STAR BLUES on 31st August 2014 at 22:00 marking birthdates for Freddie and Milton

Freddie King and Little Milton - two of the finest blues artists of all time, and it is tempting to fill an hour with one and the second hour with the other. Of the three men best known by "King" to the mainstream, Freddie was the best vocalist with a big voice that left you in no doubt as to his state of mind selling the song. He wore his guitar slung over one shoulder and he stood front and centre stage challenging all naysayers. His style knew when to let loose and when to hold back - it made him popular with dozens of wannabes. I first found his music via his assault on the disco-friendly arrangements he committed in the early Seventies. Even in that setting his skills were obvious. He'd have been 80 this week, there's barely a week goes by without his music in my car at least once.

Milton Campbell had a long and successful career on some of the biggest record labels: Sun, Checker, Stax, Malaco and Telarc. With a warm, throaty vocal style he was equally at home on soulful blues ballads as on the rockier arrangements he was forced towards on his later work. That guitar was edgy and unflustered, a lack of flash keeping him out of lists of 500 guitarists that ain't worth a hill-o-beans anyway. His 80th year was due on Sunday 7th.

Elsewhere in our first hour we caught up with some new stuff from Lucky Peterson at that edge of the genre and a heartfelt project from Mud Morganfield going to his father's records (Kim Wilson tidily supple in accompaniment). Speaking of blues harp: I just got the latest issue of Living Blues magazine and it has fulsome coverage of blues harp and its current practitioners. We include something from one of the featured names, Omar Coleman. Mem Shannon and Memphis Gold made welcome returns to our listing and it would be a treat to get them both back into the studio before the year is out.

Pretty decent opening salvo to seamlessly segue from the STAR ROCK show: Otis Grand and Earl Green swinging like a pub sign in a Force-8 and then his producer Joe Louis Walker with the opener to his early solo piece called "The Gift". I've been known as a shameless hussy for a while now, willing to steal ideas from anywhere. STAR BLUES this time out reprised the Albinia Jones track that Liza Tarbuck had on her BBC Radio2 show. Not sure she's yet done Russell Jacquet, if it;s in her portfolio next week you know where she heard it. (If I told you she's already done Stick Horse Hammond there's a good chance he'll get another outing for us sooner or later).

Our couple of hours round at your place just flew past, you made me feel most welcome. Next Sunday night at 10pm (BST) we'll have music from the runners, riders and winners of Living Blues Awards - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

track.title	track.artistsort	index	album.title	album.artistsort	label
Things Are Getting Harder To Do	Otis Grand	1	He Knows The Blues	Otis Grand	SEQUEL
one time around	Joe Louis Walker	6	The Gift	Joe Louis Walker	HIGH TONE
still a fool	mud morganfield and kim wilson	5	for pops	mud morganfield and kim wilson	-
biscuit boogie	memphis gold	2	pickin in high cotton	memphis gold	-
Mojo Hand	Omar Coleman	8	Louisiana Swamp Stomp	Various Artists	honeybee
Annie Mae's Cafe	Little Milton	11	The Last Soul Company	Various Artists	Malaco Records
she's a burglar	Freddie King	5	staying home with the blues	various artists	spectrum
get your business straight	shawn holt and teardrops	6	daddy told me	shawn holt and teardrops	blind pig
you move me	Robert Cray	1	in my soul	Robert Cray	PROVOGUE
Doing The Best That I Can	Mem Shannon	12	Memphis In The Morning	Mem Shannon	SHANACHIE
feeling they call the blues	lucky peterson	2	travellin man	lucky peterson	jsp
rooster blues	Robert 'Bilbo' Walker	3	Rock The Night	Robert 'Bilbo' Walker	ROOSTER BLUES
Bring It On Home	Sonny Boy Williamson (Aka Rice Miller)	8	Led Astray	Various Artists	CONNOISSEUR COLLECTION
Mr. Lucky	John Lee Hooker	1	The Original Mr. Lucky	John Lee Hooker	BLUES ENCORE
Worried Man Blues	Big Joe Williams	1	Baby Please Don't Go	Big Joe Williams	ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION
No No Blues	Curley Weaver	20	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Atlanta	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Hey Little Boy	Albinia Jones	26	I'm A Bad Bad Girl	Various Artists	INDIGO
Have You Ever Loved A Woman	Freddie King	14	Here 'Tis	Various Artists	CONNOISSEUR
Blind Man	Little Milton	3	Stand By Me	Little Milton	ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION
Shake Walkin'	Mickey Baker	9	In The '50S: Hit, Git & Spit	Mickey Baker	Rev-Ola Bandstand
Cross Bones	Russell Jacquet	12	The R'n'b Years 1949: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1949	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Vicksburg Blues	Little Brother Montgomery	11	History Of Rhythm And Blues Part One	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
mama oh mama	luke jones	1-3	no more doggi' - rpm story vol. 1	various artists	ace
Larry Birdsong	Three Times Seven	15	Champion Records The Singles Collection	Various Artists	SPV
red hot rockin' blues	jesse james	23	backbeat	various artists	ace
Lonesome Highway Blues	Lazy Lester	20	I'm A Lover Not A Fighter	Lazy Lester	ACE
The Welfare (Turns It'sback On You)	Freddie King	19	Texas Sensation	Freddie King	CHARLY
Beggin' My Baby	Little Milton	22	Rockin' Memphis	Various Artists	Proper Box
chicago jump	jimmy lee robinson	2	bandera blues and gospel	various artists	ace

Created: 31/08/2014 23:43:29