadhouse blues since 2011. He does two roadhouse blues shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and he writes about the blues when the urge strikes on http://www.benveeblues.com.
During the course of 2019, I was thrilled at the number of new artists that released debut albums. It bodes well for the future of the roadhouse blues in the next decade. My selections for the five best debut roadhouse blues artists of 2019 are (in alphabetical order) Christone “Kingfinsh” Ingram, Tennessee Redemption, The Allman Betts Band, The Weary Times, and Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram hails from the heart of the delta blues in Clarkesdale Mississippi. This rising blues prodigy is only twenty and has already captured the attention of blues lovers with the release of his debut album KINGFISH. Released on the prestigious blues label, Alligator Records, the album shot to the top of the blues charts this past May and has garnered him attention around the blues world.
He started out playing and singing gospel in church and by the time he was fifteen performed at the White House for Michelle Obama as part the Clarksdale Delta Museum Band. In 2017, he was a guest artist on Eric Gales’Middle of the Road album. Eventually he caught the attention of the living blues legend Buddy Guy, blues maestro Keb’ Mo’, and Grammy award winning artist and producer Tom Hambridge. With the touch of a master, Tom brings out the best in Christone on the debut album.
KINGFISH is a traditional blues album chocked full of great tunes. Fresh Out features the mastery of Buddy Guy, Hard Times is some fine delta acoustic blues, and Listen is a great duet with Keb’ Mo’. Few debut albums feature such a strong cast of world class supporting artists. It is a tribute to Christone’s talent and a beacon pointing to a very bright future.
Tennessee Redemption – Tennessee Redemption (2019 Endless Blues Records)
Brandon Santini, my 2019 Roadhouse Bluesman of the Year, received the award in part for the release of this self titled album TENNESSEE REDEMPTION. After years of honing their craft on Beale Street in Memphis (sometimes together sometimes apart), Brandon (lead vocals, harmonica) teamed with long time friend Jeff Jensen (lead vocals, guitar) and incorporated Timo Arthur (guitar, bass), Bill Ruffino (bass, vocals), and David Green (drums, vocals) to form this solid and tight band.
The album includes eight original songs plus a cover of the Tom Waits tune, Come On Up to the House and a great rendition of Little Walter’sWatch Yourself. Back To Tennessee is a fabulous jam tune steeped in the southern sound that emanated out of Macon Georgia back in the 1970’s and features some great guitar playing by Jeff and Timo. Glad To Be recounts Brandon and Jeff’s time playing on Beale Street and collecting dreams that have been realized with release of this recording. Given my love for the beaches, people, food, and tequila found in the small towns of our southern neighbor, it should be no surprise that I also enjoyed I’m Going To Mexico. See About Me,Souls In the Water, and the funky We Got A Thing Going On are also highly recommended.
Tennessee Redemption is an ideal example of the roadhouse blues with its roots in the blues but also reflecting the influences of gospel, southern rock, classic R&B, and soul. I look forward to seeing how they develop and mature their sound as the years go by.
The Allman Betts Band – Down to the River (2019 BMG Rights Management LLC)
Few groups in recent years have debuted an album to such popular and critical acclaim as THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND. The core of the band is three sons of the Allman Brothers Band (ABB): Devon Allman, Duane Betts, and Barry Oakley Jr.. Additionally Johnny Stachela provides some stellar slide guitar playing along with one of my favorite Hammond B3 organ players, John Ginty. The band also features percussionist R. Scott Bryan and drummer John Lum. And as if that wasn’t enough, former ABB keyboard player Chuck Leavall (currently with The Rolling Stones) and the Hammond B3 player for the Greg Allman Band, Peter Levin, make guest appearances on the recording.
Down to the River was recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama and features nine songs. My favorite on the album is a tune steeped in the legacy of ABB, Shinin’. All Night is a great showcase for Devon’s vocal talent and Melodies Are Memories is reminiscent of The Band and the Grateful Dead at their best and features Duane on vocals. Long Gone is a terrific ballad and the title cut, Down To The River, is some sweet easy classic R&B. Autumn Breeze is a song I can’t wait to see them jam to in concert. And Good Ol’ Days is a beautiful reminder that we need to embrace and live the “good ol’ days” now.
Since the album was released last summer, the Allman Betts Band has been on an ambitious tour of the United States and Europe. It is my understanding that the crowds have been huge and the audience response phenomenal. They are definitely on my bucket list of groups to see in 2020.
The Weary Times –The Weary Times(2019 Way Down Records)
THE WEARY TIMES, a band out of Boise Idaho, first caught my ear this past summer with Why Are You So Lonely. It’s a sad song that captures the feel of early sixties doo wap enhanced by the gravely voice of Ryan Curtis and the sparse and delightful guitar playing of Mike Simon. The tune, Piece of Mind, also grabbed me with the keyboard playing of Mike Swain and is a throwback to the very best that Eric Burdon & the Animals kicked out back in the day. Nick Archibald on bass and Ben Wieland on drums complete this creative quintet of musicians that proudly claim the blues and early rock’n’roll as the basis for their sound.
Nostalgic blues rock is the best way that I can describe The Weary Times debut album overall. Mixing in reverb and fuzz to give several songs an energetic garage band feel just adds icing to the cake. Ain’t Done Drinking and Anymore rock the blues, Best For You is another Eric Burdon & the Animals style tune, I Don’t Know Why and Hard Times are great sixties psychedelia, and Give And Take is a slow insightful song about aging after a hard lived youth.
I listened to literally hundreds of new albums during 2019 and very few were as unique and imaginative as an overall recording as this one. They have captured the essence of the early and mid 1960’s music sound (which was always based on the blues) and reintroduced it, after a fifty year lapse, with contemporary themes. It is music nostalgia for modern times.
After playing small clubs and venues across the Pacific Northwest the past couple of years, the Weary Times have earned the opportunity with this debut recording to expand their fan base and turn the rest of the roadhouse blues world on to their music. I just hope they are ready for the wild ride!!
Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson – Blues In My Blood (2019 NOLA Blue Records)
The best debut album by a duet couple since Joe Bonamassa and Beth Hart back in 2011, Blues In My Blood is a solid recording by New Orleans based Tiffany Pollack and Eric Johanson. Tiffany comes to the blues from her roots in jazz music and Eric is an up and coming bluesman who has caught the attention of non other than Tab Benoit!
They combined their writing talents to pen seven of the 11 songs on the recording. My absolute favorite is the title cut, Blues in My Blood. It starts with a gospel inspired delta feel and then builds in intensity with some great guitar work by Eric and a powerful vocal delivery by Tiffany. Another favorite is Diamonds on the Crown with great harmonies and thoughtful social commentary. Eric has a voice similar to another great blues man from Louisiana, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and his guitar style is stellar on the song. Tiffany takes on the Nina Simone classic Do I Move You? and aces it with a sultry jazzy performance. Eric takes the vocal lead on Get Lost With Me, a blues ballad, and again wowed me with his guitar.
I also enjoyed the roots blues tune Memories to Forget as well as a knockout performance by Tiffany of the Joni Mitchell song, River, which I consider a great Christmas time tune. I played it several times during my DJ sets this past season and the response was tremendous!
Musicians that contributed their talents to the recording include Brentt Arcement (drums), Phil Wang (bass), John Gros (keyboards), producer Jack Miele (bass, bass guitar, and percussions), Sean Carey (backing vocals) and a guest appearance by the great Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone as well as the 504 Horns.
My only disappointment is that I have seen no evidence since the release of the album last spring that they have toured to support the recording. Both have returned to their solo careers. Tiffany & Co are playing jazz venues in New Orleans and Eric is touring with Tab Benoit who produced his 2017 highly acclaimed album, Burn It Down. I hear that Tab is playing drums for Eric during his part of the show; I’d pay to see that!!
My hope is that, as Joe and Beth have done, they will get back together from time to time and lay down some more tracks…..they both have blues in their blood!
Ben Vee is an internet DJ and writer from New Orleans that now lives in Connecticut with his wife Annette. He started spinning records back in the 1970’s and has been writing about the roadhouse blues since 2011. He does two roadhouse blues shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and he writes about the blues when the urge strikes on http://www.benveeblues.com.
Time is flyin’ and January 2020 has almost zipped by. Join us today, Thursday January 30th, at 3 pm EST on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com for the Ben Vee Roadhouse Blues. I have some Mike Goudreau, Joe Bonamassa, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Larkin Poe, and Marcus King as well as a slew of other great contemporary roadhouse blues artists and a couple of blasts from the past for ya!
Hope ya get a chance to tune in for my Roadhouse blues show today, December 5th at 3 pm EST on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com. I will be featuring a brand new tune from Marcus King and several songs from Louisiana artists Tab Benoit, Sonny Landreth, Eric Johanson, Tiffany Pollack, Charlie Wooten, and the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band.