The Blues Show with Jonny Meister airs Saturday nights

                       from 7PM to Midnight on WXPN.

Coming Up On  The Blues Show  January 22, 2022:

earthy new blues from BigLlou Johnson from his album Bigman

In the midnight hour after The Blues Show, on Blue Dimensions: Program #K04 — two albums powered by saxophonists. Dave Sewelson, on baritone sax, heads a group that plays what he calls "Smooth FreeJazz" — a mysterious title, perhaps — but the music is definitely not smooth jazz, and not what you may expect from free jazz either. The album includes a 19-minute blues escapade, on which the saxophonist also sings in a chilling voice. Also, tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow is the featured guest with the band Charged Particles on an in-concert album, recorded at a show in 2019, on which the band pays tribute to saxophonist and composer Michael Brecker, playing his music at a club called The Hot Potato in Los Angeles.

                  • • • Blues News • • •

tickets for The Briggs Farm Blues Festival in July 2022 are now on sale (performers TBA)

tickets for Lancaster Roots & Blues in July 2022 are now on sale (performers TBA)

                      • • • [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 Recurring Blues Jams and Events ]

• • • January • • •

Friday, January 28, 2022

Campbell Brothers perform John Coltrane's A Love Supreme
presented by Penn Live Arts @ Prince Theater
Philadelphia PA 19102 (8PM) in-person tickets are sold out, but show is available as an
online livestream.

"Fillmore East — The Final Concert"
Live At The Fillmore (The Definitive Tribute to the original Allman Brothers Band)
Bloodshot (performing the music of The J. Geils Band)
Junior Mack (performing the music of Albert King)
@ Whitaker Center, Harrisburg PA 17101 (8PM)

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Bruce Katz Band @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

The Two Johns (John Colgan-Davis harmonica, Johnny Never guitar)
@ Hummingbird To Mars
Wilmington DE 19806 (9PM-Midnight)

Craig Thatcher's Eric Clapton Retrospective @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $21.50-$30 livestream available

• • • February • • •

Saturday, February 5, 2022

The Two Johns (John Colgan-Davis harmonica, Johnny Never guitar)
@ Steel City Coffeehouse
Phoenixville PA 19460 (7PM-10PM) $18 advance; $20 day of show — age 21+

Monday, February 7, 2022

Keb' Mo' @ McCarter Theater Center — Matthews Theater
Princeton NJ 08540 (7:30PM)

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Duke Robillard Band @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $20

Friday, February 11, 2022

Lisa Chavous & The Philadelphia Blues Messengers @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

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

Gracie Curren & Her High Falutin' Band @ The Country Store
Saint Georges DE 19733 (6PM-9PM) $30 — only 40 tickets for sale

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Deb Callahan Band @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $15

Tinsley Ellis @ Arden Gild Hall
Arden DE 19810 (8PM-11PM) $28

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Bettye LaVette @ Kennett Flash
Kennett Square PA 19348 (8PM) $75

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Kurt Crandall with Slim & The Percolators @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

James Hunter Six @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

Friday, February 25, 2022

Erin Coburn @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Philly Gumbo Mardi Gras show @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $14

Professor Louis & The Crowmatix @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

Beth Hart & Quinn Sullivan @ Keswick Theatre
Glenside PA 19038 (7:30PM) $45-$65

• • • March • • •

Friday, March 4, 2022

Bees Deluxe @ Crooked Eye Brewery
Hatboro NJ 19040 (7PM-10PM)

Saturday, March 5, 2022

Kerry Kearney @ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (kitchen 6PM, show 8PM) $36 at door     $30 online advance [livestream available]

Friday, March 11, 2022

Bees Deluxe @ Jamey's House of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (8PM - kitchen at 6PM) $36 door     $30 advance
livestream of concert available

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Pat Travers Band @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $39.50-$55 livestream available

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas @ Brooklyn Bowl
Philadelphia (Northern Liberties) PA 19123 (8PM, doors open 6PM)

Bees Deluxe @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $12 advance; $16 day of show

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Berks Jazz Fest Preview Concert
Gerald Veasley’s Unscripted All-Stars including Clarence Spady
@ The River Street Jazz Club
Wilkes-Barre PA 18705 (8PM) $25-$30

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Allman Betts Band @ Whitaker Center
Harrisburg PA 17101 (7:30PM)

Monday, March 28, 2022

Walter Trout @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $35-$49.50

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers with Deanna Bogart @ World Cafe Live
Philadelphia PA 19104 (8PM) $26-$42

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Southern Avenue @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $16-$24

• • • April • • •

Friday, April 1, 2022

Berks Jazz Fest Concert
Selwyn Birchwood @ DoubleTree By Hilton
Reading PA 19602 (7:30PM) $39

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram @ Merriam Theatre
Philadelphia PA 19102 (7PM)

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

Monday, April 4, 2022

Canned Heat @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $35-$49.50 livestream available

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Tab Benoit @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $35-$55

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Blood Brothers (Albert Castiglia & Mike Zito) @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$40   livestream available

Thursday, April 7, 2022

The Yardbirds @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $40-$55

Sonny Landreth with Slidewinder Blues Band @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45   livestream available

Friday, April 8, 2022

John Németh & Slim & The Perkolators
@ Zlock Performing Arts Center
Newtown PA 18940

Berks Jazz Fest Concert
Craig Thatcher & Mike Guldin Guitar Summit
@ DoubleTree by Hilton Reading Small Ballroom
Reading PA 19602 (7PM) $25

Big Al & The Heavy Weights @ The Country Store
Saint Georges DE 19733 (6PM-9PM) $35

Saturday, April 9, 2022

Berks Jazz Fest Concert
John Németh @ DoubleTree by Hilton Reading Small Ballroom
Reading PA 19602 (4PM) $39

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Hot Tuna (acoustic) @ Scottish Rite Auditorium
Collingswood NJ 08107 (7:30PM) $39.50, $59.50, and $75

Friday, April 22, 2022

Roomful Of Blues @ City Winery
Philadelphia PA 19107 (8PM) $25-$35

Flamin' Harry & The Roadhouse Rockers, Little Red Rooster Blues Band
and Stevie & The Bluescasters @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $22.50-$35

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Paul Thorn @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

• • • May • • •

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Bucks County Blues Society "Spring Fever Footstomper" event status uncertain
@ Terchon VFW Post 5542 — Edgely PA 19057 (2PM-6PM)

Friday, May 20, 2022

Popa Chubby @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50 livestream available

Saturday, May 21, 2022

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

Black Walnut Winery Blues Fest event status uncertain
Sadsburyville PA 19369

Sunday, May 22, 2022

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

Black Walnut Winery Blues Fest event status uncertain
Sadsburyville PA 19369

• • • June • • •

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Saint Georges Blues Festival Day 1
Fort DuPont Parade Grounds
Delaware City DE 19706
6:30PM — Joe Louis Walker headliner
4:45PM — ( TBA )
3:00PM — ( TBA )
1:15PM — Backtrack Blues Band with Wayne Sharp
11:45AM — Judy Sings The Blues
Garry Cogdell's Session Tent All Weekend Between Sets

Chester County Blues Barbecue @ Wyndsor Farm
Elverson PA 19520 (1PM-7PM; gates open at Noon) rain or shine
5:30PM Rick Estrin headliner
3:45PM Nate Meyers and The Aces
2:00PM Slidewinders Blues Band
1:00PM Voodoo Deville

Sunday, June 5, 2022

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

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Deb Callahan band @ Steel City Coffeehouse
Phoenixville PA 19460 (7PM-10PM) $20 advance; $22 day of show

• • • July • • •

tickets for Briggs Farm Blues Festival go on sale on Friday, October 15th at noon.

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Opening Night:
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342

Friday, July 8, 2022

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day One
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
performers TBA
        Back Porch Stage:

performers TBA

Tedeschi Trucks Band "Wheels Of Soul" with Los Lobos & Gabe Dixon
@ Mann Music Center
Philadelphia PA 19131 (6:30PM) $20-$165 (+$5 on day of show)

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day Two
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
performers TBA
        Back Porch Stage:

performers TBA

Friday, July 15, 2022

Blast Furnace Blues Festival Day 1 event status uncertain
@ SteelStacks, Bethlehem PA 18015

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Bucks County Blues Society R & B Picnic
details forthcoming

Blast Furnace Blues Festival Day 2 event status uncertain
@ SteelStacks, Bethlehem PA 18015

• • • August • • •

Saturday, August 6, 2022

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

Sunday, August 7, 2022

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

• • • September • • •

Saturday, September 3, 2022

11th Annual East Petersburg Blues Fest
@ East Petersburg Community Park event status uncertain
East Petersburg PA 17520 (3PM-8PM) free

Saturday, September 10, 2022

Phoenixville Blues Festival event status uncertain
@ Reeves Park, Phoenixville PA 19460

Saturday, September 24, 2022

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

• • • October • • •

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Blues Cruisin' Lunch aboard The Spirit of Philadelphia event status uncertain
board ship at 11AM, Pier 3, Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia PA 19106
where Columbus Boulevard meets Lombard Circle
cruise commences at 12:30PM; ship returns to dock 2:30PM — disembark at 3PM

• • • November • • •

Friday, November 18, 2022

Reading Blues Festival Day 1
DoubleTree Hotel, Reading PA 19602

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Reading Blues Festival Day 2
DoubleTree Hotel, Reading PA 19602

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Reading Blues Festival Day 3
Reading PA 19602

• • • December • • •

[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

Sunday Blues Jam @ The Twisted Tail every Sunday
Philadelphia PA 19147 (5PM-9PM)

• • • every Tuesday • • •

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

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

• • • every Wednesday • • •

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

• • • 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

Blue Thursday w/ Tom Craig & Big Daddy Lamberson
8PM @ Bonk's Bar & Crabhouse
Philadelphia (Port Richmond) PA 19134

• • • every Friday • • •

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

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[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       • • • More News • • •

The Blues Images 2022 Blues Calendar is now available, featuring old and rare photographs of pre-war blues artists, reprints of some of the advertising that accompanied the original release of some great blues songs, and reissues of the songs on a CD that accompanies the calendar, including music by Lead Belly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Blake, Ma Rainey, Furry Lewis, Bessie Smith, Henry Thomas, Blind Willie Johnson, Washboard Walter, and more.

bluesman Sonny Rhodes had died at age 81.

Blues singer and harmonica player Boo Boo Davis has been recording "transatlantic singles" with The ElectroBluesSociety for over a year, recording his parts in the United States while the band records in the Netherlands and puts the parts together. Now the singles have been compiled on an album Transatlantic Quarantine Sessions.

Piedmont blues musician Warner Williams has died at age 91. More info.

Bluesman Byther Smith has died at age 89. More Info.

Blues singer Roy Gaines has died at age 84. More info.

Shemekia Copeland named Blues Artist Of The Year and her album Uncivil War named Blues Album Of The Year by Downbeat Magazine's 69th Annual Critics' Poll

Shemekia Copeland treated for cancer — successfully. Hear her story.

Mississippi blues artist Cedric Burnside has been selected as an
NEA National Heritage Fellow. Congrats, Cedric!

Singer and super-slide-guitarist Ellen McIlwaine has died. More info.

Blues harmonica player James Harman has died at age 74. Harman played harmonica with ZZ Top on a few songs and made a number of fine albums as band leader. More info.

Pervis Staples of The Staple Singers, the brother of Mavis Staples, has died at age 85. View NPR report on Pervis Staples.

Bob Koester founder of Delmark Records, the nation's oldest ongoing independent record label, which has issued top-notch blues and jazz records for more than six decades, has died at age 88. Read remembrance of Bob Koester from The Chicago Sun Times.

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.

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 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.

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   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.

Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite 100 Years Of Blues
Blues Traveler Traveler's Blues
Cedric Burnside I Be Trying
Guy Davis Be Ready When I Call You
Kim Wilson Take Me Back

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

The Black Keys Delta Kream
Joe Bonamassa Royal Tea
Shemekia Copeland Uncivil War
Steve Cropper Fire It Up
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram 662

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[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

     Cool Blues Links

• song video Long Distance Woman by Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• Curtis Salgado Always Say I Love You (At The End Of Your Goodbyes) watch song video
• Dexter Allen Keep Moving On song video
• Robert Finley I Can Feel Your Pain song video
• Lady A sings BlueZ in the Key of Me
• Barbara Carr & On Big Shoulders "Good Woman Go Bad" watch video
• Watch Listening Party with Christone "Kingfish" Ingram hosted by Gwen Thompkins on
July 23, 2021, which includes playing his entire new album 662.
• Ellen McIlwaine In Studio Performance August 2020
• Listen to "Juneteenth Jamboree" from Louis Jordan recorded in 1940
• Blues singer Tia Carroll in concert at The Sound Room (hour and a half show!)
• Tribute To Mikey Junior show at Sellersville Theater
• view video of God's Gonna Make Things Over by Guy Davis, a song about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
• watch video of "Hit 'Em Back" with Shemekia Copeland, Kenny Wayne Shepherd,, Robert Randolph, and Tony Coleman.
• video of The World Can Be So Cold by Cedric Burnside
• video of Step In by Cedric Burnside
• 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

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[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

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       — 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

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[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".

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