After winning the International Blues Challenge, Piper & The Hard Times rose from Nashville’s local scene to the global stage. Bandleader Steve Eagon shares the band’s story, from their humble beginnings to the release of their debut album ‘Revelation,’ which topped the Billboard Blues Chart. With powerful original music and a dedication to spreading joy, Steve reflects on their rapid success and the momentum driving their nonstop tour.
Author: Don Wilcock
Don Wilcock
Now into his second half century as the warrior music journalist, Don Wilcock began his career writing “Sounds from The World” in Vietnam, a weekly reader’s digest of pop music news for grunts in the field for the then largest official Army newspaper in the world, The Army Reporter. He’s edited BluesWax, FolkWax, The King Biscuit Times, Elmore Magazine, and also BluesPrint as founder of the Northeast Blues Society. Internationally, he’s written for The Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards program, Blues Matters and Blues World. He wrote the definitive Buddy Guy biography 'Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues,' and is currently writing copy for a coffee table book of watercolor paintings of blues artists by Clint Herring.
Kid Ramos on his forthcoming Nola Blue Records album ‘Strange Things Happening’ does gospel the way Metallica does rock: intense, hard-driving and with a dedication that is nothing less than obsessive.
From his humble beginnings in Louisiana to performing on stages worldwide, Nathan’s music is as soulful as his story. A Grammy nominee who puts God and family first, he’s built a career on heart-pounding zydeco, with wisdom earned in the oil fields. Don’t miss him live in Saratoga on February 7!
From playing alongside legends like Charlie Musselwhite to shaping the sound of artists like Diunna Greenleaf, Kid Andersen has built a career rooted in passion, precision, and musical understanding.
As the driving force behind Greaseland Studios, Kid blends technical expertise with deep emotional connection to the blues, treating the studio as an instrument in its own right. At 45, his journey from Norway to the U.S. has shaped him into a sought-after producer and guitarist whose sound is as soulful as the legends he admires.
Peter Yarrow’s passing leaves Paul Stookey as the only member of Peter, Paul and Mary left alive. The trio’s “Puff the Magic Dragon” in 1963 introduced a mass market to the folk boom that had been primarily the genre of choice for the academic community spearheaded by acts like Dylan, Tom Paxton, and Tom Rush.
At 87, Buck’s music is shaped by a deep connection to the city’s storied blues scene, which he entered in 1953. His album ‘Willie Buck and The Delmark All-Stars Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends’ reflects his lifelong dedication to the genre, with both original tracks and classic covers.
ICYMI: The Owsley Stanley Foundation of Grateful Dead fame released ‘You’re Doin’ Fine,’ a sumptuous three-CD set capturing John Hammond at two 1973 concerts at the Boarding House, a small club in San Francisco. The sound man was Owsley Stanley who invented the Grateful Dead’s wall of sound technology.
“I didn’t know that Owsley was recording that show. I was told he was the sound man, but I didn’t understand the significance of it. I mean the sound is great.”
In this candid interview, blues singer Ollee Owens opens up about balancing motherhood with her musical career, the support of her family, and her exciting upcoming performance at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. As she discusses her new album, ‘Nowhere to Hide,’ Owens reflects on the deep connections that fuel her artistry.
Alongside his partner Kim, Reggie Harris has spent decades sharing stories of joy, history, and hope through music. As they prepare for Sing Solstice on December 15th, Harris discusses his role in the folk movement, the evolution of his music, and the transformative power of song to unite and uplift, especially during the darkest times of the year.
“He was my hero, man. I remember watching him on ‘Soul Train’ and ‘Hee Haw.’ I was so proud that this was my father. I was looking at the TV saying, ‘I love you, man.'”
Ronnie Baker Brooks reflects on his father Lonnie’s legacy, blending family, blues, and life lessons in his new Alligator Records album ‘Blues in My DNA.’ From a strict upbringing that taught him the value of hard work to the bittersweet farewell to his mentor, Ronnie carries on the tradition of authenticity and soul in every note.