Release My Soul – Mark May Band Mark May New CD, “Release My Soul” and 2012 Tour Mark May Band has been touring in Texas the whole month of January (2012) to promote his new CD ‘Release My Soul – Mark May Band‘, and his Texas fans have had a real treat to be sure. [...]
Archive for Category: "Abby Owen"
Rich DelGrosso Interview by Abby Owen
You are known as one of the top Blues Mandolin players on the scene, and have so many fans, new and old alike. Let me just ask you the most basic question. When did you first get into blues? When I was a teenager and I was in a rock band, in those days a [...]
Rory Gallagher – His Life by Abby Owen
My favorite Rory Gallagher quote is well known in music circles, but I will relate it here again, in case you haven’t heard. It was when a journalist asked Jimi Hendrix what it felt like to be the greatest guitarist in the world, and he replied, “I don’t know, ask Rory Gallagher.” Although much of [...]
Earl Gilliam’s life is ebbing, but the love is still flowing…
The Houston Blues community/and artists will come together Sunday to play musical homage to one of the godfathers of blues piano, Earl Gilliam ~ his life is ebbing, but the love still flowing. Earl will be watching from his hospital bed, and I’m sure he’ll be smiling to beat the band. Longtime friend and fellow jammer [...]
Brad Absher Interview by Abby Owen
When I asked Brad Absher if I could interview him, as he is one of my favorite players around Houston, he said he had to run up to Austin to lay down a guitar track, but I was welcome to ride along. It seemed like the perfect idea to me, to see some wide open spaces, [...]
Carolyn Wonderland Wed Yesterday!
After an engagement from October 2010, Funnyman A. Whitney Brown and blues singer Carolyn Wonderland urged guests to their upcoming nuptials to be punctual – they planned to be wed at precisely 4:44pm. Former Saturday Night Live star Brown married his musician fiancee on March 4 at a park in Austin, Texas, with former The Monkees star Michael Nesmith [...]
23 Yr Old Sparky Parker of MOJOFROMOPOLIS
It seems you can go to almost any Blues music function in Houston and find Sparky Parker ‘spiffy-riffin’ on his guitar and you instantly see why he is quickly becoming a Texas Bluesman to be reckoned with. He has a feel for it, and to my ears, a finesse and a technique beyond his young [...]
27 Year Old Dennis ‘Applehead’ Clapp of MOJOFROMOPOLIS
MOJOFROMOPOLIS. Funny name. Serious jams. They won the first round of the IBC semi-finals this year, (and to many fans, should have won the whole enchilada) only to be beaten out in the end by The Ezra Charles Band. Dennis ‘Applehead’ Clapp (27) is one of the TWO ‘under 30 years of age’ Houston artists in the [...]
Sam ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins Historical Marker Unveiled On First Sam ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins Day
Blues History in the making of the Sam “Lightnin’ Hopkins Historial Marker Unveiling. “I’m still overwhelmed by the whole situation and what has happened here. To know that there’s this much love for the music and for the man. I’m just happy to be a part of this…to be able to help make this happen.” Eric Davis said, after the ceremony was over.
Houston Loses Blues Icon Melvin ‘Magic’ Sheppard
Melvin “Magic” Sheppard B:9-24-49 D:11-11-10. Born in Lake Charles, LA. Moved to Houston in late 50′s ‘Magic’ played bass touring the country with many gospel, zydeco and blues groups during his long career. He joined gulf coast rhythm & blues band ‘Luther & The Healers’, a long-time staple of Houston’s Blues scene in 1991 and stayed [...]
The Mighty Orq Interview
To some, he might not look like he’s supposed to. No ‘Blues Brothers’ Raybans. No pork-pie hat. He’s not an old black man. He IS a snappy dresser. Perfection would be, for him, “To have a different suit for every day of the year.” Another thing he IS, as his status ‘2010 Best Guitarist’ by [...]
Carolyn Wonderland Engaged!
This happy news was announced on Carolyn Wonderland’s facebook fan-page on the afternoon of September 25th, 2010: “Carolyn Wonderland and A. Whitney Brown are in SF, CA and are now engaged. ♥ ♥ ♥” Mr Brown is of ‘Saturday Night Live’ fame and a comedy writer. American Blues News would like to extend our congratulations [...]
Houston Musicians Remember Stevie Ray Vaughan
Houston’s Mark May shares thoughts of SRV Stevie Ray Vaughan remembered in Houston October 3, 2010 ~ Little Stevie, as he was known in the early days of his career was born on this day in 1954, in Dallas Texas and died in a helicopter crash in East Troy, Wisconsin on a fog-shrouded hillside near southeastern [...]
Sonny Boy Terry Interview (Part 2)
To read Part One, if you missed it last month, click HERE AO: Would you say that the harmonica is your first love? SBT: Oh yeah, I’ve been playing for 34 years. I think more people should work on their technique, you know, and sometimes they don’t want to do it seriously. AO: So is [...]
Sonny Boy Terry Interview
Houston, Tx – Sonny Boy Terry from Houston took his band to Memphis earlier this year to represent the SE Texas region in the 2010 International Blues Challenge. He didn’t win, but after receiving an average score of over 8, which was pretty high according to Terry, he hasn’t been resting on his laurels. In [...]
