Monday 21 June 2010

STAR BLUES on 20th June 2010 at 22:00

Hot on the heels of the most awesome Rock Show line-up imaginable, STAR BLUES last night had a Father's Day special, an exclusive track that you won't hear anywhere else and a preview of a new album from Robert Cray. We are also worried about our very own Slender Man but more of that later ...

Fathers on the show included Luther Allison, John Lee Hooker, Rufus Thomas, Johnny Copeland, Muddy Waters and Carey Bell and their talents went alongside those of the children: Bernard, Zakiya, Carla, Shemekia, Big Bill Morganfield and Lurrie. All are familiar names to regular listeners though we did miss a trick by including "Hell Of A Lovin' Man" off the new one by Chris Beard but nothing from his dad, Joe. The exclusive track was a special edited version of the fine "I'll Be Your Lover" by Toni Spearman from her "Can't Get lovin'" album and we are grateful for the work put in to get us the song in time for the show.

Robert Cray was recorded in Austin Texas for the King Biscuit Flower Hour Radio Show in 1985 and the original issue Stateside was heavily bootlegged. Mercury now have the rights to the tapes and there's a new "Authorized Bootleg" due out next month. We had two tracks, one a cover of Albert King's "Natural Ball" that he hasn't done anywhere else. I think I may have said how much I hate Cray: he's good looking, he can write, he can sing, he can play guitar (I have everything he's recorded including sessions and guest appearances). He will be in Cambridge on July 10th -- see you there?

I came across a picture of Little Sammy Davis on the front of a recent Living Blues magazine at the same time as finding his "Goin To New Orleans" off an anthology of stuff by Henry Stone, it was a little gem and sat well on the playlist. . Fats Domino did the piano blues for us and we also went to Louis Jordan and the Dixieaires from a marvellous 4-cd package from the RhythmandBlues label, a sumptuous set with 68 page paperback book with information on songs and on the historical context of how blues morphed into rock'n'roll. Jordan was a key figure and the Dixieaires gospel harmonies were enthralling and the show was over before we knew it.

The Mighty Mark Peters has a substantial following in the STAR BLUES Community and there is real worry over his passion for a full English breakfast and how he will retain his Slender tones. I did give some reassurance that he won't need a new theme song as this is just a sympathy pang with the lovely Amy and he is allowed the occasional treat - just to be sure we will put James Armstrong on stand-by in case the theme song needs to add extra lyrics. My white tee-shirt is XL by the way and I have several - though I'm not sure of Mark's dress code for Breakfasts. Its compulsory for me on STAR BLUES, I hope to have your company at 10pm (BST) next Sunday on your station that plays Cambridge & Ely's Greatest Hits - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

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