Fe ature d Ar tic le s

On the C over : Alice Stuart by Jef Jaisun

The BB Awards: 2012

Gabe McManus: The Man, the Music and the Tapes

Alice Stuart: C elebrates 70

Blues Music Awards 2012

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Hullo to all of you out there in Bluesland!

This year, it was my great honor to be nominated for a Best of the Blues Award alongside some of the most talented designers and artist that I have ever met. ( I didn’t win this time, man, what an honor!)

That being said, this years BB Awards were my first as well. Can I just say, wow? WOW! I have never been in the room with so many Blues lovers - and everyone knew each other! It was like a giant family reunion, with backslapping, private jokes, laughter everywhere, and a spirit of comaraderie.

The lineup for the event (thank you, Suze Sims!!) was spectacular, and, as a new inductee to this side of the Blues world I was blown away. I finally got see WIRED! in concert, along with greats like Brian Lee, Stacy Jones, Randy Norris, Curtis Hammond, - the list goes on.

Suze Sims, Terri Wilson and Charlene Grant took the stage with Nick Vigarino and Larry Dennis and literally stole the breath from my body. Suze Sims breathes smoke when she sings. And Nick tortured an entire band out of one guitar. It was incredible.

The WIRED! Band fully deserved every award they recieved both here and in Memphis - my feet ached to dance the whole time they were on stage.

Midway through this crazy night, Reverend Dave Brown stood up and spoke the names of those Blues greats who have passed on this year. The room was silent as we honored them all.

Then, of course, someone had the lack of common sense to give Billy Stoops and Leanne Trevelyan a microphone; there was so much laughter, the Triple Door was turned into a comedy club. And don’t even get me started about Blues on the Vaccuum. I’m not even sure that’s legal in this state.

The Blues speaks to our hearts; it speaks of love and hate and tortured souls. It pulls at our heart strings

Letter from the Editor

Letter from the President 7Alice Stuart Celebrates 70 8Blues Hall of Fame 10International Songwriters 11The BB Awards 12

NWCZ Radio 14Gabe McManus: the Man... 14June Blues Bash 15Donald “Duck” Dunn: RIP 16Festival Preview 16

E-book Review 17Dry Side Blues 20Winthrop Festival Preview 20Housekeeping with the Editor 23Talent Guide 24

In This Issue...

and speaks when words fail us. It screams of sorrows that cannot be put into words, and whispers of joys so complete that tears spring into our eyes.

Listening to the Blues, in a room full of people for whom the music has aligned our heartbeats, is a magical, life altering experience. It feels like more than just good friends - it feels like family.

So there it is: the BB Awards for 2012 would down and out - so now what do we do? Why we get out our suntan loction and our calendar and try to squeeze in as many events as possible this summer! Make sure you check them out and go support our local festivals!

We’re adding in as many Festival Previews as we can to get you all excited and motivated! Get on out and enjoy the gorgeous Northwest weather and some saucy blues as well.

Until next time,

Jesse Phillips, EditorWashington Blues Society Bluesletter

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Celebrating 23 Years of Blues1989 - 2012

June 2012 BluesletterVol. XXIV, Number VI

Publisher Washington Blues SocietyEditor & Art Director Jesse Phillips (jesse@jessephillipsdesigns.com)Secretary Rocky NelsonCalendar Maridel Fliss (mflissm@aol.com)Advertising Malcolm Kennedy (advertising@wablues.org)Printer Pacific Publishing Company www.pacificpublishingcompany.com

Contributing Writers: Robert Horn, Eric Steiner, Malcolm Kennedy, Jerry Peterson, Jesse Phillips, Tony Frederickson, Anson Laytner, Susan Lucci, Rodney

Dangerfield, Erika Olsen, Peter Dammann, Debra Devi and Rocky Nelson

Contributing Photographers: Robert Horn, Jerry Peterson, Margene Schotz, Jef Jaisun, Laddy Kite, Eric Steiner

Cover Photo: Alice Stuart, Photo by Jef Jaisun

The Bluesletter welcomes stories and photos from WBS members! Features, columns and reviews are due by the 10th of each month in the following formats: plain text or Microsoft Word. Graphics must be in high-res 300 dpi .pdf, jpg, or .tiff formats. We encourage submissions. If a submitter intends to retain the rights to material (e.g., photos, videos, lyrics, textual matter) submitted for publication in the Bluesletter, or the WaBlues.org website, he or she must so state at the time of submission; otherwise, submitter’s rights to the material will be transferred to WBS, upon publication. We reserve the right to edit all content. The Bluesletter is the official monthly publication of the Washington Blues Society. The WBS is not responsible for the views and opinions expressed in The Bluesletter by any individual.

© WBS 2011

Mission Statement The Washington Blues Society is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote, preserve, and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an art form. Annual membership is $25 for individuals, $35 for couples, and $40 for overseas memberships. The Washington Blues Society is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible. The Washington Blues Society is affiliated with The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.

Washington Blues SocietyP.O. Box 70604 - Seattle, WA 98127

www.wablues.org

Alice StuartPhoto by Jef Jaisun

Jef Jaisun has been photographing blues and jazz for over 30 years. His photograph of blues icon Taj Mahal, taken at the 1999 Chicago Blues Festival, graced the cover of Living Blues magazine’s 30th Anniversary issue. His work appears regularly in Blues Revue, and he has contributed to countless publications and websites over the years, including Rolling Stone. A typical year finds Jaisun photographing festivals in New Orleans, Chicago, Arkansas, and Oregon. Jaisun still spends his nights in America’s blues and jazz clubs, documenting both national and international artists.

On the Cover:

Blues on the Radio Dial 26Jam Guide 26Venue Guide 27Calendar 30

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Washington Blues SocietyHotline: 1-888-90BLUES

1-888-902-5837Proud Recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award from The Blues Foundation

2012 OfficersPresident Eric Steiner president@wablues.orgVice President Tony Frederickson vicepres@wablues.orgSecretary Rocky Nelson secretary@wablues.orgTreasurer (Acting) Chad Creamer treasurer@wablues.orgEditor Jesse Phillips editor@wablues.org

2012 DirectorsMusic Suze Sims music@wablues.orgMembership Michelle Burge membership@wablues.orgEducation Roy Brown education@wablues.orgVolunteers Rhea Rolfe volunteers@wablues.orgMerchandise Tony Frederickson merchandise@wablues.orgAdvertising Malcolm Kennedy advertising@wablues.org

2012 Street TeamDowntown Seattle Tim & Michelle Burge blueslover206@comcast.netWest Seattle Rev. Deb Engelhardt deb@revdeb.comEastside VacantNorthern WA Lloyd Peterson freesprt@televar.comPenninsula Dan Wilson allstarguitar@centurytel.netSouth Sound Smoke smkdrms@aol.comCentral WA Stephen J. Lefebvre s.j.lefebvre@gmail.comEastern WA Cindy Dyer cindalucy@hotmail.comBallard VacantLopez Island Carolyn & Dean Jacobsen cjacobsen@rockisland.comMiddle East “Rock Khan” rocknafghanistan@gmail.com

Special ThanksWebmaster The Sheriff webmaster@wablues.orgWeb Hosting Adhost www.adhost.comWBS Logo Phil Chesnut philustr8r@aol.com

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Letter from the

President Hi Blues Fans,

I’m writing this on Cinco de Mayo on the eve of the 2012 Best of the Blues (“BB Awards”) annual showcase of blues music in the Evergreen State. This year, we received an unprecedented number of voting ballots from our membership. This was a record year of our members’ participation in voting for their favorite artists.

If you weren’t at the BB Awards this year, you didn’t hear me talk about the unprecedented growth our blues society has enjoyed since our last BB Awards show. Since last May, our society had a presence at well over 40 events in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (and, if you count our members’ participation on the Legendary Blues Cruise or Blues Foundation events in Memphis), nationwide – thanks in large part to our Vice President and Merchandise Director Tony Frederickson and his ability to retain a talented crew of festival supporters around the region. Wait. I guess I should say “on the high seas, too” because he’s got volunteers

Advertising Rates:

Space Reservations 5th of the monthCamera Ready Art 12th of every monthGraphics: 300 dpi PDF, TIF or JPGText: Plain .txt or WordFull Page: $260 (8.5” x 11”)Half Page: $150 (8.5” x 5.5”)Back Half Page: $200 (8.5” x 5.5”)Quarter Page: $90 (4.25” x 5.5”)Fifth Page: $65 (4.25” x 3.5”)Business Card: $25 (3.5” x 2”)ADD COLOR: ADD 25%

We’ve Got Discounts! 20% off- 12 month pre-payment15% off- 6 month pre-payment10% off- 3 month pre-paymentContact: advertising@wablues.org

We value your business. Please send all advertising inquriries and ad copy to advertising@wablues.org with a copy to Malcolm “Yard Dog” Kennedy at

malcarken@comcast.net

July 2012DEADLINES:

Advertising Space Reservations: June 5thmalcarken@comcast.net

Calendar: June 10th calendar@wablues.org

Editorial Submissions: June 5theditor@wablues.org

Camera Ready Ad Art Due: June 12thmalcarken@comcast.net

Camera ready art should be in CMYK format at 300 dpi or higher.

THANK YOU FOR READING THE BLUESLETTER AND

SUPPORTING LIVE BLUES IN THE EVERGREEN STATE!

ATTENTION BLUES MUSICIANS: WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR

LATEST CD REVIEWED IN THE BLUESLETTER?

GOT A BLUES CD FOR US?

Need help in getting the word about your music? We’d like to help. While we cannot predict when or if a review will land in the pages of the Bluesletter, we’d like to encourage musicians to consider the Washington Blues Society a resource.

If you would like your CD reviewed by one of our reviewers, please send two copies (one for the reviewer and one for our monthly CD giveaways at the Blues Bash) to the following address:

Washington Blues SocietyATTN: CD Reviews

PO Box 70604Seattle, WA 98027

placing Bluesletters in blues cruisers’ cabins as the ship gets underway every year.

Tony’s got another ambitious year planned for our merchandise booth, and I encourage Bluesletter readers to shop at our society’s traveling blues mall. It’s not just a table with trinkets and stuff: it’s a full-service blues shopping center where you can buy gifts, renew your membership, and get great deals off of his discounted sale racks.

I’ll close my comments with part of my script from this year’s BB Awards. If you have a favorite CD that you’ve discovered of a local artist, please buy two of them at their next gig. One for yourself and one for a friend. It’s never too early to think of local CDs that may land on next year’s BB Awards ballot, so please, if a local artist has released a CD that has caught your musical fancy, please remember that CD when our 2013 award nomination ballots are out! And, please buy another copy for a friend at work (or play).

Until next month, let’s play the blues!

Eric SteinerPresident, Washington Blues Society

Member, Board of Directors, The Blues Foundation

“We got to find a way to bring some lovin’ here today…”

Marvin Gaye was right and this lyric is from the title tune from his LP, What’s Going On?

I’d like to send a personal shout out to those individuals that keep blues music alive here in the Pacific Northwest. It is a labor of love.

To the Board of Directors of the Washington Blues Society, those stalwart defenders of America’s “classical music.”

To Washington Blues Society members and volunteers - without which we would not be one of the largest all-volunteer nonprofit blues societies in world.

To the venue owners, producers/promoters of concerts and festivals, makers of music products and the many fans who follow blues music for giving us a taste of the blues scene for all of our senses.

Last, but more importantly, not least, to those blues musicians - without their labor of love for that music all would be lost to time. Thank you all for sharing and keeping the blues alive!

Remember as Marvin Gaye says “…only love can conquer hate.”

What’s Goin’ On?By Rocky Nelson

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Alice Stuart Celebrates 70By Tony Frederickson Photos by Jef Jaisun

Over the last few years I have had the pleasure of working closely with Alice Stuart. At first helping her with fundraisers for trips to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge, then the Little Bill Tribute album, and at multiple festivals across the Pacific Northwest. And, because of that, I have been able to get to know her and have developed a friendship and deep appreciation of her as a person and as a musician. This is one very talented lady. She is a very humble and straight forward individual. Her sense of humor is quick, and she easily shares it with her friends and fans. She is very loyal to her closest friends and supportive of them as well in their endeavors.

She found early success right after graduating from high school in Lake Chelan and moving to Seattle. Folk music was the focus of her music at this time and she got started at the Pamir House, an early Seattle folk music hangout, which led to a weekly spot on Hootenanny, a local television show in Seattle. In 1962, she played at the World’s Fair in Seattle. During this time, she was also exposed to the music of Bessie Smith, Blind Willie McTell, Furry Lewis, and others, and developed her connection to the blues. She was invited to play at the 1964 Berkeley Folk Festival, and again in 1966 and 1970. She met and got to perform with artists such as Mississippi John Hurt, Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, Rosalie Sorrelis, and many others. She also connected with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and was a part of the early days of that band.

Throughout her career Alice has been a successful songwriter, with many of her songs performed by multiple artists. It was in the early 70s that Alice played with guitarist John Shine and her songwriting moved to a new level. She submitted a demo to the Fantasy label and began her long recording career. She also formed her first band, Alice Stuart and Snake, and played Phil Graham’s famous Winterland Ballroom in 1974. Check out the video of this band at www.wolfgangsvault.com/alice-stuart-and-snake/video. Alice is credited with opening the door for women by many in the music industry, such as Dick Waterman, who has said that “There would be no Bonnie Raitt without Alice Stuart,” and Taj Mahal, “Alice cut the road that Bonnie traveled,” to write their own music, play lead guitar and front a band.

In the late 70s, Alice took a hiatus from music and moved back to Washington to raise her family. She developed many of her other talents

during this time period; organic gardening and gourmet cooking to name a few. Once her children were grown up the music bug was still itching to get out and Alice resumed recording and performing. Her 2002 release, Can’t Find No Heaven on Burnside Records garnered Alice a Grammy nomination, a W. C. Handy Award (renamed the Blues Music Award) nomination and lots of media attention. In 2003, her song “I Ruined Your Life” was included on the soundtrack for the film “The Station Agent.” Picking up right where she left off, Alice was chosen as the Seattle Weekly’s Best Guitarist in 2005 and her band “Alice Stuart & The Formerlys” the Best Band in 2004, 2005, and 2006. She also received the Washington Blues Society’s Best in the Blues Songwriter award from 2003 thru 2006. To date, Alice is still performing both by herself and with her band “The Formerlys.” As I write this, Alice is in Bermuda performing at an International Folk Festival, then she tours through the Midwest and lectures at Northwestern University, before returning home to celebrate her seventieth birthday at the Triple Door on June 16th. Better get your reservations now!

The following are some of the questions that I asked Alice for this article, in addition to hours spent on the internet learning more about another one of our Pacific Northwest icons.

Growing up in Chelan, how did you find music or it find you?From an early age, it found me. I played piano from age 5 …read music before words. I have always known where my life’s joy and fulfillment would be. I am many different people in one, actually, as are a lot of people, I suspect. When I quit playing for those years to raise my youngest daughter and do a better job raising my son, who was 10 when my daughter was born, I discovered other interests, like becoming a gourmet cook, and having a huge organic garden.

Was music your first love or did you have other influences that moved you?Nope, nothing else, just music and boys ….All kidding aside, I was very into horses. I had my own and rode her a lot. Went on weekend camp outs occasionally with the Saddle Club. Before I got old enough to have a horse, I dreamed of being a real cowboy like Roy Rogers, my idol at the time. Honestly. I polished my cowboy boots every Saturday for the matinee at noon and dressed up in my best cowboy shirt and pants …and guns. Six shooters for sure. Oh,

and my black hat.

Being 19 or 20 and playing your first major gig at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. That must have been an incredible experience! Please tell us a little about it.Youth is incredibly bold, no matter how inexperienced. All I knew is that I needed to do this no matter how terrified I was. I had always wanted to be able to sing and play in front on other people and be accepted as a bonafide musician. There was no PA at my school except for one microphone for speakers, so it wasn’t possible to sing and play the songs I was writing on the piano to my friends. I was able to play them for some of my school mates but just individually.

You have had the opportunity to play with some great talent over the years, from Mississippi John Hurt, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, Joan Baez, etc., please tell us about your favorites and some of your top experiences with these folks?Well, meeting John and Joan at the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1964 opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I drove him to my house in Los Angeles, where I was living at the time, right after the festival and he stayed with me for a week before he had a gig at the famed Ash Grove in Los Angeles. I drove him to the gig and I didn’t plan on actually playing but when we got there, he insisted I play with him and we played both sets together, me on my autoharp and harmonizing a bit. Wow, a 22 year old playing with this man I revered. I didn’t feel worthy… a very humbling experience. Regarding Joan, she invited me to her house in Monterey for a few days and I’m sure by the time I left she had decided I needed psychiatric help (which I’m sure I did). I was extremely insecure and couldn’t believe I was being befriended by this person who had had such a huge impact on my early career. So, one day she took me for a drive in her Jaguar to Big Sur and I just broke down. I started crying and couldn’t explain why. That’s when she decided to refer me to her psychiatrist. I just was overwhelmed with this sudden success that I didn’t feel I’d worked long enough to deserve.

Your songs have been covered by many people (Kate Wolf, Irma Thomas, Jackie DeShannon and Eddie Rabbit. As well as others). Did you get to interact with these artists and have much influence in their use of your songs? Any personal favorites or highlights for you by other artists who have performed your music?

(continued on page 23)

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Last month, I had the good fortune to return to the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame dinner the night before the 33rd annual Blues Music Awards. The Hall of Fame dinner is a prized and limited access event reserved for Blues Foundation Charter Members, Blues Music Award nominees, and current Blues Foundation Board members and guests. It was great to see BMA-nominated Too Slim with his wife Nancy in the audience, and meeting Lazy Lester, Allen Toussaint, Otis Clay, and Mud Morganfield was a real treat. As a member of the Board of the Blues Foundation representing blues societies, I consider this a rare and time-limited privilege, and hope that Bluesletter readers would not only consider joining the Blues Foundation, but also consider supporting the bricks-and-mortar Hall of Fame in Memphis to honor and celebrate Blues Hall of Fame inductees that have made significant contributions to blues music and culture since the first induction ceremony in 1980.

That night, Memphis’ Redd Velvet from the Memphis Blues Society joined me, and we marveled at the evening’s presentation that honored Performers, Individuals, Classic of Blues Literature, Classic of Blues Recording (Song), Classic of Blues Recording (Album). Throughout the evening, Masters of Ceremonies Bill Wax and Rob Porter kept things moving with a lively banter that gave each of the inductees’ representatives’ time at the podium to fully appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revel in this well-deserved recognition.

The Blues Hall of Fame is a historical record of those who have made the Blues timeless through performance, documentation, and recording. Since its inception in 1980, The Blues Foundation has inducted new members annually into the Blues Hall of Fame for their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the Blues.

There is no submission or nomination process for induction in to the Blues Hall of Fame. Rather, each year in the fall, a distinguished panel of blues scholars begins the process of discussing who they believe should be given consideration for induction into the Blues Hall of Fame. After some back and forth, they vote in each of the five categories. The number of nominees in a year may vary.

2012 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees

The Blues Foundation has announced the 2012 inductees for the Blues Hall of Fame, including Chicago harp master Billy Boy Arnold; blues-rock guitar virtuoso Mike Bloomfield; brother/sister recording act Buddy & Ella Johnson; South Louisiana swamp blues artist Lazy Lester; Memphis bluesmen Furry Lewis and Frank Stokes; guitar genius Matt “Guitar” Murphy; and New Orleans musician, songwriter, and producer Allen Toussaint.

Among the other individuals recognized by

The Blues Foundation this year are: Chicago Blues radio force Pervis Spann; German “American Folk Blues Festival” promoters Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau; and songwriting legend Doc Pomus.

The books Bessie by Chris Albertson and The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine, edited by Jim O’Neal & Amy van Singel, were also be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

These albums were also being honored: Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues by Buddy Guy (1991) and Bad Influence by Robert Cray (1984). The following singles were inducted during the ceremony: “It Hurts Me Too” by Tampa Red (1940); “Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie” by Pine Top Smith (1928); and “All Your Love” by Magic Sam (1957).

The Blues Hall of Fame committee, consisting of scholars, record producers, radio programmers, and historians, is chaired by Jim O’Neal, founding editor of Living Blues. The following is a complete list of the 2012 inductees:

Classic of Blues LiteratureThe Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews

from Living Blues Magazine, edited by Jim O’Neal & Bessie, by Chris Albertson

The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine, edited by Jim

O’Neal & Amy Van Singel

Blues Hallof Fame: Congratulations to

the Class of 2012By Eric Steiner Photos by Blues Boss

Bob

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The prestigious US-based International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has announced its 2011 winners. The ISC Grand Prize has been awarded to Auckland, New Zealand songwriter Kimbra for her infectious pop song “Cameo Lover.” The Grand Prize is ISC’s highest honor, and prizes include $25,000 US cash and over $25,000 US in merchandise and services.

The competition received over 16,000 entries from 112 countries, making 2011 the most competitive year ever. The winners were chosen by a prestigious panel of celebrity and industry judges including Tom Waits; Jeff Beck; Ozzy Osbourne; Robert Smith (The Cure); Tori Amos; McCoy Tyner; Kelly Clarkson; John Mayall; Monte Lipman (President, Universal Republic Records); and many others. More than $150,000 US in cash and prizes will be shared by the winners.

The first place blues honorees are Tommy Castro and Bonnie Hayes for the title track to Tommy Castro Band’s Alligator CD, Hard Believer. Second place honors go to Matthew Curry of Matthew Curry and the Fury for “Blinded by the Darkness,” and Leann Atheron received third place for “Change of Heart.” Canadian bluesman Carlos del Junco took second place honors in the instrumental category for “Heddon Tadpolly Spook.”

A number of blues artists were recognized with an Honorable Mention in the Blues category, and many Bluesletter readers may recognize performers from British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest:

2011 International

Songwriters Honorees

Announced “You Ain’t Gonne Make A Woman Out Of Me,”

Geir Arne Westby (Norway) “Addicted,” Gina Sicilia (USA)

“Hard Times,” Blue Jay Slim (USA) “Get Inside This House,” Joe McMurrian (USA) “Preachin’ The Blues,”

Keith Thompson (Scotland) “Heaven Send Me An Angel,”

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (Canada) “Woman in Blue,” Rita Chiarelli (Canada)

“These Four Walls,” Rita Chiarelli (Canada) “Save Me For Later,”

Suzie Vinnick and Kristi Magraw (Canada) “On My Way,” Thorbjorn Risager (Denmark)

“Elvis Jesus And The Devil,” Tom McEwan and Louis King (Australia)

Second place blues finisher Matt Curry received an Honorable Mention in the Teen category for “If I Don’t Got You.” In addition to the top winners and Honorable Mention recipients, the ISC posts semifinalists on its website. Oregon’s Ben Rice Blues Band, was a semi-finalist with one song in each of the Adult Album Alternative and Americana categories, while Diunna Greenleaf was recognized for two songs in the Blues category. Blues Blast Award-winners Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers made it to the semi-finals, as did Florida’s Joey DiSilva and Albert Castiglia. British Columbia’s Wes Mackey (and frequent performer at the Highway 99 Blues Club) landed on the semi-finalist list, and I hope that songwriters who read the Bluesletter consider this important opportunity for original material written in 2012.

For more information, including links to songs and additional background on this international competition, please visit: www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners

Classic of Blues Recording - AlbumDamn Right, I’ve Got The Blues - Buddy Guy

(Silvertone, 1991)Bad Influence - The Robert Cray Band

(HighTone, 1983)

Classic of Blues Recording - Single or Album Track

“All Your Love” - Magic Sam (Cobra, 1957)“It Hurts Me Too”- Tampa Red (Bluebird,

1940)“Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie” - Pine Top Smith

(Vocalion, 1928)

IndividualsDoc Pomus

Horst Lippmann and Fritz RauPervis Spann

PerfomerAllen Toussaint

Billy Boy ArnoldBuddy & Ella Johnson

Frank StokesFurry LewisLazy Lester

Matt “Guitar” MurphyMike Bloomfield

The Blues Foundation is currently engaged in a $3.5 million campaign to establish a physical Blues Hall of Fame at its headquarters at 421 South Main in downtown Memphis. Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission. The 33rd Blues Music Awards and Blues Hall of Fame events are also sponsored by Blue Mountain Artists, BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, FedEx, First Tennessee Foundation, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony/Legacy Records

From top, clockwise: Carlos del Junco, Leann Atherton, Matthew Curry, Tommy Castro.

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Mark DuFresne Blues Male Vocalist Award:

Kevin Sutton

Blues Female Vocalist Award:Suze Sims

Electric Blues Guitar Award:Rod Cook

Slide Blues Guitar Award:Nick Vigarino

Blues Bass Award:Lissa Ramaglia

Chris Leighton Drums Award:Andrew Cloutier

Blues Horn Award:Scotty Harris

Paul Green Harmonica Award:Lee Oskar

Piano & Keyboards Award:Ron Weinstein

Acoustic Blues AwardMark Riley

Blues Act Award:The WIRED! Band

Traditional Blues Act Award:Little Bill and the Blue Notes

Solo/Duo Act Award:Son Jack Jr & Michael Wilde

New Blues Band Award:T Town Aces

Blues Performer Award:Kevin Sutton

Blues Songwriter:Brian Lee

Blues Recording:Brian Lee & the Orbiters, Identity Theft

Blues Club:Highway 99 Blues Club

Blues Writer:Malcolm Kennedy

Blues Image:WIRED! Washington Blues Poster

Photos by Laddy Kite

(Top) Curtis Hammond, Mary McPage’s feet, Brian Lee, Patrick McDanel, Mary McPage

(Bottom): Ed Maloney, Suze Sims, Roy Brown and Ed Maloney

Congratulations to the 2012 Washington Blues Society Best of the Blues (“BB Awards”) RecipientsGraphic Artist:Rick Jacobson

Blues DJ: Jonathan “Oogie” Richards, KSER Everett

Keeping the Blues Alive Award:Tony Frederickson

Lifetime Achievement:Tim “Too Slim” Langford

Hall of Fame:Tim “Too Slim” Langford

Non-Festival Blues Event:Taste of Music Snohomish

Blues Festival:Sunbanks Blues Festival

Open Blues Jam:Oxford Saloon – Monday Night Jam

Blue to the Bone Award: #1: Lloyd Peterson,

Mt. Baker R & B Festival#2. Victor Coupez,

Red Crane, Shoreline

Photos by Jef Jaisun

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“BB Awards” Washington Blues Society 2012 Best of the Blues Awards

The WIRED! Band built upon their 2012 International Blues Challenge win in Memphis by garnering multiple honors at the 2012 Washington Blues Society Awards held Sunday, May 6th at Seattle’s Triple Door. Voted Best Blues Act, The WIRED! Band also took home BB Plaques in the Graphic Artist, Blues Performer, and Mark Dufresne Male Vocalist categories for the band’s promotional poster designed by drummer Rick Jacobsen, and Kevin Sutton’s work as a performer and vocalist.

Brian Lee and the Orbiters took home the BB Award for their new CD, Identity Theft, and front man Brian Lee was voted Best Blues Songwriter.

The recipient of the Best Blues Club Award, proprietor Ed Maloney of the Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle, accepted Tim “Too Slim” Langford’s awards in the Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement categories. “Too Slim” is in Memphis this week as his BB-nominated CD Shiver is also

Clockwise: “Christine” Leighton, Curtis Hammond and Brian Lee, The WIRED! Band, Scotty Harris, Kevin Sutton and Stacey Jones, SOn Jack Jr and Michael Wilde, Lissa Ramaglia and Scotty Harris, James King, The WIRED! Band, Suze Sims, and Eric Steiner and Tony Frederickson.(Bottom): Suze Sims, Roy Brown and Ed Maloney

The WIRED! Band, Brian Lee and the Orbiters and Tim “Too Slim” Langford garner multiple honors at the 2012 Washington Blues Society Best of the Blues Awards

on the prestigious Blues Music Awards ballot in the Rock Blues Album category at the 33rd annual Blues Music Awards on May 10, 2012.

Returning BB Awardees include KSER-FM’s Jonathan “Oogie” Richards as Best Blues DJ, Mark Riley as Best Acoustic Guitarist, Rod Cook as Best Electric Guitarist, Nick Vigarino as Best Slide Guitarist, Malcolm Kennedy as the Best Blues Writer, and Little Bill and the Blue Notes in the Traditional Blues category. Lissa Ramaglia and Scotty Harris each returned to the stage to accept awards for Best Blues Bass and Best Blues Horn, and Suze Sims received another Best Female Blues Vocalist BB Award. Son Jack, Jr. and Michael Wilde received top honors in the Solo/Duo Act category and Lee Oskar received the Paul Green Blues Harmonica award.

New BB Award recipients included the Taste of Music in historic downtown Snohomish in the Best Non-Festival Category, and the Washington

Blues Society’s Tony Frederickson received the Keeping the Blues Alive Award. Ron Weinstein was busy working to receive the Blues Piano and Keyboards award, and long-time local bluesman Tom Boyle accepted the Best New Band Award on behalf of Tacoma’s T-Town Aces. Each year, the blues society Board recognizes the contributions of select volunteers with the “Blue to the Bone” award. This year’s recipients were Vic Coupez for his tireless work behind the soundboard the Red Crane restaurant during the society’s monthly Blues Bashes, and Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival promoter Lloyd Jones for hiring Fat James’ full band for the 2011 festival.

The Washington Blues Society is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and advancing the culture of blues music in Washington State and is affiliated with the Blues Foundation (www.blues.org) in Memphis, Tennessee. More information: www.wablues.org

By Eric Steiner

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GABE MCMANUS: The Man, the Music and the TapesI never met my father-in-law, Gabe McManus. He died about six years before I even had met his daughter. But I heard stories, lots of stories, about the man and his taverns and, most of all, about his music.

Gabe was famous in his day for his taverns—the Shamrock and, later, Gabe’s—but really for the music he played there: blues and jazz from the golden years of the 30’s through the 1950’s. He apparently had an amazing collection of 45 rpm records from which he used to create his own playlists.When Gabe was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, his son, Mike McManus, worked with him to copy many of these records onto cassette tapes. Their plan was to turn these into a collection of blues albums such as has never been heard.

Unfortunately, the devil is in the details and most recording companies either refused to give permission or asked for too much money for Gabe and Mike to proceed. Only Gusto Records came through. The result, as some readers may know, was the album “Gabe’s Dirty Blues” with a dapperly-dressed, dark-haired and white-templed Gabe and dark, big-eyed beauty on the front cover and Gabe’s idiosyncratic liner notes on the back. The album itself featured music by Little Willie John, Jack Dupree, Lula Reed, Roy Brown, the Midnighters, Little Esther Phillips, Billy Ward and the Dominoes, the Lamplighters, Wynonie Harris, Todd Rhodes, Connie Allen, Bull Moose Jackson, the Five Royales, Tiny Bradshaw, and Freddy King—with some of the nastiest “dirty blues” lyrics around.

The album came out in 1978 and now is a collector’s item.

When I married Gabe’s daughter, Merrily, she

Some of the 650 Singers and Songs on Gabe’s Private Tapes

Bessie Smith/Charley Greene Empty Bed BluesJimmy Witherspoon/Ben Webster I’d Rather Drink Muddy WaterBillie Holiday/Billie Kyle Trio Billie’s BluesJoe Turner/Pete Johnson Cherry RedLizzie Miles/Shakey Bonano A Good Man is Hard to FindLouis Armstrong/Jack Teagarden St. James InfirmaryJoe Williams/Count Basie Every DayDinah Washington/Lionel Hampton Evil Gal BluesClare Austin/Kid Ory Mecca Street BluesJimmy Yancey How Long BluesCab Calloway Minnie the MoocherFats Domino Ain’t it a ShameAmanda Ambrose This Little Light of MineNina Simone Trouble in Mind

By Anson Laytner

came with that box of cassette tapes, 20 in all, each 60-90 minutes in length. “Gabe’s Dirty Blues” was just one of these many tapes. How she got the collection of tapes, I don’t know. I never asked and she died a year and a half ago. And as to Gabe’s collection of 45’s, they may be in someone’s collection in Japan because Mike had been trying to sell them there, or they may still be in boxes in a basement or garage somewhere in our area, or who knows? Mike died several years before Merrily, as did their sister, Jane, and mother, Esty.

But I’m not here to cry the blues, only to play them…

I recently asked my good friend, Charlie Freedenberg, a blues fan and computer geek, to try to convert the cassette tapes to CDs. He told me that he would need better equipment and then suggested I contact Eric Steiner to see if the Washington Blues Society or the Blues Foundation would be interested in taking on the task of converting these tapes into CDs or other electronic formats and thereby preserving them (and making them available) to current and future generations. 

When I sent Eric the playlists of these tapes, whose musicians read like a who’s who of vintage jazz and blues artists, he was quick to realize their value, but cautioned that “the project involves a great number of challenges, including securing rights to songs (there are over 50 labels in the list), accessing professional mixing and mastering services. The legal rights and permissions thickets we would have to navigate would be significant (whether that’s securing mechanical reproduction rights from either BMI, ASCAP or the Harry Fox Agency).”

The rest, as they say, is history—or at least I hope it will be.

Press ReleaseMulti-Award Winning Blues DJ Jonathan “Oogie” Richards and Sweet Danny Ray O’Bryant join forces with NWCZ Radio in Tacoma, Washington beginning on Monday, June 4, 2012 from 8:00PM to 11:00PM PST as they debut their new Internet Blues Radio Show “Mighty Mouth Blues.”

This program will bring the best of Independent blues artists and bands from the Pacific Northwest. The show will be produced live with a focus on weekly interviews and performance from the region’s top acts. Oogie and Sweet Danny Ray are known for their high energy, humor driven personality radio show. They will bring blues entertainment to a global audience presented in a real, honest and sometimes raw format, which is the blues!

NWCZ Radio is proud and feels very privileged to be adding the award winning Jonathan “Oogie” Richards and Sweet Danny Ray to the Monday night line up on www.nwczradio.com. Jonathan and Danny bring years of experience to the new show.

Jonathan says “I am excited to launch the next phase of my radio career in partnership with NWCZ Radio. Internet radio is revolutionizing how consumers get what they want; good radio from relevant artists, delivered by a DJ not suffocated from a broken terrestrial radio business model. Internet radio is neither unfiltered nor polluted, it is the new frontier! Content will be king again and we are now positioned for this exciting revolution!”

“This is an exciting time to be in radio,” says Danny. “The way our music is delivered to us has been, and will continue to be in flux. The shift to Internet radio gives us more opportunities than ever before. Independent artists are now able to get exposure on a global scale, easily and affordably. We intend to showcase local and regional blues artists on an international platform”

Streaming 24/7 online at www.nwczradio.com we are proud to play independent Northwest bands and give them the platform and exposure they deserve. NWCZ Radio’s goal is to take the proud heritage of music and talent the Northwest has to offer and deliver it to the world!

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By Anson Laytner

Bob Horn usually writes this monthly article but asked us to handle it this month. He may be in the desert doing a vision quest to decide if he keeps writing about music or something else somewhere else. After that, he may return and write this usual monthly article plus keep writing many of the feature articles he has done for the last 10 years on topics like rhythm sections, blues and therapy, blues festivals and on musicians like John Nemeth, Roy Rogers, Sugar Blue, Kevin Sutton, Rod Cook, Tom Boyle, Mia Vermillion, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Rodney Dangerfield and Susan Lucci placed bets on whether he would ever write for the Bluesletter again. Rodney thought he would now walk away and the name Robert Horn will never be in the Bluesletter again.

Susan Lucci bet the other way, saying that Robert is driven by a force more powerful than even the will to live and will continue writing with a fire and poetic passion beyond the comprehension of the majority of the people who skip over his articles. She predicts he will soon be back, but may re-evaluate his plans next spring after the BB’s as he weighs his options for artistic expression.

That being said, here is the summation of what happened at the May 2012 Blues Bash. The first sounds of inspired art to massage the

Steve Cooley and the Dangerfields Vicki Stevens and Ken Miller

Vic Coupez

eardrums and the souls of patrons of The Red Crane Restaurant that night came through to impassioned vocal chords of Vicki Stevens. Next to her with a guitar part of the time and the bass part of the time was Ken Miller. Vicki also showed her harmonica playing and our ears knew that it was good. On some songs Ken played just the guitar but when his bass accompanied Vicki on some other songs something magical happened. The voice from above was paired with the thunder from down under. It is sometimes the borderline between opposites where genius is born (that is a theme in much of Robert Horn’s writings and if writing this he would illustrate it with some poetry.) The first song was a sultry rendition of “29 Ways” with Vicki on harmonica and vocals and Ken on guitar. Ken also can sing and showed that on several songs. When they performed “Red River Valley” the two of them showed how greatness in one genre can be adopted and transformed into greatness in another genre. Vicki’s singing of “Walkin’ After Midnight” may have been one of the best renditions ever heard. It had the slow, held back tension of a volcano under control and sensuously waiting for the right moment that would come in a later song. The recent interview of Roy Rogers in the Bluesletter contained the best explanation of what is being touched on here. They performed some traditional great standards like “Built For Comfort” and by 8 PM the great set they

at the Red CraneBy Susan Lucci and Rodney Dangerfield

The June 2012 Blues Bash

did was over. Go to www.vickistevensband.com for much more information about this vocal volcano from Oregon.

After a break where announcements were read, CDs given away, and other recuperation was done, there was more music. Steve Cooley and The Dangerfields (no relation to Rodney here according to Susan) was a pleasant surprise to anyone unfamiliar with them. The guitar playing of Steve Cooley is what blues guitar is supposed to be about—it has to penetrate the soul of anyone who has one. In songs like “Louise”, “Help Me”, “Goin’ Down” and others this band showed that it is the real deal. Steve Cooley himself has performed with or opened for Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robert Cray, Rod Piazza and many other blues legends.

It must be something to be great and under-rated or ignored by much of the public, but this guy is such an unsung singer-guitar player. Some may be familiar with the roots of this band: go back just a little ways in time and take a little trip with me to the South Sound. There was a band called Loose Gravel and it had a guitar player named Steve Cooley. Yes, that would be him. In this band with Steve is Johnny Burgess on keyboards, Rich Nesbitt on bass, and Glen Hummel on drums. They are worth catching live for sure and you can get a taste of their treats at www.stevecooleyblues.com

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While the Ritzville Blues Festival had called it quits after 18 years, the fine folks of Wallace, Idaho decided to team up with Craig Heimbigner and Too Far North Productions, creator of the Coeur d’Alene Blues Festival, and make the second weekend of July their own for bringing the blues to the Inland Northwest.

The First Annual Historic Wallace Blues Festival will happen this July 13 & 14. There will be various blues artists and bands around town, inside and outside, playing afternoon and evenings of July 13 and 14. On Saturday, July 14th, Cedar Street will be blocked off from 7th to 6th Avenues and a Main Stage will be erected featuring local and regional blues bands all day long starting at 11:30AM. Main Stage Acts to appear include:

Curtis Salgado: Winner of the 2010 Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Artist Of The Year, Salgado effortlessly mixes blues, funk and R&B with a delivery that is raw and heartfelt. Portland Oregon based,

Bass player, songwriter and native son of Memphis Tennessee, Donald “Duck” Dunn, a member of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame band Booker T and the MG’s, session bassist for Stax Records and the Blues Brothers band, has died peacefully in his sleep in Tokyo. He was 70 years old.

Dunn was in Tokyo for a series of shows. Dunn passed away the morning of the 13th after performing in the last venue he played, Tokyo Blue Note, May 12th, while he was on tour with longtime friend and musician, Steve Cropper.

Donald “Duck” Dunn (24 November 1941 - 13 May 2012)

By Rocky Nelson

but an internationally known artist, Curtis and his band are touring major festivals this year in support of the just released album “Soul Shot.” He is also nominated again for the 2012 BMA Soul Blues Artist award.

Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues: 2011 Internat ional Blues Chal lenge Final ist in Memphis following his 2010 induction into the Washington Blues Society Hall of Fame as a multiple winner of multiple awards, including Best of Blues. Nick’s shows are always described as consisting of passion, skill, slashing slide guitar and powerful vocals all in a non-stop blues show. Too Slim & The Taildraggers: They have a BMA nomination for 2012 Rock Blues Album for his latest release, “Shiver.” Tim Langford leads a powerhouse trio that has been a rocking Northwest favorite for many years. Too many awards to mention, in every Northwest Blues Society’s Hall of Fame, this is a no-brainer for a Northwest Blues Festival headliner and proud to have him at our first.

The Pat Coast Band: From the band Café Blue in 1990 and then The Pat Coast Band since 1999, this Idaho native and beloved regular at all the great Northwest festivals for many years has thrilled many a blues audience. Blues Revue Magazine said of this band “Coast combines

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The Fat Tones: The Fat Tones are Hall of Famers with the Inland Empire Blues Society having won multiple awards multiple times. The Fat Tones Bobby Patterson just won 2011 Best Blues Guitarist as well.

Hoodoo Udu: Made up of several amazing long time area musicians, but a newer Northwest blues band that we hope to give the live showcase they deserve. This band creates a modern blues sound with a strong rock edge, showcasing powerful female vocals, an unbelievable guitarist, a solid, aggressive bassist, and an amazing, rock-steady drummer.

There will be other acoustic blues music outside on the streets featuring Ray Roberson, Brother Music, and and the Doghouse Boyz. .

In addition, three additional bands will also appear in other locations around Wallace:

Laffin’ Bones: This band was voted Best Blues Band 2011 by The I.E.B.S. for good reason. They always bring the party with foot stompin’ rockin’ blues and incredible slide guitar from frontman Mr. Neil Elwell.

Dunn, who was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1941, grew up with Cropper, performed on recordings with Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Levon Helm, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. Dunn specialized in blues, gospel and soul. He played himself in the 1980 hit movie “The Blues Brothers” and again for the encore of “Blues Brothers 2000.” He received a lifetime achievement Grammy award in 2007 for his work with Booker T and the MG’s.

Bruce Iglauer, owner and founder of Alligator Records, told me: “he and Al Jackson Jr. (Stax session drummer) created an iconic groove and rhythm sound that were crucial to the whole way classic soul is defined. They were kings of funky simplicity, and knew just what to play and what to leave out to make a song groove, be danceable and to emphasize the melody and let the song breathe.”

Donald “Duck” Dunn’s music will remain immortal. May he rest in peace.

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E-Book Preview: The Language of the Blues

There’s a new eBook out that’s been recommended by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Bonamassa, Bob Margolin, Jimmy Vivino and Hal Willner. It’s Debra Devi’s The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu, rock musician and author Debra Devi explores over 150 terms like “buffet flat,” “mojo,” and “killing floor.” Reuters calls it “one of the witti-est, bawdiest, most fascinating dictionaries ever.” Bonnie Raitt adds: “What a great resource--as fas-cinating as it is informative. Debra’s passion for the blues shines through.”

The Language of the Blues opens with a hilarious foreword by Dr. John, who helped Devi uncover the illegal gambling origins of terms like “gig” and “axe.” The book features stories from Devi’s inter-views with blues legends like Dr. John, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Hubert Sumlin, Henry Gray, Milton Campbell, Smiley Ricks, Jody Williams, Bob Margolin, Jimmie Vaughan, Robben Ford and Bonnie Raitt.

“As a musician myself, not a scholar,” Devi ex-plains, “I thought I could best make a contribution by talking directly to artists about what the words in blues songs mean to them.”

She combines her interviews with research into African lan-guage, voodoo culture and oral histories. But “don’t think The Language of the Blues reads like a reference book,” says former Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin, “you can open it at random and fall into the world of your favorite Blues songs. I learned a lot more about the Blues music I already loved.”

Sold for $9.99 on Amazon Kindle, The Language of the Blues includes 40 photos of blues artists and a free down-load of Devi’s powerful rock album, Get Free. No Kindle? No problem, with free apps for reading the book on any eReader, tablet, phone or computer.

The Language of the Blues was first published by Billboard

Books. It received the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award in 2008, yet disappeared from bricks and mortar bookstores during a merger. Since her book’s successful eBook release March 2012 by Guitar International, Devi has become a Huffington Post blogger on the blues. Blues Revue deems The Language of the Blues “an essential purchase for scholars and fans.” New York Times columnist Shelton Ivany adds, “If you have any questions about songs, lyrics, musicians or events, chances are you will find your answers in this unparalleled publication.”

Devi fell in love with the blues as a Milwaukee teen sneaking out to live shows by Chicago legends like Son Seals and Koko Taylor. A gifted rock guitar-ist inspired by the blues, she’s a Fender Girl Rock Nation artist who leads the band DEVI. The band’s debut album, Get Free, is earning her compari-sons to Hendrix, and singers Sheryl Crow and PJ Harvey. A former associate editor of Blues Revue, Devi has also written for The Village Voice, Rolling Stone.com, Vintage Guitar and Guitar.

By Debra Devi

Kenny James Miller Band: Hailing from Kalispel, Montana. This very rocking trio has tore it up around the Northwest lately, having just been given the Best New Blues Band award from the Inland Empire Blues Society. They are loved for their great live performances and original music. Last Spring they were also a Washington State Blues finalist for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis winning the Spokane Semi-Final Competition. This band rocks the blues.

Award winning vocalist and favorite frontman Sammy Eubanks and his band will be hosting a jam somewhere in town. His last album Riding Alone just won Best Blues Album from the I.E.B.S. and he was also awarded Best Male Vocalist by The Washington State Blues Society. Also, be prepared to dance.

Tickets for this first-ever festival in Wallace are $20 and available through Tickets West http://www.ticketswest.com or call 1-800-325-SEAT. Other outlets in Spokane: Replay Music & The Bronco, and in Coeur d’Alene: The Long Ear. In Wallace, tickets are available at The Wallace Inn, The 1313 Club and Harvest Foods. Please also look for the Historic Wallace Blues Festival on FaceBook!

Acknowledgement of Donation

The Passing the Torch project of the Washington Blues Society, in conjunction with Seattle Teen Music would like to thank an anonymous donor from Bellingham, Washington for a generous donation of $500 to aid in the 2012 goals of our project. That donation is being matched by the donor’s employer, US Bank, for a total donation of $1,000. This money will go 100% to the funding of two scholarships to Centrum’s Country Blues Week this July. Thanks to this donor and their employer for helping us to Pass the Torch.

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One of t he co ol t h ings about being involved in the music scene on the Dry Side of the Evergreen State is being able to introduce new musical groups to our Wet Side friends, such as Bakin’ Phat. This jump-blues combo was started by guitarist Dennis Higgins, most lately of Laffin’ Bones and the Shakers, who has put together an outrageously fun blues band that does not play slow songs – the idea is that you should just keep dancing. Dennis is joined by long time Spokane players Eric Lindstrom on bass and Dave Allen on harmonica and vocals, and the three of them share just shy of 100 years of musical experience. I have been listening to this group every Wednesday evening for the past several weeks, and tight doesn’t quite describe that these cats have going on. Look them up on Facebook, and they should soon have some recordings posted for your enjoyment.

On April 27th, the fabulous Kenny James Miller Band made another visit to Bluz at

the Bend and did their best to rock the socks off of a whole bunch of people. They played several of the hard hitting cuts from their most recent release, “Revelator”, as well as their tribute to B.B. King, “Thank-You, Lucille”, from their upcoming CD. The band joined our efforts in securing donations for Jennifer Kemple, lead singer for Big Mumbo Blues band, to travel to North Carolina for the next level of the X-Files talent competition. Since then, Jen passed two auditions and surpassed approximately 8,900 other hopefuls, and the judges should be contacting the finalists by the end of the month. Thanks again to our friends at Bluz at the Bend and to the Kenny James Miller Band for helping Jennifer achieve her dreams.

May 4th brought Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes to Spokane, and the Friday night crowd at Bluz at the Bend was ready. Supported by the legendary Jimi Bott (13-time Blues Music Award nominee) on drums and Allen Markel on bass, Kevin’s showmanship was one of the highlights of the evening. Jimi watched as Kevin and Allen played their guitars while laying flat on the stage during one number, showing the audience that they could really

‘get down’. Thanks once again to Don Parkins at Bluz at the Bend for bringing this immensely talented and entertaining act to town.

For the second year in a row, I celebrated Cinco de Mayo at the Tecate Grill with Laffin’ Bones, the 2011 Inland Empire Blues Society award-winning Best Blues Band. Front man Neil Elwell on guitar and vocals was joined by Ramiro Vijarro on bass, Ken Danielson on drums and special guest Bob Tortorici on harmonica and vocals. Neil brought out several of the songs from their 2011 release “Drive That Road”, as well as a few lesser-played songs, such as “Daddy’s Coming Home”, which to the surprise of a few listeners, documented Daddy’s wishes once he arrived. Thanks, guys for a fun evening listening to some of Spokane’s best blues.

I mentioned to Ken Sederdahl of the Kenny James Miller Band that I would like to be able to record some of the music that I listen to and replay it for the listeners to my radio show. He promptly gave me his digital recorder! Wow, what a cool dude! Please listen to ‘Blues Now and Then,’ on Sunday nights from 6 to 8 pm on KYRS.ORG, where I play live recordings of the bands that I talk about in the Bluesletter. So far, I have played live cuts from bands such as Too Slim, Sammy Eubanks, the Shakers, the Sara Brown Band, Bakin’ Phat and Kevin Selfe, with more to be added to the list every week. Please join us on Sunday n i g h t s a n d h e l p support something that nobody else is doing: playing live recordings of local blues for the entire world to hear. Give us a call in the studio during the show at (509) 747-3807 and tell us how it sounds over there on the Wet Side.

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25th Annual WINTHROP RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVALBy Erika Olsen & Peter Dammann

July 20-22Late one night after his gig at the infamous Winthrop Palace, Tim “Too Slim” Langford pondered the future of the blues in the Methow Valley with owner Jimmy “The Blues” Smith. The area’s big shows to that point— with acts like Robert Cray, Paul Butterfield, Savoy Brown, and Elvin Bishop— outgrew the one suitable venue in town, the Winthrop Barn. What could they do to help quench the valley’s thirst for blues?

In the summer of 1987, Smith, with encouragement from Langford, and help from his friends, launched the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival at the KOA campground outside of town, and featured Charlie Musselwhite, Seattle Women in R & B, Jerry Miller Band, and Too Slim & The Taildraggers. With 1200 in attendance, the festival lost money, but the organizers resolved to return next year.

Twenty-five years later, the Winthrop R&B Festival—having weathered a series of producers, locations, and years when it seemed the event could fold—is Washington’s largest, longest-running, most successful blues event. Under the stewardship of the non-profit Winthrop Music Association since 2005, the Festival has become one of the true jewels in the festival season. From those early days, common threads remain: Langford, whose Taildraggers have played every Winthrop but one; Smith, very involved in running the festival since its inception, and who sits on the WMA board; and the best rhythm & blues music for the Methow.

For the third year, the Festival opens with the “Lowdown Hoedown” on Friday in its Beer Garden, featuring three of the Northwest’s hottest acts: Too Slim & the Taildraggers, the Duffy Bishop Band and Spokane’s Big Mumbo.

The Festival hits high gear on Saturday with Elvin Bishop making his third headlining appearance. With 12+ solo albums and four decades of touring to his credit, Bishop reigns as the good ol’ boy of the blues. Since his days in Chicago with the Paul Butterfield Band, “Pigboy Crabshaw” has blended blues, rock, gospel, country and R&B with his high energy. Elvin’s been Grammy-nominated, has seven Blues Music Award nods, and pop success with the hit, “Fooled Around and Fell In Love.” 

This year, John Mayall, returns to Winthrop to co-headline with Bishop. In his nearly 50-year career, Mayall has introduced the world to such stunning musicians as Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Mick Fleetwood. Mayall’s current

band includes ace Texas guitar slinger Rocky Athas, a friend and bandmate of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Mayall and Bishop have a tough act to follow: Chubby Carrier & his Bayou Swamp Band. Louisiana’s Carrier has recorded five CDs over the past 10n years and 2011’s Zydeco Junkie, won the 2011 Grammy for Zydeco/Cajun recording.

Making a rare Northwest appearance Saturday will be Chicago harmonica ace, Sugar Blue. Blue has played and recorded with such legends as Willie Dixon, Johnny Shines, Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan, but he’s best known for his signature riff and solo on the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You.” Blue won a Grammy in 1985 for his work on Atlantic’s Blues Explosion.

Duffy Bishop, a Winthrop favorite, returns Saturday. This Grammy-nominated, WBS and CBA Hall of Famer has toured the US, Canada, Europa and Asia. When not touring with the band, Duffy her long-time collaborator, guitarist and husband Chris Carlson, join the Teatro ZinZanni, in Seattle and San Francisco.

Featuring some of the Spokane area’s finest musicians, Big Mumbo has been a mainstay at Inland Empire festivals and concerts as well as nightclubs.

Originally from Portland, lap-steel roots-bluesman Colin Lake has called the Crescent City home since 2009. He’ll open Saturday and Sunday with a repertoire than includes soul, rock and folk.

The action continues after-hours in the Festival Beer Garden both Saturday and Sunday with high-level jam sessions featuring festival artists, emceed by Seattle blues-funk diva, Lady “A”. Saturday’s jam will be hosted by Taildraggers’ rhythm section, Polly O’Keary and Tommy Cook, with longtime Paul deLay Band guitarist Peter Dammann. Expect the festival’s heavy hitters to turn out to join them at the jam!

This year, Ruthie Foster makes her Winthrop debut. She came from humble church choir beginnings in rural Texas, followed by a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy Band. Since then she’s won a slew of Austin Music Awards, garnered a Grammy nomination, and won many Blues Music Awards, including the 2012 Koko Taylor Award

for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the year.

Foster’s recent touring partner, Paul Thorn returns for a “Pimps & Preachers Gospel Hour.” Born in Mississippi, the son of a preacher, and nephew of a pimp, Thorn was a prizefighter and skydiver before being a songwriter. Thorn once went seven rounds in a nationally-televised fight against Roberto Duran; as a musician, he has toured with Sting, Tanya Tucker, Ronnie Milsap, Mark Knopfler and Carole King.

Since his 2007 debut CD, Magic Touch, John Németh has wowed critics and audiences alike with his riveting vocals and harmonica prowess. On his latest, Name The Day!, Nemeth continues to reinvigorate American rhythm and blues. Nemeth, now based in San Francisco, last appeared at

Winthrop in 2004 with his Boise band, The Jacks.

Lionel Young is the first double champion in the history of the

International Blues Challenge held each year in Memphis. In addition to grabbing the 2011 honors with his band, Lionel won the 2008 the solo-duo category.

The story in Memphis at this year’s IBC, however, was The WIRED! Band, who brought home top honors competing against dozens of talented acts from across world. The multiple BB Award-winning band features Kevin Sutton on lead vocals and guitar, along with Keith Bakke on bass and his nephew Rick “The Stick” Jacobson on drums.

The Festival closes, appropriately, with Winthrop favorites, Too Slim & The Taildraggers, celebrating their 25th year in the blues as Winthrop celebrates its silver anniversary. The band’s 2011 release, Shiver, was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Blues Rock album of the year.

The Allstar jam at the Beer Garden, hosted by Lionel Young and WIRED!—with appearances by Paul Thorn and John Németh—promises to be explosive after the main stage action ends.

The Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival is produced by The Winthrop Music Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation formed in 2005 to insure the continued success of the Festival. Under WMA’s direction, the festival has consistently run in the black, and last year was its most successful ever. Current board members are William Stolberg, Mark Seguin, Robin Wheeler, Jim Smith, Peter Dammann, Rich Reeves and Erika Olsen.

The story in Memphis at this year’s IBC, however, was The WIRED! Band, who brought home top honors competing

against dozens of talented acts from across world.

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Alice Stuart Celebrates 70continued

I was lucky enough to have the ear of Jerry Wexler who loved my song “Fulltime Woman.” He called in an icon and tried to get Aretha to do it. When he couldn’t do that, he had Irma Thomas do it with an arrangement that fit her style more. Unfortunately, I don’t think she really ‘got it.’ I had met Jackie DeShannon, who was also on Atlantic Records, when I opened for Van Morrison who she was working with at the time. She heard me do the song and loved it so when she made another album, she recorded it. Kate Wolf probably heard the song from Barry Olivier, who taught guitar in Berkeley and taught a lot of my songs to students. Eddie Rabbit was a DJ in LA who played my albums and he recorded another one of my songs, “I Lose Control.”. Waylon Jennings produced that album.

You’re often credited with opening the door for women in music by many industry people (Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, etc.) What are your personal thoughts about this? Any insights for other women interested in making music a career?

It certainly wasn’t intentional. I wasn’t being a Girl Scout; I was just following my dreams. I was told by producers and band members that I would never be able to play ‘like a boy’ and should just leave the guitar playing up to the guys. It was hard to break through that kind of thinking but I just kept trying, and working hard on it. If you go to Wolfgang’s Vault and click on Videos and then enter Alice Stuart and Snake, you will see some film from 1974, about 4 years after picking up the electric guitar. It was a trio and trial by fire. There was no other instrument like piano or another guitar player to lean on. As far as advice to any women or men, for that matter, who start playing and thinking they’re going to become a huge success overnight is making a big mistake. Playing and listening to music is good for the soul. If you do become successful, it’s just a beautiful (sometimes) perk...

The reason to do something well, you have to be passionate and persistent. I was pushed into a few things before I was really ready mentally to do them, like the first east coast gig I did in 1965. It was booked by Manny Greenhill who booked Joan Baez. I played the Gaslight in New York City and other folk haunts of the day. I was painfully shy and not good at making friends, especially with people on the east coast who were, at the time, not easy or eager to let new people in. I was a west coast girl who was so ‘clean’ and well dressed (you couldn’t perform professionally in Seattle unless you wore a dress!) that I found out years later that they thought I was a narc. That explains a lot, but too late to do me any good.

Your career has taken you all over the world. Can you tell us about some of your personal highlights and favorite gigs?

A definite highlight was being asked to do the Dick Cavett show with George Carlin hosting. Obviously, playing with John Hurt was another one. The European tour with Van Morrison, getting to play great venues like the Rainbow Theater in London and other huge halls all over Germany and Holland. My six week tour in Australia was a wonderful experience too. I am presently in Bermuda playing and will continue on to Chicago on May 22nd where I will be performing at lecturing at Northwestern University as well as gigging in other venues in Chicago. I will be doing a country blues workshop at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

The Triple Door is such a great venue for music, and to celebrate your birthday with all your friends and local fans must be a real treat. It’s going to be a very special day, celebrating your long career to date. What are you most looking forward to and any special treats for your guests at this very special show?

Well, 70 is a real landmark year. I feel very lucky

to be fairly healthy and still be able to perform my music. I have a couple that are coming that live in Arizona now. They decided to celebrate their anniversary by coming to Seattle for the show. A couple of my California friends, where I lived for about 35 years, are coming, too. One is Chris Earley, a songwriter friend of mine. I will be performing one of his songs called “Good Hands” and he will play acoustic guitar on it. Another is my friend, Rebb Firman, who wrote a song called “Only a Love Song will do” that I will be doing. He has always been a big fan of mine and he bought tickets for a lot of his friends here. Patti Allen and Kathi McDonald will join us on a few songs. An extra special treat is having our special guest, guitarist Terry Davison. My whole family will be there except for my oldest daughter and her family in Arizona and my cousin who is in Portugal.

Are you still writing new material? Any plans for a new CD? What’s next for Alice Stuart?

I may be making a new CD next year in Nashville of a lot of my new material and some older ones that I have not recorded yet. I am thinking about another Australian tour and some east coast tours. I would really like to make enough money in the next couple years that I could afford to buy a house of my own with a big garden space, possibly somewhere that I can grow things for more than 3 months. In California, I had a 3000 square foot organic garden. We planted in February and in October we covered our lettuce plants and some others with row cover and had lettuce all winter. There aren’t many mortgage companies that would want to give a 70 year old a mortgage so we’re talking some real money down (and probably a co-signer)… One can dream.

By Tony Frederickson Photos by Jef Jaisun

23

Housekeeping with the Editor

From the bands to the writers to the photographers to the designer and finally, to you.

The Bluesletter has had a lot of changes over the past year - from the look and feel to how much we’ve been able to squeeze into it each month. The behind the scenes stuff is the most fun to be a part of, and I wanted to let the rest of you in on a few of our secrets as well as our changes going forward.

The Bluesletter is a completely volunteer run magazine. Now, that does not, in fact, mean that those of us who write, design, photograph or research for the Bluesletter have tons of time to do this every month; we just have a wild, frothing passion for the Blues.

So, in an effort to streamline some of our processes to make the Bluesletter a well oiled machine and make the chain from the bands to your front door as quick and painless as possible, I am creating processes for getting articles/photos/ads etc from the writer/photographers/designers into the Bluesletter in an efficient manner.

Here’s what you can do to help:

Advertising:Going forward all ads go to Malcolm Kennedy (advertising@wablues.org) Malcolm keeps up with who’s paid what, what goes where, and what’s happening each month. He has the magic “list” and if you are interested in placing an ad or promoting an event or band in the Bluesletter, Malcolm is the one to connect with.

Specs: All ads need to be in CMYK (not RGB) for color ads and GRAYSCALE for black and white ads. Ads should be sized correctly for the slot that you have purchased (see page 7), and set at no lower than 300dpi. 300dpi ensures that your ads are NOT pixilated and look fabulous in print.

Plug for the Editor: I am a freelance Graphic Designer; if you need help designing your ad. I am available for hire. jessephillipsdesigns.com

Writing and/or Photos:So, I am the editor of the Bluesletter, but I am (and I’m sure you all know this) kind of new here. I don’t know you all by name, and I’m still learning about the bands and the artists and the musicians, etc; Eric Steiner, President of WBS, has had his finger on the pulse of the Blues world since God was a boy.

So, to keep me informed, and more importantly, to keep YOU informed correctly, all articles, reviews, photos, etc go to Eric Steiner ( ericrichd@aol.com ); Eric reviews all of the articles and drops them in a file folder for me in dropbox. (That’s dropbox.com - the easiest way I have ever found to share large amounts of info in an organized manner.) This way I don’t miss anything and Eric knows what’s going in the Bluesletter.

Strictly for Photographers:As far as photos are concerned - send me the largest file you can (preferably 9” x 13” x 300dpi). I ask everyone send the largest size they have just because it may end up on the cover. (you never know!) And if you label the photo with the credits (i.e. “Mickey Mouse playing bass at the Triple Door - photo by Jane Doe”) it makes my world SO much easier!!

Calendar:The Blues Calendar and the Blues Jams are overseen by Maridel (mflissm@aol.com); she sends me all of the info on who’s playing what, where and when so that we can pass it on to you. So, if you have a gig, a jam or a performance, we want to hear about it so that we can tell people! (and also, so that we can come, too!)

CDs:Musicians, we are all about telling the world about you! If you would like your CD reviewed by one of our reviewers, please send two copies (one for the reviewer and one for our monthly CD giveaways at the Blues Bash) to “Washington Blues Society, ATTN: CD Reviews, PO Box 70604, Seattle, WA 98027. Please note, if you send it, we will be using the art work from your CD in our Blues Reviews section - so send us your amazing artistry along with your music.

The Wrap-up:Once the Bluesletter is finished, I send it Eric and the board (whoever is available at the time) to be reviewed. Last minute changes go in, and then we send it to print.

The Mailout:The Bluesletter team gets an email from the printer and the party is on. One member organizes the bulk mailouts, one person prints out all of the individual address labels, there’s a flurry of emails back and fourth and then the team meets up one evening at the end of each month to sticker, pack, organize, stamp and mail out the thousands of Bluesletters that go out across the country each month.

It’s no exaggeration that Washington has the best Blues Society; we really do. This amazing group of men and women, who give of their precious time and energy each month to keep people interested in the Blues, promote and support the local bands, grow the Blues community and keep the Blues alive.

Get Involved:If you are interested in writing, photographing, or volunteering with this incredible group of people each month, please contact WBS President Eric Steiner at ericrichd@aol.com.

Project Thank you:And now a personal request: I, as the newly appointed Editor, have over this last year, watched these amazing people fight tooth and nail to preserve the blues; I’ve watched them encourage, challenge and donate their time to this endeavor, and I would love to offer them a huge verbal round of applause from all of you who receive the Bluesletter each month. If you are willing, please send me an email at editor@wablues.org so that I can put together a massive thank you card from all of us who truly appreciate their hard work.

And to all of you out there in Bluesland, thank you for supporting the blues in your neck of the woods, and keeping us going every month.

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A.H.L. (206) 935-4592AlleyKattz (425) 273-4172Annieville Blues (206) 994-9413Author Unknown (206) 355-5952Baby Gramps Trio (425) 483-2835BackGround Noise (425) 931-8084Back Porch Blues (425) 299-0468Badd Dog Blues Society (360) 733-7464Bare Roots (206) 818-8141Billy Barner (253) 884-6308Bay Street Blues Band (360) 731-1975Norm Bellas & the Funkstars (206) 722-6551Black River Blues (206) 396-1563Blackstone Players (425) 327-0018Blues Attitude (360) 701-6490Blue 55 (206) 216-0554Blue Healers (206) 440-7867Blues To Do Monthly (206) 328-0662Blues Playground (425) 359-3755Blues Redemption http://www.bluesredemption.com(The) Blues Sheriff (206) 979-0666Blues to Burn (253) 945-7441Boneyard Preachers (206) 755-0766/ 206-547-1772Bill Brown & the Kingbees 206-276-6600Bump Kitchen (253) 223-4333, (360) 259-1545Brian Butler Band (206) 361-9625Charlie Butts & the Filtertips (509) 325-3016Ellis Carter - 206-935-3188Malcolm Clark Band (253) 853-7749Colonel (360) 293-7931Kimball Conant & the Fugitives (206) 938-6096Jack Cook & Phantoms of Soul (206) 517-5294Rod Cook & Toast (206) 878-7910James Curley Cooke (253)945-7441Cooke & Green (253) 945-7441Coyote Blues (360) 420-2535John Scooch Cugno’s Delta 88 Revival (360) 352-3735Crossroads Band (206) 935-8985Daddy Treetops (206) 601-1769Sean Denton Band (425)387-0620Double Cookin’ (253) 945-7441Double Scott’s on the Rocks (206) 418-1180Julie Duke Band 206-459-0860Al Earick Band (253) 278-0330Sammy Eubanks (509) 879-0340Richard Evans (206) 799-4856Fat Cat (425) 487-6139Fat Tones (509) 869-0350Kim Field & the Mighty Titans of Tone (206) 295-8306Gary Frazier (206) 851-1169Free Reign Blues Band (425) 823-3561Filé Gumbo (425) 788-2776Nicole Fournier & Her 3 Lb Universe (253) 576-7600Jimmy Free’s Friends (206) 546-3733Charlene Grant & the Love Doctors (206) 763-5074Paul Green (206)795-3694Dennis “Juxtamuse” Hacker (425) 512-8111Heather & the Nearly Homeless Blues Band (425)576-5673Tim Hall Band (253) 857-8652Curtis Hammond Band (206) 696-6134)Ryan Harder (253) 226-1230Scotty Harris & Lissa Ramaglia/Bassic Sax (206) 418-1180Terry Hartness (425) 931-5755Ron Hendee (425) 280-3994JD Hobson (206) 235-3234Hot Rod Blues Revue (206)790-9934Bobby Holland & the Breadline (425)681-5644James Howard band (206) 250-7494David Hudson / Satellite 4 (253) 630-5276Raven Humphres (425) 308-3752Hungry Dogs (425) 299-6435Brian Hurst (360) 708-1653K. G. Jackson & the Shakers (360) 896-4175Jeff & the Jet City Fliers (206) 469-0363Junkyard Jane (253) 238-7908Stacy Jones Band (206) 992-3285

Chester Dennis Jones (253)-797-8937Harry “The Man” Joynes (360) 871-4438

James King & the Southsiders (206) 715-6511Virginia Klemens / Jerry Lee Davidson (206) 632-6130

Mick Knight (206) 373-1681Bruce Koenigsberg / the Fabulous Roof Shakers (425) 766-7253

Kolvane (503) 804-7966Lady “A” & the Baby Blues Funk Band (425) 518-9100

Brian Lee & the Orbiters www.brianleeorbiters.comBrian Lee Trio (206) 390-2408

Scott E. Lind (206) 789-8002Little Bill & the Bluenotes (425) 774-7503

Loose Gravel & the Quarry (253) 927-1212Dana Lupinacci Band (206) 860-4961

Eric Madis & Blue Madness (206) 362 8331Bill Mattocks Band (206) 601-2615

Albritten McClain & Bridge of Souls (206) 650-8254Brian “Jelly Belly” McGhee (253) 777-5972

Doug McGrew (206) 679-2655Mary McPage Band (206) 850-4849Miles from Chicago (206) 440-8016

Reggie Miles (360) 793-9577Michal Miller Band (253) 222-2538

Rob Moitoza / House of Reprehensibles (206) 768-2820Moon Daddy Band (425) 923-9081

Jim Nardo’s Boogie Train Blues Band (360) 779-4300Keith Nordquist (253) 639-3206

Randy Norris & The Full Degree (425) 239-3876 Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely (425) 239-3876/(425) 359-3755

Randy Oxford Band (253) 973-9024Robert Patterson (509) 869-0350

Dick Powell Band (425) 742-4108Bruce Ransom (206) 618-6210

Red Hot Blues Sisters (206) 940-2589Mark Riley (206) 313-7849

Gunnar Roads (360) 828-1210Greg Roberts (206) 473-0659

Roger Rogers Band (206) 255-6427Maia Santell & House Blend (253) 983-7071

Sciaticats Band (206) 246-3105Shadow Creek Project (360) 826-4068

Tim Sherman Band (206) 547-1772Billy Shew Band (253) 514-3637

Doug Skoog (253) 921-7506Smoke N Blues Allstars (253) 620-5737

Smokin’ Jays (206) 707-2018Son Jack Jr. (425) 591-3034

Soulshaker Blues Band (360) 4171145Star Drums & Lady Keys (206) 522-2779

John Stephan Band (206) 244-0498Chris Stevens’ Surf Monkeys (206) 236-0412

Stickshift Annie Eastwood (206) 522-4935Alice Stuart & the Formerlys (360) 753-8949

Richard Sysinger (206) 412-8212Annette Taborn (206) 679-4113

Dudley Taft (206)795-6509Tahoma Tones (253)851-6559

Ten Second Tom (509) 954-4101Tone Kings (425) 698-5841

Too Slim & the Taildraggers (425) 891-4487Leanne Trevalyan (253)238-7908Tim Turner Band (206) 271-5384

T-Town Aces (206)935-8985Two Scoops Combo (206) 933-9566

Unbound (425) 258-4477Uncle Ted Barton (253) 627-0420

Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues (360) 387-0374Tommy Wall (206) 914-9413

Mike Wright & the Blue Sharks (360) 652-0699 /(425) 327-0944Charles White Revue (425) 327-0018Mark Whitman Band (206) 697-7739

Michael Wilde (425) 672-3206 / (206) 200-3363Rusty Williams (206) 282-0877

Hambone Wilson (360) 739-7740C.D. Woodbury (425) 502-1917

Beth Wulff Band (206) 367-6186, (206) 604-2829

Washington Blues Society Talent Guide

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SundaysAlki Tavern: Jam hosted b y Manuel MoraisDawson’s, Tacoma: Tim Hall Band, 7pmCastle’s, Sedro Wolley: Gary B’s Church of the Blues, 6-10pmEastlake Zoo Tavern: Eastlake Zoo Social Club & Jam featuring the Seattle Houserockers, 7pmEvelyn’s Tavern, Clear Lake: Gary B’s Church of the Blues 6 – 10pmLighthouse, Des Moines: Northpoint Tacoma: Loose Gravel & the Quarry, 7pmRaging River: Tommy Wall May 13 – Mark WhitmanSilver Dollar: Big Nasty, 8pm Two Twelve, Kirkland: hosted by HeatherBBlues, 7pm

TuesdaysBarrel Invitational: hosted by Billy Shew, 8pmDawson’s, Tacoma: hosted by Shelley & Jho, 8pmJ & M Cafe Jam: May 8 & 22 – Tim TurnerPacific Rim Marysville Best Western: Mike Wright & the Blue Sharks, 7 – 11pmSnohomish Spirits & Sports: Sean Denton & friendsSummit Pub: Tim Hall & the Realtimes, 7:30pmWild Buffalo, Bellingham: hosted by Rick Baunach, 6:30 - 9:30pmYuppie Tavern, Kirkland (Totem Lake), HeatherBBlues Acoustic jam, 8pm

MondaysCaffe Mela, Wenatchee, 7pm (first Mon. of the month)88 Keys, Pioneer Square: Star Drums & Lady Keys host Blue Monday Jam, 8pmJR’s Hideway: Malcolm Clark, 8pmOpal Lounge, South Tacoma Way: Tim Hall, 8pmOxford Saloon: All ages open jam, 7 – 11pmTen Below: hosted by Underground Blues Jam, every 1st Monday of the month, Wenatchee

MondayKUGS 89.3FM Bellingham: Highway 61 8:00AM - 10:00AMwww.kugs.org - DJ, Chalkie McStevenson

KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: “Blues On Rye” 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Val Vaughn

Northwest Convergence Zone Online Radio: NWCZradio.com: Dave Samson’s BluesShow 7:00pm - 10:00PM

TuesdayKBCS 91.3FM Bellevue: Eh Toi! 11:00PM - 1:00AMwww.kbcs.fm - DJ, DJ Marte’

WednesdayKEXP 90.3FM Seattle: The Roadhouse 6:00PM to 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Greg Vandy

KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: “The Blue Boulevard” 8:00PM - 10:00PMwww.mail@ksvr.org - DJ, Jackson Stewart

KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: “The Blues Note with Janice” 10:00PM - 12:00AMwww.janice@ksvr.org - DJ, Janice Gage

ThursdayKSER 90.7FM Everett: Clancy’s Bar and Grill 8:30PM - 10:30PM www.kser.org - DJ, Clancy Dunigan

KSER 90.7FM Everett: The Blueshouse 10:30PM - 12:30AM www.kser.org - DJ, Jonathan “Oogie” Richards

FridayKEXP 90.3FM Seattle: Shack The Shack 6:00PM - 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Leon Berman

Saturday

KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler

KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: “Blues For Breakfast” 8:00AM - 10:00AM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Jerry Drummond

KSER 90.7FM Everett: Audio Indigo 7:00PM - 9:00 PM www.kser.org - DJ, Robin K

KPBX 91.1FM Spokane: Blues Kitchen 10:00PM - 12:00AM www.kpbx.org - DJ, Tina Bjorklund

KZPH 106.7FM Wenatachee: The Blues 11:00PM - 12:00AM www.therock1067.com - DJ, Dave Keefe

KSER 90.7FM Everett: Blues Odessey 9:00PM - 11:00pM www.kser.org - DJ, Leslie Fleury

SundayKEXP 90.3 Seattle Preaching the Blues with Johny Horn

Sunday Mornings 9am to Noon

KYRS 92.3 FM, KYRS.org Blues Now and Then 6-8 PM. DJ, Patrick Henry and Jumpin’ Jerry.

KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler

KWCW 90.5FM Walla Walla: Blues Therapy 7:00PM - 9:00PM www.kwcw.net - DJ, “Biggdaddy” Ray Hansen and

Armand “The Doctor” Parada

KKZX 98.9FM Spokane: Blowtorch Blues 7:00PM - 10:00PM www.kkzx.com - DJ, Ted Todd Brion Foster.

KSER 90.7FM Everett: The Juke Joint 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kser.org - DJ, Jon Noe

Blues on the Radio Dial

PLEASE SEND ANY RADIO UPDATES TO CALENDAR@WABLUES.ORG

Washington Blues Society Blues Jams

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Central & Eastern BBQ & Blues – Clarkston (509) 758-1227Breadline Café – Omak (509) 826-5836Club Crow – Cashmere (509) 782-3001 CrossRoads Steakhouse – Walla Walla (509) 522-1200Lakey’s Grill – Pullman (509) 332-6622Main Street Tavern – Omak (509) 826-2247Peters Inn – Packwood (360) 494-4000Pine Springs Resort - Goldendate (509-773-4434Ram’s Ripple – Moses Lake (509) 765-3942Rattlesnake Brewery – Richland (509) 783-5747Red Lion Hotel Wenatchee (Tomasz Cibicki 509-669-8200)Tumwater Inn Restaurant and Lounge – Leavenworth (509) 548-4232

SeattleBlarney Stone Pub and Restaurant (206) 448-8439China Harbor Restaurant (206) 286-1688Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley (206) 441-9729 x210EMP Liquid Lounge (206) 770-2777EMP Sky Church (206) 770-2777Fiddler’s Inn (206) 525-0752Grinder’s (206) 542-0627Highliner Pub (206) 283-2233Highway 99 Club (206) 382-2171J & M Cafe (206) 467-2666Lock & Keel (206) 781-8023Maple Leaf Grill (206) 523-8449Mr. Villa (206) 517-5660New Orleans (206) 622-2563Paragon (206) 283-4548Pike Place Bar and Grill (206) 624-1365The Rimrock Steak House (206) 362-7979Salmon Bay Eagles (206) 783-7791St. Clouds (206) 726-1522Third Place Commons, Lake Forest Park (206) 366-3333Triangle Tavern (206) 763.0714Tractor Tavern (206) 789-3599Triple Door (206) 838-4333

North End (Lynnwood, Everett, Edmonds, etc.):Anchor Pub – Everett (425) 252-2288Balefire – Everett (425) 374-7248Bubba’s Roadhouse – Sultan, (360) 793-3950Canoes Cabaret – Tulalip (888) 272-1111The Conway Muse in Conway (360) 445-3000Demetris Woodstone Taverna, Edmonds (425) 744-9999Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse – Mukilteo (425) 355-4488Engel’s Pub – Edmonds (425) 778-2900Historic Spar Tree – Granite Falls (360) 691-6888 Madison Pub - Everett (425) 348-7402Mardini’s – Snohomish (360) 568-8080Mirkwood & Shire Café – Arlington (360) 403-9020North Sound:Star Bar, Anacortes (360) 299-2120 (The) Oxford Saloon – Snohomish (360) 568-3845Prohibition Grille, Everett (425) 258-6100 Stanwood Hotel & Saloon – Stanwood (360) 629-2888Stewart’s – Snohomish (360) 568-4684Timberline Café – Granite Falls (360) 691-7011Tracey’s Place – Everett (425) 259-0811Wicked Rack BBQ – Everett (425) 334-3800

South Sound Tacoma, Burien, Federal Way, etcAl Lago, Lake Tapps (253) 863-86362 Wheel Blues Club – TacomaBarnacles Restaurant, Des Moines (206) 878-5000The Barrel – Burien (206) 244-7390CC’s Lounge, Burien (206) 242-0977Capitol Theater/Olympia Film Society – (360) 754-3635Charlie’s – Olympia (360) 786-8181Cliff House Restaurant – Tacoma (253) 927-0400Destination Harley Davidson – Fife (253) 922-3700 Blues Vespers at Immanuel Presbyterian (253) 627-8371Jazzbones in Tacoma (253) 396-9169(The) Junction Sports Bar, Centralia (360) 273-7586Lighthouse – Des Moines (206) 824-4863Maggie O’Toole’s – Lakewood (253) 584-3278Magnolia Café – Poulsbo (360) 697-1447Mint Alehouse – Enumclaw (360) 825-8361Pat’s Bar & Grill – Kent (253) 852-7287Pick & Shovel – Wilkeson (360) 829-6574Riverside Pub, Sumner (253) 863-8369Silver Dollar Pub – Spanaway (253) 531-4469The Spar – Tacoma (253) 627-8215The Swiss – Tacoma (253) 572-2821Tugboat Annie’s – Olympia (360) 943-1850Uncle Sam’s Bar & Grill - Spanaway (253) 507-7808Wurlitzer Manor – Gig Harbor (253) 858-1749Cascade Tavern – Vancouver (360) 254-0749

North Sound Bellingham, Anacortes, Whidbey Island, etcChina Beach – Langley (360) 530-8888Just Moe’s – Sedro Woolley (360) 855-2997LaConner Tavern – LaConner (360) 466-9932Little Roadside Tavern – Everson (360) 592-5107Old Edison Inn – Edison (360) 766-6266Rockfish Grill – Anacortes (360) 588-1720Stump Bar & Grill – Arlington (360) 653-6774Watertown Pub – Anacortes (360) 293-3587Wild Buffalo – Bellingham (360) 312-3684Viking Bar and Grill – Stanwood (360) 629-9285

Eastside Bellevue, Kirkland, etc.Central Club – Kirkland (425) 827-8808Crossroads Shopping Center – Bellevue (425) 644-1111Damans Pub – RedmondForecasters – Woodinville (425) 483-3212Ice Harbor Brewing Co - Kennewick (509) 582-5340 Raging River Café & Club – Fall City (425) 222-6669Time Out Sports Bar – Kirkland (425) 822-8511Vino Bella – Issaquah (425) 391-1424Wild Vine Bistro, Bothell (425) 877-1334Wilde Rover – Kirkland (425) 822-8940Valhalla Bar & Grill, Kirkland (425) 827 3336

Peninsula Clearwater Casino – Suquamish (360) 598-6889Destiny Seafood & Grill – Port Angeles (360) 452-4665 Halftime Saloon – Gig Harbor (253) 853-1456Junction Tavern – Port Angeles (360) 452-9880Little Creek Casino – Shelton (360) 427-7711Seven Cedars Casino – Sequim (360) 683-7777Siren’s – Port Townsend (360) 379-1100Upstage – Port Townsend (360) 385-2216

WednesdaysCharlies Olympia: Blues AttitudeDaman’s Pub, 8 PMDogghouse Tavern, Mt. Vernon Alan: Hatley Trio, 7pmEddie’s Trackside Bar & Grill, Monroe: every 1st & 3rd Wed., 8pmHalf Time Saloon: Billy Shew & Billy BarnerLocker Room, White Center: Michael Johnson & Lynn Sorensen, 8-12pmMadison Pub, Everett: hosted by Unbound w/special guests 7:30pm June 6 - Dave Albert June 13 - Vaughn Jensen June 20 - Scott Drexler June 27 Jammie Jam night w/Unbound & special guests Mary McPage & Willy StraubSalmon Bay Eagles: Broomdust presents Blues of the Past jam (1stWed.) 8pm

ThursdaysBad Albert Invitational w/Annieville BluesCC’s Lounge BurienClub Flight Nightclub w/Cory Wilde, 9pmConway PubDawson’s, Tacoma: Billy Shew, 8 pmO’Callahan’s: Tim Hall, 7pmOxford Saloon: Invitational Jam w/Steve Ater, 8pmRuston Inn: Loose Gravel & the Quarry, 8pm

Washington Blues Society

Venue Guide

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June 1 - Friday Crossroads Market Stage, Bellevue: Mia Vermillion Band, 6:30pmHighway 99: Kim Fields 2nd AnnuaI Harp Blast feat. Hank Shreve (Ty Curtis, Karen Lovely band), Grant Dermody & Kim Field & the Mighty Titans of ToneJazz Alley: Shemekia CopelandJazzbones, Tacoma: Randy Oxford Band, 8pmKirkland Eagles Hall: Zydeco dance, 8:30pmLaConner Festivals of Music & Arts, LaConner, Maple Hall: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 6pmNew Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas MarriottNorm’s Place, Everett: Michelle Taylor & the Blues JunkiesOxford Saloon: Dirty RiceSonny Newman’s Dance Hall, Greenwood: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie, Brian Kent, 8:30pm 

June 2 - Saturday Anacortes Waterfront Festival: Randy Oxford Band, 4 pmBad Albert’s, Ballard: Jeff & the Jet City Fliers, 7pmEsquire Club, Columbia City: Zydeco dance, 8:30pmHighway 99: Lloyd Jones Struggle CD Release partyH2O, Anacortes: Randy Oxford BandJazz Alley: Shemekia CopelandLouie G’s, Tacoma: Fat Tones Marco’s, Everett: Michelle Taylor & the Blues JunkiesMuse, Conway: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 8pmOxford Salon: WiredSalmon Bay Eagles: Heather Banker & the Nearly Homeless Blues bandScotch and Vine, Des Moines, Surf Monkeys, 8pmThird Place Books: The Blue Notes, 7pmYuppie Tavern: Astro Cats

June 3 - SundayCentral Tavern, Kirkland: Fat Tones Jazz Alley: Shemekia CopelandJohnny’s Dock, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 5pmSpar: Dana Lupinacci bandTwo Twelve on Central, Kirkland, HeatherBBlues, 7pmCentral Ave Pub, Kent: Randy Hansen, 7 pmCentral Ave Pub, Kent: Terry Hanck, 8pm

June 4 - Monday88 Keys: Blues to Do TV: Vicki Stevens - Preston Miller ProjectNew Orleans: New Orleans Quintet

CalendarBlues

June 5 - TuesdayCrossroads Farmers Market, Bellevue, HeatherBBlues, 1pmNew Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm

June 6 - Wednesday Highway 99: Drummerboy w/Terry RobbMr. Villa, Lake City: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie Trio, 7pmNew Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pmPike Pl. Bar & Grill, John Stephan band, 6pm Salmon Bay Eagles: Jam from the Past

June 7 - ThursdayBad Albert’s: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pmDestination Harley, Fife: Lil Bill Trio, 5pmHighway 99: Timmons Wall bandNew Orleans: Selbred/Jackson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Dana Lupinacci Band

June 8 - Friday Balefire, Everett: Kimball & the Fugitives w/ Stickshift Annie TrioCooth Buzzard Books, Pacific NW Folklore Society Concert, Greenwood: Alice Stuart & the FormerlysEddie’s Trackside, Monroe: CD WoodburyHighway 99: Curtis Hammond bandOxford Saloon: Bill Mattocks BandRepp, Snohomish: Nick VigarinoRockfish Grill, Anacortes: Mia Vermillion BandSapolil Winery, Walla Walla: Fat TonesScotch and Vine, Des Moines, Surf Monkeys, 8pmYuppie Tavern, Kirkland: Brian Butler w/Blues Buskers

June 9 - Saturday Crossroads Shopping Center (food court stage), Bellevue: Alice Stuart & the FormerlysNew Orleans: Surf Monkeys Oxford Saloon: Bill Mattocks BandSalmon Bay Eagles: Daddy Treetops & the Howlin TomcatsSlaughter House, Monroe: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 8pm  Yuppie Pub, Kirkland, John Stephan Band

June 10 - SundayCentral, Kirkland: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 8:30pm Red Crane: Passing the Torch Fundraiser, Randy Oxford Band, 7pm Spar, Tacoma: The Blue Notes, 7pmTriple Door: Dan Hicks & his Hot LicksTwo Twelve on Central, Kirkland, HeatherBBlues, 7pm Woodland Park, lower, Seapeace concert series: Bare Roots, 4pm

June 11 - Monday88 Keys: Blues to Do TV: Stevie Ray Guns (SRV Tribute band)New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet

June 12 - TuesdayNew Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm

June 13 - WednesdayBad Alberts, Ballard: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 5:30pmBake’s Place, Bellevue: Mia Vermillion Band w/ Special Guest Kevin Sutton, 7pmHighway 99: Whozymamma, Zydeco New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Oxford Saloon: Richard Allen Zydeco

June 14 - ThursdayBad Albert’s: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pmCrossroads Shopping Center, Bellevue, HeatherBBlues, 6:30pm Highway 99: James King & the SouthsidersNew Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Mark Whitman bandOscars, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 6pm

June 15 - FridayHighway 99: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter”Wolfman” Washington & Russell Baptiste Jr.New Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas Marriott Oxford Saloon: Vaughn Jensen BandRockfish Grill: Kimball & the Fugitives w/ Stickshift Annie Scotch & Vine, Des Moines, Brian Lee Trio, 8pmTriple Door: Vicci MartinezVino Bella, Issaquah, Surf Monkeys, 7:30pm

New music reviews will return next month - but make sure you check them out at

wablues.org for all the Blues you can use.Blues Reviews

31

July

June 16 - SaturdayCentral Saloon, Pioneer Square: CD Woodbury Hawkeye, Lake Stevens: Nick Vigarino’s Back Porch StompHighway 99: Too Slim & the TaildraggersOxford Saloon: Vaughn Jensen Band Happy Birthday Alice!!!Triple Door: 70th Birthday Bash & “House Party” CD/DVD release party, Alice Stuart & the FormerlysYuppie Tavern: Wired

June 17 - SundayTriple Door: Life is a Carnival, Celebrating the Music of Levon HelmTwo Twelve on Central, Kirkland, HeatherBBlues, 7pm

June 18 - Monday88 Keys: Blues to Do TV: Eric Freeman & West Side Mojo (traditional Country Blues) New Orleans: New Orleans QuintetSorci’s, Sumner: Dana Lupinacci, 1pm June 19 - TuesdayNew Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm June 20 - WednesdayCentral, Kirkland: CD Woodbury Highway 99: John “Schooch”Cugno & the 88’sMr. Villa, Lake City: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie Trio, 7pmNew Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm

June 21 - ThursdayHighway 99: Bottoms Up Blues GangHogs & Dogs Festival: W.Richland, WA: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 6pm Jazz Alley: Spectrum Road: Jack Bruce, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman – Santana & Vernon ReidNew Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Blue 55

June 22 - FridayBob Rivers Show: Randy Oxford Band, 9:30am Highway 99: Duffy Bishop band Jazz Alley: Spectrum Road: Jack Bruce, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman – Santana & Vernon Reid O’Callahan’s, Vaughn: Alice Stuart, soloOxford Saloon: Ravinwolf BandSapolil Cellars, Walla Walla: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown BluesYuppie Taven: Red House

June 23 - SaturdayAmante’s Pizza & Pasta, Issaquah: Eric Madis & Blue Madness, 7:30pmDestination Harley, Fife: Lil Bill Trio, 12pmHighway 99: Randy Oxford bandOxford Saloon: Curtis Hammond BandJazz Alley: Spectrum Road: Jack Bruce, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman – Santana & Vernon ReidSalmon Bay Eagles: Snake OilSnoqualmie Brewery: Brian Butler & Paul Green, 8pmRockfish Grill, Alice Stuart & the FormerlysRockin’ The Lowboy Festival,Walla Walla: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 2pm Washington Sips, La Conner: Mia Vermillion (solo), 7:30pmYuppie Taven:Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys

June 24 - SundayBlackdog, Snoqualmie: Nick Vigarino’s Meantown Blues, 6pm Jazz Alley: Spectrum Road: Jack Bruce, John Medeski, Cindy Blackman – Santana & Vernon ReidLopez Islander Resort, Fisherman Bay Rd, Lopez Island: Alice Stuart & the FormerlysTwo Twelve on Central, Kirkland, HeatherBBlues, 7pm

June 25 - Monday88 Keys: Blues to Do TV: Wendy DeWitt - (boogie woogie piano Queen)New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet

June 26 - TuesdayNew Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm

June 27 - Wednesday New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pmOxford Saloon,: Richard Allen ZydecoPike Place Bar & Grill at the Market: Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives, 6pm

June 28 - ThursdayBad Albert’s: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pm Highway 99: Monster Road after a benefit for United By MusicJazz Alley: Diane ShuurNew Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Oscars, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 6pmSalmon Bay Eagles: Tom Bourg 9

June 29 - FridayHighway 99: Lee Oscar & Friends Jazz Alley: Diane ShuurMatch Coffee & Wine, Duvall: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie Trio, 7:30pmNew Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas MarriottOxford Saloon: The Fonkeys

June 30 - SaturdayBakes Place, Bellevue: The Blue Notes, 8pmCrossroads Bellevue: Brian Butler Blues Band, 7pmDusty Strings Music, Seattle: Eric Madis & Grant Dermody Guitar-Harmonica Duet Workshops, 10:30amEngel’s Pub: CD WoodburyHighway 99: T-Town Aces and the Timmons Wall band Jazz Alley: Diane ShuurOxford Saloon: the Shortcutz Scotch & Vine, Des Moines, Brian Lee Trio, 8pmYuppie Taven: Fabulous Roofshakers

July 1 - Sunday Old Edison Inn, Edison/Bow: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie & Dan Duggin, 5:30pm Jazz Alley: Diane Shuur

July 2 - Monday88 Keys: Blues to Do TV: New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet

July 3 - TuesdayNew Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm

July 4 - Wednesday New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm

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