Blues Nominees for the 2018 Grammy Awards

Another year, another Grammy award ceremony. On January 28, 2018 the 60th Grammy Awards will take place in New York City.

Yesterday, the official Grammys website confirmed the full list of nominees for the event, and as usual the only nominees we care about are the blues artists!

So here you go:

'Masters of Modern Blues' - Floyd Jones / Eddie Tayor & Friends

In 1994, a never before released compilation of recordings was brought to light; it was a 1966 session for Testament Records, involving the underrated Floyd Jones and Eddie Boyd, accompanied by some of Chicago blue's finest: Otis Spann on piano, Big Walter Horton on harp, and Fred Below on drums. 

The result is some of the most raw and emotional blues recordings ever made... and that needs to be spread out to the world for the sake of history.

Totaling 16 tracks alternating between Floyd and Eddie songs (8 each), this album is a necessary addition to any blues fan. And thanks to Youtube we have the entire album available:

Tracklist:

01. Rising Wind
02. Dark Road
03. Stockyard Blues
04. Sweet Talkin' Woman
05. Train Fare Home
06. Big Town Playboy
07. Peach Tree Blues
08. Bad Boy
09. Hard Times
10. M&O Blues
11. Playhouse Blues
12. Dark Road (alternate)
13. Feel So Bad
14. After Hours
15. Take Your Hand Down
16. Bad Boy (alternate)

Obscure Blues: '13 Highway'

Since my recent purchase of my own bluesmobile, a Lincoln Town Car, I decided to discuss a particular and relatively unknown blues song from 1938 called '13 Highway', where it discusses driving a V8 Ford (which is basically what I have) along a lonesome highway. US Route 13 is a real highway in America, that spans five states (North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, & Pennsylvania). 

It was originally recorded in 1938 by Walter Davis, which I unfortunately could not find on Youtube (it is available on iTunes though; click on the song for a preview).

It's not a blues standard by any means, since only a handful of bluesmen covered it, the most high profile being Muddy Waters (he recorded it in 1963 but wasn't released until a compilation of unreleased tracks in 1994) and played it live at The Fillmore. 

The song's lyrics go like this:

I went down 13 Highway, drivin' a brand new V8 Ford
I went down 13 Highway, drivin' a brand new V8 Ford
Oh you know I was drivin' so fast, baby I couldn't hardly see the road

Oh I was drivin' 60 miles an hour, all up and down the hill
Oh you know I was drivin' 60 miles an hour, all up and down the hill
Oh you know I was speedin' so fast, I couldn't hardly control my wheel

Don't the highway look lonesome, after the sun done gone down
Oh don't the highway look lonesome, after the sun done gone down
Oh you know you're all alone by yourself, there ain't nobody else around

Here are the only versions available online; an Eddie Boyd version exists too but again, it's not available on Youtube:

MUDDY WATERS - LIVE 1966

LEROY SIMPSON - Late 1940's

JOHN LEE HOOKER - 1991

Just Acquired a Bluesmobile!

In the blues world, the ideal blues car is either a Cadillac, a V8 Ford, an Oldsmobile Rocket 88, or a Greyhound bus (see my post about blues transportation [here]). Basically, a huge American made land yacht; none of these puny European and Japanese 4 cylinder toys.

So in the spirit of the blues, I just acquired my own bluesmobile: A 1999 Lincoln Town Car, Signature Edition, in fantastic condition!

With a 4.6 liter V8 engine, boat measurements, and pillow-like leather seats, this is a premier vehicle to blast the blues in, and to make entrance to any gig a statement. Plus, it was for only $1,000!!

They certainly don't make cars like this anymore!