Out now!
Issue 274: October 2024
As is often the case with hard-working musicians, the opportunity to chew the fat with journalists, radio and magazines often occurs ahead of the resumption of their touring schedule. Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated global blues superstar Kenny Wayne Shepherd is no exception and with the release of Dirt On My Diamonds, Volume 2, his live touring band certainly won’t be short of new material. Speaking from his Tennessee home, he brings Simon Green up to date…
…AND, courtesy of our good friends at Provogue Records and the Mascot Label Group, in this issue we are delighted to offer all our readers an exclusive Kenny Wayne Shepherd digital album, entitled Best Of Times, compiled for readers of Blues In Britain and available to download, absolutely free!
There is no one in music quite like Mark Harrison. A unique storyteller, with that most individual of voices, he writes songs that reflect both the upsides and downsides of the human condition, wry observations about things most people live and think about but don’t often hear songs about. He’s released seven albums, all unanimously acclaimed, and this autumn sees the release of Mark’s much awaited new album, Fools & Clowns, a collection of outstanding songs, striking rhythms and stunning guitar playing . Mark talks to Graham Munn.
A relatively new name on the scene, it’s not taken long for Connolly Hayes to establish itself. Coming together in the summer of 2023, singer Jess Hayes and guitarist and vocalist Frankie Connolly joined names and forces, amplifying their dynamic vocal harmony and musicianship. It resulted in this year’s acclaimed debut album Remember Me. John Mitchell spoke to them en route to The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival in Colne.
Everything comes in threes for The Cold Stares: a third touring visit to these shores, a third album under the roof of the Mascot Label Group and a duo that became a trio. And now, having
played shows in Denmark and Germany, the U.S. blues rock band are in the U.K. Graham Munn catches up with singer and guitarist Chris Tapp in Birmingham to discuss all things Cold.
“Paying The Cost To Be The Boss,” sang B.B. King and, for a long time, The Mighty Bosscats and leader Richard Townend have been synonymous, with Townend leading his merry band from the front, both musically and in terms of organisation. The band, though never quite considered an out-and-out blues band, has established a firm following on the UK circuit, thanks to a string of fine releases and live appearances over the years. And now there’s the fine ‘Photoshoot’ album: plenty then for Norman Darwen to get his teeth into.
Blue Nation are a Birmingham-based trio who’ve shot to prominence in the last year or two with a heavy gigging schedule, a steady release of new music and a quickly growing fanbase. Marking the release of their album ‘The Ordinary People’, the band’s conversation with Liz Medhurst proves that ordinary can also be very, very special.
High Hopes this month finds us in the company of blues duo Sun House and harmonicaplayer Mat Walklate, plus we’ve Becc’s Blues, album and gig reviews, our Summer Festival photospread Part 1, Out & About and much more!
BRAVE RIVAL
plus
CHRIS CAIN, ELKIE BROOKS, ALASTAIR GREENE, CAITLIN KRISKO & THE BROADCAST, JOHN MAYALL R.I.P.
September 2024 - 273
MUIREANN BRADLEY
plus
BUDDY GUY, BYWATER CALL, JIMMIE VAUGHAN, MOJO THUNDER, TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN
August 2024 - 272
THE COMMONERS
plus
MARCUS KING, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, TOM KILLNER, RAMBLIN’ PREACHERS, KRISSY MATTHEWS
July 2024 - 271
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR
plus
SLASH, THE MILK MEN. TORONZO CANNON, ROBERT JON & THE WRECK, TOM MANSI & THE ICEBREAKERS
June 2024 - 270
TROY REDFERN
plus
JOOLS HOLLAND, CEDRIC BURNSIDE, BERNARD ALLISON, CATFISH, BOB CORRITORE
May 2024 - 269
TERRY MARSHALL
plus
DAN PATLANSKY, SUSAN SANTOS, BIG WOLF BAND, SEAN WEBSTER, GUS GLYNN BAND
April 2024 - 268
SUE FOLEY
plus
PHILIP SAYCE, BEX MARSHALL, GREIG TAYLOR, EDDY SMITH & THE 507, TOM HAMBRIDGE, JACK J HUTCHINSON
March 2024 - 267
WALTER TROUT
plus
JO HARMAN, BAD TOUCH, BOB MARGOLIN, HANNAH WICKLUND, TONY HOLIDAY, SARAH BROWN
February 2024 - 266
NINE BELOW ZERO
plus
FOGHAT, CAT SQUIRREL, BOB HALL, THOMAS HEPPELL, LONG ROAD HOME, ROBERT HOKUM
January 2024 - 265
TAJ MAHAL
plus
BOBBY RUSH, BLACKBURN BROTHERS, GRAHAM NASH, SEAN TAYLOR, GREG SOVER, NICK MOSS
December 2023 - 264
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD
plus
ROBIN TROWER, EMMA WILSON, HEAVENLY CREAM, JO ANN KELLY (pt.2), BILL WYMAN, CRUISE REVIEW!
November 2023 - 263
JOE BONAMASSA
JOE BONAMASSA
plus
DANNY BRYANT, COCO MONTOYA, ERJA LYYTINEN, JO ANN KELLY, DAVE ARCARI, DUST RADIO
October 2023 - 262
DOM MARTIN
plus
ALBANY DOWN, BETTYE LAVETTE, LAYLA ZOE, DEBBIE BOND, DADDY LONG LEGS, BRYN HAWORTH
September 2023 - 261
WHEN RIVERS MEET
plus
ROBERT JON & THE WRECK, RUBY TURNER, FANTASTIC NEGRITO, IVAN NEVILLE, STEVE ‘WEST’ WESTON, SUGAR RAY NORCIA
August 2023 - 260
LAURENCE JONES
plus
GRAINNE DUFFY, STEFAN REDTENBACHER, JIMMY REGAL & THE ROYALS, BISON HIP, ASHLEY SHERLOCK, IVY GOLD
July 2023 - 259
LUKE MORLEY
plus
PAUL JONES, CHRIS DUARTE, MIKE ROSS, THE STUMBLE, DOUG DEMING
June 2023 - 258
SAMANTHA FISH and JESSE DAYTON
plus
ANA POPOVIC, MARK HUMMEL,JIM KIRKPATRICK, MARTIN McNEILL, JOHNNY MARS & THE COLD HEART REVUE
May 2023 - 257
KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AT SEA
plus
GA-20, MARY STOKES BAND, THE ZOMBIES, HENRIK FREISCHLADER, ARIELLE, GERAINT WATKINS
April 2023 - 256
CONNOR SELBY
plus
ERIC BIBB, MARCUS KING, RUTHIE FOSTER, THE COLD STARES, MARC BROUSSARD
March 2023 - 255
MISSISSIPPI MACDONALD
plus
AYNSLEY LISTER, JARED JAMES NICHOLS, BOB ANGELL, THE CADILLAC KINGS, ANGELA STREHLI
February 2023 - 254
TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN
plus
REBECCA DOWNES, CAROLYN WONDERLAND, GERRY JABLONSKI & THE ELECTRIC BAND, TREVOR BABAJACK STEGER, PETE SEARS
January 2023 - 253
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR
plus
RORY BLOCK, CLIMAX BLUES BAND, DONNA HERULA, JOHN VERITY, ROB KORAL, JO CARLEY & THE OLD DRY SKULLS
December 2022 - 252
ERJA LYYTINEN
plus
LARKIN POE, DON McLEAN, JASON RICCI, THE COMMONERS, OLIVER DARLING, STEVE HILL
November 2022 - 251
250th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
with
LAURENCE JONES, PETER FRAMPTON, SUNJAY, JIMMY HALL, ALBERT CASTIGLIA, DAVE THOMAS, MALAYA BLUE
October 2022 - 250
TOMMY McLAIN
plus
WALTER TROUT, BAD LUCK FRIDAY, THE MILK MEN, JO HARMAN, BEN HEMMING
September 2022 - 249
TROY REDFERN
plus
BONHAM-BULLICK, DELBERT McCLINTON, ROBBEN FORD, KIRK FLETCHER, SUPERSONIC BLUES MACHINE
August 2022 - 248
BERNIE MARSDEN
plus
WILKO JOHNSON, ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW, LAURA EVANS, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES, TINSLEY ELLIS
July 2022 - 247
THE BAD DAY
plus
CATFISH, KARA GRAINGER, MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY, VANEESE THOMAS, THE TERRAPLANES BLUES BAND
June 2022 - 246
ROBIN TROWER
plus
ROBERT CRAY, EMMA WILSON, BRAVE RIVAL, BEAUX GRIS GRIS, THE LOVE LIGHT ORCHESTRA
May 2022 - 245
DOM MARTIN
plus
EDGAR WINTER, THE BLUES BAND, THE CINELLI BROTHERS, LARRY McCRAY, DAVE KELLY
April 2022 - 244
DAN PATLANSKY
plus
BETH HART, JETHRO TULL, STEVE BAILEY, THE 251s, ADAM NORSWORTHY
March 2022 - 243
ELLES BAILEY
plus
ERIC GALES, JOHN MAYALL, CHRISTONE KINGFISH INGRAM, WILLE & THE BANDITS
February 2022 - 242
SAMANTHA FISH
plus
ERJA LYYTINEN, GUY KING, WALTER PARKS, STEVE GIBBONS, REBECCA DOWNES, THE JIVE ACES
January 2022 - 241
KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS
plus
SNOWY WHITE, DANNY BRYANT, THE COLD STARES, WARREN HAYNES, MARK HARRISON, MISTY BLUES
December 2021 - 240
WHEN RIVERS MEET plus
DION, SUE FOLEY, COLIN JAMES, MARK PONTIN, MISSISSIPPI MACDONALD
November 2021 - 239
JOE BONAMASSA plus
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR, TERESA JAMES, REV. GARY DAVIS, JIMMY REGAL & THE ROYALS, BRIGITTE DeMEYER
October 2021 - 238
RORY GALLAGHER plus
ERIC BIBB, BERNIE MARSDEN, CONNOR SELBY, ROBERT JON, PAPA GEORGE
September 2021 - 237
TROY REDFERN plus
BERNIE MARSDEN, TITO JACKSON, CLARENCE SPADY, WATERMELON SLIM, SUITCASE SAM
August 2021 - 236
ELIANA CARGNELUTTI plus
MIKE ZITO, MOBY, HITMAN BLUES BAND, JULIAN TAYLOR, SCOTT McKEON
July 2021 - 235
ELLIS MANO BAND plus
DR. FEELGOOD, CURTIS SALGADO, STEVE CROPPER, DAVE SPEIGHT, FIVE POINTS GANG
June 2021 - 234
THE DAMN THRUTH plus
KAI STRAUSS, GARY MOORE, WILL JOHNS, ARIELLE, BRAVE REVIVAL
May 2021 - 233
BAI KAMARA plus
SELWYN BIRCHWOOD, IMELDA MAY, MIKE SANCHEZ, LAURA B, NICK WATERHOUSE
April 2021 - 232
JOANNA CONNOR plus
KIM WILSON, RONNIE GREER, SHAUN MURPHY, MUDDY MANNINEN, TREV TURLEY
March 2021 - 231
GRAINNE DUFFY plus
GEORGE THOROGOOD, JOHN MAYALL, DANA GILLESPIE, THE CADILLAC THREE, KATIE BRADLEY
February 2021 - 230
CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE plus
MARCUS KING, NORMAN BEAKER, CHRIS SMITH, GRAHAM PARKER, BONNIE BISHOP
January 2021 - 229
WHEN RIVERS MEET plus
CATFISH, ALLMAN BETTS BAND, SUSAN SANTOS, JUSTIN ADAMS, RUZZ GUITAR
December 2020 - 228
KING KING plus
ERJA LYYTINEN, CONNOR BRACKEN, SAMANTHA MARTIN, SCOTT ELLISON, SYLVIE SIMMONS
November 2020 - 227
JOE BONAMASSA plus
ERROL LINTON, MIKE ROSS, KIRK FLETCHER, THE 251s, MARK HARRISON
October 2020 - 226
