Happy Birthday Wayne Bennett

Remembering the late guitar great Wayne Bennett on his 90th birthday with a few stellar performances. 

Dave Alvin shares tribute to Blasters piano great Gene Taylor

The Gene Taylor Band's live versions of "Those Lonely, Lonely Nights" and Jimmy Liggins' "Drunk" are available here. 

Here's the scoop from Dave Alvin...

As a small memorial to the recent passing of my lifelong friend, mentor and fellow Blaster, Gene Taylor, I wanted to share two songs by The Gene Taylor Blues Band. This band was really The Blasters (minus my brother Phil) and we'd occasionally get together to play some shows up and down California just to play the blues we loved as well as showcase Gene's monumental keyboard talent. Sometimes friends like Rick Estrin, Steve Freund or even my brother, would sit in with us. One night we were honored when my best friend, the late Chris Gaffney, joined us and sang his heart out on the Earl King/Johnny "Guitar" Watson classic, "Those Lonely, Lonely Nights." The flipside of this record is Gene singing and pumping the piano on Jimmy Liggins heartfelt ode to inebriation, "Drunk." I hope you'll join me in celebrating Gene's prodigious skills as a pianist, vocalist and bluesman par excellence. I miss my comrades Gene and Chris every day but the music keeps them alive and, in it's way, the music keeps all of us alive.

– Dave Alvin 3/4/21

Watch a clip of Gene Taylor and Dave Alvin performing a great version of "Before You Accuse Me" shot at McCabe's which probably should've been included. 

Happy Birthday Johnny "Guitar" Watson!

Here's Johnny's "Space Guitar" issued in March, 1954 which put him way ahead of the creative distortion curve. 

Happy Birthday Johnny "Guitar" Watson

Here's Johnny "Guitar" Watson's amazing Space Guitar from 1954 and his signature tune. 

Midweek Mixdown: Nick Waterhouse

You've got the dope new Nick Waterhouse album Time's All Gone, you've heard his tune Say I Wanna Know in the new Acura ILX "Airport" commercial, now check out his swingin' mix of vintage R&B 45s...  huuuuuuuully, hully gully!

  

Track listing: 
1. Young Jessie – “Brown Eyes”
2. LaVern Baker – “Tiny Tim”
3. Ike & Tina – “I Idolize You”
4. Byrdie Green – “Tremblin’”
5. Buddy Ace – “Screaming Please”
6. Richard Berry – “Besame Mucho”
7. Betty Everett – “Please Love Me”
8. Barrett Strong – “Misery”
9. Mitty Collier – “Pain”
10. Miss LaVell – “Stop These Teardrops”
11. Jimmy McCracklin – “That’s The Way It Goes”
12. Jacki Ross – “Hard Times”
13. Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson – “I Say, I Love You”
14. Charles Sheffield – “It’s Your Voodoo Working”
15. Ronnie Love – “Chills & Fever”
16. Ernie Fields – “Workin’ Out”
17. Nappy Brown – “My Baby”