Best of Luck: Sammy Eub an ks & Norris Nicely

Featured Articles

Discovering Blues R edemp tion The Blues Foundation Honors: Ke eping the Blues Alive Awards

On the C over : Sammy Eub an ks (in b ox: Norris Nicely) by Blues B oss

In This Issue...

Celebrating 23 Years of Blues

January 2013 Bluesletter
Vol. XXV, Number I
Publisher Editor & Art Director Secretary Calendar Advertising Printer Washington Blues Society Jesse Phillips (jesse@jessephillipsdesigns.com) Rocky Nelson Maridel Fliss (mflissm@aol.com) Malcolm Kennedy (advertising@wablues.org) Pacific Publishing Company www.pacificpublishingcompany.com Rick Bowen, Suzanne Swanson, Arlin Harmon and Tim Aves and Amanda Gibbons

1989 - 2012

Holiday Blues Letter from the President October Blues Bash Discovering Blues Redemption Top 20 Blues CDs

5 7 9 10 12

Best of Luck 13 Festival Preview: Mount Baker 13 Dry Side Blues 14 Blues CD Reviews 16 CD Release Party 18

A Blues Jam Calendar Blues on the Radio Dial Jam Guide Venue Guide

19 20 21 22 22

Talent Guide Blues Foundation Honors A Brits Visit to Seattle Snohomish Blues Invasion

23 25 26 28 30 31

Contributing Writers: Robert Horn, Eric Steiner, Malcolm Kennedy, Jerry Peterson, Contributing Photographers: Blues Boss, Jerry Peterson, Suzanne Swanson, Merri Sutton Cover Photo: Sammy Eubanks by Blues Boss
The Bluesletter welcomes stories and photos from WBS members! Features, columns and reviews are due by the 5th of each month in the following formats: plain text or Microsoft Word. Graphics must be in high-res 300 dpi .pdf, jpg, or .tiff formats. We encourage submissions. If a submitter intends to retain the rights to material (e.g., photos, videos, lyrics, textual matter) submitted for publication in the Bluesletter, or the WaBlues.org website, he or she must so state at the time of submission; otherwise, submitters rights to the material will be transferred to WBS, upon publication. We reserve the right to edit all content. The Bluesletter is the official monthly publication of the Washington Blues Society. The WBS is not responsible for the views and opinions expressed in The Bluesletter by any individual. WBS 2012 The Washington Blues Society is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote, preserve, and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an art form. Annual membership is $25 for individuals, $35 for couples, and $40 for overseas memberships. The Washington Blues Society is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible. The Washington Blues Society is affiliated with The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.

On the

Cover:

SammyEubanks by Blues Boss The Blues Boss, a former member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Blues Society, is one of the Washington Blues Societys long-time ambassadors. When not taking pictures of blues performers at festivals, clubs, and our monthly Blues Bashes, Dennis Dudley covers the states blues scene from his native Tacoma to Mount Baker. Hes a local moderator for the Blindmans Blues Forum online blues resource launched by the late Billy Allardyce in Scotland, and his blues travels have taken the Blues Boss to Memphis, Scotland, Portland, and London, England. The Blues Boss considers himself a true blues junkie, but one of the New Years resolutions on the President of the Washington Blues Society for 2013 is getting the Boss Man out to a harp showcase in 2013.

Letter from the Editor

New Years resolutions are a tricky thing. Most people put together a plan to lose weight, or learn a new language or take a chance in life that they hadnt previously been willing to try. At the Bluesletter, our resolutions are pretty much the same every year - we resolve to continue growing and cultivating the Washington Blues Society. We resolve to support our bands here in Washington as well as when they travel. (Trip to Memphis, anyone?) We resolve to become the example of what blues lovers can do when they band together to support

the blues in all its forms in their community. And me? Well thats tricky. See, I love the blues; but for me personally, to blues requires the dance. And I started my new year at the Scotch and Vine in Des Moines, on the dance floor listening to the sultry sounds of Brian Lee and the Orbiters (see my review in next months Bluesletter.) So, for this year I resolve to dance more, see live bands more, get off my couch more, and tell more people about local blues bands. What about you? Big plans for 2013? Make sure you

include upcoming events like IBC, the Mount Baker Blues Festival (nominated for a Blues Foundation Award - page 25; see page 13 for a preview.) and the many other festivals happening this year. Take advantage of blues clubs like Highway 99, the Scotch and Vine and Jazz Alley (among SO many others) which are the perfect, cozy wintertime hangout. Grab a beer, a coffee or a hot toddy and relish the winter blues. Until next time. Jesse Phillips, Editor Washington Blues Society Bluesletter

Mission Statement

Washington Blues Society P.O. Box 70604 - Seattle, WA 98127 www.wablues.org

3

Holiday Blues: A Happy Time!

By Robert Horn Photos by Amanda Gibbons

Yes indeed, a huge crowd of people celebrated having the blues this holiday season. They had several great blues bands at Seattles Highway 99 Blues Club on Sunday December 9th and that club is not supposedly open on Sundays . Dont tell anyone, but a lot of people got in that Sunday and didnt even pay to get through the door. The staff was running full speed when the doors opened at 4:30 PM until the last people left. Jocelyn, the manager, and super bartender and waiter set new records in pouring 20 drinks at once, making change, and directing staff with the skill of a quarterback in a multiple option offense. The club didnt charge admission that night so I left extra tips (including one for the door guy to ease the guilt.) The room was filled to capacity, and the dance floor was full from 10 seconds into the first song until the end. Food sold so much that someone ordering at 8 PM was told that 95% of the menu was now sold out and there were only a couple things left in the kitchen. The Washington Blues Society membership invaded the Highway 99 Blues Club, and reminded the club that this is one of the largest blues societies in the world. Some blues fans who dont show up at meetings or attend a lot of events show up at this one like some people show up at church on Christmas and Easter only. If I were a man of the cloth, Id intone from the stage that you are welcome here brothers and sisters in the blues! In the beginning there was the chatter of hundreds of people talking. The duo on stage saw that it was good. They sat down and created sound on stage. Rafael Tranquilino and Sweet Danny Ray were

the opening act. Danny was on harp and vocals, and Rafael on guitar and sometimes vocals as well. They played some blues classics and diverted the crowds attention from each other to the stage, which is quite a feat for an opening duo at such a big event like this. Anyone who has not seen the T-Town Aces needs to give a present to themselves and go see them. There are some great performers in this band, and the whole is bigger than the sum of the parts. Several of these guys have been band leaders with their own bands and they seem to work great together putting music above all else. Steve Bailey is a talent who can juggle guitars, harmonicas and microphones. David Hudson on drums and a bass player he works with created the foundation for this mansion of music. Guitarist Tom Boyle used to tell me the rhythm section is the foundation you may not notice if you are looking at a great mansion of music. Speaking of Tom Boyle, he is a pretty good guitar player who may have more BB Awards than he has room for at his place. I knew everyone would enjoy this band and while I often mention a number of songs a band plays I think I was on the dance floor too much to write anything down during the T-Town Aces remarkable set! The Stacy Jones Band was next and there are reasons they win so many awards. Great vocals, guitar, and everything else, makes this one of the best bands in the state. If anyone is looking for a great band to make a party into a success this is one of the bands to hire. If I can hypnotize someone who has some money to spend on an event let me begin

with: you are getting sleepy, very sleepy.now get online and send the following offer to bookings@ stacyjonesband.com. I also think The Randy Oxford Band and the T-Town Aces deserve all the bookings they can get. Speaking of Randy Oxford, they performed at this years holiday party, too. This was a big happy party band perfect for a Washington Blues Society Holiday Party, or a New Years Eve Party, or something for prime time TV on a major network. They are fun and make you move your feet. Some of us love this music because it is fun and entertaining, which it is, but some of us see something more going on too. Music like this goes somewhere deeper; it touches the soul. Every society has some kind of music and all the music in North America, much of Europe and now all over the world in the last century, is rooted in blues music. Music is part of our essence. Music, like nature, is a little sacred to many of us. Nature is viewed by some perhaps as just where we get our food and what we travel over the top of to get to where we need to be to work or sleep. But I think it has a greatness which is much more profound: nature is something humanity needs to interact with. So is music, and this music is something we should celebrate no matter what your favorite music is. If you love rock, or hip hop, or soul, or country, or any music created since Beethoven (he was pretty good at what he did I have to say) you should celebrate blues music. One of the best places to celebrate blues music is the annual Holiday Party of the Washington Blues Society. Next year, be sure to be there.

January 2013 DEADLINES:

Advertising Space Reservations: January 5th malcarken@comcast.net Calendar: January 10th calendar@wablues.org Editorial Submissions: January 5th - editor@wablues.org Camera Ready Ad Art Due: January 12th - editor@wablues.org Camera ready art should be in CMYK format at 300 dpi or higher.

Washington Blues Society

Proud Recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award from The Blues Foundation President Vice President Secretary Treasurer (Acting) Editor 2013 Officers Eric Steiner Tony Frederickson Mary McPage Chad Creamer Jesse Phillips president@wablues.org vicepres@wablues.org mary_mcpage_band@yahoo.com treasurer@wablues.org editor@wablues.org

Happy Blues New Year! I wanted to thank Washington Blues Society members and Bluesletter readers for a great 2012 year of blues experiences. Last year was a remarkable year for our blues society, and more than ever, we worked collaboratively with artists and blues fans across the state to bring the Dry Side and the Wet Side of the Evergreen State closer together. Our line-up of Blues Bash performers reflected this diversity, and Merchandise Director Tony Fredericksons consistent presence at nearly every corner of the state (as well as in Montana and Idaho) has helped grow our membership significantly away from the Interstate 5 corridor in Western Washington.

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2013 Directors Music Co-Directors Cherie Robbins & Janice Cleven Gage Membership Michelle Burge Education Roy Brown Volunteers Rhea Rolfe Merchandise Tony Frederickson Advertising Malcolm Kennedy Downtown Seattle West Seattle Eastside Northern WA Penninsula South Sound Central WA Eastern WA Ballard Lopez Island Middle East Webmaster Web Hosting WBS Logo

music@wablues.org membership@wablues.org education@wablues.org volunteers@wablues.org merchandise@wablues.org advertising@wablues.org

Weve Got Discounts! 20% off- 12 month pre-payment 15% off- 6 month pre-payment 10% off- 3 month pre-payment Contact: advertising@wablues.org We value your business. Please send all advertising inquriries and ad copy to advertising@wablues.org with a copy to Malcolm Yard Dog Kennedy at malcarken@comcast.net

2013 Street Team Tim & Michelle Burge blueslover206@comcast.net Rev. Deb Engelhardt deb@revdeb.com Vacant Lloyd Peterson freesprt@televar.com Dan Wilson allstarguitar@centurytel.net Smoke smkdrms@aol.com Stephen J. Lefebvre s.j.lefebvre@gmail.com Cindy Dyer cindalucy@hotmail.com Marcia Jackson Carolyn & Dean Jacobsen cjacobsen@rockisland.com Rock Khan rocknafghanistan@gmail.com Special Thanks The Sheriff webmaster@wablues.org Adhost www.adhost.com Phil Chesnut philustr8r@aol.com

THANK YOU FOR READING THE BLUESLETTER AND SUPPORTING LIVE BLUES IN THE EVERGREEN STATE!
ATTENTION BLUES MUSICIANS: WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LATEST CD REVIEWED IN THE BLUESLETTER? GOT A BLUES CD FOR US?
Need help in getting the word about your music? Wed like to help. While we cannot predict when or if a review will land in the pages of the Bluesletter, wed like to encourage musicians to consider the Washington Blues Society a resource. If you would like your CD reviewed by one of our reviewers, please send two copies (one for the reviewer and one for our monthly CD giveaways at the Blues Bash) to the following address: Washington Blues Society ATTN: CD Reviews PO Box 70604 Seattle, WA 98027

This year will be another exciting year for the Washington Blues Society. While it kicks off with another great Blues Bash on the second Tuesday in this month at the Red Crane restaurant in Shoreline, I am excited for our competitors in the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis: Sammy Eubanks and the Norris & Nicely Duo. I consider the International Blues Challenge and the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards in Memphis somewhat of a family reunion, because I have the privilege and opportunity to reconnect with fellow blues society members, fans, and blues musicians from around the world. Over the past five years in what may prove to be some of the worst economic times since the Great Depression of my parents generation over 120 blues fans, musicians and supporters have made it to Memphis to enjoy this annual blues pilgrimage of the worlds unsigned blues talent. I am always pleased how a first-time International Blues Challenge fan reacts to entire experience: its blues sensory overload in more than 20 venues up and down fabled Beale Street; its an amazing thing to meet artists we hear on the radio, and its an opportunity to discover new blues music. I particularly like the luncheons, the Keeping the Blues Alive Award ceremony, and the networking opportunities to learn about other blues societies. This year, well learn more about how other blues societies are helping to Raise the Roof to make the Blues Hall of Fame a bricks-and-mortar reality, and I hope that members of the Washington Blues Society will play an important role in making this happen. Finally, I wanted to wish Sammy, his band, and Randy and Jeff the best of luck as they practice their blues sets in preparation for this years International Blues Challenge. Last year, The WIRED! Band won the competition, and Ill close with a quote from Tony Frederickson: Two years in a row? Can you imagine it? Wouldnt that be cool? Yes, Tony, I can. And, yes, it would certainly be cool. Until next month, go out and see live blues music! Eric Steiner, President Washington Blues Society Member, Board of Directors, The Blues Foundation

President

Letter from the

Fat James & Fat Back

Daddy Treetops

The next thing that happened, just like it does every month, is the ceremonial giving away of a lot of great CDs to the crowd (kind of like throwing out $20 dollar bills by the dozens). Shortly after the free monthly raffle, Vic the soundman played the new RJ Knapp & Honey Robin CD, Dont Blame the Dynamite (If By Robert Horn, Photos by Blues Boss You Cant Light the Fuse). I was talking to them in Oh, what a night! I think I got a taste of heaven in person and hearing their CD above my head at the terms of sights, sounds, tastes,.etc. The size of the same time. Last month , Vic won their CD in our audience was good and I told Tara, the bar manager raffle, and was playing it on the PA system. I was at the Red Crane, and the official person in charge one of the many lucky winners, too. Like the last of keeping track of such things that it was pretty time that happened, another raffle ticket winner standard. I also told her I usually tip at 30-40%, so had the number ending in 666, and I told her I had I better make sure I tip at that level as the wait staff been warned about her all my life. deserves actually. The food there is so good and thats one more reason to tip. Friends I like to spend time Eric Steiner took the stage and said that the Mount with were there, and I loved every minute of hanging Baker Blues Festival is the recipient of the 2013 Keeping out with them; that is a part of what life is all about. the Blues Alive in the Best US Festival category. Lloyd Peterson created this event, and keeps that There was also the music and that is what brought amazing festival going, year-in and year-out. If you everyone there (hey, that could be important!). go to something like The Waterfront Blues Festival The music was amazing. Daddy Treetops started in July and you have four or five favorites from that performing to interrupt a discussion of Guitar Shorty festival, its likely that youll see them again at another I was having. Things were looking up when he stood festival in our region like you are likely to see them on stage and then put himself in a chair to begin with again at Mt Baker the following month. When you Mean Ole Frisco Blues, which is a blues standard. go to a huge festival with hundreds of great bands, He was warmed up, so he fired up the slide, and and decide what your favorites are, in a little field his jet engines took off. By the time he got to sing in the North Cascades where the legends hang out about Hoodoing the Hoodoo Man we were flying with you before and after the show its simply at 30,000 feet and far above the treetops we began an amazing blues experience. Anyone not going with. He did an instrumental at the end to bring to the Mt Baker each year should re-evaluate their us back to land easily. Daddy Treetops did a great blues priorities. opening acoustical act worthy of any Washington Blues Society event or major national blues festival. The next act was beyond astounding. Serious blues He has done this before and every year or two we are music fans that have been in this area for years privileged to have him at the last Blues Bash of the know who Fat James is. He was on stage with Neil year. He is easy to talk to and very willing to hang Sorensen and David Chapman as his rhythm section. out with blues fans after he performs, too. In the Bellingham area at places like the Mt Baker

The December 2012

at the Red Crane

Blues Bash

Blues Festival he is often also on stage with Johnny Brewer: when Johnny Brewer and Fat James are both playing guitar at the same time, words cannot explain the profound explosion of musical greatness that happens. Fat James started off with Hoochie Coochie Man, words fall short of explaining the sound. Thunder and lightning metaphors could be used to say that it had power and passion, because it did. Later he started performing Flip Flop and Fly which morphed into Caldonia, and then back into Flip Flop and Fly. I talked to Mary McPage about how amazing such a melding of two great blues songs was. She agreed, and was then invited to the stage to perform Bring it To Me with Fat James and brought the crowd to its feet. Fat James definitely had his mojo workin playing other classic blues songs like John Lee Hookers Boom Boom Boom Boom, and as I left the Red Crane, I reflected back on yet another great Washington Blues Society Blues Bash. There was some talk earlier in the year about not having a December monthly concert as the December Blues Bash was just two nights after our Holiday Party at the Highway 99 Blues Club in downtown Seattle, and I am glad that music co-directors Janice Cleven Gage and Cherie Robbins hosted another great Blues Bash! The Blues Bash, second Tuesday of every month, is on my calendar, and it should be on each and every Bluesletter readers calendars as well. This months Blues Bash will be extra special, because our 2013 International Blues Challenge representatives are on the bill: Randy Norris and Jeff Nicely, and the Sammy Eubanks Band!

Article and Photos by Suzanne Swanson

Discovering Blues Redemption

When you keep on hearing the name of certain blues musicians that are in a particular band over and over again, curiosity gets the best of you. That was why I was on the road travelling to the Rock Fish Grill, in Anacortes, Washington, one weekend not long ago. My goodness, I am so glad I did! The South Sound Blues Society has chosen Blues Redemption to be their representative at the 2013 International Blues Challenge, in Memphis. Gary Grape, President of the South Sound Blues Association and Entertainment/Vendor Manager for The Tacoma Events Commission, has this to say about the band. Ive known these musicians for seven years now, he said. Brian Feist, who is an excellent guitarist and vocalist, was with Blues Redemption when they went to Memphis in 2010 for the International Blues Challenge. It was an amazing set they played in Memphis that struck such an emotional chord with the audience. Many people were standing applauding with tears in their eyes. When Brian left, Mark Riley stepped right in to bring yet another sound to the band. I am a musician myself, so I recognize how much they are on their game. Blues Redemption are top professionals that continue to rehearse every week. They are a tight group. I should know, as I also judge at the International Blues Challenge. The first thing I noticed when the evenings entertainment began at the Rock Fish, a small oblong configuration of tables that can seat eighty people comfortably, was that the stage is directly in front of the main windows. The drum kit, when set up, sits directly in the center of this space thus enabling the drummer to place his beverage glass on the window sill for convenience. The stage lighting consists of mainly yellow jelled floodlights with two red gels on either side of the ceiling. As the count was given and the players opened with an original song by keyboardist Doug Skoog, No One Can Tell You, I was not prepared for the consummate musicianship that flowed from each instrument. With Skoog on keys, Joe Hendershot on bass, Billy The Pocket Barner on drums, and Mark Riley on guitar on the far right, the room was vibrating with textures of notes that had the patrons immediate attention. As the evening progressed, the whole dynamic of the energy in the room changed. People sitting at the long bar that ran the length of one side of the family restaurant swiveled their stools to get a better vantage point of the band. As the last notes were played, Mark Riley immediately swung into his original tune, Gotta Put Something in It, and the band was off and running again. The next tune, a Johnny Taylor penned Last Two Dollars, was sung with feeling by Billy Barner and made a positive impression. Here was a group of artists that had come together and collectively, even though each was acclaimed for their individual expertise, become one unit, with one goal. It was smooth. It flowed as easily as hot maple syrup on Johnny-cakes. Not only could each member of the band play their respective instruments with great efficiency, they each sang, contributing yet another positive attribute to the night. They rolled from one tune to the next seamlessly, with hardly a break to credit who wrote it or share a wry witticism regarding their personal thoughts as to why they were playing it. From Doug Skoogs One Beat At A Time, to Mark Rileys Heavy Load, and back to Doug for a KebMo favorite, The Itch. I was won over. Now, I needed to find out what the history of this band was as well as whom each of these musicians were. The performance continued with a vibrant yet soulful medley by Mark Riley of Robert Johnson tunes. Then Doug Skoog covered Jeff Healeys I Think I Love You Too Much. I sat transfixed. All at once, Billy Barner and Mark began to play a very familiar intro that has deep significance for me, Sonny Landreths Congo Square. The song was written 1985 in the key of D minor, and the slide (and current stage) version of Congo Square uses a D minor tuning. Mark has custom built and designed a guitar for Sonny, and over the years, they have developed a close musical friendship. My connection to Congo Square is with Mike Binet, Sonnys original drummer. Mike sent me for Christmas one year a couple of shards of a sixteen-inch Zildjian cymbal from the kit he used in recording this tune. It is part of what I wear every day and I think of it as my mojo. It has been an extraordinary pleasure to interview and chat with Sonny a few times over the years. In delving into the background of the members of Blues Redemption, I found it interesting that the current members all have literally built wooden items at one time or another. Has being connected to such an organic product of Mother Nature lead these artists to a more intense relationship with their instruments? I wonder. As mentioned, Mark Riley, has custom designed a guitar for Sonny Landreth. He also has constructed several spectacular instruments for musicians located around the Puget Sound. Mark has been building craftsman touches while remodeling his home. The main impetus in his life is a love for everything music. As a sought after instructor of guitar at Pacific Music in Redmond, Washington, Mark looks forward to sharing his devotion with others. Gary Weyand, owner of Pacific Music, praised Rileys teaching skills as well as his repairing guitars for the store. Having opened for BB King, Taj Mahal, and Landreth, he has played with Sam Andrew (Big Brother and The Holding Company) and Merrilee Rush. Riley currently plays in four bands, the Mark Riley Trio, The Bill Mattocks Band, Blues Redemption, and Snake Oil Blues Elixir. He has also played with Little Bill and the Bluenotes. He has recorded five CDs to his credit. Mark was awarded the Washington Blues Societys Best of the Blues (BB Awards) Acoustic Blues Guitarist of the Year for 2012. Billy The Pocket Barner spends a great part of his days providing useful information regarding the status, condition, and other information relating to houses and commercial buildings. He and his wife Sharon own their company Ameri-Pro Inspection Services. Sharon is a commercial artist, and they both have owned an advertising art business since 1985, Barner & Barner Designworkx. They too, have won Washington Blues Society recognition for the combined work on The Blues Alliance CD (Best Graphic Artist and Blues Image). But, as with Riley, Barners prime priority is that of a professional performing musician. Billy, the Pocket, as he is often called, has taught drumming since 1974. This is his fifty-second consecutive year as a professional, performing musician. Being a band founder/leader since his first band The Sultans, in 1960, he also was founder and leader of The Centrix, co-founder and leader of Jonahs Whale, leader of Peaceable Lane, co-founder of Jumbo Groove with Ron Gardner, and formed Blues Alliance. Doug Skoog and he have been playing together off and on since. 1968. Both of them toured with RB Greaves. Bill wrote an article about RBs passing was featured in the November 2012 Blueletter. Now, as well, Barner and Skoog play in another band called The Crazy Texas Gypsies (Kenny Williams and Kevin Frazer). A few months ago they began hosting a weekly jam night every Wednesday at Dawsons in Tacoma, and have appeared at several other clubs and private parties since then. Most of Bill Barners life has been that of a touring musician. Doug Skoog is an amazing keyboardist in Doug Skoog, whose name I come across from time to time in liner notes with credits as a session musician. I love it when that happens with artists I know. Doug has also been a carpenter, and a mechanic all his life. He has built a few kit cars, such as classics like the Cobra and the GT. Besides that, he has built horse stables, an arena, barn, remodeled his home, and a workshop. To fully utilize his property, he has constructed larger buildings to suit a vehicle and RV storage business. If you ask politely, Doug might share a story or two of when he played on the road with Chuck Berry and R.B. Greaves (Letter to Maria), just to name two. He tells of attending Trinity Lutheran School as a youngster when he first became aware of blues chording. That set the path that he would follow for the rest of his life. Watching Pinetop Perkins and studying his body rhythms as Pinetop played left a profound impression on Doug when he lived in Chicago. Its authentic blues, says Skoog. Straight from the fields and from the soul. Skoog is well known for his stint with Bluetail Fly and as a consummate keyboard presence in the Pacific Northwest. As the bass player for Blues Redemption, Joe Hendershot is patient and fluid in his playing. He works with wood, crafting cabinets and making custom pieces every day. He studies the wood, its textures, its individual beauty, before he uses his tools. I found him to play the electric bass the same way, listening, studying, and choosing the correct chord or sequence of chords to compliment the feel of the tune. He has been a carpenter for twenty-eight years. He was a CNC Programmer and machinist for seven of those years but took to fulltime woodworking when his first daughter was born. After playing music six to seven nights a week it had to change as the family grew. He took a sabbatical, of sorts, but returned to playing six years ago. He has fond memories of Memphis in 2010, and playing at the Rum Boogie Caf. Id never seen or met him before that night, Joe said as he recalled listening to bass player Mookie Brill. No other bass players were stepping up, nonetheless, I convinced him he was working way too hard and should take a break. The next thing he knew, Joe was jamming with guitar legend Steady Rollin Bob Margolin. Shortly after that, Shemekia Copeland took the microphone and began singing. What a thrill that was for me, said Joe. Shemekia was crowned the new Queen of the Blues by Koko Taylors daughter, Cookie Taylor, at the Chicago Blues Festival With a droll grin, Joe said that he takes lessons and practices on the upright bass as well. I hope to play that instrument on stage sometime in the future, he said. Ive had it for about five years. It is a challenging instrument to master. Im not sure I have enough life left in me to attain that level of proficiency that I want. You might say I have fallen for the sound of it, and cant get up. Its a whole different thing than electric bass guitar. Besides custom furnishings, repairing, and refinishing furniture, Joe also maintains his businesses and the bands website and email address at www.bluesredemption.com. I look forward to following Blues Redemption at the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Together, these musicians have something special, and I hope that the judges will realize that Blues Redemption is one of the finest unsigned blues acts in the world.

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2012 Top Compiled by Eric Steiner Blues CDs

By Eric Steiner

Before the monthly Bluesletter Deadline Dash, I sent out an email asking blues writers to send me their top CDs of 2012. The following is a sampling of what I received, and I hope that each list will spark interest in this past years blues CDs. If youve not yet discovered a release on one of the lists below, I encourage you to learn more about the music that landed on these lists. Congratulations to each artist whose work is considered to be the some of the best blues released in 2012 in the opinion of those who responded to my email! Malcolm Kennedy, Washington Blues Society The Mannish Boys: Double Dynamite (Delta Groove) The 44s: Americana (Rip Cat) Mikey Junior: Look Inside My Pocket (8th Train) Lisa Biales: Just Like Honey (Big Song Music) Lloyd Jones: Doin What It Takes (Fresh!) The WIRED! Band: Washington Blues (Self-Released) Gary Primich: Just A Little Bit More (Old Pal) Lil Ronnie & the Grand Dukes: Gotta Strange Feeling (Eller Soul) RJ Mischo: Make It Good (Delta Groove) Johnson, Miller & Dermody: We Heard the Voice of a Pork Chop (Orb Discs) Rev. Keith GordonAbout.com Blues Guide (http://blues.about.com) Curtis Salgado: Soul Shot (Alligator) Eric Bibb: Deeper In the Well (Stony Plain) Heritage Blues Orchestra: And Still I Rise (Raisin Music) Ian Siegal & the Mississippi Mudbloods: Candy Store Kid (Nugene) Janiva Magness: Stronger For It (Alligator) Joe Louis Walker: Hellfire (Alligator) Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials: Jump Start (Alligator) Lurrie Bell: The Devil Aint Got No Music (Aria BG) Michael Iron Man Burks: Show of Strength (Alligator) Mud Morganfield: Son of the Seventh Son (Severn) Greg Johnson, Cascade Blues Association Michael Iron Man Burks: Show Of Strength (Alligator) Mud Morganfield: Son of a Seventh Son (Severn) Curtis Salgado: Soul Shot (Alligator) Billy Boy Arnold: Sings Big Bill Broonzy (Electro Fi) Lloyd Jones: Doin What It Takes (Fresh) The Muddy Sons: Pushed On Down the Road (What in Sam Hell) The 44s: Americana (Rip Cat) Lisa Mann: Satisfied (Self-Released) Royal Southern Brotherhood: Royal Southern Brotherhood (Ruf) Tim Too Slim Langford: Broken Halo (Underworld)

Lloyd Peterson, Mount Baker R & B Festival Recipient of the 2013 Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Best US Festival Todd Simpson: Kaleidscope (Self-Released) Andy Poxon: Red Roots (Self-Released) Boogie Patrol: I Try and Try and Dont Know What to Do...The Plan Was Set Some Time Ago and We Must Follow Through (Self-Released) Shane Dwight: A Hundred White Lies (R-Tist) Kirby Sewell Band: Bought Myself a Hammer (Smelly Cat) Asen Shomakov: On the Move (Blue Leaf) Poppa Dawg: What You Got (Self-Released) Terry Robb Band: Muddyvishnu (PsycheDelta) RJ Knapp & Honey Robin: Dont Blame the Dynamite if You Cant Light the Fuse (Self-Released) Kevin Sutton, The WIRED! Band (A Different Kind of Best Of List!) Magic Sam: West Side Soul (Delmark) Jr. Wells: Hoodoo Man Blues (Delmark) Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign (Stax) Albert Collins: Ice Pickin (Alligator) Howlin Wolf: Moanin in the Moonlight (Chess) Muddy Waters: Muddy Waters at Newport 1960 (Chess) Son House: Father of the Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions (Legacy) John Lee Hooker: The Legendary Modern Recordings 1948-1954 (Flair/Virgin) Skip James: The Complete early Recordings of Skip James- 1930 (Yazoo) B.B. King: Live at the Regal (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab) Eric Steiner, Washington Blues Society Eric Bibb: Deeper In the Well (Stony Plain) Janiva Magness: Stronger For It (Alligator) Heritage Blues Orchestra: And Still I Rise (Raisin Music) Lurrie Bell: The Devil Aint Got No Music (Aria BG) 24 Pesos: When the Ship Goes Down (Self-Released) Heritage Blues Orchestra: And Still I Rise (Raisin Music) Magic Slim & The Teardrops: Bad Boy (Blind Pig) Kilborn Alley: Four (Blue Bella) Shemekia Copeland: 33 1/3 (Telarc)

2013 Blues Festival Preview:

By Eric Steiner Photos by Blues Boss

The 18th Annual Mount Baker R & B Festival

Best of Luck to the Sammy Eubanks Band and to the Norris & Nicely Duo in Memphis!
Id like to wish our 2013 International Blues Challenge competitors, the Sammy Eubanks Band and to the Norris & Nicely Duo, the best of luck as they represent the Washington Blues Society at this years competition on fabled Beale Street during the last week of January. Each act has worked hard across the state to not only participate in fundraisers, but hone their craft prior to the judged competition in Memphis. This past year, Tony Frederickson, Ted Todd, Dave Nichols along with a number of other key supporters throughout Washington State worked to ensure that our statewide competitions were successful. If you cannot make it to Memphis to cheer our bluesmen on, please follow the festivities online at www.blues.org. I also wanted to share with Bluesletter readers the bio sketches that each act included in this years International Blues Challenge program book: Sammy Eubanks was born and raised in California, but moved to Idaho as a teen. His early blues influences included his father, Jessie James Eubanks, BB King, Ray Charles, Steppenwolf and Eric Clapton. Sammy spent his 20s as a rocker, but was bitten hard by the blues bug with a side of country soul. Known as The Voice, Sammys won a number of Blues awards as a vocalist in the Pacific Northwest. Sammy tours with a mighty engine room of Michael Hays on drums and Jake Barr on bass. Unlike many power trios plying the bluesmans trade, each member of the band can play with the best of them. They might be from a small town in the upper left hand corner of the Lower 48, but the Sammy Eubanks sound is unmistakably world-class. Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely is an eclectic acoustic blues duo and International Blues Challenge 2012 Semi-Finalist, featuring Randys guitar slingin and dynamic vocals and Jeff s fine harmonica lickin. With interplay that blends soul, rock, New Orleans rhythm and delta blues, they live by the credo: If theres no feeling, youre just wasting your breath. After spending 10 years in Los Angeles doing sessions and sideman work, Randy took his vast music repertoire north, joining Jeff in fronting a popular Seattle area band, Blues Therapy, at the turn of the century. Randy and Jeff are both are well-traveled, and play everything from loose pickin parties to tight funk n soul shows, but they forever capture the true rhythm and soul of the blues. So, if you have an opportunity to support our bands at this months final fundraisers, please buy a CD directly from them. This months Blues Bash second Tuesday of every month at the Red Crane in Shoreline will feature the Sammy Eubanks Band and Norris & Nicely, and theyll treat us with a little bit longer set than theyll play in Memphis.

August 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2013 at the Deming Log Show Fairgrounds in Bellingham
The Mount Baker R & B Festival is the recipient of the nations highest award for a blues festival: the 2013 Keeping the Blues Alive Award in the Blues Festival/ America category from The Blues Foundation. We couldnt be prouder of the efforts and dedication of many artists, fans, volunteers and sponsors for this award! It takes a lot to be the best. Each year, we create a unique vibe that reflects that personal touch so often ignored. This event is truly By & for the People. Best time you ever had! This years lineup, as always, brings together some of the top musicians in the country:

FRIDAY, August 2nd

5:00-6:30MILES HARRIS & Blues Youth (teenage sensations from Mt. Vernon) 7:00-8:30AYRON JONES & The Way (amazing Seattle trioROCKIN) 9:00-closeANTONY GOMES (jaw dropping Blues Rocker from Nashville..Hes Back!)

SATURDAY, August 3rd

11:00-12:30GARY Bs Church of the Blues (a taste of the 4th Corners best talent) 1:00-2:30BLUES REDEMPTION (IBC competitors from down South) 3:00-4:30THE FAT TONES (one of the funnest, most original bands in the Country) 5:00-6:30KAL DAVID & the Real Deal (BluesBreaker back againWORLD-CLASS) 7:00-8:30CALIFORNIA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (legendary drummer & co-founder of the Supergroup Chicago brings it from LA with the top studio musiciansAMAZING)) 9:00-closeSHANE DWIGHT featuring BEKKA BRAMLETT (back by popular demand featuring the daughter of rock n roll legends Bonnie & Delany Bramlett)

SUNDAY, August 4th

11:00-12:30THE JOHN STEPHAN BAND (veteran Seattle Guitar Wizard) 1:00-2:30CHRIS EGER BAND (incredible vocalist, musicianFESTIVAL FAVORITE) 3:00-4:30 THE WIRED BAND (IBC winners 2012Best Blues ActAMERICA 2012) 5:00-6:30TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT (IBC winners in 2008 chart toppers ever since) 7:00-closeHAMILTON LOOMIS (BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND one of the very best) As always, the festival offers free camping and showers with a weekend pass, 50 full RV hookups. Our 180 acre, manicured site has it all. Food/Crafts vendors and beer garden as well as an indoor All-Star jam after hours until 2am every night. This amazing jam each night is worth the price of admission itself! Tickets on sale online at www.bakerblues.com or (360) 383-0850 and locally (cash or checks) at Hugo Helmer Music, Burlington (360) 757-0270 or Avalon Music, Bellingham (360) 676-9573. The festival is limited to the first 2000 tickets, and www.bakerblues.com has all the info!

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2013 has arrived and once again, we observe that the more things change, the more they stay the same. On the Dry Side, having Sammy Eubanks win the Inland Empire Blues Society Empire Award for B est Male Vocalist award is considered normal, with his 2012 win being his seventh in that category. What has changed is that the rest of the world finally seems to be catching on. Januar y 29th, 2013, Sammy and his band will play their first set for the judges at t he International Blues C hal lenge in Memphis, Tennessee, representing the Washington Blues Society in the band portion of the competition, with Randy Nor r i s a n d Je f f Ni c e l y representing the WBS in t h e s o l o / du o c at e g or y. Wet Siders will be able to appreciate Sammys ability to represent the WBS when he entertains at the Monthly Blues Bash at the Red Crane on January 15th. Dry Siders will be supporting Sammys bid to be judged one of the best blues bands in the WORLD at an 8-band

Dry Side Blues

Inland Empire Blues Society

blowout benefit at the Knitting Factory on January 6th, with proceeds going to the WBS to help fund the International Blues Challenge. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the performers who will create the Dry Side blues event of 2013. The Skivees are a young trio from Priest River, Idaho, who appeared with Sammy and the Fat Tones at the Knitting Factory on February 24, 2012. Brothers Trevor and Nick Rusho on bass and drums, and Justin Perkins on guitar are 13 and 14 years old, but their skills belie their ages. Their original songs, including Clean Skivees, are impressive from an energy-level standpoint, and beg audience involvement. The Vaughn Jensen Band features Vaughn on guitar and vocals, and longtime bandmate Jesse Rios bass. These cats played the IEBS monthly meeting in August, and wowed the membership with their hard-edged take on the blues. Anita Royce and the High Rollers play solid blues covers, mixed with a few of Anitas originals, all of which provide ample space for Anita and 2012 IEBS Musicians Choice Award winner Forest Govedare to slam their solos and trade tasteful licks. 2012 IEBS Best New Blues Band Bakin Phat has been taking the Spokane area by storm, and seasoned veterans Dennis Higgins on guitar, Eric Lindstrom on bass, Ken Danielson on drums and Dave Allen on harmonica and vocals look to be a festival favorite in 2013 with their high-energ y jump blues. The Kenny James Miller Band from Kalispell, Montana feature 2012 Best Blues Bassist Mark (MC) Cornett, and with the incomparable

By Jerry Peterson, Vice President

Kenny Sederdahl on guitar and lead vocals and Mark Miller on drums, this blues-rock trio is nearly ready to release their second album, which will undoubtedly cement their place in Dry Side blues history. Rampage is a blues-based trio featuring Robb Boatsman on guitar and vocals and Mark Walsdorf on bass. This group has been together for several years, and after paying their dues at Bobbis Bar in Plummer, Idaho, these guys have the experience and the drive to exceed audience expectations. The fabulous Fat Tones need little introduction to Wet Siders, as they have been playing festivals and travelling to Wet Side dates for many years to satisfy the growing hunger for their brand of rocking blues. Kevin Sutton, 2012 Washington Blues Society Performer and Songwriter of the Year of last years IBC winning band WIRED! made an appearance at Spokanes Sunday night blues jam in August, and left many of the attendees wondering what this amazingly talented guy, who ended up singing and playing while standing on a chair, was all about. They will leave the Knitting Factory with whole new perspective on January 6th. Admission will be $10 at the door, with cash preferred so be aware that the doors will open at the Knitting Factory at 4pm on January 6th. You can also make a secure donation via PayPal by going to sammyeubankslive. com and clicking on the ChipIn link. Were looking forward to seeing lots of Wet Siders at what will be the biggest Dry Side blues event of 2013.

Jerry Peterson KBA and Best Male Vocalist IEBS 2012 Sammy Eubanks

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Blues Reviews
Lloyd Jones Doin What It Takes Fresh! from Reference Recordings With Lloyd Jones Underworld Records release Highway Bound he proved beyond any doubt that he has some serious front porch blues inside of him. With his new Fresh! from Reference Recordings release Doin What It Takes the Northwests king of funk and R&B shows he has some serious soul too. Lloyds horn section is immaculate adding fine accents and punch when needed. The funky opening track Bend In The River sets the standard, and it is a high one, the songs that follow all measure up. The Leiber & Stroller number Ill Be Right On Down pops, jumps and bumps; I mean, if you can sit still during this one see your physician soon. Lloyd sings put on your red pajamas/put some beer on ice/lock your doors and windows now Im going to ring your doorbell twice/Ill be right on down, Ill be right on down, Ill be right on down knocking at your door over the percolating rhythm and horns. The title track is sure to please and Lloyd reminds you he has some fret board chops to go along with his vocals and song writing talents. The organ of Glenn Holstrom and the horn section guide Never Again: and Lloyds biting guitar solo gives it some added zing. Give A Little co-written by Lloyd and Holstrom could be a cover of prime time Tower of Power. Lloyd reprises the solo acoustic front porch blues for a sensational reading of Maceo Merriweathers Worried Life Blues that knocks me out. The Lloyd Jones Struggle wraps things up with the brisk horn and piano laden shuffle Ruby Do which is just classic Lloyd Have Mercy Jones. Things wouldnt be complete without credit to the horn section on this release with Dave Mills on trumpet, Warren Rand on alto sax, Rudy Draco on Tenor & baritone sax, Renato Caranto-tenor solo on Ill Be Right On Down and horn arrangements and music direction by Glenn Holstrom. Buy this album, listen to it often and see the Lloyd Jones Struggle perform live every chance you get. Very Highly Recommended. Malcolm Kennedy

New Blues that you can Use

John Lee Hooker Cook With The Hook: Live In 1974 MVD Visual

The Blues Masters Vol. Two In Memory of Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumlin DMD The second edition of what started out as a jam session and meeting of the minds, The Blues Masters series has become a living tribute to two of the participants who have since passed on. Convened by Tim Tucker and Mickey Thomas the Blues Masters sessions pair up legendary blues men with upstart performers on an array of blues classics to show off the talents of young and old alike. For this second album piano man Pinetop Perkins and Howling Wolf sideman guitarist Hubert Sumlin where asked to join in the fun but sadly both legends passed on before the albums release and thus their memory is now given tribute here with love and respect. Sensational vocalist Cassie Taylor is featured on several of the albums tracks, displaying her hyper sexual attack on classics Bring It Home To Me, and I Just Want To Make Love To You. Mickey Thomas nearly blows all his pipes out as he wails on the Willie Dixon standard Little Red Rooster. Two hidden gems are revealed on the heavy duty shuffle Tangoray, a great tune written by Keith Richards and Johnnie Johnson and sung by underappreciated veteran diva Hazel Miller, who simply blows the roof off this one. Of note is also the fine harmonica playing of Doug Lynn and Drumming of Aynsley Dunbar throughout the album. And of course the guitar and piano playing from Pinetop and Sumlin is a master class on the blues. Thankfully we now have this last album session to remember they had what it takes right up to the end. Rick J. Bowen

Brad Hatfield Uphill From Anywhere (Self-Released)

The first thing I noticed about Cincinnatis Brad Hatfield when listening to his new self produced release Uphill From Anywhere was his sturdy vocals which have a slightly rough edge to them and his workman like harp playing. His backing band keeps the groove tight and the beat steady. My favorite track is One More Night which features Dave Gross on rhythm guitar; but it is the work of Jon Justice on lead guitar and Bernie Hatfield on keyboards that make this song shine. Gross also plays acoustic guitar on Fit To Be The Fool and is the engineer on the project. Brad lets his harp drive the Texas shuffle Somebodys Got To Lose and Bernies keys guide the rhythm. Justice lays down the goods playing some slithery slide guitar on the slow paced Livin Out The Lie and as usual Bernie has his back. Son Houses Death Letter: is pure gut bucket and Blind Willie Johnsons John The Revelator is rendered with both reverence and passion. Another standout track is Headstrong Baby with Brad singing through his harp mic giving his vocals a slight distortion. Harp guru Dennis Gruenling ads some low down and dirty blues harp to Too Good To Give Away. Although new to me, Brad Hatfield is considered one of Cincinnatis elite blues men and with Uphill From Anywhere Brad has my full attention. Highly recommended. Malcolm Kennedy

A real treat for serious blues fans, Cook With The Hook Live In 1974 has made its way to DVD. Unearthed from the archives is black and white footage of blues master John Lee Hooker backed by the four piece Coast To Coast blues band performing the headliner spot at a mini festival called Down In The Dumps, in the Boston suburb of Garner, Massachussetts, July 6th,1974. The concert was the first of what was supposed to be a series of events held on the citys reclaimed landfill, was filmed for local cable access by Robert Boyd, a pioneer of the genre. The short set of only six songs by Hooker including an encore medley was shot on three cameras with creative flair for the time, including rhythmic camera switches, fisheye shots and dramatic zooms. The grainy footage gives us a glimpse back in time to a simpler era when outdoor festivals were more like a backyard party with the band playing on a flatbed truck with the amps cranked up and the crowd jumping and shouting for more. Hooker humbly takes the stage and performs the first four songs seated in a folding chair, slowly coaxing the band along with his Gibson guitar, signature sunglasses and soul man hat. Beginning with It Serves You Right To Suffer, and building to classics Boom Boom and Whiskey & Women, a mixture of heavy shuffle and stomping rock. Hooker then takes the mic in hand and steps up to lead the band in a frenetic and powerful Boogie Chilin, featuring the riff that ZZ top would later turn into La Grange. Hooker declares nothing but the best, and later for the rest, then improvises lines from a half dozen other songs over the relentless pulse of the band. Sadly the band is not credited anywhere on the film and we are left only to guess who these early monsters shredders were. What this footage lacks in audio and video quality is made up for with ability for us to see such a seminal performer at a time when he was influencing would-be superstars worldwide with his sheer presence and personification of cool. Rick J. Bowen

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Dave Fields Detonation Field of Roses Records

Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramp Come On Home Jesi Lu Records Even though she mainly plays piano Teresa James has certainly taken many of her moves from the Bonnie Raitt playbook for her new album Come On Home. The immaculately produced album features a mix of blues, soul, boogie and Cajun spiced funk delivered by a wide array of players including monster drummer Herman Mathews, the Mingo Fishtrap Horns and her own rhythm Tramps all under the keen direction of bassist/writer and producer Terry Wilson. All the songs are a living tribute to classic rhythm and blues with standout tracks such as the greasy funk of the title track and the blazing duet If I Cant Have You, that pairs James with Mike Finnegan on the Etta James standard. The barrelhouse boogie Long Way from Texas, is an instant sing along favorite that shows off James piano chops. You can taste the gumbo with the accordion and second line drums providing the Rue for the authentic swamp funk of Voodoo Doll, with James delivering some saucy vocals. James testifies to the rigors of life on the gospel infused ballad Carry That Burden, and lets the fire of a woman scorned rip it up on the horn fueled rock house I Can Do Better. Come On Home will no doubt become a milestone album for veteran blues woman Teresa James who has paid her dues and deserves her moment to shine. Rick J Bowen

With the release of his third album Detonation, veteran New York guitarist Dave Fields is set to launch his career in the realm of other blues rock luminaries like Eric Clapton, Johnny Lang, and Joe Bonamassa. The strong twelve track disc was produced by Grammy winning producer David Z, who is one of Princes main men so you knew the sound would be fat and funky. Make no mistake this indie record has a radio ready commercial blues based rock sound. The songs are full of hot guitar licks and catchy hooks and even though the lyrics may lean on the cornball side Fields gritty tenor and conviction sell the goods. What is most refreshing is the overall band sound to the album as David Z recorded Fields and his band live in studio so you feel the energy of this top notch outfit without the studio trickery so prevalent today. The album title comes from the strong opening track Addicted To Your Fire, that could have come out of Journeys Late 80s playbook. The guest appearance from blues legend Joe Lewis Walker trades licks with Fields on the low down dirty blues Doin Hard Time, is a real treat. Two other strong tracks are the swinging ode to social consciousness Better Be Good, and the epic instrumental Lydia, that shows Fields channeling Hendrix and SRV. Rick J. Bowen

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Blues Reviews

Make sure you check them out at wablues.org for all the Blues you can use.

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Where Does a Blues Artist Come From?

By Arlin Harmon Photos by Blues Boss band to go hear. Then, I had to come up with some scheme to get in. Since most of the potential blues artists either didnt have the money for a ticket, or were under age, just getting in was a big deal! Then, once in, you had to beg them to let you play a song, or sit in. If you were good enough, you might have been invited to come back and play again. If not, you were out, back to square one, practice what youre playing more. Youd have to repeat the process until you find someone who liked you, or just keep trying till you run out of enthusiasm and simply give up. How we got around this Ill never know, but we did. I started playing with a band at the ripe old age of 12, and soon became friends with all kinds of clues players around the Fort Worth area. We were just a band of kids, friends with a common cause: to play the blues. We got in most of the bars without any trouble, and learned from the best, with on the job training. Some of us are still playing today, but some gave up. But at least we had a chance to be part of this thing called the blues; something still possible with a few restrictions. Id like to answer some questions that many young bluesmen and blueswomen have asked over the years. So what can the blues player/singer do today to perfect his or her skills? YouTube is certainly one avenue, but for players and singers, nothing can match playing in a live performance! How can a young player/singer become all they can be, to build confidence and polish their skills in the world of the blues? By playing jam sessions. Jam sessions have progressed over the years into one of the best tools to learn how to become a blues artist. Jam sessions are really incubators for blues talent. Heres how they work. First you need a place to host the jam. These pictures were taken at Dawsons in Tacoma. You can find a list of clubs that support blues in the Bluesletter. In addition to checking out the blues jams listed in the jam listing in the Bluesletter, just pick one of the other clubs, call them, and ask if they have a jam session. They usually take place all over the Pacific Northwest on Sundays through Thursdays.

A Blues Jam!

CD Release Party: Dont Blame

the Dynamite If You Cant Light the Fuse

RJ Knapp and Honey Robin enjoyed a successful CD release party at Cyndys Broiler up in Stanwood, where the owners Tom and Jenny Grennan were the perfect hosts on Friday night, December 7, 2012. The band was honored with a number of special guests that stopped by, including Mary McPage, Sean Denton, Jim McGlaughlin, Dennis Hacker, Bruce Rhodes, John and Pauline Gumbinger, Katy Miller, Alan Edwards, so many other wonderful people. The evening was a lot of fun, lots of dancing, some hot prizes in keeping with the TNT/ DYNAMITE theme, and there were more than a few special decorations complete with 5 tall sticks of dynamite on either side of their huge, professional stage. And then, just to keep things interesting, the band invented three original shots that people could order: The Blasting Cap, The DYNAMITE, and The Honey Robin, and these adult beverages were simply yummy! Cyndys owner, Tom, liked them so much, he is going to offer them again at their Thursday night blues jam. RJ Knapp and Honey Robin just received recognition as one of the top 5 Coolest Release Titles from Blues411 and Annual Jimi Awards for 2012. They were #12 on the Roots Music Report, Washington: Roots Radio air play for week of December 7th, and number #5 for the week of Nov 24th. On AirPlayDirect.com, RJ and Honey were ranked in the top 50 blues albums on that site as of December 4, 2012. Blues writer Chris Spector, from the Midwest Record in Lake Zurich, Illinois considers Dont Blame the Dynamite If You Cant Light the Fuse a success! Dont tell this old white guy in Seattle he dont have the blues. Hell round up a

bunch of his biker buddies and show you who has the blues. A power blues show band relying heavily on originals, this bunch is a gasser that really know how to being the electric, amped up bluz (their word). No fair, Knapp probably bugged my phone and knew in advance Id be partial to a record with a song called SOMFB. This bunch will get your blood flowing and keep you up all night. Once again we find the future of the blues is in good hands. Hot stuff. RJ Knapp and Honey Robin understand what it is to engage and entertain an audience from beginning to end, says Randy Oxford. Not only have I seen them start their show by entering a Festival on their Harleys, but they tend to open every show with a unique entrance. Their ability to follow up with a great show is what separates them from most. They are a class act, a very entertaining show full of original music and fun and they are a must see show.

CD Review RJ Knapp & Honey Robin Dont Blame the Dynamite If You Cant Light the Fuse! (Critical Sun Recordings) I first discovered local bluesman RJ Blues Master Knapp when his 21st Century Bluzmen competed in the fourth semifinals of the Washington Blues Societys International Blues Competition at the Oxford Saloon in Snohomish, Washington in 2011. I was impressed by the way he powered through an original set that tilted heavily toward blues rock, and I could tell that his influences ranged from Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath to Popa Chubby.

RJs set featured high energy, plugged-in, and wonderfully over-the-top guitar histrionics thanks to the Blues Master. If you enjoy full-throttle blues powered by solid electric guitar, youll enjoy Dont Blame the Dynamite If You Cant Light the Fuse. The straight-ahead country blues on If the Bluz Was Money relies on the spot-on rock steady beat from the considerably talented engine room of Rick Dr. Demo Bowen and Rob Powder Monkey Baker on bass, punctuated by the Blues Masters fluid slide work. Hole in My Heart gives RJ a chance to stretch with some opening, low-key licks that frame Honey Robins sultry vocals, and his inspired noodling up and down the fretboard shows that, as a guitar player, hes much more than a three-chord power player. RJs been around the Seattle blues scene since the early 80s, and hes earned the nickname Mr. Bluz by paying his dues in Pioneer Square clubs. RJs inventive songwriting and innovative guitar playing are front and center on this CD. Since that International Blues Competition at the now-closed Oxford Saloon in downtown Snohomish, RJ and his band have played at the Big Sky Blues Festival in Noxon, Montana, and returned to the Blues to Benefit the Brave benefit held in Snohomish County in 2011 and 2012. I hope that this CD will get RJ, Honey Robin, Rick, and Rob more attention and more gigs throughout the Pacific Northwest. Their CD release party was held on December 7th at Cyndys Broiler in Stanwood, Washington, and I hope that we can feature the magic of that night in a future Washington Blues Society Bluesletter. RJ and Honey Robin stream the CD online (for free!) at www.rjknapp.com/ blog/: after you check out the 15 (yes, 15!) cuts on the CD, please tell your favorite blues club that this Bothell, Washington-based blues outfit can really put on a show! Eric Steiner

Ever wonder where blues players come from? There are lots of opinions on this subject. I know when I first started listening to the blues; I thought to play the blues you had to be from Texas. I later learned that wasnt true, as more and more great blues artists started popping up all over the country. But, to get started, most of them did the same things: they listened to blues radio stations that were really scarce at the time. I mean, it took a special effort just to find one of those stations. The one in the Dallas, Fort Worth area where I grew up was broadcasting from Del Rio, Texas. Thats way down by El Paso, some 400 plus miles away from Dallas. The disc jockey was called The Wolf Man and he had his antenna turned up full blast. Some of these stations reached out way past their coverage area, playing great blues music all night long. The same music was being played by a few other blues stations around the country, and had a listening audience of players that would one day become blues musicians themselves. You might imagine what blues music had to go through to be recognized. First of all, most of it was played at night, on those forbidden and often low-powered radio stations in traditional African-American communities. Remember, were talking a long time ago somewhere in the early 50s. Blacks and whites were segregated. Black blues artists with hit records, were stars of the black community, but not the white community! Still, players and singers started to emerge, and all kinds of people started listening, as they learned what blues music had to offer. Carrying the message were Gospel singers and musicians, country and western singers and musicians, and finally, rock and roll singers and musicians, all of them playing the blues with the emotions they felt. I can tell you from my own experience how learned to play the blues. First, after listening to the radio, I had to find a blues

Check one out. You will be glad you did. For the first hour, you will be entertained by a professional host band, like Tim Hall at Dawsons in Tacoma. In the second set, guest musicians and singers are called up to sit in. Some of these are long time, well-known musicians from the area. Some are brand new players just getting started, and some are underage with great potential, but they are anxious to have a chance to show what they got. And the best part, they can, and its legal. These young players can be in the club that has a food license, (with some restrictions). By the way, all players and singers are run through an audition of sorts just to be sure they are ready to perform. After their performance, the crowd and house bands reaction lets them know how they did, and how they can improve. The jam sessions are helping the blues stay alive. As a fan, you can see some of the great players of the future, and be entertained by some of the great players of the present. Jam sessions also help create business for the clubs, and for musicians hosting the jams. Most of the jams start early, so you wont be out late on a work night. Best of all, when you attend or participate in a jam session, you will be supporting live music, and a place to perform it. Think of the great memories you will have after seeing some great future blues artist perform, long before they became famous. And of course, dont forget the great players that have been around for a while. Some of the best musicians and singers in the country are from the greater Seattle area, and by going out to clubs supporting these jam sessions, you will discover new places to go, and most offer great food and dancing. You might even start a fan club for your favorite artists, and help them climb the ladder to blues success. Remember those young friends I had when I first started in Fort Worth, Texas? One of them is Delbert McClinton. Yes, that Delbert McClinton. Now, just think of how cool those days are for me to remember! Help support your own rising star. You can find one at a jam session! They have a lot to offer for the performers and the audience. Ill see you there!

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Calendar
January 1 - Tuesday Elks Ballroom, Port Angeles: Soulshaker Blues Band New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet January 2 - Wednesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Rod Cook & Toast, 7pm 88 Keys: Blues on Tap, 8pm Jazz Alley: Pearl Django w/ SpecialGuest Vocalist Connie Evingson New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm Royal Lounge, Olympia: Fishtrap, 7:30pm January 3 - Thursday Bakes Place: Patrica Lee Allen, 8:30pm Jazz Alley: Pearl Django w/ SpecialGuest Vocalist Connie Evingson New Orleans: Selbred/Jackson Salmon Bay Eagles: acoustic guitars, Jack Cook & Mick Knight Two Twelve on Central, Kirkland: Annie Eastwood w/guitarist Bill Chism, 8pm January 4 - Friday Bakes Place: Patrica Lee Allen, 8:30pm Conway Muse, Conway: Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, 7:30pm Jazz Alley: Pearl Django w/ SpecialGuest Vocalist Connie Evingson Highway 99: Brian Lee & the Orbiters, 8pm New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Sliders Cafe, Carnation: Eric Madis & Blue Madness, 7:30pm Sonny Newmans Dance Hall, Greenwood: Stickshift Annie w/the Fugitives & Brian Kent, 8:30pm Yuppie Tavern, Kirkland: Nick Vigarino, 8:30pm January 5 - Saturday Engels Pub, Edmonds: Moon Daddy Band Highway 99: T-Town Aces H2o, Anacortes: Nick Vigarino Repp, Snohomish: Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, 7pm Rockfish Grill: John Carswell & Blues Union Salmon Bay Eagles: Jimmy Free & Friends Vern Burton, Port Angeles: Soulshaker Blues Band, 6pm January 6 - Sunday January 7- Monday 88 Keys, Pioneer Square, Blues To Do TV: Billy Spaulding January 8 - Tuesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Hans Brehmer Trio, 7pm Jazz Alley: Vicci Martinez New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm Red Crane, Shoreline: WBS Blues Bash Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, then Sammy Eubanks, 7pm Royal Lounge,Olympia: John Scooch Cugno & the 88s,7:30pm January 9 - Wednesday Bakes Place: Rod Cook & Toast, 7pm 88 Keys: Blues on Tap, 8pm Highway 99: Richard Allen & the Louisiana Experience Jazz Alley: Vicci Martinez New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/ Clarence Acox, 8pm Rockfish Grill: Stilly River Band January 10 - Thursday Highway 99: Timmons Wall band New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Dr. Z & the MDs Top Shelf Broiler, Kirkland: Brian Lee @ Dennis Chester Jones Jam, 8pm January 11 - Friday Highway 99: James King & the Southsiders Match Coffee & Wine, Duvall: Annie Eastwood, Kimball Conant, Larry Hill Fugitives Trio, 7:30pm New Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas Marriott Rockfish Grill: Chris Stevens and the Surf Monkeys Triple Door: Left Hand Smoke CD Release party January 12 - Saturday Highway 99: Franco Paletta & the Stingers w/ Steve Kerin Prohibition Grille, Everett : Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, 8pm January 13 - Sunday Pony Keg, Kent: Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely January 14 - Monday 88 Keys, Pioneer Square, Blues To Do TV: Tess Guerzon New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet January 15 - Tuesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Hans Brehmer Trio, 7pm New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm January 16 - Wednesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Rod Cook & Toast, 7pm 88 Keys: Blues on Tap, 8pm Highway 99: John Scooch Cugno & the 88s New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm Royal Lounge, Olympia: Blues County Sheriff, 7:30pm January 17 - Thursday Bakes Place: Patrica Lee Allen, 8:30pm Highway 99: Hot Rod Holmans Blues band New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: the Mark Whitman Band, Salmon Bay Anniversary, celebrating 23 years of the Blues, woo-who! Two Twelve on Central, Kirkland: Annie Eastwood with guitarist Bill Chism, 8pm January 18 - Friday Bakes Place: Patrica Lee Allen, 8:30pm Dawsons, Tacoma: Steve Cooley & the Dangerfields Elliot Bay Pizza, Mill Creek: Annie Eastwood w/guitarist Bill Chism, 7pm Highway 99: Hamilton Loomis Jazz Alley: Ricki Lee Jones Raging River Caf, Fall City: Stacy Jones Band Top Shelf Broiler, Kirkland: Brian Lee & the Orbiters January 19 - Saturday Brother Dons, Bremerton: Bill Brown & the Kingbees, 8:30pm Club Crow, Cashmere: Blues Cousins, 8:30pm Conway Muse, Conway: Mia Vermillion & Kevin Sutton Duo, 7:30pm Highway 99: Bump Kitchen Jazz Alley: Ricki Lee Jones Jet Bar, Mill Creek: Stacy Jones Band w/ Red House Port Gardner Winery, Everett: Annie Eastwood with guitarist Bill Chism, 6pm Rockfish Grill: Bobby Holland & the Breadline Salmon Bay Eagles: Smokin Js January 20 - Sunday Highway 99: Blues Cousins, w/openers Fat James & Fatback, 7pm Jazz Alley: Ricki Lee Jones

Blues

January 21 - Monday 88 Keys, Pioneer Square, Blues To Do TV: Jerry Miller Rec Room, Everett: Blues Cousins, w/special guest. IBC benefit & LIVE radio broadcast of Mighty Mouth Blues on NWCZ , 8pm Mr. Villa, Lake City: Annie Eastwood, Kimball Conant, Larry Hill - Fugitives Trio, 7pm January 22 - Tuesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Hans Brehmer Trio, 7pm Jazz Alley: Davina & the Vagabonds New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm January 23 - Wednesday Bakes Place: Rod Cook & Toast, 7pm 88 Keys: Blues on Tap, 8pm Engels Pub: Gin Creek Highway 99: Little Ray & the Uppercuts Jazz Alley: Davina & the Vagabonds New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/ Clarence Acox, 8pm Pike Place Bar & Grill at the Market: Stickshift Annie w/Fugitives Kimball, Larry, John, 6pm Royal Lounge, Olympia: Alice Stuart, 7:30pm January 24 - Thursday Highway 99: Monster Road Jazz Alley: Kenny G New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Kid Quagmire January 25 - Friday Jazz Alley: Kenny G Rockfish Grill: From Russia, Blues Cousins White Center Eagles, Norm Bellas & his Big Organ Trio, 8:30pm

January 26 - Saturday Dusty Strings, Seattle: Eric Madis American Swing Guitar Workshop, 10:30am Dusty Strings, Seattle: Eric Madis Swinging the Blues Guitar Workshop, 1:30pm Highway 99: Curley Taylor & the Zydeco Trouble Jazz Alley: Kenny G Pony Keg, Kent: Stacy Jones Band Scotch & Vine, Des Moines: Brian Lee Trio, 7pm Stongate Pizza & Rum Bar: Blues Cousins, S.Tacoma Way, 8pm January 27 - Sunday Jazz Alley: Kenny G Yuppie Tavern, Kirkland: Brian Lee w / Tommy Wall Trio January 28 - Monday 88 Keys, Blues To Do TV: Blues Cousins & the Boneyard Preachers New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet January 29 - Tuesday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Hans Brehmer Trio, 7pm Jazz Alley: John Lee Hooker Jr. New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm January 30 - Wednesday Bakes Place: Rod Cook & Toast, 7pm 88 Keys, Blues on Tap, 8pm Highway 99: Gin Creek Jazz Alley: John Lee Hooker Jr. Madison Avenue Pub, Everett: Annie Eastwood & Kimball Conant blues jam guests, 7:30pm New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/ Clarence Acox, 8pm Royal Lounge, Olympia: John Scooch Cugno & the 88s, 7:30pm

January 31 - Thursday Bakes Place: Patrica Lee Allen, 8:30pm Highway 99: 3 Guitars, Chris Stevens, Rod Cook & Brian Butler Jazz Alley: Dr. John Salmon Bay Eagles: Two Scoops Moore

Feb
February 1 - Friday Highway 99: Curtis Hammond band Jazz Alley: Dr. John Rockfish Grill: Badd Dog Blues Society February 2 - Saturday Highway 99: Rick Estrin & the Nightcats Jazz Alley: Dr. John Rockfish Grill: Boneyard Preachers February 3 - Sunday Jazz Alley: Dr. John Johnnys Dock: Steve Cooley & the Dangerfields February 4 - Monday Jazz Alley: Dr. John

attention all music people:

If you would like to add your music schedule to our calendar please send it to: wbscalendar@yahoo.com It is greatly preferred to be sent in this format: (Arial, 8pt). date - venue, city(if other than Seattle): band name, time(if other than 9pm) please no bold or Caps. thank you, your calendar girl, Maridel

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Blues on the Radio Dial

PLEASE SEND ANY RADIO UPDATES TO CALENDAR@WABLUES.ORG

Venue Guide
KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: Blues For Breakfast 8:00AM - 10:00AM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Jerry Drummond KSER 90.7FM Everett: Audio Indigo 7:00PM - 9:00 PM www.kser.org - DJ, Robin K KPBX 91.1FM Spokane: Blues Kitchen 10:00PM - 12:00AM www.kpbx.org - DJ, Tina Bjorklund KZPH 106.7FM Wenatachee: The Blues 11:00PM - 12:00AM www.therock1067.com - DJ, Dave Keefe KSER 90.7FM Everett: Blues Odessey 9:00PM - 11:00pM www.kser.org - DJ, Leslie Fleury KEXP 90.3 Seattle Preaching the Blues with Johny Horn Sunday Mornings 9am to Noon KYRS 92.3 FM, KYRS.org Blues Now and Then 6-8 PM. DJ, Patrick Henry and Jumpin Jerry. KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler KWCW 90.5FM Walla Walla: Blues Therapy 7:00PM - 9:00PM www.kwcw.net - DJ, Biggdaddy Ray Hansen and Armand The Doctor Parada KKZX 98.9FM Spokane: Blowtorch Blues 7:00PM - 10:00PM www.kkzx.com - DJ, Ted Todd Brion Foster. KSER 90.7FM Everett: The Juke Joint 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kser.org - DJ, Jon Noe

Washington Blues Society

Monday

KUGS 89.3FM Bellingham: Highway 61 8:00AM - 10:00AM www.kugs.org - DJ, Chalkie McStevenson KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: Blues On Rye 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Val Vaughn Mighty Mouth Blues on NWCZ Radio - www.nwczradio.com Monday 8:00-11:00PM Pacific Northwest Convergence Zone Online Radio: NWCZradio.com: Dave Samsons BluesShow 7:00pm - 10:00PM

Saturday

Tuesday

KBCS 91.3FM Bellevue: Eh Toi! 11:00PM - 1:00AM www.kbcs.fm - DJ, DJ Marte

Wednesday

KEXP 90.3FM Seattle: The Roadhouse 6:00PM to 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Greg Vandy KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: The Blue Boulevard 8:00PM - 10:00PM www.mail@ksvr.org - DJ, Jackson Stewart KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: The Blues Note with Janice 10:00PM - 12:00AM www.janice@ksvr.org - DJ, Janice Gage

Sunday

Thursday

KSER 90.7FM Everett: Clancys Bar and Grill 8:30PM - 10:30PM www.kser.org - DJ, Clancy Dunigan

Friday

KEXP 90.3FM Seattle: Shack The Shack 6:00PM - 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Leon Berman

Washington Blues Society

Sundays

Blarney Stone Pub and Restaurant (206) 448-8439 China Harbor Restaurant (206) 286-1688 Dimitrious Jazz Alley (206) 441-9729 x210 EMP Liquid Lounge (206) 770-2777 EMP Sky Church (206) 770-2777 Fiddlers Inn (206) 525-0752 Bellingham, Anacortes, Whidbey Island, etc Grinders (206) 542-0627 China Beach Langley (360) 530-8888 Highliner Pub (206) 283-2233 Just Moes Sedro Woolley (360) 855-2997 Highway 99 Club (206) 382-2171 LaConner Tavern LaConner (360) 466-9932 J & M Cafe (206) 467-2666 Little Roadside Tavern Everson (360) 592-5107 Lock & Keel (206) 781-8023 Old Edison Inn Edison (360) 766-6266 Maple Leaf Grill (206) 523-8449 Rockfish Grill Anacortes (360) 588-1720 Mr. Villa (206) 517-5660 Stump Bar & Grill Arlington (360) 653-6774 New Orleans (206) 622-2563 Watertown Pub Anacortes (360) 293-3587 Paragon (206) 283-4548 Wild Buffalo Bellingham (360) 312-3684 Pike Place Bar and Grill (206) 624-1365 Viking Bar and Grill Stanwood (360) 629-9285 The Rimrock Steak House (206) 362-7979 Salmon Bay Eagles (206) 783-7791 St. Clouds (206) 726-1522 Third Place Commons, Lake Forest Park (206) 366-3333 Triangle Tavern (206) 763.0714 Bellevue, Kirkland, etc. Tractor Tavern (206) 789-3599 Bakes Place - Bellevue (425) 454-2776 Triple Door (206) 838-4333 Central Club Kirkland (425) 827-8808 Crossroads Shopping Center Bellevue (425) 644-1111 Damans Pub Redmond Forecasters Woodinville (425) 483-3212 Raging River Caf & Club Fall City (425) 222-6669 BBQ & Blues Clarkston (509) 758-1227 RockinM BBQ, Golf Range & Lounge - Everett (425.438.2843) Breadline Caf Omak (509) 826-5836 Time Out Sports Bar Kirkland (425) 822-8511 Club Crow Cashmere (509) 782-3001 Vino Bella Issaquah (425) 391-1424 CrossRoads Steakhouse Walla Walla (509) 522-1200 Wild Vine Bistro, Bothell (425) 877-1334 Ice Harbor Brewing Co - Kennewick (509) 582-5340 Wilde Rover Kirkland (425) 822-8940 Lakeys Grill Pullman (509) 332-6622 Valhalla Bar & Grill, Kirkland (425) 827 3336 Main Street Tavern Omak (509) 826-2247 Yuppie Tavern - Kirkland (425) 814-5200 Peters Inn Packwood (360) 494-4000 Pine Springs Resort - Goldendate (509-773-4434 Rams Ripple Moses Lake (509) 765-3942 Rattlesnake Brewery Richland (509) 783-5747

Seattle

Clearwater Casino Suquamish (360) 598-6889 Destiny Seafood & Grill Port Angeles (360) 452-4665 Halftime Saloon Gig Harbor (253) 853-1456 Junction Tavern Port Angeles (360) 452-9880 Little Creek Casino Shelton (360) 427-7711 Seven Cedars Casino Sequim (360) 683-7777 Sirens Port Townsend (360) 379-1100 Upstage Port Townsend (360) 385-2216

Peninsula

Al Lago, Lake Tapps (253) 863-8636 2 Wheel Blues Club Tacoma Barnacles Restaurant, Des Moines (206) 878-5000 The Barrel Burien (206) 244-7390

Tacoma, Burien, Federal Way, etc

South Sound

CCs Lounge, Burien (206) 242-0977

North Sound

Capitol Theater/Olympia Film Society (360) 754-3635 Cascade Tavern Vancouver (360) 254-0749 Charlies Olympia (360) 786-8181 Cliff House Restaurant Tacoma (253) 927-0400 Destination Harley Davidson Fife (253) 922-3700 Blues Vespers at Immanuel Presbyterian (253) 627-8371 Jazzbones in Tacoma (253) 396-9169 (The) Junction Sports Bar, Centralia (360) 273-7586 Lighthouse Des Moines (206) 824-4863 Maggie OTooles Lakewood (253) 584-3278 Magnolia Caf Poulsbo (360) 697-1447 Mint Alehouse Enumclaw (360) 825-8361 Pats Bar & Grill Kent (253) 852-7287 Pick & Shovel Wilkeson (360) 829-6574 The Pony Keg - Kent (253) 395-8022 Riverside Pub, Sumner (253) 863-8369 Silver Dollar Pub Spanaway (253) 531-4469 The Spar Tacoma (253) 627-8215 The Swiss Tacoma (253) 572-2821 Tugboat Annies Olympia (360) 943-1850 Uncle Sams Bar & Grill - Spanaway (253) 507-7808 Wurlitzer Manor Gig Harbor (253) 858-1749

Eastside

Central & Eastern

Anchor Pub Everett (425) 252-2288 Balefire Everett (425) 374-7248 Bubbas Roadhouse Sultan, (360) 793-3950 Canoes Cabaret Tulalip (888) 272-1111 The Conway Muse in Conway (360) 445-3000 Demetris Woodstone Taverna, Edmonds (425) 744-9999 Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse Mukilteo (425) 355-4488 Engels Pub Edmonds (425) 778-2900 Historic Spar Tree Granite Falls (360) 691-6888 Madison Pub - Everett (425) 348-7402 Mardinis Snohomish (360) 568-8080 Mirkwood & Shire Caf Arlington (360) 403-9020 North Sound:Star Bar, Anacortes (360) 299-2120 ( Prohibition Grille, Everett (425) 258-6100 Stanwood Hotel & Saloon Stanwood (360) 629-2888 Stewarts Snohomish (360) 568-4684 Timberline Caf Granite Falls (360) 691-7011 Traceys Place Everett (425) 259-0811 Wicked Rack BBQ Everett (425) 334-3800

(Lynnwood, Everett, Edmonds, etc.):

North End

Blues Jams

Red Lion Hotel Wenatchee (Tomasz Cibicki 509-669-8200)

Tumwater Inn Restaurant and Lounge Leavenworth (509) 548-4232

Mondays

Alki Tavern: Jam hosted b y Manuel Morais Dawsons, Tacoma: Tim Hall Band, 7pm Castles, Sedro Wolley: Gary Bs Church of the Blues, 6-10pm Eastlake Zoo Tavern: Eastlake Zoo Social Club & Jam featuring the Seattle Houserockers, 7pm Pony Keg, Kent: Rafael Tranquilino Jam Raging River: Tommy Wall Silver Dollar: Big Nasty, 8pm Two Twelve, Kirkland: hosted by HeatherBBlues, 7pm

Caffe Mela, Wenatchee, 7pm (first Mon. of the month) 88 Keys, Pioneer Square: Star Drums & Lady Keys host Blue Monday Jam, 8pm JRs Hideway: Malcolm Clark, 8pm Opal Lounge, South Tacoma Way: Tim Hall, 8pm Oxford Saloon: All ages open jam, 7 - 11pm Ten Below: hosted by Underground Blues Jam, every 1st Monday of the month, Wenatchee

Wednesdays

Tuesdays

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Dawsons, Tacoma: hosted by Shelley & Jho, 8pm Elmer, Burien: hosted by Billy Shew Jan. 1 - Brian Lee J & M Cafe Jam: Pacific Rim Marysville Best Western: Mike Wright & the Blue Sharks, 7 - 11pm Snohomish Spirits & Sports: Sean Denton & friends Summit Pub: Tim Hall & the Realtimes, 7:30pm Wild Buffalo, Bellingham: hosted by Rick Baunach, 6:30 - 9:30pm

Charlies Olympia: Blues Attitude Damans Pub, 8 PM Dogghouse Tavern, Mt. Vernon Alan: Hatley Trio, 7pm Eddies Trackside Bar & Grill, Monroe: every 1st & 3rd Wed., 8pm 88 Keys, Pioneer Square: Blues on Tap, 8pm Half Time Saloon: Billy Shew & Billy Barner Locker Room, White Center: Michael Johnson & Lynn Sorensen, 8-12pm Madison Pub, Everett: hosted by Unbound w/special guests 7:30pm January 2 - Jon Case January 9 - Chris Eger January 16 - Scott E. Lind January 23 - Levan Lomidze from Russias Blues Cousins January 30 - Kimball Conant & Stickshift Annie Eastwood Salmon Bay Eagles: Broomdust presents Blues of the Past jam (1st Wed.), 8pm Yuppie Tavern, Kirkland (Totem Lake), HeatherBBlues Acoustic jam, 8pm

Thursdays

Bad Alberts: Invitational w/Annieville Blues Barrel Tavern: hosted by Tim Turner, 8pm Club Flight Nightclub: w/Cory Wilde, 9pm Conway Pub Dawsons, Tacoma: Billy Shew, 8 pm Eddies Trackside, Monroe: Tommy Cook, Patrick McDanel & Teri Anne Wilson, 8:30pm OCallahans: Tim Hall, 7pm Top Shelf (formerly Olive You), Kirkland: hosted by Chester Dennis, 8pm Jan. 10 - Brian Lee Oxford Saloon: Invitational Jam w/Steve Ater, 8pm

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A.H.L. (206) 935-4592 AlleyKattz (425) 273-4172 Annieville Blues (206) 994-9413 Author Unknown (206) 355-5952 Baby Gramps Trio (425) 483-2835 BackGround Noise (425) 931-8084 Back Porch Blues (425) 299-0468 Badd Dog Blues Society (360) 733-7464 Bare Roots (206) 818-8141 Billy Barner (253) 884-6308 Bay Street Blues Band (360) 731-1975 Norm Bellas & the Funkstars (206) 722-6551 Black River Blues (206) 396-1563 Blackstone Players (425) 327-0018 Blues Attitude (360) 701-6490 Blue 55 (206) 216-0554 Blue Healers (206) 440-7867 Blues on Tap: 206 618-6210 Blues To Do Monthly (206) 328-0662 Blues Playground (425) 359-3755 Blues Redemption http://www.bluesredemption.com Blues County Sheriff (206) 979-0666 Blues to Burn (253) 945-7441 Boneyard Preachers (206) 755-0766/ 206-547-1772 Bill Brown & the Kingbees 206-276-6600 Bump Kitchen (253) 223-4333, (360) 259-1545 Brian Butler Band (206) 361-9625 Charlie Butts & the Filtertips (509) 325-3016 Ellis Carter 206-935-3188 Malcolm Clark Band (253) 853-7749 Colonel (360) 293-7931 Kimball Conant & the Fugitives (206) 938-6096 Jack Cook & Phantoms of Soul (206) 517-5294 Rod Cook & Toast (206) 878-7910Z Coyote Blues (360) 420-2535 John Scooch Cugnos Delta 88 Revival (360) 352-3735 Daddy Treetops (206) 601-1769 Sean Denton Band (425)387-0620 Double Cookin (253) 945-7441 Double Scotts on the Rocks (206) 418-1180 Julie Duke Band 206-459-0860 Al Earick Band (253) 278-0330 Sammy Eubanks (509) 879-0340 Richard Evans (206) 799-4856 Fat Cat (425) 487-6139 Fat Tones (509) 869-0350 Kim Field & the Mighty Titans of Tone (206) 295-8306 Gary Frazier (206) 851-1169 Free Reign Blues Band (425) 823-3561 Fil Gumbo (425) 788-2776 Jimmy Frees Friends (206) 546-3733 Gin Creek (206) 588-1924 Paul Green (206)795-3694 Dennis Juxtamuse Hacker (425) 512-8111 Heather & the Nearly Homeless Blues Band (425)576-5673 Tim Hall Band (253) 857-8652 Curtis Hammond Band (206) 696-6134) Ryan Harder (253) 226-1230 Scotty Harris & Lissa Ramaglia/Bassic Sax (206) 418-1180 Terry Hartness (425) 931-5755 Ron Hendee (425) 280-3994 JD Hobson (206) 235-3234 Hot Rod Blues Revue (206)790-9934 Bobby Holland & the Breadline (425)681-5644 James Howard band (206) 250-7494 Raven Humphres (425) 308-3752 Hungry Dogs (425) 299-6435 Brian Hurst (360) 708-1653 K. G. Jackson & the Shakers (360) 896-4175

Talent Guide

Washington Blues Society

Jeff & the Jet City Fliers (206) 469-0363 Vaughn Jensen Band (509) 554-6914 Stacy Jones Band (206) 992-3285 Chester Dennis Jones (253)-797-8937 Harry The Man Joynes (360) 871-4438 Junkyard Jane (253) 238-7908 James King & the Southsiders (206) 715-6511 Virginia Klemens / Jerry Lee Davidson (206) 632-6130 Mick Knight (206) 373-1681 Bruce Koenigsberg / the Fabulous Roof Shakers (425) 766-7253 Kolvane (503) 804-7966 Lady A & the Baby Blues Funk Band (425) 518-9100 Brian Lee & the Orbiters www.brianleeorbiters.com Brian Lee Trio (206) 390-2408 Scott E. Lind (206) 789-8002 Little Bill & the Bluenotes (425) 774-7503 Dana Lupinacci Band (206) 860-4961 Eric Madis & Blue Madness (206) 362 8331 Bill Mattocks Band (206) 601-2615 Albritten McClain & Bridge of Souls (206) 650-8254 Brian Jelly Belly McGhee (253) 777-5972 Doug McGrew (206) 679-2655 Mary McPage Band (206) 850-4849 Miles from Chicago (206) 440-8016 Reggie Miles (360) 793-9577 Rob Moitoza / House of Reprehensibles (206) 768-2820 Moon Daddy Band (425) 923-9081 Jim Nardos Boogie Train Blues Band (360) 779-4300 Keith Nordquist (253) 639-3206 Randy Norris & the Full Degree (425) 239-3876 Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely (425) 239-3876/(425) 359-3755 Randy Oxford Band (253) 973-9024 Robert Patterson (509) 869-0350 Dick Powell Band (425) 742-4108 Bruce Ransom (206) 618-6210 Red Hot Blues Sisters (206) 940-2589 Mark Riley (206) 313-7849 Gunnar Roads (360) 828-1210 Greg Roberts (206) 473-0659 Roger Rogers Band (206) 255-6427 Maia Santell & House Blend (253) 983-7071 Sciaticats Band (206) 246-3105 Shadow Creek Project (360) 826-4068 Tim Sherman Band (206) 547-1772 Billy Shew Band (253) 514-3637 Doug Skoog (253) 921-7506 Smoke N Blues Allstars (253) 620-5737 Smokin Jays (425)746-8186 Son Jack Jr. (425) 591-3034 Soulshaker Blues Band (360) 4171145 Star Drums & Lady Keys (206) 522-2779 John Stephan Band (206) 244-0498 Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys (206) 236-0412 Stickshift Annie Eastwood (206) 522-4935 Alice Stuart & the Formerlys (360) 753-8949 Richard Sysinger (206) 412-8212 Annette Taborn (206) 679-4113 Dudley Taft (206)795-6509 Tahoma Tones (253)851-6559 Ten Second Tom (509) 954-4101 Tone Kings (425) 698-5841 Too Slim & the Taildraggers (425) 891-4487 Leanne Trevalyan (253)238-7908 Tim Turner Band (206) 271-5384 T-Town Aces (206)935-8985 Two Scoops Combo (206) 933-9566 Unbound (425)212-7608 Uncle Ted Barton (253) 627-0420

The Blues Foundation Honors: Keeping the Blues Alive Award

Recipients at February 2013 Awards Ceremony in Memphis
By Eric Steiner

The Blues Foundation will honor 15 individuals and organizations with its 2013 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards during a recognition luncheon Friday, February 1, 2013, in Memphis, Tennessee. Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the KBA Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to blues music. The KBA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 29th International Blues Challenge (IBC), which begins January 29 and features the final rounds of the worlds largest and most prestigious blues music competition, as well as seminars, showcases, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals. The KBAs are awarded on the basis of merit by a select panel of blues professionals to those working to actively promote and document the music. This year, the KBA Committee was thoroughly pleased with the quality of the nominees submitted for consideration, notes committee chair Art Tipaldi, editor of Blues Revue. The fifteen recipients represent an outstanding cross-section of blues boosters. We are pleased to honor these people and organizations as a tribute to the years each has given to supporting the blues. The 2013 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards recipients are: Affiliate Colorado Blues Society Art Stan Street, Clarksdale, Mississippi Club Boulder Outlook Hotel, Boulder, Colorado Education Nat Dove, Bakersfield, California Festival: International Festival International du Blues De Tremblant, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Festival: U.S. Mount Baker Rhythm And Blues Festival, Bellingham, Washington Historical Shelley Ritter, Clarksdale, Mississippi International Vicente Zumel, Barcelona, Spain Journalism Bob Margolin, High Point, North Carolina Literature I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy by Bob Riesman, Chicago, Illinois Manager Marty Salzman, Chicago, Illinois Print Media Blues News, Oslo, Norway Radio: Commercial Gil Anthony, Dothan, Alabama Radio: Public Scott Mullins, Baltimore, Maryland Record Label Telarc, Cleveland, Ohio The following listing that honors the Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival is from the Blues Foundation announcement that is available online at www. blues.org: Festival: U.S. Mount Baker Rhythm And Blues Festival, Bellingham, Washington. Since 1995, this festival has been a major stop in the northwest corner of Washington for world-class blues acts and adoring fans. For the first decade, the festival was held on a private Christmas tree farm. After ten years of growth, the festival moved to the 180 acre Deming Log Show Fairgrounds and instantly created the vibe that is still evident today. Nearly every major blues act, including Pinetop Perkins, Johnny Winter, Hubert Sumlin, Curtis Salgado, Janiva Magness, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop and many, many others have excited these Northwest crowds. In addition to providing music to its community, the festival has also raised and donated over $70,000 to aid those in need in the community.

Tickets to the KBA ceremony are available online at www.blues.org or by calling 901.527.2583. The IBC weekend, commencing Tuesday, January 29, 2013, is sponsored in significant part by ArtsMemphis, Beale Street Merchants Association, Budweiser of Memphis, FedEx, First Tennessee Foundation, Gibson Guitars, Lee Oskar Harmonicas, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tennessee Arts Commission, and VividPix & Design. Media sponsors include Beale Street Caravan, Big City Rhythm and Blues, Blues Festival Guide, Blues Revue, Downtowner, House of Blues Radio Hour, Living Blues, Memphis Flyer, Music on the Couch, and Sirius XM Satellite Radios B.B. Kings Bluesville. The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renowned as THE organization dedicated to preserving our blues music history, celebrating recording and performance excellence, supporting blues education, and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form. Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has 4,500 individual members and 200 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world. Its signature honors and events--the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International Blues Challenge, and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards--make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance, while its Sound Healthcare program offers musicians health insurance access. Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues scholarships expose new generations to blues music. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the worldwide blues community with answers, contact information, and news.

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My Seattle friends Blues Boss and Mark Riley are truly remarkable No sooner had I hinted I might visit Washington State than they started plotting, and within hours of confirming dates, Blues Boss came back with an extensive itinerary of gigs and jams. I got the feeling my time was not going to be my own that week - and so it proved I landed at SeaTac at about 8 PM on the Saturday and, within an hour was on stage with a band (having been awake for something like 23 hours!) The venue was the Pony Keg, in Kent, the band, the Rod Cook Trio. Id heard a lot about Rod, so the chance to hear him play was one to relish truly a player whose reputation goes before him, a rep thats 100% justified, I can now say. However, these tremendous musicians must have wondered about the bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived fool theyd invited on stage I have very little idea what I played, but the band were incredibly gracious cheers, chaps! By the time my head hit the pillow, I went out like a light, Sunday dawning later for me than for many citizens of the Emerald City, I suspect! Not that there was time to loiter. Blues Boss dropped me at the Experience Music Project to check out an exhibition about Hendrix in London, a collection of photos and memorabilia. I was especially thrilled to find a showbill for a tour Jimi did with the Walker Brothers, including a show just 20 miles from my Essex home! Then it was off to Tacoma for four gigs, three with me sitting in. First, we visited the Swiss Tavern for the opening of the Care Enough to Sing the Blues Hurricane Sandy benefit. The Dean Reichert Band had the unenviable task of opening, but did so superbly well. We then headed for Blues Vespers at the Reverend Dave Browns Immanuel Presbyterian. Church, in Tacoma. A packed congregation enjoyed Daves Eighth Annual Harmonica Showcase, featuring three fine players, Paul Green, Steve Bailey and Stacy Jones, backed by the T-Town

A Brits Visit to
Aces - Tommy Boyle on guitar, Al Cantey on bass and David Hudson on drums. (The posters also promised a special guest appearance by some guy from England!).

by Tim Aves Photos by Blues Boss

SEATTLE

I particularly enjoyed the T-Town Aces, who have a feel reminiscent of the Fabulous Thunderbirds in their Jimmie Vaughan heyday. It was a pleasure to jam an old Wolf tune with them and to be so well received by the audience. No sooner had the final notes died than we were off again, this time to catch Mark Riley and Blues Redemption at Johnnys Dock Restaurant, and accept another invitation to sit in with yet another excellent band. Finally, it was back to the Pony Keg to hear Teri Wilson, Patrick McDanel and Richard Sabol, the ubiquitous Mr Riley and me sitting in - my third performance that day and my fourth within 24 hours of landing Stateside! Mondays main event was another highlight, a ride north to Everett to catch the Sammy Eubanks Band at Chip Butters REC Room, a really neat venue. The basement setting is perfect - black walls, rugs on the floor and loads of leather couches. Its also ideal for broadcasting live gigs such as tonights, hosted by Jonathan Oogie Richards and Sweet Danny Rays Mighty Mouth Blues Internet Radio Show. The premise other than a chance to pitch a mighty fine Wang Dang Doodle was as a Washington Blues Society-sponsored fundraiser to send Sammy Eubanks and his band to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. The band fetched up in Everett at the end of a twoweek road trip, which had taken them all the way to Arizona and back, gigging every night. To their credit, Sammy, with Dale Lewis on bass, and Michael Hays on drums/vocals, fired up as if it was the first night of the tour, not the last. It was great to chat on-air with Oogie about my visit, my radio show and my band, Tim Aves & WOLFPACK, but my night was complete when Sammy invited me and Mark Riley up

to jam. Much mayhem and more than a little magic ensued. At one point Im hazy how it happened three of us wound up playing the same guitar! Yepit was that kind of night - one I wont forget in a hurry! Thankfully, Tuesday was a rest day, with just two events. First came what my host, Mr Riley, calls the Guitar Parade a tour of his superb collection of instruments. What a pleasure it to see and play so many fine guitars, many of them R&Bs, built by Mark himself. In the evening we went to watch Taj Mahal at Jazz Alley in Seattle. Ive long been a Taj fan, but had never seen him play live, something the Washington Blues Societys Eric Steiner arranged to remedy. Whenever Taj comes to London, he has a full band and plays sizeable venues, so it was an extra treat to see him in such an intimate setting, with just bass and drums. A truly magical night. My last day brought me full circle, as Blues Boss pointed out, playing at a jam run by Heather Banker, the first person to invite me to play on my previous visit to Washington State. These days, Heathers acoustic jam is at the Yuppie Tavern, in Totem Lake in Kirkland. I jammed with the estimable Mr. Riley I even played a little guitar - as well as blowing harp and singing, while John Leland played bass. There was also a welcome chance to catch up with my pal Son Jack, Jr, who played on my radio show during a visit to relatives in the United Kingdom a few years ago. Great fun! So ended a frantic, but enjoyable five days - my second visit to Washington State, but not, I sincerely hope, my last. In fact, as I write, we are talking 2013and trying to find a way to get me and the rest of the WOLFPACK guys over to play Now wouldnt THAT be a blast? Editors Note Tim Aves and the Blues Boss met over The Blindmans Blues Forum (an international blues forum on the Internet). Tim is a blues DJ/ singer/songwriter/guitarist/harpster with a penchant for Howlin Wolf.

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by Robert Horn

Some invasions are a little different than others. Invasions between countries like Germany and the former Soviet Union (and Russia) had a much different experience with invading armies over the centuries than in historic towns in Washington State who have just been invaded by the Washington Blues Society (instead of armies). There was no burning and looting in Snohomish, but there was a lot of money spent on beer and food, and there were a lot of smiles on the faces of the invaders and the local populace. Invaders throwing money around was welcomed by locals in Stewarts, the host of the 2012 Snohomish Blues Invasion. I told the bar tender they were undercharging, because I would gladly pay $5 instead of $4 for a 16 ounce glass of Redhook ESB. The 2012 Snohomish Blues Invasion had a purpose. Two bands were picked by blues fans throughout Washington State to compete in the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. This past summer, the final competition was held in Snohomish and the duo of Norris and Nicely was selected, as was the Sammy Eubanks Band. These acts returned to Snohomish again on Sunday, November 18th and performed at a fund raising party to raise money for their expenses to represent the Washington Blues Society on Beale Street. Other bands performed too, and this years Blues Invasion featured Blues Playground, Road Dogz, and The Wired Band. Last year, The WIRED! Band competed against the blues bands of the world and finished first place in the International

Blues Challenge (that is a testament to the level of talent we expect in this region.) Jeff Nicely played harmonica not only with Randy Norris in their duo act, but also with Blues Playground, too. Guitar player Sean Denton said he wanted to make sure enough was raised to send Jeff to Memphis because he was tired of looking at him. That is about as sweet as guys talk about each other in public. The Road Dogz performed and they were very impressive in their rhythm section, harmonica, guitar, and vocals, and altogether as a band. This is another band everyone has to catch live. Check the pages of The Bluesletter each month to see where to catch this band live. What does one say about the amazing band that conquered the world last year in Memphis and Snohomish the night of November 18, 2012? I am talking about The WIRED! Band. They first performed as a band in Snohomish a few years ago, and got the key to the city upon their return from Memphis, so it was very fitting for them to come to this event for several reasons. The WIRED! Band put on a show that made everyone dance in the club, and I think all of downtown Snohomish, which winds around Main Street, danced, too! Blues is an art form that I view as much more than entertainment. I consider it as something more profound, and deeply important for the human spirit. Songs like You Upset Me or Two Nineteen performed by the Road Dogz,

Stay Right Next to You performed by Blues Playground, or I Still Aint Got the Blues by The WIRED! Band each reaches somewhere deep down inside the soul. They also take control of the body and make you dance, and that is good for the human spirit, too. As a result, the Blues Invasion on November 18th had a lot of people dancing at Stewarts in downtown Snohomish. The musical lineup for this event was as good as some of the best blues festivals get not only in Washington State, but across the United States and the world. The turn-out was good and that made the silent auction and raffle successful as well. There was artwork and music memorabilia for the silent auction, and a lot of blues CDs were raffled off. At this event, people generously bought the dollar raffle tickets because it was a fund raiser. That is much different than the monthly Washington Blues Society Blues Bashes on Tuesday nights at the Red Crane Restaurant where the tickets are distributed free. Bringing in money for the musicians, and having a lot of fun doing it, is certainly not an easy job, but someone had to do it. I am glad that we, meaning the Washington Blues Society and the fans that were there, did it in Snohomish for this years Blues Invasion. The only sacrifice of note is that many of the party goers have regular jobs, and they had to get up at oh dark thirty early the next morning. I trust that they all have recovered by now, and I look forward to the 2013 Snohomish Blues Invasion.

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The following guidelines were drafted by Malcolm Yard Dog Kennedy with input from the 2012 Board of Directors. These guidelines attempt to clarify questions raised by many blues society members and artists about our annual awards show. Who can nominate? Only current Washington Blues Society members are eligible to nominate artists or other nominees in our annual awards process. Please see your membership card or check the date on your Bluesletter label to make sure your membership is current.

Best of the Blues (BB Awards) Nomination Guidelines

attached. This is our societys primary method of verifying membership. You can mail your nomination ballot to the Washington Blues Society post office box, or deliver it to a Board member on or before February 15, 2013 one day after our monthly Blues Bash. Nomination ballots received after this date will not be counted. Ballots received without the mailing label attached will not be counted unless membership has been verified by the Board of Directors. Only one ballot per member.

Official 2013 Washington Blues Society

Two privileges of Washington Blues Society membership include the right to 1) nominate potential BB Award recipients, and 2) vote for nominees on the final voting ballot. Without your participation the process is broken. To nominate, simply write the name of the Washington artist, nominee, or party in the category on the ballot on page 31 of the January 2013 Bluesletter. We encourage members to nominate in as many categories as possible. There is no requirement to fill in each slot; leaving some categories blank will not disqualify your nomination. Your nomination must be on the Bluesletter mailed to you with your mailing label attached. For couples nominations, a photocopy for the second ballot should be included in a sealed envelope along with the original ballot that has the mailing label

PLEASE NOTE: Previous recipients of both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Blues Musicians Hall of Fame are ineligible for a second award in those categories. Artist The Wired! Band There are also three categories The Stacy Jones Band that the Board of Directors has Mark Whitman named in honor of artists who Too Slim have won these awards a number Charlie Butts & the Filter Tips of times. The Male Vocalist, Blues Muddy Sons Harmonica, and Blues Drummer Blues Sheriff awards have been renamed Candice Brown honoring Mark DuFresne, Paul Sammy Eubanks Green, and Chris Leighton. Mark, Ravin Wolf Paul, and Chris are ineligible for Badd Dog Blues Society an award in these categories, so Kathi McDonald please do not waste your vote. John Scooch Cugno Regarding the Best Washington Blues Recording category, our 2013 guidelines contain a list of CDs that are eligible. Although we try to list all

eligible Washington Blues CDs, you may have discovered a release we missed. The band must be from Washington, and the CD must have been released between November 1st, 2011 and October 31st 2012. This eligibility period aligns with the Blues Foundation Best Self Produced CD competition. If you wish to nominate a CD not on this list please send an e-mail to merchandise@wablues.org or any other Board member listed on page two your WBS Bluesletter. We will be happy to try to verify release date with the artist for eligibility. Special note to musicians- if your CD is not included on the list please e-mail editor@wablues.org so that we might include it in the Bluesletter next month. The following CD Washington Blues Live and Untapped Always Be The Blues Broken Halo More Peas Pushed On Down the Road New Sheriff In Town Vivid Live at Untapped 2012 Long Live Live Records Off Leash Nothin But Trouble Moonlighting In Vermont

continued from page 30 Year Hall of Fame 1991 Isaac Scott 1992 Dick Powell 1993 Little Bill Engelhart 1994 Buck England 1995 Leslie Milton 1996 Patti Allen 1997 Duffy Bishop 1998 Rich Dangle 1999 Charles White & Kathi McDonald 2000 Nick Vigarino/Dave Conant 2001 Mark DuFresne 2002 Randy Oxford 2003 Mark Whitman 2004 Alice Stuart 2005 Dave Conant 2006 Jack Cook 2007 David Brewer 2008 Paul Green 2009 Kirk KT Tuttle 2010 Nick Vigarino, Chris Leighton 2011 LJ Porter 2012 Tin Too Slim Langford

The Keeping the Blues Alive award is open to performers and nonperformers alike and can be won multiple times. This award is intended to honor the recipient for their achievements above and beyond the call of duty to keep the blues music alive. Examples include a promoter of a benefit, a special show a festival; maybe as a volunteer or a historian, possibly doing work to present and pass the music on to new generations or in other ways sustaining the blues. This award was first given in 1993 and the following list is presented as a reference and as a reminder of the hard work and dedication to this American art form by individuals in your community. 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Patrick Lynch Cholo Willsin Rod Downing Rikki & Kevin Cates Raven & Sheri Humphres Robert & Carol Sawyer Marlee Walker Marlee Walker Ken Page & Frankie Lee Randy Oxford 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Leslie Fleury Rev. Dave Brown Randy Oxford Jeff Hayes & Lloyd Peterson Jimie Jean Tuttle Rhea Rolfe Dennis Blues Boss Dudley Highway 99 Blues Club Tim & Michelle Burge Tony Frederickson

Keeping the Blues Alive Award

2013 Washington Blues Society Best of the Blues Nomination Ballot

You must be a member of the Washington Blues Society to nominate! All ballots must be received at our PO Box or by a board member no later than Wednesday February 13th. Nominations received after February 13th wont be counted. Please Mail Your Nomination Ballot to: WBS, PO Box 70604, Seattle, WA 98127 PLEASE NOMINATE BB AWARD NOMINEES BY FEBRUARY 15, 2013! Mark Dufresne Male Vocalist Award ______________________ Blues Female Vocalist ______________________ Electric Blues Guitar ______________________ Slide Blues Guitar ______________________ Blues Bass ______________________ Chris Leighton Blues Drummer Award ______________________ Blues Horn ______________________ Paul Green Blues Harmonica Award ______________________ Blues Piano/Keyboard ______________________ Acoustic Blues Guitar ______________________ Blues Act ______________________ Little Bill & the Blue Notes Traditional Blues Act ______________________ Solo/Duo Blues Act ______________________ New Blues Band ______________________ Blues Performer ______________________ Blues Songwriter ______________________ Washington Blues Recording ______________________ Blues Club ______________________ Blues Writer ______________________ Blues Image ______________________ Blues Graphic Artist ______________________ Blues DJ ______________________ Keeping the Blues Alive Award ______________________ Lifetime Achievement Award ______________________ Blues Hall of Fame ______________________ Non-Festival Blues Event ______________________ Best Blues Festival ______________________ Best Open Blues Jam ______________________ Eligibility Period for Washington Blues CDs November 1, 2011 through October 31, 2012.

is a partial list of Washington blues recordings that were released during the eligibility period.

General Guidelines for Blues Image and Graphic Artist BB Award Categories
For nominations in the Blues Image category, please include a description of the image. Prior nominations include Stacy Jones and Honeyboy Edwards, December 2010 Bluesletter on page 17 or Big Rockin Blues cover photo from Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin Daddies CD. For the Graphic Artist category, please also use specific examples, like Denise St. John Jam for Cans T-Shirt and Poster or Unknown Artist, Highway 99 to Highway 61 International Blues Challenge Fundraiser Poster. These examples are old but should give you the idea of the information we are after. What If I Forgot the Name of an Incredible Supporting Player? If you cannot remember the names of nominees in the bass, drum or keyboard categories, ask some of the musicians you know to name several to jog your memory. It is likely they will know the first name the musicians that regularly share the stage with them, but ask them to also name some other players. There is a wealth of talent in Washington and many local blues musician can probably list five to ten performers in each each category that may be worthy of the nomination. We strongly encourage members to consider nominating artists that have played under the radar as there are a great number of players who have not received recognition from Washington Blues Society members. Please also keep this in mind when voting for the other performer categories (e.g., Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, etc). In the festival category, and in fairness to each of the other festivals that occur only once a year, please consider the Spring Sunbanks and Fall Sunbanks as two separate festivals. Please vote for one or the other as they are separate festivals. Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards Here are the lists of recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the inductees of the Washington Blues Hall of Fame. As stated earlier, CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE HALL OF FAME AND RECIPEINTS OF THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ARE INELIGABLE FOR A SECOND NOMINATION IN THAT CATEGORY. The Washington Blues Society Hall of Fame began at the first annual BB Awards in 1991, and the first Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded 1996. Please Note: Traditionally, each of these two awards have been reserved for performers. Nominations for non-performers will not be counted. Year 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Lifetime Achievement Bobby Blue Bland & John Lee Hooker John Mayall Little Bill Engelhart & Luther Allison Dick Powell & Buddy Guy Isaac Scott & Taj Mahal Patti Allen Dave Conant Rich Dangle Patti Allen Randy Oxford & Mark Whitman Tommy Morgan Fat James Grosvenor Alice Stuart Kirk KT Tuttle Lee Oskar Charles White Tim Too Slim Langford

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Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit No. 5617

P.O. Box 70604 Seattle, W 98127 A Change Service Requested

The WBS is a proud recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive A ward