The Blues Show with Jonny Meister airs Saturday nights

                       from 7PM to Midnight on WXPN.

Coming Up On  The Blues Show  April 17, 2021:

new blues from Mississippi bluesman Dexter Allen

In the midnight hour after The Blues Show, on Blue Dimensions: Program #J16 — we'll dig into two new releases by exciting contemporary players and composers, and a posthumous release of the last studio session af a great figure in jazz. We have Rahsaan Barber's album Mosaic, a double-CD from this well-traveled saxophonist, which includes some guest appearances by his twin brother Roland Barber on trombone, and we'll also hear from the twin brothers' namesake, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. We'll also explore the latest album from vibrant vibraphonist Behn Gillece, which is called Still Doing Our Thing, his fifth album as band leader, Plus: a track from guitarist Larry Coryell from the new posthumous release Larry Coryell's Last Swing With Ireland, recorded in Dublin in 2016 less than a year before his death.

                  • • • Blues News • • •

The Blues Foundation has rescinded Kenny Wayne Shepherd's nomination for a Blues Music Award. The decision to rescind the nomination followed continuing revelations of use of the Confederate flag on his "General Lee" car, and on his guitars.

Read The Blues Foundation's statement against racism.

                      • • • [See More Blues News] • • •

Links for   Local Artists  |  Venues  |  Blues Events  |  Cool Blues Links

       • • • Area Blues Concerts & Events • • •

                  For additional blues event listings visit:

Delta Blue's Calendar                 The Blues Collaborative
Bucks County Blues Society      Diamond State Blues Society
Baltimore Blues Society              Blues Society of Central PA
Lehigh Valley Blues Network      Central Delaware Blues Society

     [ View Weekly & Monthly Recurring Blues Jams and Events ]

• • • April • • •

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Little Red Rooster leads blues jam @ Villa Capri
Doylestown PA 18901   every Tuesday

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Crooked Eye Blues Revue hosts blues jam @ Crooked Eye Brewery
Hatboro PA 19040 (7PM) every Wednesday

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Thursday Night Jazz Jam with Dave Reiter Trio
@ Jamey's House Of Music   every Thursday
Lansdowne PA 19050 (8PM-10PM)   no cover

Steve Guyger & Filthy Rich @ Temperance House
Newtown PA 18940 (7PM-10PM)   every Thursday

Friday, April 23, 2021

King Solomon Hicks @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (8PM - dinner available at 6PM) $18 door   $15 advance
View show online

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $21.50-$29.50
Virtual video-streaming tickets are available. A processing fee of $6.50 per ticket
or a $3 streaming fee will appear on your order at check out;
this fee is waived when you purchase in person at the Box Office (more info)

Mike Guldin and Rollin' & Tumblin' @ Rising Sun Inn
Telford PA 18969 (6PM)

Saturday, April 24, 2021

"A Tribute To Mikey Junior" celebrating 25 years of playing the blues
with The Mikey Junior Band and special guests, including
Michael Senior (Mikey's dad), Robin Hudak, Roger Girke, Mike Guldin
Gypsy Joe Alves and Big Daddy Albert Lamberson @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) advance tickets available from Mikey Junior

Crooked Eye Blues Revue @ Crooked Eye Brewery
Hatboro PA 19040 (7PM)

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Catherine Russell with Charanee Wade and Brianna Thomas
@ Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center
Blue Bell PA 19422 (5PM)
Attend show in person    Watch show streaming online

Mike Guldin and Rollin' & Tumblin' @ Bridgeport Ribhouse
Bridgeport PA 19405 (5PM)

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Mike Guldin & Rollin' And Tumblin' on "Soundbooth Sessions" @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $10

Friday, April 1, 2022 (next year)

Bucks Blues Explosion 2020 with Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
and Slim & the Perkolators
@ Bucks County Community College, Newtown PA 18940 (7:30PM-10PM)

• • • May • • •

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Joe Louis Walker @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25 to $39.50 buy livestream tickets

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Harmonica For Beginners taught by Seth Holzman online classes from Main Line School Night on eight successive Tuesdays 6:30PM-7:45PM, starting May 11th, through June 29th, $123.00

Introduction To Blues Harmonica taught by Seth Holzman online classes from Main Line School Night on eight successive Tuesdays 8:00PM-9:15PM, starting May 11th, through June 29th, $123.00

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Bucks County Blues Society "Spring Fever Footstomper"
@ Terchon VFW Post 5542 — Edgely PA 19057 (2PM-6PM)
Slim & The Perkolators featuring guitarist Tim "The Perkolator" Perks
and harmonica player Derek "Slim" Matteson
Nate Myers & The Aces
Nick Trill & The Thrillseekers
and pianist Bill Heid will sit in with the bands. Masks are required — no BYOB

Joey DeFrancesco Trio
@ Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center
Blue Bell PA 19422 (5PM)
Attend show in person    Watch show streaming online

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Vanessa Collier @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (5PM show) $25-$39.50 livestream option available

Vanessa Collier @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM show) $25-$39.50 livestream option available

Saturday, May 21, 2022 (next year)

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
@ Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis MD 21409

Sunday, May 22, 2022 (next year)

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
@ Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis MD 21409

• • • June • • •

Friday, June 4, 2021

Popa Chubby @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (6PM show) $25-$39.59 livestream tickets also available

Popa Chubby @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (9PM show) $25-$39.59 livestream tickets also available

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 1
Havre De Grace MD 21078   Performers to be announced

The Two Johns (John Colgan-Davis and Johnny Never) @ Hummingbird To Mars
Trolley Square in Wilmington DE 19806 (7PM-10PM)
Numbers are limited, so reservations are necessary.

Saturday, June 5, 2021

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 2
Havre De Grace MD 21078   Performers to be announced

Sunday, June 6, 2021

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 3
Havre De Grace MD 21078   Performers to be announced

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Kat Riggins with the Gabe Stillman Band @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $19.50-$29.50   (livestream option available)

Trudy Lynn @ Saint Georges Country Store
Saint Georges DE 19733 (two shows: start times to be announced)

Friday, June 11, 2021

Billtown Blues Festival Day 1
@ Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737
Camper Line-up at 2PM, Gates open 5PM, Music 6PM-10:30PM
Kat Riggins with the Gabe Stillman Band, Noah Wotherspoon
Nate Myers, Uptown Music Collective Blues Group

Saturday, June 12, 2021

The Dukes Of Destiny @ Drexel Lodge Park
Newtown Square PA 19073 (4PM-6PM) outdoor event; CDC and public health guidelines will be followed

Blues Brews & Barbecue on Hamilton Street, in Allentown PA
Noon — 10PM   free
postponed — new date to be determined

Billtown Blues Festival Day 2
@ Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737
Gates open 11AM, Music 12 Noon-10:30PM
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Trudy Lynn, Cash Box Kings
Reverend Billy C Wirtz, Mikey Junior, lower case blues band

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Billtown Blues Festival Day 3
@ Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737
Gates open 10AM, Music 11AM-5:30PM
Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88's, J. P. Soars,Jason Ricci
Clarence Spady, Billtown Gospel Revue

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Mike Zito @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) nbsp; livestream tickets

Saturday, June 19, 2021

State Street Blues Stroll in the Media PA business district
Media PA 19063   event status uncertain

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Dana Fuchs @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$40

Saturday, June 4, 2022 (next year)

Saint Georges Blues Festival Day 1
Fort DuPont Parade Grounds
Delaware City DE 19706
11:45AM — Judy Sings The Blues
1:15PM — Studebaker John & The Delaware Destroyers
       with Garry Cogdell
3:00PM — Tennessee Redemption with Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen
4:45PM — Victor Wainwright & The Train
6:30PM — Joe Louis Walker
Garry Cogdell's Session Tent All Weekend Between Sets

Chester County Blues Barbecue @ Wyndsor Farm (next year)
Elverson PA 19520 (2PM-7PM) rain or shine
Rick Estrin headlining; other performers TBA

Sunday, June 5, 2022 (next year)

Saint Georges Blues Festival Day 2
Fort DuPont Parade Grounds
Delaware City DE 19706
11:45AM — Gracie Curren & The High Falutin' Band
1:15PM — Backtrack Blues Band with Wayne Sharp
3:00PM — Toronzo Cannon
4:45PM — Mike Zito
6:30PM — Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Garry Cogdell's Session Tent All Weekend Between Sets

• • • July • • •

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Ana Popovic @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Opening Night:
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
6PM-11PM Bret Alexander & Friends (songs from summer of 1970)
MiZ (songs from Grateful Dead album American Beauty)

Friday, July 9, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day One
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
 4:15PM-5:45PM Vanessa Collier
 6:05PM-7:35PM Campbell Brothers
 7:55PM-9:25PM Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
 9:45PM-11:15PM Ana Popovic

        Back Porch Stage:

 1:00PM-2:00PM Dane Tilghman & The Jack Adams Band
 2:20PM-3:50PM Gabe Stillman
 4:10PM-6:50PM (TBA)
 7:10PM-8:40PM Pappy Biondo & Justin Mazer
9:00PM-10:30PM Swampcandy

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day Two
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
 4:00PM-5:30PM Scott Pemberton
 5:50PM-7:20PM Mac Arnold & Plate Full O' Blues
 7:40PM-9:10PM Victor Wainwright & The Train
9:30PM-11:00PM Shemekia Copeland

        Back Porch Stage:

 1:00PM-2:10PM The Mighty Susquehannas
 2:30PM-4:00PM King Solomon Hicks
 4:20PM-6:20PM (TBA)
 6:40PM-8:10PM Gracie Curran
8:30PM-10:00PM The National Reserve

Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50
purchase livestream tickets to view this show online

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Sonny Landreth @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM)

Saturday, July 16, 2022 (next year)

Bucks County Blues Society's R & B Picnic
@ Snipes Farm, in Morrisville PA 19067 (10:30AM-7PM)

• • • August • • •

Friday, August 6, 2021

Roomful Of Blues @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Berks Jazz Fest presents
Kenny Neal & The Neal family Band with Gabe Stillman @ Truck N Brew
Willow Glen Park, in Sinking Spring PA 19608 (1:30PM) $49

Berks Jazz Fest presents
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram with Vanessa Collier @ DoubleTree by Hilton
Reading PA 19601 (8PM) $49

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Berks Jazz Fest presents
David Bromberg Quintet with King Solomon Hicks @ DoubleTree by Hilton
Reading PA 19601 (8PM) $45

Friday, August 20, 2021

Berks Jazz Fest presents
Billy Price & The Charm City Rhythm Band @ Truck N Brew
Willow Glen Park, in Sinking Spring PA 19608 (7:30PM) $20

Savoy Brown @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Berks Jazz Fest presents
Marcia Ball with Tommy Castro, and James Supra/Sarah Ayers Band @
Truck N Brew in Willow Glen Park, in Sinking Spring PA 19608 (2:00PM) $49

Thursday, August 26, 2021

"Dancing In The Street" with The Dukes Of Destiny @ Swedesboro downtown area
Swedesboro NJ 08085 (activity starts at 7PM; Dukes play 8PM-10PM)

Saturday, August 6, 2022 (next year)

Riverfront Blues Festival Day 1
Tubman-Garrett Park, Wilmington DE 19801

Sunday, August 7, 2022 (next year)

Riverfront Blues Festival Day 2
Tubman-Garrett Park, Wilmington DE 19801

• • • September • • •

Saturday, September 4, 2021

Gypsy Moon Blues Festival @ East Petersburg Community Park [event status uncertain]
East Petersburg PA 17520 (3PM-8PM) free

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Phoenixville Blues Festival [event status uncertain]
Reeves Park, in Phoenixville PA 19460 (Noon-10PM) free

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Paoli Blues Festival
Paoli Presbyterian Church on South Valley Road
Paoli PA 19301 (Noon-6PM) free

• • • October • • •

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Albert Cummings @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $21.50-$30
livestream option available

Friday, October 15, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 1
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 2
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 3
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

• • • November • • •

Friday, November 18, 2022 (next year)

Reading Blues Fest (Day 1) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

Saturday, November 19, 2022 (next year)

Reading Blues Fest (Day 2) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

Sunday, November 20, 2022 (next year)

Reading Blues Fest (Day 3) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

• • • December • • •

Friday, December 3, 2021

Hot Tuna with guests David Grisman Trio @ Penn's Peak
Jim Thorpe PA 18229 (8PM)

• • • January • • •

• • • February • • •

Friday, February 11, 2022

Tinsley Ellis @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29-$35.50

• • • March • • •

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Regularly occurring (weekly, monthly) blues jams and events

           Daily

"tune in" daily for online music from Clarksdale MS

           Weekly

• • • every Sunday • • •

Blues Brunch, Jam, & open mic with The Philly Blues Kings
every Sunday
@ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (Noon-3PM)   no cover
Open mic jam Noon-2PM — Philly Blues Kings set 2PM-3PM — lunch can be ordered starting at Noon

Mikey Jr. leads blues jam - open mic @ The Twisted Tail every Sunday
Philadelphia PA 19147 (5PM-9PM)
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

• • • every Monday • • •

blues jam & open mic with Joe Alves Band @ The Ashburner Inn every Monday
Philadelphia (Torresdale) PA 19136 (8PM-11PM)
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

• • • every Tuesday • • •

Rory Block is doing Facebook Live Concerts from her home Tuesday and Friday nights, starting at 7:30PM ET

Roger Girke, Jimmy Pritchard and others perform live online music every Tuesday at 6PM from The Saint Georges Country Store on Facebook Live.

Little Red Rooster leads blues jam @ Villa Capri
Doylestown PA 18901   every Tuesday

blues jam hosted by Paul Boddy & The Slidewinder Blues Band @ Havana every Tuesday
New Hope PA 18938 (8PM)
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

Ursula Ricks hosts "Cats Eye Blues Jam" @ The Cats Eye Pub
Baltimore (Fells Point) MD 21231 (9PM)
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

Nate Myers and The Aces @ Grotto Pub
Enola PA
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

• • • every Wednesday • • •

Crooked Eye Blues Revue hosts blues jam @ Crooked Eye Brewery
Hatboro PA 19040 (7PM) every Wednesday

Harmonica player Mikey Junior presents live online music every Wednesday from 5PM to 7PM.    event status uncertain

Mikey Jr. @ The Twisted Tail every Wednesday
Philadelphia PA 19147 (8PM)
Suspended Because Of COVID-19

• • • every Thursday • • •

Steve Guyger & Filthy Rich lead blues jam @ Temperance House
Newtown PA 18940 (7PM-10PM)   every Thursday

Thursday Night Jazz Jam with Dave Reiter Trio
every Thursday
@ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (8PM-10:30PM)   no cover
dinner can be ordered starting at 6PM

blues jam hosted by Empty Belly Blues Band @ Brut Lounge every Thursday
Feasterville PA 19053 (7:30PM) Suspended Because Of COVID-19

• • • every Friday • • •

Rory Block is doing Facebook Live Concerts from her home Friday and Tuesday nights, starting at 7:30PM ET

[Return To Top Of Page]

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       • • • More News • • •

Philadelphia harmonica star John Colgan-Davis of the popular local band The Dukes Of Destiny was recently interviewed by American Blues Scene.
Read the interview.

The late Philadelphia blues singer Frank Bey was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best
Traditional Blues Album" category for his album All My Dues Are Paid.
read article on Frank Bey by Dan DeLuca in Philadelphia Inquirer March 13, 2021

Philadelphia harmonica star John Colgan-Davis of the popular local band The Dukes Of Destiny was recently interviewed by American Blues Scene.
Read the interview.

The famous English record label Blue Horizon is being revived, and classic blues is being reissued. The initial releases are of the label's most famous band, Fleetwood Mac, but we may see reissues of some of the great African-American artists the label recorded, including Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Sunnyland Slim, Curtis Jones, Johnny Shines, Joe Calicott, Eddie Boyd, J.B. Lenoir, Champion Jack Dupree, Doctor Ross, Otis Spann, and more. Read more about Blue Horizon Records.

The catalog of the famed Memphis-based record label Sun Records has been sold to a company that plans a new marketing initiative for the classic blues, rock 'n' roll, and country music that was issued on that label. [See more].

The movie Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is now being shown on Netflix. The film, based on a play of the same name by August Wilson, is about events surrounding a 1927 recording session with Ma Rainey known as the "Mother Of The Blues," and it stars Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman in his final film role. It is produced by Denzel Washington. Reviews of the film and the performances of its stars have been very positive. View the trailer.

We are saddened to note the passing of Paul Patchel of Media PA on January 15th. Paul was active in the music scene around Media, and one of the main planners of annual music events including The State Street Blues Stroll, Roots Ramble, and Jazz By Night.
View Paul Patchel's obituary.

Joseph "Mojo" Morganfield, son of blues great Muddy Waters has died unexpectedly at age 56 in Chicago. Morganfield recently put out a single "It's Good To Be King," with an album planned for 2021.  read Mojo Morganfield's obituary.

The song "Clotilda's On Fire" on Shemekia Copeland's album Uncivil War tells the stories of the last ship to bring slaves to the United States, the descendants of those slaves, and the effort of the ship's captain to destroy the evidence of what it did. The wreckage of the ship has been found in Alabama. View Anderson Cooper's report on the Clotilda from CBS 60 Minutes.

Bluesman Jimmy Johnson turned 92 this November. You can view for free his concert with John Primer, Billy Branch, Dave Specter, and John Kattke, recorded last July. You may also support these artists if you would like to.

There's a new children's book about bluesman Blind Willie Johnson. It's called Dark Was The Night: Blind Willie Johnson's Journey To The Stars, named after one of Johnson's songs, a song that was included with the music and sounds of Earth sent into space on Voyager I in 1977, which is where the story starts in the book. It was written by Gary Golio and illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
Review of Dark Was The Night in The Houston Chronicle.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram was featured on PBS Newshour, November 11, 2020

Watch Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's Tiny Desk Home Concert from NPR

The Chicago Blues Camp is having Facebook Live online concerts that you can either watch live as they happen or later. Recent ones featuring 92-year-old Jimmy Johnson and Mud Morganfield, son of Muddy Waters, are well worth watching.

Working From Home is a series of at-home concerts by blues and roots artists produced by The Arhoolie Foundation and The Little Village Foundation. The concerts they have up include music from C. J. Chenier, The Sons of The Soul Revivers, Aki Kumar and Rome Yamilov, and John Blues Boyd.

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

[Return To Top Of Page]

   Blues Albums Nominated For Grammys:

Best Traditional Blues Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental traditional blues recordings.

Frank Bey All My Dues Are Paid
Don Bryant You Make Me Feel
Robert Cray Band That's What I Heard
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes Cypress Grove
Bobby Rush Rawer Than Raw [Winner]

Best Contemporary Blues Album For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental contemporary blues recordings.

Fantastic Negrito Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? [Winner]
Ruthie Foster Big Band Live At The Paramount
G. Love The Juice
Bettye LaVette Blackbirds
North Mississippi Allstars Up And Rolling

[Return To Top Of Page]

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

     Cool Blues Links

• watch An Evening With Steve Guyger & The Excellos in a show for the Bucks County Blues Society.
• watch the official lyric video for "Black Myself" by Amythyst Kiah
• "Judgement Day" song written by the late Larry Brown from Soul Garage Experience performed by Bette Smith, King Solomon Hicks, Vernon Reid, and more
• video of "Jim Crow's Shadow" by The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram featured on PBS Newshour, November 11, 2020
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's Tiny Desk Home Concert from NPR
• watch official video of Mikey Junior "Traveling South".
• video for Big Harp George's song Build Myself An App
• Watch the virtual version of this year's East Side Kings Festival from Austin TX
• Urban Ladder Society song/video Take Care Of Each Other
• Tinsley Ellis video of "Your Love's Like Heroin"
• Organist Barbara Dennerlein with the great harmonica player Toots Thielemans St. Louis Blues in concert on an Italian TV show "La storia del Jazz" sometime in the 1980s
• James Taylor performs his classic spoof on suburban blues wannabes Steamroller Blues in a 1970 concert in London
• Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton in concert at Paste Studio in NYC, April 4, 2019 • Danielle Miraglia performs at The Center For Arts in Natic MA October 24, 2020
• singer-saxophonist Evelyn Rubio in concert @ The Mucky Duck in Houston TX, September 13, 2020
• Johnny Rawls & Christopher Dean at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, August 2, 2020
• King Solomon Hicks with Kirk Yano bass & John Sweeney harmonica at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, September 2, 2020
• Kevin McCann Blues Trio at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, August 2020
• Danielle Miraglia home concert, September 15, 2020
• King Solomon Hicks video from Vintage Guitar Magazine Everyday I Have The Blues
• Albert Collins Live At Montreaux 1979 great set!
• Buddy Guy at Newport Jazz Festival 08/14/1994
• Alexis P. Suter performs "None Of Us Are Free" at The Iridium in New York City in 2014
• Joe Louis Walker & Eric Gales video "Comin' On"
• Adrena The Corona Blues
• Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors video of "Freedom For My People"
• Evelyn Rubio sings I'm Gonna Love You Tonight
• Toronzo Cannon (clips) @ 2019 Berks BluesFest
• View at-home concerts from various roots musicians (including CJ Chenier) in the Working From Home series from The Arhoolie Foundation and the Little Village Foundation.
• The Sons Of The Soul Revivers sing "Let Me Come Home" in their living room.
• Dukes Of Destiny in performance at Jamey's House Of Music, October 5, 2018 (two songs)
• The 2020 Blues Music Awards online ceremony from The Blues Foundation announcing winners, along with performances by blues artists and archival video
• Andrew Alli & Josh Small — Hard Workin' Man
• Andrew Alli performance and interview
• Bobby Rush Facebook Live Session 3/24/2020
• Keb' Mo' (with guest Jontavious Willis!) concert at Paste Studio New York City
• Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors Come Together not the Beatles song!
  (harmonica by Adam Gussow of the duo Satan & Adam; "Sir" Rod Patterson is nephew of Sterling Magee of that duo
• "Triple Tonguing" on the harmonica, from harmonica master Adam Gussow
• Harmonica master Adam Gussow's son Sean plays a whole bunch of instruments!
• Camille Thurman, saxophonist and singer, talks about (and plays) the blues
• Shemekia Copeland on PBS NewsHour Weekend 1/26/2020
• Benny Turner — "Who Sang It First"
• Cash McCall — "One Who's Got A Lot"
• Eddie Taylor and Big Walter Horton Live In Finland in 1976
• Blind Blake with Gus Cannon 1927 "He's In The Jailhouse Now"
• GoogleDoodle for B. B. King's 94th birthday, September 15, 2019
• song video Keb' Mo' with Taj Mahal Don't Throw It Away
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 13, 2019
• Annika Chambers in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Southern Avenue in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Cedric Burnside Project in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 13, 2019
• James Armstrong in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Shemekia Copeland "Would You Take My Blood" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Shemekia Copeland "The Wrong Idea" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Shemekia Copeland "In The Blood Of The Blues" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Vanessa Collier "Bad News Bears" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 7, 2017
• Vanessa Collier "The Run Around" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 7, 2017
• Thornetta Davis "I'd Rather Be Alone" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 8, 2017
• Eric Gales "Change In Me" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival July 8, 2017
• R. L. Boyce & The Cornlickers "One Of These Days" in performance
       Briggs Farm Blues Festival July 7, 2017
• Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames "Mary Had A Little Lamb" in performance
       Saint Georges Blues Festival, June 10, 2017
• B. B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual in 1968 Part 1
• B. B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual in 1968 Part 2

[Return To Top Of Page]

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       — Jonny's Top Blues Albums of 2020 —

It's not really possible to precisely rank a whole bunch of great albums like these sensibly. What tiny difference makes the #18 album better than the #19 album? I've decided not to rank these in number order.

For the most part, this is just a list of some of the blues albums that have been played on the show in 2020, and they have made 2020 a good blues year, despite COVID-19. One thing of note — very possibly a result of the pandemic — was that there were a lot more singles issued this year than usual. Some are supposed to be on albums coming out in 2021. I'm including them in the albums list, but marking them as singles.

Artist	Album
Frank Bey	All My Dues Are Paid
Shemekia Copeland	Uncivil War
Jimmy Johnson	Every Day Of Your Life
John Blues Boyd	What My Eyes Have Seen
Adrena	Corona Blues [single]
Bobby Rush	Rawer Than Raw
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	The Real McCoy
Andrew Alli	Hard Workin' Man
Kat Riggins	Cry Out
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Live At The Paramount
Kirk Fletcher	My Blues Pathway
Mercedes Nicole	Constellation
Kat Pearson	My Roots
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Go, Just Do It!
Kevin Burt	Stone Crazy
Jonas Scott Cowan	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Dorothy Moore	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Joe Louis Walker	Blues Comin' On
Maceo Parker	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra	I'm Just Like You [single]
Big Bill Morganfield	Stop This Mess [single]
Sonny Green	Found! One Soul Singer
Vanessa Collier	Heart On The Line
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Hold On
Rory Block	Prove It On Me
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	100 Years Of Blues
Terrie Odabi	Love Trumps Hate [single]
Johnny Iguana	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
Dennis Jones	Soft Hard & Loud
Leyla McCalla	Vari-Colored Songs
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore	Cold Chills
Cathy Grier	I'm All Burn
Benny Turner	Who Sang It First [single]
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Jim Crow's Shadow
Annika Chambers & Derrick Procell	Black Man's Justice [single]
Devin B. Thompson	Tales Of The Soul
Nora Jean Wallace	Blues Woman
Big Harp George	Living In The City
Dave Specter & Billy Branch	Ballad Of George Floyd [single]
Mojo Morganfield	It's Good To Be King [single]
King Solomon Hicks	Harlem
Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors	Come Together
Dave Keller	Live At the Killer Guitar Thriller
Jack Hadley	Daybreak In Alabama - The Langston Hughes Project
Robert Cray Band	That's What I Heard
Sister Lucille	Alive
Roomful Of Blues	In A Roomful Of Blues
Ryan Perry	High Risk, Low Reward
Erin Harpe	Meet Me In The Middle
Evelyn Rubio	Crossing Borders
Dave Riley & Bob Corritore	Travelin' The Dirt Road
GA-20	Sit Down Baby [single]
Jimi Hendrix	Live In Maui
John Lee Hooker	Live At Montreux 1983
Tomás Doncker	Wherever You Go
Duke Robillard & Friends	Blues Bash!
Anni Piper	Blow Up Doll
Tas Cru	Drive On
A Band Called Sam	Legacy
Boo Boo Davis with ElectroBluesSociety	Chicago Blues Covers
Bobby BlackHat	America How Great Do You Feel Today [single]
Phantom Blues Band	Stll Cookin'
Christian McBride Big Band	For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver
Kim Wilson	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
GA-20	Live, Volume 1
Dion	Blues With Friends
The BC Combo	The Garage Sessions
Danielle Miraglia	Bright Shining Stars
V. A.	2020 Blues - New Music From Alligator Records
Sam Barlow	Faith In The Blues
John Mayall	I'm As Good As Gone [single]
Lloyd Jones	Tennessee Run
Chris Shutters with special guest Jimmy Burns	Good Gone Bad
Cash McCall	One Who's Got A Lot [single]
Albert Cummings	Believe
Sonny Landreth	Blacktop Run
Dom Flemons	Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus
Donald Kinsey	Bloody Tears [single]
Tinsley Ellis	Ice Cream In Hell
Bernard Allison	Songs From The Road
Cindy Cashdollar	Waltz For Abilene
Albert Castiglia	Wild and Free
Reverend Shawn Amos & The Brotherhood	Blue Sky
Mike Zito	Quarantine Blues
The BC Combo	The Garage Sessions
John Primer & Bob Corritore	The Gypsy Woman Told Me
Misty Blues	Weed 'Em & Reap
Zakiya Hooker	Legacy
Eliza Neals	Black Crow Moan
Tyler Morris	Living In The Shadows
Tony Holiday	Soul Service
The Nighthawks	Trying To Get To You
Linsey Alexander	Live At Rosa's
Little Red Rooster Blues Band	Under The Covers
Gerald McClendon	Can't Nobody Stop Me Now
David Brinston	I'm An O. G.
Jose Ramirez	Here I Come
Johnny Never	Blue Delta - New And Used Vintage Blues
Harper And Midwest Kind	Rise Up
Catherine Russell	You Reap Just What You Sow [single]
Johnny Burgin	No Border Blues
Mark May Band	Deep Dark Demon
Victor Wainwright and The Train	Memphis Loud
Hurricane Ruth	Good Life
Shirley King	Blues For A King
Eddie 9V	Way Down The Alley
Clarence Spady	Surrender [single]
Anthony Geraci	Daydreams In Blue
The Lucky Losers	Godless Land
The Mystix	Can't Change It
Gregg Martinez	Macdaddy Mojeaux
Lisa Mann	Old Girl
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie	Too Far From The Bar
Savoy Brown	Ain't Done Yet
Too Slim And The Taildraggers	The Remedy
Downchild	Live At The Toronto Jazz Festival
Andy Watts	Supergroove
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Volume 1
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters	Rise Up
Bette Smith	The Good The Bad And The Bette
John Németh	Stronger Than Strong
Johnny Rawls	Where Have All The Soul Men Gone
Ron Thompson	From The Patio: Live At The Poor House, Vol. 1
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band and Dom Flemons featuring Steve Cropper	Shake Your Moneymaker [single]
Bob Margolin	Star Of Stage And Screens
Ju Evans	All About Soul
Gabe Stillman ft The Nighthawks	Flying High
Miss Bix ft Keeshea Pratt	Red Walls [single]
Tomislav Goluban	Memphis Light
Whitney Shay	Stand Up!
Sass Jordan	Rebel Moon Blues
Lucas Spinosa	Friends & Legends Of Louisiana
Kid Ramos & Bob Corritore	Phoenix Blues Sessions
Mark Telesca	Higher Vibrations
AJ Crawdaddy	Steppin' Out!
Thorbjørn Risager	Come On In
Peter Parcek	Mississippi Suitcase
Greg Sover Band	The Parade
Barrett Anderson Band	Hypnoboogie
Alastair Greene	The New World Blues

[Return To Top Of Page]

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       — Jonny's Top Blues Songs of 2020 —

My top song picks for 2020 . . . of course, as with the albums above, the ranking of these isn't the result of some kind of perfectly precise, logical process. All of these songs added something important to the overall body of blues songs in 2020. Some certainly "packed a punch" — songs like "Clotilda's On Fire" from Shemekia Copeland, telling the story of the last ship to bring slaves to this country, which was burned and sunk to conceal what it did, or "All My Dues Are Paid" from the late Frank Bey, summing up his life in blues.

Artist	Song	Album
Shemekia Copeland	Clotilda's On Fire	Uncivil War
Frank Bey	All My Dues Are Paid	All My Dues Are Paid
Adrena	Corona Blues	[single]
John Blues Boyd	In My Blood	What My Eyes Have Seen
Jimmy Johnson	Every Day Of Your Life	Every Day Of Your Life
Bobby BlackHat	America, How Great Do You Feel Today?	[single]
Kat Riggins	Cry Out	Cry Out
Benny Turner	Who Sang It First	[single]
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Jim Crow's Shadow	Jim Crow's Shadow
Annika Chambers & Derrick Procell	Black Man's Justice	[single]
Big Bill Morganfield	Stop This Mess	[single]
Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors	Freedom For My People	Come Together
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra	I'm Just Like You (with The Sons Of The Soul Revivers)	[single]
Phantom Blues Band	Better But Not Good	Still Cookin'
Dave Specter & Billy Branch	Ballad Of George Floyd	[single]
Dennis Jones	I Hate Hate	Soft Hard & Loud
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Woke Up This Morning	Live At The Paramount
Terrie Odabi	Love Trumps Hate	[single]
John Blues Boyd	What My Eyes Have Seen	What My Eyes Have Seen
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Sittin' In My Rockin' Chair	Go, Just Do It!
Kat Riggins	No Sale	Cry Out
Bobby Rush	Hard Times	Rawer Than Raw
Shemekia Copeland	Money Makes You Ugly	Uncivil War
Mercedes Nicole	Path Of The Mystic	Constellation
Frank Bey	Idle Hands	All My Dues Are Paid
Joe Louis Walker	Feed The Poor	Blues Comin' On
Jonas Scott Cowan	People Grinnin' In Your Face	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Hold On	Hold On
Dorothy Moore	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	I Want To Be Loved	The Real McCoy
Rory Block	Prove It On Me	Prove It On Me
Andrew Alli	Hard Workin' Man	Hard Workin' Man
Kat Pearson	Ode To My Mother	My Roots
Bobby Rush	Down In Mississippi	Rawer Than Raw
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	100 Years Of Blues	100 Years Of Blues
The BC Combo	I Found The Blues	The Garage Sessions
Anni Piper	24 Guys Named Dave	Blow Up Doll
Evelyn Rubio	He Did Me Wrong But He Did It Right	Crossing Borders
Vanessa Collier	Who's In Power?	Heart On The Line
Johnny Never	Falls Off The Bone (The Blues in 7/8)	Blue Delta - New And Used Vintage Blues
King Solomon Hicks	Help Me	Harlem
Maceo Parker	Right Place Wrong Time	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Big Harp George	Build Myself An App	Living In The City
A Band Called Sam	Nothing In The Streets	Legacy
Johnny Iguana	Lady Day And John Coltrane	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Stop And Listen Blues	Volume 1
Nora Jean Wallace	Martell	Blues Woman
Kirk Fletcher	Fattening Frogs For Snakes	My Blues Pathway
Sonny Green	If Walls Could Talk	Found! One Soul Singer
Kevin Burt	You Get What You See	Stone Crazy
Tomás Doncker	Hard Time Killing Floor Blues	Wherever You Go
Mike Zito	Quarantine Blues	Quarantine Blues
Vanessa Collier	Bloodhound	Heart On The Line
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	T & P Train 400	Go, Just Do It!
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Pennsylvania Avenue Blues	Jim Crow's Shadow
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie	What I Put You Through	Too Far From The Bar
Bette Smith	Fistful Of Dollars	The Good The Bad And The Bette
Jonas Scott Cowan	Church Street	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Cathy Grier	Ode To Billy Joe	I'm All Burn
Duke Robillard & Friends	You Played On My Piano (ft Michelle Willson)	Blues Bash!
Kim Wilson	Rumblin'	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
Jack Hadley	Merry Go Round	Daybreak In Alabama - The Langston Hughes Project
Devin B. Thompson	Tell Me	Tales Of The Soul
Roomful Of Blues	Phone Zombies	In A Roomful Of Blues
John Blues Boyd	Why Did You Take That Shot	What My Eyes Have Seen
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Another Man Done Gone	Hold On
Cindy Cashdollar (w/ Rory Block vocal)	That Ain't No Way For Me To Get Along	Waltz For Abilene
Rory Block	In My Girlish Days	Prove It On Me
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	Groanin' The Blues	The Real McCoy
Dorothy Moore	Sad, Sad Sunday	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Brand New Day	Live At The Paramount
Kat Pearson	Labour's Train	My Roots
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Just Do It! (duet w/ Dawn Tyler Watson)	Go, Just Do It!
Catherine Russell	You Reap Just What You Sow	[single]
Frank Bey	I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind	All My Dues Are Paid
Jimmy Johnson	Somebody Loan Me A Dime	Every Day Of Your Life
Christian McBride Big Band	Medgar Evers Blues	For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver
Johnny Burgin	I Just Keep Loving Her (Mada Sukinanda)	No Border Blues
Maceo Parker	Cross The Track	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Victor Wainwright and The Train	Memphis Loud	Memphis Loud
Shirley King	Hoodoo Man Blues (with Junior Wells)	Blues For A King
Eddie 9V	Going Down Slow	Way Down The Alley
Anthony Geraci with Dennis Brennan and Monster Mike Welch	Jelly, Jelly	Daydreams In Blue
Bobby Rush	Smokestack Lightning	Rawer Than Raw
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	If I Should Have Bad Luck	100 Years Of Blues
Big Harp George	Don't Talk!	Living In The City
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Let's Work Together	Volume 1
A Band Called Sam	Mother Blues (Papa Blues)	Legacy
GA-20	The Whale Has Swallowed Me	Live, Volume 1
Jonas Scott Cowan	Evil On My Mind	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Vanessa Collier	Freshly Squozen	Heart On The Line
Kirk Fletcher	Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal (hca Charlie Musselwhite)	My Blues Pathway
Kim Wilson	Money, Marbles & Chalk	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
Cathy Grier	Key To My Survival	I'm All Burn
Nora Jean Wallace	I'm A Blues Woman	Blues Woman
Danielle Miraglia	Walkin' Blues	Bright Shining Stars
Kevin Burt	I'm Busting Out	Stone Crazy
Shemekia Copeland	Apple Pie And A 45	Uncivil War
Johnny Iguana	Hammer And Tickle (instrumental)	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
Dennis Jones	I Love The Blues	Soft Hard & Loud
Mojo Morganfield	It's Good To Be King	[single]
Leyla McCalla	Love Again Blues	Vari-Colored Songs
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore	Going Down Slow	Cold Chills
Sonny Green	Cupid Must Be Stupid	Found! One Soul Singer
Miss Bix ft Keeshea Pratt	Red Walls	[single]
Erin Harpe	What's The Matter With The Mill	Meet Me In The Middle
Dave Riley & Bob Corritore	Country Tough	Travelin' The Dirt Road
Sam Barlow with Annika Chambers	My Babe	Faith In The Blues
Tomás Doncker	I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge	Wherever You Go
Cathy Grier	Backroad Blues	I'm All Burn
Greg Sover Band	Feelin' Sumthin'	The Parade

[Return To Top Of Page]

[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

About The Blues Show and Jonny Meister

The Blues Show airs every Saturday night from 7:00 to Midnight on XPN. Host Jonny Meister explores this music and its history not only because it is the key ingredient in later rock and pop music, but also because of its own special allure and unique power as a style of music and expression of the human soul.

The Blues Show covers the entire history of the blues from 1920 to the present, from the best-known to the most obscure blues, with focus on the present-day blues, but with an eye on the rich history of this music and its large body of timeless recordings.

Host Jonny Meister has been playing the blues on WXPN since March 1977. Meister grew up with old blues records in the house. His father played boogie woogie on the piano, which Jonny learned at about the age of 12. Later he played in rock bands and did a few solo gigs as a singer-songwriter. As his interest in blues grew, he became especially interested in the history of the music, a history not always revealed by the rock musicians and their promoters who drew heavily on the blues.

Jonny spent a week with the family of the late, great blues musician J. B. Lenoir in 1979, and he was one of the consultants for the Wim Wenders film The Soul Of A Man which featured Lenoir, in the PBS film series The Blues. He won the "Keeping The Blues Alive" award for work in Public Radio for The Blues Show in 2000 and a "Best of Philly" award from Philadelphia Magazine in 1996 for "Best Local Radio Show".

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -