(Memphis, Tennessee) Highly regarded performer and engineer James Lott is in critical care in a Memphis hospital. James has been world renoun for his prodigious amounts of work at SUN Studio for 20 years. Friends and family are asking for prayers but request that no one visit James at this time to allow him rest [...]
Archive for Category: "Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms"
Michael Burks Passes
(Memphis, Tennessee) On Sunday, May 6, Blues great Michal Burks died of a massive heart attack while traveling through the Atlanta airport after returning from a tour of Europe.He was 54 years of age. The photograph above was taken as Michael and the guys in his band dropped by Doug McMinn’s bus during a Reba [...]
Legendary Guitarist Skip Pitts Celebration of Life
(Memphis, Tennessee) Before Skip’s passing, the royalty of Memphis Music turned out to honor one of the world’s finest, most clever and inventive instrumentalists. Boo Mitchell of Royal Studio organized the effort, STAX provided a venue with their auditorium, Elmo Lee Thomas provided the PA system, and scores of Skip’s band mates showed up [...]
Legendary Guitarist Skip Pitts Passes
(Memphis, Tennessee) The sound of the intro to Isaac Shaft, the magic wah-wah guitar of Skip pitts went silent today. Skip was a longtime STAX and Hi Records artist, a bandmate and member of Elmo Lee Thomas’ Memphis band. Skip was a beautiful human being, a personal friend and a local icon of Memphis Soul. [...]
Memphis Horns’ Andrew Love Passes
(Memphis, Tennessee) The great Andrew Love of the legendary Memphis Horns has passed this week. Andrew had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago although this was not divulged to the public. Mr. Love, who was black, and Wayne Jackson, who is white, played together on 52 No. 1 records and 83 gold and [...]
Darren Jay& the Delta Souls CD Review
(Memphis, Tennessee) It is with a great deal of pleasure that I suggest to you a new release by my friends, Darren Jay and Laura Cupit. Their new CD is being released on the cusp of Darren’s return to Navy duty overseas. Despite this delay, the band is ready and prepared to forge ahead, setting [...]
2012 IBC Highlights
(Memphis, Tennessee) With each succeeding year, the IBC improves in both scope sheer size and also quality. Above photo from Hammond Workshop, Joe Boogie, featured guest Tullie Brae, and Helge “Nick” Nickel of Bluesfest Eutin, Germany. This year’s big Blues week was highlighted by some cool new stuff: Bigger and better… Hammond Organ Workshop This [...]
Planet Earth Records Beale Street Jam Coming Friday Night
(Memphis, Tennessee) After a hugely successful invitational jam last year, Planet Earth Complex is hosting another jam this year featuring all professional musicians. This will provide a contrast with most of the other events during IBC week which feature primarily up and coming artists. The Planet Earth Compex Jam starts at 11 PM Friday night [...]
Former B. B. King bassist Melvin Lee Green Passes in Memphis
Melvin Lee (far left) performs with Earl the Pearl and the Peoples of the Blues at the Southern Hot Wings Festival on South Main in Memphis (Memphis, Tennessee) It is with great sadness that we report the passing of a very dear friend and colleague, indubitably one of the world’s finest Blues musicians. Melvin Lee [...]
Four Roses Joins as Sponsor for IBC Hammond Workshop
(Memphis, Tennessee) We are proud to announce that our friend Dan Gardener of Four Roses Bourbon has announced that Four Roses will be a proud sponsor of this year’s IBC Hammond Workshop in Memphis at Club 152 on Beale at 11 AM Thursday, February 2 and Friday February 3, 2012. Four Roses joins Amro Music [...]
Mississippi Blues Trail Markers
(Memphis, Tennessee) Many Blues fans have taken the time to check out another facet of the Blues music experience, visiting some or all of the various Mississippi Blues Trail Markers. In fact an iphone app has been made available to further enhance the experience. The free app, currently available only for iPhones, has a variety [...]
UPDATED IBC Schedule – IBC Registration and Hammond Workshop have Changed!
IBC REGISTRATION LOCATION HAS CHANGED (Memphis, Tennessee) The following is the most recent updated IBC schedule which reflects some important changes. The location of Registration has changed to Club 152 on Wednesday. YOU WILL NEED TO COME TO CLUB 152 TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT…GO NOWHERE ELSE. HAMMOND ORGAN WORKSHOP MOVES TO THURSDAY at 11 [...]
Here Comes the Second Annual IBC Hammond Organ Workshop!
(Memphis, Tennessee) As January rolls around again, we turn our sights on the upcoming International Blues Challenge which will take place in Memphis starting on the last day of this month. Last year, with the help of our friend, Joe Whitmer, of the Blues Foundation, we produced the first Hammond Organ Workshop, an event designed [...]
Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame
(Memphis, Tennessee) In light of the passing of so many Blues friends this past year, it is only appropriate that we review some of the Blues musical greats and others who have been instrumental in preserving the music culture. Just a brief perusal of the 110 notes reveals quite a formidable collection of impressive individuals [...]
Memphis Mourns Two Blues Souls Sease and Galloway
(Memphis, Tennessee) Blues legend Marvin Sease died at 64. Sease started his career with a gospel group called the Five Gospel Crowns out of Charleston, South Carolina. After singing with them, Marvin then left at age 20 settling into New York. There he joined another gospel group called the Gospel Crowns. Marvin left the gospel circuit [...]
