Back Onstage This Week

Looking forward to returning to some normalcy this week, as we return to playing.  We'll be appearing at the Lowertown Art and Music Festival Friday, May 16th in Paducah, Kentucky.

We'll play at 3PM on the main stage to open the festival, and then again at 6:45PM on the smaller, Harrison Street stage in Paducah's Lowertown Art District.

If you've never been to this festival, it's really unique, with lots of local artist displaying their works (and selling them too) along with very diverse entertainment, and foods!

Road Trip To The 35th Annual Blues Music Awards....

Had a great time at the 35th Annual Blues Awards in Memphis! Haven't been in a few years.  Great to see a lot of old friends and make a few new ones..... (click on the picture for a larger view)

Several remarked to me this Blues Music Awards Week would long be remembered by them as the first one which brought together the 2 top meteorologist/blues guitarist IN THE WORLD: Myself and the great Kevin Selfe, of Delta Groove artist Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes, and The Mannish Boys.  Ok....maybe not as many mentioned it...but it was true.

You know you're in Memphis, when in the hotel lobby, you see a grown man sporting an Elvis tattoo on his calf.

Carlene Roach from North Alabama.  She was raised in Columbus, KY and along with her husband, Robert, were quite possibly the only people at the BMAs who knew where Fulton was!  What a sweet couple!

Some Blues fans are quite particular about proper Blues dress! I noticed this was a blue plaid.

Great crowd for the reception at the Cannon Center in Memphis!

Last time I went to the BMAs, we put Bobby Rush on the phone with my wife, Bridget. She thought we were fooling and said some wild things to Bobby.  It was priceless.  This time, Bobby offered his condolences and prayed with me.  No  wonder, in addition to being one of my favorite artists, he's one of my favorite people.

Packed house at the Cannon Center for the awards show! They didn't want us to go to the stage to take pictures and requested we stay in our seats.  That's why this is the only picture I took inside the hall. It was a great show though!

Scott Holt, a fellow Native Tennessean, is a hoot!  I opened for him years ago at the Jenn Jam in Cairo, IL

My favorite living, left handed guitarist: Tom Holland.  This guy's a MONSTER player.

Your standard, obligatory Beale Street shot.

Still. One of the coolest things we did the past year, was play one of his songs for his granddaughter.

FLASHBACK: October, 2013 with Kala Bland and her lovely mom, Melanie McDaniel

Friday, I decided to do something during the day I hadn't done and check out some of the museums I hadn't been to.  I'd been to Sun Studios, Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum (all of which I recommend). This time, I went to the Rock and Soul Museum, and found this 1954 Gibson Reissue Scotty Moore model.

Also, this G&L presented to Carl Perkins by Leo Fender! I met Carl several times during my time in Jackson, TN.  Such a nice man, in addition to his legend. Nice!

Back for the dedication of the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame on Main Street in Memphis.

An Elvfie!

Lunch at Blues City Cafe for "wet" ribs.  I love the dry ones at Rendezvous, too.  Truth is, there are dozens of places in Memphis where you can get the "best ribs in town!"

Went through the Gibson guitar factory tour.  No pictures because they are afraid someone would take the pictures and began manufacturing guitars just as good as Gibson, and if there are no pictures, no one will ever know how they are made.....please.  I love you Gibson.  Even play a couple of yours.

This is the coolest toilet seat ever.

Friday afternoon. Went to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.  This may have been be the best museum I visited this day.  Great stuff!

This tape really interested me there.  I remembered it from Tom Dowd's documentary "The Language of Music."  If you haven't seen this documentary, YOU NEED TO!  What a story, about this tape in particular.

This is the tape machine on which it was recorded.

And YES, what Tom Dowd said in the doc was true about the markings....

This is most depressing part of the tour for me.  The part about how Stax Records used to use antiquated typewriters in the 70s.  The I recognized it as EXACTLY the ones we used to produce newscasts at WBBJ-TV in the 80S!!!

Otis Redding's Grammy for "Dock of the Bay"  Pretty cool.

Friday night: Hit the road for Clarksdale, MS

Haven't seen Candye Kane perform in 20 years.  Bridget was with me last time, in Nashville, where she played a show with Marcia Ball and Kim Wilson.

Great show.  Great voice. Great entertainer.  Laura Chavez rocked it on guitar, too.

Late night snack in the Delta.

Saturday.  Back home on the bluff. Overlooking the Mississippi Delta.

On Chicago's WGN Radio Wednesday Night

Good fun! Playing/singing a bluesy birthday song for Scott Miller on the Pete McMurray show on WGN Wednesday night!  http://wgnradio.com/2014/05/01/happy-birthday-from-the-president-of-the-tribune-mr-larry-wert/

Photo Shoot And You Won't Believe Where!

We're so excited about an upcoming photo shoot.  

We've needed updated pictures of the band and gifted photographer Gross Magee has agreed to the shoot.  We thought long and hard about where to do it, but I think we've found the perfect place.  Of course it was right under our nose the whole time but I can't imagine a more perfect location, steeped in Blues and local history: The Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah.  

So many music greats came through these doors over the years, from Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong to BB King and more.  Click on the link above to learn more!

No date for the shoot as we want the weather to get better, but the folks at the Hotel Metropolitan have agreed and we couldn't be more thrilled! We'll post as soon as it takes place and we hope that's SOON!

About Playing The Bars...

Had a great show last night at Mr J's Bar and Grill in Murray, KY last night.  Great crowd, great food, lot's of fun!  I even did something I've NEVER done before.  I played the entire 3 hour plus show without taking a break.  Whew.  I don't know how Springsteen does it...

I don't play as many bars as I used to.  I don't think anyone does!  Part of the reason behind that is there just aren't as many bars anymore, and even less that feature live music, but thank goodness some still do!

A few things I've noticed about the patrons in bars these days, as it relates to live bands.

1. If the crowd hanging out there is older than 35, they tip better.  Much better.  They tips the bands, they tip the waitresses and bartenders.  Maybe that's because younger people haven't picked up on the habit of tipping. Maybe that's because younger people just don't have as much money.  I even had a 20-something guy tell me once while heading out the door, "Sorry, but I spent all my money on booze!"  The older crowd also tends to do less binge drinking but then again there are always exceptions.

2. Older patrons tend to be quieter and pay more attention to the bands than younger ones. With the younger crowd, many times, it's more about socializing and less about being entertained.  A fellow musician friend of mine who frequently tours Europe says the bar scene there is totally different.  The crowd, both young and old, are usually really into the music and listen intently.

3. Alcohol seems to amplify who people really are.  Sweet people tend to get sweeter.  Mean people tend to get meaner.  As for me?  I don't drink at all while I'm playing.  I want to make sure I give the folks the best show I can, and I can't do that unless I'm sober.  I'm STILL having fun though! Rest assured!

Booking for 2014!

Would you like us to play at your club, event or festival in 2014?  Here's your chance! We're actively booking for the entire 2014 year RIGHT NOW!  If things go as they usually do, our calendar will be filled up for the most part by the end of February, so DON'T DELAY! email us ASAP at booking@61south.com and make your Blues Festival, Community Festival, Private Party, Wedding, Bar Mitzvah or Hog Killing the ENVY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  E-mail BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

On Chicago's Very Own WGN Monday Night

We had a great time on the Pete McMurray Show on Chicago's Very Own WGN Radio Monday Night! They wanted a funny blues song about the cold weather in Chicago and we were more than happy to oblige! Heres a link to the opening of the show at 10PM....featuring our song 20 Below Zero....

http://wgnradio.com/2014/01/07/new-start-time-weather-and-interns