Line Up
If our line up for the 17th Annual Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival on Sat., May 15, 2010, doesn’t impress or excite you, perhaps a visit to the artists’ Web sites will. Many of their sites feature interviews and sound clips.
When you click on the artist’s or band’s name, the Web site will open in a new browser window. When you’re finished surfing the site, simply close the window. This page will still be open in your browser.
Here’s the schedule.
Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is the latest in a line of headliners that consistently set our festival apart from others.
Ahem….Little Feat…in Thomson, Georgia!
Little Feat have indeed led a storied life ever since they formed in 1969. From their bio on the website: “Their unconventional signature of earthy, organic appeal and polished, first-rate musicianship wrapped around eclectic and memorable songs — clearly delivered as an authentic labor of love — has been a lasting fixture on the musical landscape. As American as apple pie — and rock ‘n roll itself — Feat’s music transcends boundaries, a freewheeling fusion of California rock and Dixie-inflected funk-boogie. In the mix as well are strains of folk, blues, rockabilly, country and jazz, inventing a hybrid sound that is truly Little Feat’s own.”
Well said.
One can’t write about Little Feat without acknowledging the late Lowell George, one of the founders. Certainly this direction-setting musician/writer/arranger permanently set the course for the band and its sound. But what they have done with this initial direction is remain largely intact as a musical unit, continually tour, make great music, records, and stay relevant and on top of their game for 40 years. They’ll be at Blind Willie and we are mighty happy to be able to present ‘em.
Delta Moon
Delta Moon
Delta Moon, one of the best combos in Atlanta, returns to Thomson in 2010. As you would expect, their sound is mixed up in Southern roots and blues, led by the twin slide guitars of Tom Gray and Mark Johnson.
Delta Moon has been playing as a unit for over 10 years, with the latest lineup (including Darren Stanley and Franher Joseph) together since 2007. Performing great originals predominantly penned by Gray, they’ll be on the festival stage early…so come early and you’ll hear why we are proud to have ‘em back.
Delta Moon’s latest CD, “Hellbound Train,” is out now in Europe on the Blues Boulevard label, and in the United States, Canada and Japan by Red Parlor Records.
Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Musselwhite
We have tried unsuccessfully for years to get Charlie Musselwhite to the festival and finally hooked up this year. We’ve presented strong harmonica players in the past — Sugar Blue, John Nemeth, Rick Estrin to name few, but Charlie Musselwhite — don’t miss it! Prepare for one of the best, if not the top, harp players touring today.
Musselwhite was born in the Mississippi and spent his formative years in Memphis. He moved on to Chicago in the mid 1960’s, soaking up the South Side scene, filled with legendary players like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker. During his remarkable career, Musselwhite has collected a treasure trove of awards and accolades, including 18 W.C. Handy trophies, and six Grammy nominations. Amazon.com named “Delta Hardware” the best blues album of 2006.
The artists that Musselwhite has worked with reads like a veritable Hall of Fame honor roll. In addition to Eddie Vedder, Charlie has collaborated with Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov’t Mule, INXS, Mickey Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend and best man at his wedding John Lee Hooker.
Robert Moore and The Wild Cats
Robert Moore
Robert Moore, who we claim as an honorary Thomsonian, has developed a sound uniquely his own: Southern roots influences of soul and gospel simmered into his own distinct interpretations of bebop and swinging jazz. Whether leading with his trumpet into familiar standards, scatting imaginative lines, blowing creative lines on the harmonica, or exposing listeners to interspersed originals, Moore cuts to the heart of a song, opening up sounds in new ways.
Born in Atlanta and a long-time resident of Birmingham, Alabama, Moore has been heard in Southern jazz clubs from New Orleans to North Carolina, and has recently moved his base to Portland, Oregon, where he performs regularly. His tours have been received with great enthusiasm and Robert has performed with such luminaries as Mark Murphy, Nancy King, Dave Frishberg, Delfeayo Marsalis, Oteil Burbridge, Victor “Brother” Atkins, Victor Goines, & Dred Scott. Joining Robert on stage at this year’s fest will be the Wildcats, from Birmingham.
Odafe Trio
Odafe Trio
Odafe Trio is brand new, up and coming out of South Georgia, building a steady base of young fans along the way.
These Valdosta State music majors are performing unique interpretations of jazz and blues standards along with their own originals. Patrick Jones on keys, Mason Davis on drums, and Jacob Powers on bass can cook and will be great local/regional openers for this year’s line-up.
Joining in for a tune or two in the 2nd half of their set will be the Crosstie Walkers to help get the music rolling for the afternoon.
Come early!
Magic Slim and the Tear Drops
Magic Slim (Morris Holt) was born in Torrence, Mississippi, on Aug. 7, 1937. He took an early interest in music and at age 11, Slim moved to Grenada, Mississippi, where he later met and became friends with Magic Sam (who, years later in Chicago, gave him the name Magic Slim).
Magic Slim
When Slim made his first trip to Chicago in 1955, Sam hired him to play bass in his band. Slim returned to Mississippi for 5 more years, perfecting his craft before returning to Chicago.
Slim gained national and international attention when he began playing regularly at Florence’s on Chicago’s south side in 1972, eventually leaving to launch a career that has taken him across the country and all over the world, where he is even better known than in the U.S. His music recorded overseas in the early 90’s was awarded the W.C. Handy award for the best foreign traditional blues record for the years 1990 and 1991.
At the 24th Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards May 22, 2003, Magic Slim and the Teardrops were voted the Blues Band of the Year and Magic was the only performer to be nominated in the top five categories: Blues Entertainer of the Year, Blues Band of the Year, Blues Instrumentalist-Guitar, Traditional Blues Album of the Year, Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year.
In 2006, Magic Slim & the Teardrops were the only artist/band to be nominated in the top five categories. They have been nominated for “Blues Band of the Year” for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, making it an almost annual event.
Extra special to us, Slim played our very 1st festival in 1993 and again in 2003, at our 10th. This man is truly one of the last original players of electric Chicago style blues and if you like blues, you’ll love Slim and the Teardrops and you don’t want to miss him here in Georgia.
Justin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle
As the lines of delineation in American music get more and more blurred, we try our best to broaden what we offer on stage at Blind Willie. We’d be doing a poor job if we ignored the variety of sounds coming out of Nashville (as differentiated from “Nash-vegas”).
Justin Townes Earle is but the latest in a long line of under the radar music from that area, and in the opinion of most: he’ll soon dominate the radar of folk-traditional music being made today. He’s Steve Earle’s son (that has got to help out in the songwriting gene department), yet he is quickly developing a style that is unique and his alone.
With inspirations as diverse as Townes Van Zandt (he was named in honor of the elder Earle’s hero), Jimmy Reed, Kurt Cobain, The Replacements, Ray Charles and The Pogues, Justin forged his own brand of American roots music. He’s touring behind his Bloodshot Records release, “Midnight at the Movies” and most recently won the Americana Music Award’s Best New Artist Award in 2009.
He’ll play the festival with a trio and you better catch him now.
