BluePower.Com

In Memory Of Gashouse Dave....

2009-06-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

"Hey Homes....listen to this!", were the words I had heard so many times on the phone, often very late at night. But no matter the time, I always took the call because the man behind those words made me smile way too many times.

The first time I met "Gashouse" Dave Shorey was when he came to our home in Van Nuys to turn off the gas. The grizzled persona of David Randall Shorey not only kept the gas on but also revealed a true bluesman possessed of a unique talent. The details of that first meeting are in the show today.

I would like to thank my friend, Tom Sullivan, a very accomplished musician himself and a long term friend of Dave for joining me on this show and sharing some of his fond memories of the Gasman.

I would also like to thank Norm Sancho and Billy DaMota for arranging a great send-off for Gashouse Dave last week.

We are now preparing Dave's "Guitar King - Live In Hollywood" for release. Playing with Dave on that recording are Norm Sancho (bass) and Eddie Avilla (drums). The recording was made at Grandmaster Studios with Jimmi Mayweather at the engineering helm. The recording date was 7/13/96 and we are just sorry that Dave won't be around to enjoy its forthcoming release.

Gashouse Dave will long be fondly remembered throughout Southern California by the many lives he touched....on and off the stage.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Breakin' Up Somebody's Home"....Gashouse Dave & The Hardtails....unreleased
2)...."Knockin' Myself Out"....Mike Bloomfield....Takoma Records
3)...."Rainin', On Hiway 13"....Gashouse Dave & The Hardtails....unreleased
4)...."What The Blues Is All About"....Gashouse Dave & The Hardtails....unreleased
5)...."Way Too Cool"....Gashouse Dave & The Hardtails....Test Pressing

Click here to play....In Memory Of Gashouse Dave.

Click here to go to Gashouse Dave's website.

Click here to go to Tom Sullivan's website.

Daughter Of Mob Boss Balistrieri Dies!

2009-06-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jun. 4, 2009

Benedetta Balistrieri, the daughter of Milwaukee's reputed late mob boss Frank Balistrieri, died May 27 in a Los Angeles hospital, her younger sister said Thursday.

Benedetta had complications from diabetes, according to Catherine Balistrieri-Busateri. She was 64.

Benedetta Balistrieri is the one of four Balistrieri siblings who left Milwaukee to make a new life. After running a downtown Milwaukee club, The Scene, that drew such acts as Jimi Hendrix to Milwaukee, she followed her second husband, Johnny Contardo, a former lead singer for the band Sha Na Na, to Hollywood in 1982.

A 2002 Milwaukee Magazine profile noted that she worked in Los Angeles on music videos and in television shows. Attorney Fred Van Hecke of Milwaukee told the Journal Sentinel that Balistrieri remained close with a network of friends in her hometown while becoming close with celebrities like producer Phil Spector in Hollywood.

"She was a gem," Van Hecke said. "She had a quick wit and could spin a yarn."

Benedetta's relationship with her siblings was the opposite of close.

Frank Balistrieri died without a will in 1993, 15 months after he was released from an eight-year term in federal prison for bookmaking and extortion. His widow, Antonina, died without a will in 1997.

Benedetta sued Catherine and brothers Joe and John after the sale of the Balistrieri family home and its contents in 2001.

Benedetta said she was entitled to a cut of the proceeds. The siblings said there wasn't any money from the estate to give her.

Catherine said Thursday that before she learned of her sister's illness in April, the two hadn't spoken since 1993. Catherine took note of the large number of her sister's friends who contacted her when they learned Benedetta became ill. Benedetta was always generous with her friends and entertaining to be around, her sister said.

Catherine said she and her sister didn't speak directly before she died, but said she reached out to her sister. She wished her sister had come home to Milwaukee years ago, she said.

"I just wanted her soul to have some peace," Catherine said. "I just wanted her to have a peaceful passing."

The body was cremated, her sister said. A service will be held at 11 a.m. July 11 at St. Rita Church, 1601 N. Cass Street.

Ace Is The Place!

2009-05-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the golden opportunity to browse a catalog from Ace Records in England. I was amazed at the thousands of titles available in that beautifully prepared catalog. I was whisked through time as though I were in a time machine.

I marked down the CDs I would have liked never thinking that I would receive them all. To my surprise, they sent everything I had checked off. It was like having all my birthday wishes come true.

The show today is a thanks to Ace for their generosity and to Mr. Alec Palao for setting the process in motion.

May I suggest you crank up your computer and travel to Ace Records and request a catalog for your own "time travel" experience. I'm in heaven.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."I Am Looking For A Woman"....Bo Diddley....Bo's Blues....Ace Records
2)...."Diddy Wah Diddy"....Bo Diddley....Bo's Blues....Ace Records
3)...."Variety Boogie"....Hadda Brooks....Romance In The Dark....Ace Records
4)...."I'm So Glad"....Skip James....Blues From The Delta....Ace Records
5)...."I'm In Love Again"....Fats Domino....The Imperial Singles #3....Ace Records
6)...."Blueberry Hill"....Fats Domino....The Imperial Singles #3....Ace Records
7)...."I Did My Part"....Irma Thomas....Time Is On My Side....Ace Records
8)...."Pretty Girls Everywhere"....Eugene Church....The Very Best Of....Ace Records

Click here to play....Ace Is The Place!

Click here to go to Ace Records for your very own catalog!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

A Tribute To The Gasman!

2009-05-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

I met David Shorey in 1992. I was Mr. Mom at the time while my wife was in chiropractic school. I'll admit things were tough. The royalty checks had turned into dribbles and we were struggling to make ends meet.

One day, I see a man at our gate in front so I go out to see what he wants. He said he was from the Gas Company and had come to turn off our gas. I guess we hadn't paid the bill. While we were talking, he noticed one of my gold records through the window. That changed the course of the conversation to music. The gas man told me that when he wasn't turning off peoples' gas, he was a guitar player who loved the blues.

He went inside the house with me so that I could show him some guitars. Hours later the gas was still on and I had a new friend.

Throughout the years Dave and I became closer and I went on to play several gigs with him in the south land. He was a great player and could emulate nearly any Bluesman he had heard.

I remember one afternoon in rush hour traffic, we were driving together down the 405 South heading to a gig. When we were passing Hillside Memorial Park, Dave slowed down to a crawl. I looked over at him to see what he was doing and he had his head down and was murmuring something softly to himself. By now the traffic is honking their horns and screaming epithets out their windows at this car creeping along. After a few minutes, Dave became normal again and said, "I always say "Hi." to Bloomfield when I drive by." It was then I learned he had played with Mike Bloomfield (Bass) for some time.

David Shorey had a heart as large as a Cadillac and it's hard to believe we won't have those all night conversations about his writing, his music and his life in general.

Recently we hadn't been in touch that much. I talked to him about six months ago and he never mentioned a word about his illness. That was Dave all over. He would talk all night about trivial things but when it came down to something important like his health, he never said a mumblin' word.

We are preparing a special show to pay tribute to the man who let my gas stay on so I could feed my kids. A true human being and a good man. Gashouse Dave Shorey. Rest In Peace my Brother.

John Rhys and Family
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

A Sample Of The Best Music You Never Heard!

2009-05-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

BluePower has been playing the Blues for fifteen years now and to be honest, we're just not finding the caliber material we would like to play in order to remain consistently strong. Sure....we could keep playing the old artists, the great artists who created the Blues in the first place (and we will from time to time) but there are now dozens of sites playing the Blues. When we started on the air in 1995 we were among three web sites with the intention of keeping the Blues alive.

Recently, a friend mentioned that I had produced and engineered many great artists during my time that never saw the light of day. He said that perhaps BluePower should look to doing something new with something old. After all....if you've never heard something, then it's new to you correct?

The Best Music You Never Heard.

Please let us know if there is anything in particular that strikes your fancy and we'll make sure to place more of that material into our upcoming shows.

Here's the music:

1)...."The Passionate Side"....Basha....unreleased....publisher unknown
2)...."Shut Up!"....The Hornets....unreleased....Hollywood Allstar Music
3)...."Full Moon"....The Infallibles....unreleased....publisher unknown
4)...."Walk Around"....Cliffdweller....unreleased....Hollywood Allstar Music 5)...."Spanish Eyes"....Real George....unreleased....Hollywood Allstar Music

Click here to play....The Best Music You Never Heard!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Good Morning Blues........'Crazy 'Bout An Automobile'!

2009-04-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

By 1953 and 1954, I was 12 and 13 respectively. Like so many kids in the United States, I waited impatiently for September to roll around; thus releasing all the new model cars at once into my impatient life. I read all the magazines, scrutinized all the ads and dreamed of owning most of the cars.

And then there were the songs.

The number of songs written for the illustrious automobile is far too long to elucidate here. There were songwriters whipping out cartunes from the very beginning of the production line, in every language and for every make. The Chevy Show with Dinah Shore was a huge success and I'm sure, sold millions of Chevy's. The Big Three manufacturers here in the States all hosted radio and television shows weekly during that time, blaring their theme songs to millions. "See the USA in your Chevrolet". Go little 409!

So, as usual....I picked a bunch of my favorite car songs. I hope you enjoy the show.

BTW....Find the line The Beatles used in one of their biggest hits among these songs below. It's a direct steal and an homage. Be the tenth person to write in with the correct answer and win a swell music DVD. No kidding!

John Rhys/BluePower

Playlist:

1)..."Rocket 88"........Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88's........Blind Pig
2)..."Crazy 'Bout An Automobile"........Billy Emerson........VeeJay
3)..."Cadillac Blues"........Blue By Nature V/Karen Lawrence........Shattered
4)..."No Money Down"........Chuck Berry........Chess
5)..."Seein' What I Ain't Got"........Steppin' Lazer........unreleased
6)..."Mercury Blues"........David Lindley........Rhino
7)..."Slow Down"........Larry Williams........Specialty
8)..."Hi Ballin' "........The Hula Monsters........Mega Truth
9)..."You Can't Catch Me"........Chuck Berry........Chess
10)..."Rocket 88"........Jackie Brenston And His Delta Cats........Chess
11)..."Maybelline"........Chuck Berry........Chess
12)..."Greenbacks"........Ray Charles........Atlantic
13)..."V8 Ford Blues"........Mose Allison........Atlantic
14)..."SUV"........Mem Shannon........Shanachi
15)..."Big V8"........Mark Sallings And The Famous Unknowns........Vent
16)..."Big Ass Green Van"........Bill Perry........Blind Pig
17)..."Peddle To The Metal"........Sonny Landreth........Sugar Hill

Listen to: Crazy Bout An Automobile!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Stand By Me....A Beautiful Video For An Amazing Lady!

2009-04-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

Recently....a dear friend of many has fallen upon hard times. She has been completely renounced by her family and now....has only the support of her friends.

Let me tell you a bit about her.

Her name is Benedetta Balistrieri and I first met her while loading in for a gig with a band I was producing at that time. Benny (as her friends call her), was one of the most beautiful women I had seen in my life. This little lady ran one of the most prominent venues for developing music in the United States. Through the doors of The Scene in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, flowed the essence of what would become the greatest and most historic bands in the world; long before Woodstock or The Monterey Pop Festival. From Jimi Hendrix to Cream to Mountain and everything in between were helped along their way by the generous nature of Benedetta Balistrieri. Benny was always there for an advance so the musicians could pay their hotel rooms or just provide gas for their vans full of equipment to the next job. Benny was always available for a touch. There are many of us who will never forget that.

Now....times are a lot different. A series of bad marriages, family disputes and poor choices have left this wonderful girl in dire straights. What is amazing though is the fact that Benny's friends are popping up all over the world with help and support.

Today, I received a video from one of Benny's most staunch allies. Kate Teipel sent this video of the song "Stand By Me" as performed simultaneously by musicians from around the world. A more fitting stance could not have been provided. For this, we thank Kate most profusely.

All we ask is that as you view this video, you think good thoughts and prayers for our dear friend and compatriot for many years. I know she will appreciate your kindness. The universe works in strange ways.

This is a lady who did more in her own way to help new music along the road than most record companies ever did.

Please send us your thoughts via blupwr@sbcglobal.net and we will make sure Benny receives them in good order.

Here's the link to the video....Stand By Me

Best wishes to you all....
John Rhys/BluePower.com

Bobby Womack....From Valentino To Superstar!

2009-04-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Bio from: AMG
Written by: Steve Huey

A veteran who paid his dues for over a decade before getting his shot at solo stardom, Bobby Womack persevered through tragedy and addiction to emerge as one of soul music's great survivors. Able to shine in the spotlight as a singer or behind the scenes as an instrumentalist and songwriter, Womack never got his due from pop audiences, but during the late '60s and much of the '70s, he was a consistent hitmaker on the R&B charts, with a high standard of quality control. His records were quintessential soul, with a bag of tricks learned from the likes of Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, and Sly Stone, all of whom Womack worked closely with at one time or another. Yet often, they also bore the stamp of Womack's own idiosyncratic personality, whether through a lengthy spoken philosophical monologue or a radical reinterpretation of a pop standard. An underrated guitarist, Womack helped pioneer a lean, minimalist approach similar to that of Curtis Mayfield, and was an early influence on the young Jimi Hendrix. Additionally, his songs have been recorded by numerous artists in the realms of both R&B and rock, and the best of them rank as all-time classics.

This perfomance was mixed by John Rhys at Master Sound Recorders in Hollywood.

We at BluePower.com wish to extend our congratulations to our dear friend on his acceptance into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. An award long overdue to one of the true contributors of American popular music.

Listen To Bobby Womack Live At The Roxy With Special Guest..Sly Stone!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Blackfoot To Appear At House Of Blues Anaheim, April 4th!

2009-04-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest working, multi Gold and Platinum acts to hit the charts and perform the world's stages are once more performing their classic tracks like Train Train, Highway Song, Baby Blue, Fox Chase, Left Turn, Fly Away and others as well as new songs. Having completed over 120 shows already and there are no plans to slow down.

Blackfoot's bold and long history are the stuff of which legends are made. Touring the world with bands such as The Who, Deep Purple, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent, to name a few have helped to solidify their place in rock music. Blackfoot's headline tours gave America their first taste of bands like Def Leppard, Scorpions, Iron Maiden and others who opened for them.

Blackfoot has left their mark in Southern Rock, the term Southern Metal was first coined to describe the band. Their history is a thing of legend and they have left their fingerprint on countless bands that came after them. Blackfoot is back, now we all have a chance to hear the real thing again for a long time to come.

Click here to see Blackfoot at the House Of Blues in Anaheim on April Fourth!

Click here to visit Blackfoot's web site!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Lester Davenport Now Playing In The Heavenly Band!

2009-03-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

RIP Lester Davenport 1/16/1932-3/17/2009: Word has just come in from Kevin Johnson of Delmark Records that Chicago blues harmonica great Lester "Mad Dog" Davenport passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was a respected figure in Chicago blues, best known for his stunning harp work on Bo Diddley's 1955 recordings of "Pretty Thing" and "Bring It To Jerome". Lester Davenport was born in Tchula, Mississippi on January 16, 1932, and moved to Chicago at age 14. Lester soon found work as a blues harmonica player working with Arthur "Big Boy" Spires and Homesick James before landing a gig with Bo Diddley that led to the famous recording session and a gig at the Apollo Theater. In addition to harmonica, Lester also played bass, drums, and guitar, which ensured him lots of work in the active Chicago blues scene. During the 1970s, he worked with W.W. Williams, Kansas City Red, Illinois Slim, Steve Cushing, Tchula childhood friend Jimmy Dawkins, and many others. In the 1980s he toured extensively with Big Daddy Kinsey & The Kinsey Report. Lester Davenport's career yielded 2 beautiful CDs: When The Blues Hit You on Earwig Music (1993) and I Smell A Rat on Delmark (2002). He also had a couple songs released on an anthology called It's Great To Be Rich on the Red Lightnin' label, and a song on Chicago Blues Harmonica, an anthology on the Wolf Records label. Lester's recording credits as a sideman are extensive: Bo Diddley for Chess records, Big Smokey Smothers for Red Lightnin', Willie Johnson, Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Johnny B. Moore for Wolf Records, Big Smokey Smothers, Big John Trice for Red Lightnin', Aron Burton on Earwig, and Bonnie Lee and Willie Kent for Delmark. Aside from all of these great credentials, Lester was just a wonderful man who was eager to welcome new friends and share his harmonica secrets to aspiring players. He had a warm smile and the ability to add humor to any situation. His harmonica playing will be remembered for its glorious, sweet tone and perfect phrasing. Though he never achieved great fame, he will always be remembered as one of the greats. Funeral services will be this Saturday, March 28, 2009, 10am to 12pm, at A.R. Leak Funeral Home, 5000 W. Madison, Chicago, IL 60644.
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Harry Balk....A Producer's Producer!

2009-03-09T11:11:00.001-07:00

From theater owner to manager to record company owner, HARRY BALK has done it all. Tune in as John and Jeanie discuss the evolution of the music business with a man who helped create the business itself. On this show find out about LITTLE WILLIE JOHN, DEL SHANNON and THE SHADES OF BLUE. Plus some inside information regarding MARVIN GAYE's LP "What's Goin' On". A truly informative interview. (Picture, left to right, Harry Balk, Del Shannon)

Listen here....Harry Balk....A Producer's Producer!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

An Evening With Teresa Russell!

2009-03-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

A raging Southern California guitar phenomenon .....

Described as "the most awesome Female rock guitarist...ever!" this is simply an understatement - Teresa Russell is one of the best guitarists out there: male or female.

Teresa, is the only female to ever qualify" in the top eight" for the national finals in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's lead guitar competition, Guitarmageddon. Competing with over 2000 guitarists across the country, she accomplished this by winning the West regional in Los Angeles where she received "out-of-seat-thumbs-up" kudos from such Grammy award, celebrity judges/guitarists as Steve Lukather (Toto) and Steve Stevens (Billy Idol).

Teresa started guitar lessons at age 7. She was playing teen halls, high schools and navy bases by age 9. At age 12, she was playing on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. With guitar influences such as Hendrix and Clapton, she rocked regularly at Gazzari's and the Whiskey A-Go-Go. Numerous TV appearances followed as well as writing songs for a movie called The Young Graduates. At age 14, Teresa and her band were contracted to do a six-month engagement in Mexico City, performing at the El Camino Real and El Senior Real Hotels and night clubs.
After attending Northridge University on a guitar scholarship, she hit the road to continue seasoning her rock chops in countless roadhouse bars throughout the western U.S. She later formed an all-female rock band and performed for several years on the Las Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe circuits.

After touring all over the world with Helen Reddy throughout the late 80's, playing live TV and major concert venues, Teresa decided to pursue projects of her own. She focused on her Blues-rock roots with an aggressive style establishing a wide-spread fan base throughout southern California.

On the recent release of her 3rd CD with Cocobilli, "Show You What Love Can Do", Teresa delivers an electrifying performance that features raging guitar solos. Her vocal style has been compared to such divas as Janis Joplin, Melissa Etheridge, and Bonnie Raitt, combining a rock-hard edge with a supple warmth that quickly distinguishes her voice as uniquely that of Teresa Russell. Joined in her virtuosity by bassist Billi Breland and drummer Coco Roussel, this popular trio can be seen performing regularly throughout Southern California.

For more information, go to Teresa Russell

Listen now to Teresa Russell!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Walter Trout....Live In The Studio!

2009-02-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

One of the most influential guitarists in the world today, Walter Trout presents to BluePower listeners an exciting show which was performed live in the studio in 2002.

These performances have never been podcast before.

Watch a live video of one of the songs recorded on this session. A must for all guitar players!

Listen: Walter Trout Live In The Studio!

View: Walter Trout...."Ride Til I'm Satisfied"!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

2009-02-20T12:16:00.001-08:00

PBS STATIONS TO BROADCAST
STEVIE WONDER IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE

Washington DC, February 19, 2009 - "Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize" will showcase an evening of celebration with President and Mrs. Obama at the White House in honor of musician Stevie Wonder's receipt of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The sixty-minute program, to be taped by WETA Washington, D.C., airs Thursday, February 26, 2009, at 8 p.m. ET on PBS stations nationwide. (Check local listings.) The concert takes place February 25 and will include performances by Wonder himself and Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Martina McBride, Esperanza Spalding, Will.i.am, and the gospel duo Mary Mary, among others. President Obama will confer the Gershwin Prize upon Wonder during the event. "WETA is so proud to carry on the vital thirty-year tradition of the 'In Performance at the White House' series," said Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and CEO of WETA. "These remarkable occasions have given each administration the ability to demonstrate its support of the arts and to share the experience with a wide public television audience. It is a delight to continue this series with the Obama Administration as we present the very best of the American performing arts." "In its 40th anniversary year, PBS is continuing its tradition of celebrating the performing arts and making them accessible to all Americans. 'Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House' promises to be a very special evening, and we are proud to invite our viewers a take a front row seat, right next to the First Family," said Paula A. Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. Wonder gained prominence in the early 1960s as a musical prodigy, and his dance hits and love songs have segued over the years into thoughtful commentaries on the joy and injustice in our world. Born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, Wonder became blind shortly after birth. He learned to play the harmonica, piano and drums by age 9 and by age 12 he had received a recording contract from Motown Records. His numerous hits include "Fingertips," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," "If You Really Love Me" and "You are the Sunshine of My Life." Over the years Wonder has delivered 32 No. 1 R&B and Pop singles, 49 Top 40 R&B and Pop singles, and garnered 25 Grammy Awards, as well as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. He collected an Academy Award for the 1984 hit "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from the film The Woman in Red. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. In 1999, Wonder became the youngest honoree of the Kennedy Center Honors. He was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 2002, and in 2004 he won the Johnny Mercer Award in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding creative work. In 2005, the Library of Congress added Wonder's 1976 double album "Songs in the Key of Life" to the National Recording Registry, which recognizes recordings that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." "In Performance at the White House," produced by WETA since 1978, began with an East Room recital by the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz in 1978, and since then has embraced virtually every genre of American music: pop, country, gospel, jazz and the blues among them. The series was created to showcase the rich fabric of American culture in the setting of the nation's most famous home. Past programs have showcased such talent as the United States Marine Band, singer Natalie Cole, the best of Broadway musicals and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. "Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize" will be the first "In Performance at the White House" program during President Barack Obama's Administration. The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin. This award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture. The prize is given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins. The first Gershwin Prize was awarded to Paul Simon in May 2007. For more information about "Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize," visit WHITE HOUSE PERFORMANCE. "Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize" is a production of WETA Washington, D.C., the Library of Congress, Mark Krantz Productions and CoMedia. The "In Performance at the White House" series was created by WETA Washington, D.C. Executive producers and creators of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song are Robert Kaminsky, Peter Kaminsky, Mark Krantz and Cappy McGarr. WETA executive producers are Dalton Delan and David S. Thompson. Major funding is provided by the Annenberg Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers. WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station for public television. WETA's other productions and co-productions include "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," "Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal," "The Kennedy Center Presents," and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including "THE WAR" and coming this fall, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea." Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at WETA. PBS, with its 356 member stations, offers all Americans - from every walk of life - the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 115 million people on-air and online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and Web site, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at PBS.ORG one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet. CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967 and is steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,100 locally-owned and -operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.

Patti Mitsui (818) 766.0443

Walter Trout...."Ride Til I'm Satisfied"....The DVD!

2009-02-17T17:18:00.000-08:00

From: BluePower.com
By: John Rhys

A couple of years ago, BluePower finally managed to wrest Walter Trout and the band away from their busy schedule to come into Rotund Rascal Studios in North Hollywood to record half a dozen songs live to two track.

While they were doing this, Steve Altman shot the session with one camera so that we could preserve the moment for posterity.

Later, Steve took it upon himself to put together one song with the video. It took a great deal of finagling to get the DVD to come out right as utilizing only one camera, he had to pull shots from other sections of the video in order to piece together the song.

BluePower used the DVD in a contest in which over 5000 people entered to win one of four DVD's made.

Here is that DVD with all it's foibles. However; if you're a guitar player, there are some amazing shots of Walter and the fingerboard during the main solos. A must for any guitar player in the process of learning to play leads.

Click here to view...."Ride Til I'm Satisfied!

....Quicktime Format Required

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Lefsetz Says It Like It Is!

2009-02-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Bob Lefsetz is an attorney who spent many years in the hierarchy of the corporate music industry. Several years ago, he started writing letters and sending them to friends. He now reaches thousands of people, including BluePower. He likes to rant and all too often, he is spot-on. Sometimes though, we disagree....welcome to America, and to Bob Lefsetz.

We thought you would like to see one of Bob's latest rants. He says what we would all like to say to these blasted companies.

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FedEx ReDux

I take it all back.

Too paranoid to have my bills paid automatically, not trusting my bank, the system, uptight about my money, I still pay my bills myself. I like to look at the invoice. You'd be stunned at the hidden charges you find.

Like AT&fuckingT. They slammed me once.

Do you know what slamming is? Bottom line, I switched to their long distance service, then canceled it the next day. But they don't cancel, they just bill you. Forseeminglyever. Until going through the inordinate number of lines on your phone bill you find out you're paying $8.95 a month for a service that you don't need, because you're buying it from someone else. Try getting your money back? It's like being in a Freddie Prinze routine. Endless hosannas of "It's not MY job!" That's America. You fight for reductions on principle, but then you give up. It's just not worth your time. To wait on hold and then speak to someone more ignorant on the subject than you, and they WORK THERE!

And end up fucking up the change anyway.

Ever change your cell phone plan? Turns out, if you do, your contract is extended. Well, there's been such a hubbub, they stopped that practice. Still, if you leave the country, if you go to an international plan temporarily, so you don't lose your house paying your BlackBerry bill, they always say they'll change your plan back, AUTOMATICALLY! But they never do.

So I read the bills.

And I'm reading a bill from FedEx. $13! I don't think I've gotten a bill that cheap from the overnight delivery service since the eighties. But before I pay it, let me make sure the package was actually delivered.

I'm not a tracking nut. Not with FedEx. They never fuck up. Not in my experience. But I haven't gotten my copier back, so maybe...

You can't track the package from this invoice. There's a bunch of numbers, my account number, an invoice number, but none of them work on FedEx's site.

So I call. 1-800-Go-FedEx, right?

And when I get the endless voice prompts, I keep saying "Operator", "Operator". My voice so low, it's like I'm the villain in a low budget horror movie. As if I were so dumb that my question could be answered by a computer. Finally, the canned chick realizes I don't want her help and transfers me to a real person.

Who can't help me either. He can't track my package. And this is FedEx?

This makes no sense to me. Just like the invoice itself. $13? I was quoted a price of over $30. But I figured it was my lucky day.

It wasn't.

Turns out the $13 was a "Weekly Service Charge".

Huh?

I shipped a package, now I'm gonna pay $50 a month for the privilege?

No, they're gonna cut me a break. They'll just charge me an extra $13 every time I send something.

Well, this sucks. Suddenly, what seems like a fair price is exorbitant. I might have forgone the whole process and just purchased a new copier, or used the copy feature in my 3-in-1 HP that I got free for buying an Apple computer.

NOWHERE on the Website was this charge revealed. I was on the phone with a "friendly" employee checking the price before I shipped... She didn't tell me either.

I feel abused.

When did this start?

With car rental companies. The quoted price is really half the price of a rental. Then hotels. And Ticketmaster. What kind of disease does our country have? One of dishonesty? I guess if Bill Clinton can lie about getting a blow job and Obama's appointees can "forget" to pay their taxes, it's all right for companies to rip us off, bill us extra charges after we've used their services. It's the American way, after all.

Or go to the doctor. Lord only knows what the final bill will be.

Just tell me what I owe.

If you're afraid I'm gonna balk, then your price is too high. And maybe you deserve to go bankrupt.

Like this works in personal relationships. Oh, HONEY! I was faithful 364 nights this year, but one evening in Canada I shtupped a waitress. It doesn't count, you shouldn't be upset, because if you read the prenup, which I was gonna have you sign, but didn't, you'll see that I'm entitled to one night of infidelity a year, as long as it happens on foreign soil.

Tell the wife to shrug and forget that one.

Or, it's like the IRS suddenly wanting an extra five grand. Because the country needs it. TELL ME FIRST!

But you can't raise taxes. That's a dirty word. So you just don't fix the roads and find some other way to get the money from us.

We go to school and learn honesty. We labor over math, getting finite answers. Then we enter the real world and none of that applies. I guess these companies figure we can't do math. And many Americans can't. Figuring the calculator in their cell phones will help them balance their checkbook after using their ATM card to buy tchotchkes they don't need.

But almost nobody balances his checkbook, it's too hard, it's too time-consuming.

I paid the bill, but next time I'm using UPS.

Original article: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2009/01/27/fedex/

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Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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2009-02-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

CONCORD RECORDS TO RELEASE DEFINITIVE RAY CHARLES ANTHOLOGY:
RAY CHARLES – GENIUS: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION,
FEATURING 21 HITS FROM HIS MOST CELEBRATED ERA

Set due in stores April 7. Most songs available digitally for the first time.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Commencing an extensive Ray Charles reissue program for 2009, Concord Records will release a 21-song anthology of hits titled Ray Charles — Genius: The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection. The volume, slated for a street date of April 7, 2009, presents Charles’ most influential recordings for the Atlantic and ABC-Paramount labels including 1955’s “I Got a Woman” plus “Busted,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” concluding with his signature 1972 rendition of “America the Beautiful.” All are digitally remastered from the original tapes.

Late last year, Concord Music Group announced it had entered into an exclusive arrangement with the Ray Charles Foundation to develop the artist’s post-1960 catalog, which contains his classic work for the ABC-Paramount and Tangerine labels. In addition to planning a series of CD reissues, Concord will make the catalog available digitally for the first time ever.

Ray Charles — Genius: The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection chronicles the high points in Charles’ catalog. As noted jazz writer Don Heckman writes in his liner notes, “The first feeling that comes to mind after even a short glance at the titles included here is a sense of wonder. The diversity of the material is impressive in its own right — blues, of course, transformed gospel songs, country tunes, an American Songbook standard, a Beatles classic and a climactic American anthem. But more than that, it’s what he does with all these variegated numbers. Good singers can do great interpretations. Great singers like Charles possess the material in a way that makes a song their own, while remaining true to the essence of each.”

Ten of the tracks on this collection made it to #1 on the R&B charts and three songs hit #1 on the pop chart. “That may sound like nothing more than numbers,” says Heckman, “but it represents an extraordinary string of successes in which Charles released a Top 10 R&B single in almost every year between 1954-67, and a Top 10 pop single almost every year between 1959-67.”

The album contains 21 of Charles’ biggest hits, each within its own unique history and meaning. “Hit the Road Jack,” penned by Percy Mayfield, a #1 pop hit and a 1961 Grammy winner for Charles, opens the collection. Also included are “What I’d Say (Part 1),” ranked #10 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; the classic “Busted”; “I Can’t Stop Loving You” from the album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which reached #1 on R&B and pop charts; the Bobby Sharp composition “Unchain My Heart”; Charles’ signature rendition of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia on My Mind, another #1 pop hit; “I Got a Woman” which was Charles’ first #1 R&B hit and was later sampled by Kanye West; “You Are My Sunshine,” the Jimmie Davis standard that Charles brought to #1 R&B; a soulful edition of Hank Williams’ “Take These Chains From My Heart”; the offbeat “Hide Nor Hair”; Ashford & Simpson’s “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” a #1 R&B hit by Charles; “You Don’t Know Me,” earlier a hit for Jerry Vale, which charted #2 pop; “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” originally a gospel hymn; “Crying Time,” a Buck Owens song which Charles brought to #6 on the pop charts; the funky “I’m a Fool for You,” which charted #1 R&B; “One Mint Julep,” Charles’ version of The Clovers’ hit with a big band arrangement by Quincy Jones; “Here We Go Again,” sung as a duet with Betty Carter; “Yesterday,” the Paul McCartney classic, in which Charles, according to Heckman, “embraces the song’s deep inner heart”; and finally his 1972 signature recording of “America the Beautiful,” the perfect ending and relevant once again.

Genius: The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection will be packaged in a handsome embossed digipack and presented with a 24-page collectors’ book of rare photos and Heckman’s notes.

“Genius Loves Company was Ray Charles' highest selling record ever,"
said Valerie Ervin, President of the Ray Charles Foundation. "In addition to the artistic quality of the music, the release was matched by Concord's skill in finding new ways to market in the increasingly challenging environment.
Their incomparable ability to innovate will also be seen in the upcoming
releases."

Concord will release several other Ray Charles reissues this year including Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music, Volumes 1 & 2, The Genius Hits the Road, A Message to the People and Genius + Soul = Jazz & More.

# # #

For more information on Concord Music Group’s Ray Charles reissue series, please contact:

Joel Amsterdam, Concord Records
310-385-4206
jamsterdam@concordrecords.com

Cary Baker, conqueroo
323-656-1600
cary@conqueroo.com

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

BluePower Presents....The Stax Story!

2009-02-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

There's an old saying
That goes like so
Keep trying
And you'll get where you want to go
When things get rough
Buckle down
Don't give up
You can conquer the world with your original sound.
They knocked at the front door
And couldn't get in
They heard a sound and went to the back door
And the sound let them in.

(This is an unattributed poem from an early Stax Records publicity release.)

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In 1961, I had the good fortune of working for a great gentleman and famous record promotion man, Joe Galkin.

We were traveling through the deep south, promoting along the way when we came to Memphis, Tennessee. Joe said the first stop we were going make was at some friends of his who had just started a small record label named Satellite.

We pulled into the black section of Memphis and turned onto McLemore Street and stopped in front of an old theatre; The Capitol. Inside The Capitol was a small record store. I was introduced a white lady whose name was Estelle Axton. She was selling records to a couple of young folks while the music blared through the small store.

Little did I know at the time that this was the humble beginning of what would become one of the most powerful music driven companies in the world....Stax Records.

There is no one in the world who has not heard a Stax record. This company also became one of the most important driving agencies for political change in the USA. Certainly a great deal more than Motown until Marvin Gaye was allowed to release his famous What's Goin' On LP.

Stax Records. The name today is still rich in associations. Carla and Rufus Thomas, Sam and Dave, Booker T. and the MG's, Otis Redding....the roll call could go on and on. A tiny label that started out in 1960 renting a unused movie theater in a shabby neighborhood that was going from white to black.

On the theater marquee would soon appear in giant letters of red plastic,

SOULSVILLE U.S.A.

BluePower is presenting these three shows in order that our listeners may hear all three shows with just one click. Once again....The music says it all!

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Part One....The Stax Story!
Part Two....The Stax Story!
Part Three....The Stax Story!

Parts of intro piece compliments of Peter Guralnick from his wonderful book....Sweet Soul Music.

Click here to go directly to....Concord Music Group!

Click here to go directly to....The Stax Museum!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

American Radio Flash!

2009-01-30T14:06:00.000-08:00

Radio--Bankrupt In 6 To 12 Months!

By Jerry Del Colliano

There's a reason radio executives are talking gibberish and not making any sense even as their industry fights for survival.

Come on.

Sales shortfalls can be solved.

Programming inadequacies can be fixed.

New media and mobile content can be our fast friend -- not that complicated.

If we know this, why don't the radio CEOs know it?

And the answer is -- they do, but their problems are much bigger than increasing sales or getting ratings.

Radio is over -- not because sales and programming can't be fixed -- but because the station's can't service the debt consolidators gleefully took on to put their groups together.

To complete this piece..click here to go to Inside Music Media.

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Barney Ales....The Master Of Motown!

2009-01-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

During my career in the music industry, I have had the opportunity of meeting some great people; both men and women. However; it was not until I met Barney Ales, that I really had the chance to see one of the most powerful men in the music industry in action. Since I was promoting product for Motown Records at the time (1964), I had an excellent insider's view.

He sat in a humble office located upstairs at Hitsville on West Grand Boulevard in the Motor City....Detroit, Michigan. From there Barney controlled the flow of Motown Records' product all over the world.

For years, many people speculated that Barney owned Motown, not Berry Gordy. Berry was an astute businessman and knew he needed a white man to front Motown in order to collect monies from the (mostly white) distributors and rack jobbers. Berry could have made no better choice than Barney Ales.

Knowing the potential of the Motown machine; discerning the machine's many talents (including his own) and knowing how to collect the rewards....was Barney's talent.

This interview with Mr. Ales was recorded at his home in Malibu several months ago on a mini-cassette recorder. I have been holding back the interview because I couldn't figure how I wanted to produce it. I have decided to run the interview alone (sans music cuts) as the discussion is quite informative (and humorous) by itself. The interview is totally un-edited.

There are four parts to this interview. Anyone remotely interested in the music business of the Motown era and of that time period will want to tune in to a talk with one of the most fascinating men to ever work the music industry.

Let's put it this way....Barney Ales has an incredible sense of business acumen and used it to grow one of the most prestigious and profitable entertainment companies of all time; Motown Records.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Listen to Barney Ales....The Master Of Motown (Part One)
Listen to Barney Ales....The Master Of Motown (Part Two)
Listen to Barney Ales....The Master Of Motown (Part Three)
Listen to Barney Ales....The Master Of Motown (Part Four)

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Robert "Wolfman" Belfour To Appear In Santa Barbara!

2009-01-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Santa Barbara Blues Society Presents

AUTHENTIC DEEP SOUTH BLUESMAN

ROBERT "WOLFMAN" BELFOUR

Only California appearance! S.B. debut!

The Santa Barbara Blues Society, the oldest existing blues society in the U.S., presents its annual Member Appreciation Show on Saturday, January 24, 2009, at Warren Hall, Earl Warren Showgrounds. The music starts at 8:30 PM, doors open at 7:30.

Robert "Wolfman" Belfour (born September 11, 1940, Holly Springs, Mississippi) is an authentic American blues roots musician. His father taught him the guitar at a young age and he continued his tutelage in the blues from musicians Otha Turner, R. L. Burnside, and Junior Kimbrough. Kimbrough, in particular, had a profound influence on him. His music is deeply rooted in Mississippi Hill Country traditions, in contrast to those of delta blues. His playing is characterized by a deeply percussive attack and alternate tunings.

This annual member appreciation show is FREE to each SBBS member & 1 guest!

Memberships will be available at the door, or before the show at the SBBS web site. www.SBBlues.org, or by calling (805) 722-8155.

Getting Back To Love....!

2008-12-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

With Special Guest....Lori Rhys.

In the world today, where fear and derision seem to rule; the question we're asking is: Where has love gone?

Polorization has become the byword in America. People no longer speak to their friends due to differences in religion and politics and, bit by bit, we have become separated. What has happened to communication?

This show exhibits what can happen to a married couple when communication on a personal level ceases to exist. When the couple stops talking to each other and communication completely breaks down.

Join my wife and I as we speak of our own dilema in regard to our loss of sincere dialog and what happened when we finally figured what was wrong and started on our course to re-build our relationship. Amazing things happened.

Imagine what could happen if the entire world tried speaking with each other instead of resolving our differences with violence.

This is a different show from our normal Blues fare. We sincerely hope you enjoy and benefit from our conversation and the music provided. As always, the music tells the truth.

John Rhys-Eddins/BluePower.com

The Music Today:

1)...."Where Is The Love"....The Black Eyed Peas
2)...."One"....Andy Cowan
3)...."At Last"....Etta James
4)...."Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"....Andy Cowan
5)...."Hold On To What You Got"....Joe Tex
6)...."Need Your Love So Bad"....Gary Moore
7)...."Without Love"....Clyde McPhatter
8)...."Love's Me Like A Rock"....The Dixie Hummingbirds
9)...."Forever Young"....The Band

Please share your comments, stories and/or questions with us by e-mailing us at: blupwrcomments@yahoo.com
Also be sure to let us know if it is okay to use part or all of what you write to us in future shows. We love to hear from you.

John & Lori Rhys/BluePower.com

Click here to listen to....Getting Back To Love!

T. J. Sullivan....A Live Review!

2008-12-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

You know I love the blues. I especially like it when it's played with heart and soul. Last Thursday evening at Arnie's Cafe in Tujunga, I had the golden opportunity of witnessing another man's love of the genre. That gentleman is T. J. Sullivan.

To say Mr. Sullivan is a dedicated bluesman is an understatement. There isn't much about the blues TJ doesn't know and as he is playing, one understands that completely.

An especially gifted player as well as performer, TJ rolls through licks and vocals with graceful aplomb and entertains with a love close to his soul. It must be hard to smile that much and sing at the same time.

Thursday evening at Arnie's Cafe' found the small venue packed with standing room only. TJ started his set with a song called "In These Blues" accompanied by Oscar Jordan, an excellent blues man in his own right. "In These Blues" is a perfect combination of jazz and blues whereas both TJ and Oscar took individual solos that combined excellent playing ability with gentle finesse. The harmonies were delicate and on the mark.

After TJ's first tune, he was accompanied by harp player par excellence, Greger Walnum; upright bassist, Mark Goldberg and keyboard/accordionist, David Fraser. The group was a perfect setting for the tunes TJ had selected. A combination of clever songs, excellent playing and a mesmerizing performance put T. J. Sullivan over-the-top Thursday night and gave him an enthralled audience who wanted more.

Here is TJ's set list:

1)...."In These Blues"
2)...."Ain't No Fun Being All Alone"
3)...."Ask Myself Why"
4)...."Woman Looking For A Man"
5)...."Mr. Blues"
6)...."Nothin' Matters"
7)...."Chicken Pie"
8)...."With You"
9)...."Mama's Got A New Tattoo"
10).."Blues Is Like A Ballgame"

It's a wonderful thing to be surprised in a good way and pleasantly surprised we all were. In fact, the folks with whom we went, talked about the performance all the way home. Oh....and if you'd like to see T. J. Sullivan in person, you can catch him at Cozy's on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks on January 17th at approximately 8PM. I'll be there and I'm bringing some friends.

John Rhys/BluePower.com
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Go to T.J. Sullivan's web site!

Listen to BluePower's review of TJ's latest CD!

Purchase T.J. Sullivan's latest CD!
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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

A Blatant Pitch For NPR!

2008-11-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

I am an avid listener of National Public Radio. I listen to hear an accurate presentation of a given subject from relevant points of view, not a skewed version designed to bolster a bias. Unbiased and unvarnished programming...."What a concept!" NPR can operate this way because they are beholden to their listener supported membership not advertisers.

NPR was founded in 1970 and has become a dominant intellectual force in American life, evolving into a primary source of news and commentary for millions of keenly interested Americans. Starting small, 37 years ago, NPR is today a large media operation with 750 employees and over 860 independent public radio stations; all of which operate on a "non-profit" basis.

My wife and I are grateful members of NPR and listen whenever we can to stay abreast of life's twists. NPR always gives us plenty to digest and is often the impetus for marvelous conversations.

Leaving regular programming to cover important breaking stories is something we greatly appreciate. At a time when much of the media in this country stems from only a few biased sources, listener supported NPR is to us what Europe's Radio-Free America was during WWII.

If you are not already a listener to NPR, I know you will find this a very trustworthy source for news and commentary. As far as becoming a member, hearing truly relevant sides of a story that affects all of our lives is well worth the peace of mind. Enough said.

John & Lori Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records
2)...."Respect"....Otis Redding....Volt Records #128
3)...."That's How Strong My Love Is"....Otis Redding....Volt Records # 124
4)...."Satisfaction"....Otis Redding....Volt Records # 132
5)...."A Change Is Gonna Come"....Otis Redding....Volt Records LP # 412
6)...."I Can't Turn You Loose"....Otis Redding....Volt Records # 130

All cuts heard on this program were culled from The Otis Redding Story, released by Atlantic Records sometime around 1986.

Listen here!

Go to NPR's primary web site!

Become a member here!

Disclaimer!
National Public Radio is in no way aligned with BluePower.com and BP has not been paid nor authorized by NPR to make the outrageous claims made in this show. However; this is America and I would like to see her stay free. I believe supporting an organization such as NPR should be considered a lesson in Civics.

And The Experience Was No More!

2008-11-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

The death of drummer Mitch Mitchell, aged 61, marks an unwanted milestone in rock mortality. Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, all have suffered fatalities over the years. However, with the passing of Mitchell, all three members of the Jimi Hendrix Experience are now dead. This is especially poignant since, with 1968's Electric Ladyland, the three of them created a double album of such sheer volume, incandescence and pyromaniac creativity that it remains unmatched and undimmed. It still has the power to knock you off your seat and Mitch Mitchell's percussive ferocity is a significant contributor to that.

Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding were selected for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966 as much for their ability to look the part for the psychedelic novelty act the band were being promoted as. They were two kooky, pseudo Afro-sporting innocents standing alongside the Wild Man of Rock, and critics have occasionally been condescending towards Redding and Mitchell as a result. Writers like Nik Cohn suggested that they were uncommonly lucky to be playing alongside a genius like Hendrix, while biographer David Henderson wrote of the "strange contempt" he divined in Mitchell towards Hendrix. However, Mitchell deeply resented these remarks and, while he may not always have been happy with the lack of attention or remuneration he received in comparison with Hendrix, all of this was channelled as grist to his percussive mill.

Mitchell had been a child actor, a skill he brought to bear in the spoken word intro to Axis: Bold As Love, and at ease with the extroversion of rock showmanship. He had the same boundless, manic qualities as Who drummer Keith Moon – it seemed at times that he was not so much playing his kit as trying to smash it to smithereens. However, he really could play. He was steeped in jazz and particularly indebted to the post-bebop drummer Elvin Jones.

Playing with Hendrix was no second-fiddle indignity for Mitchell but a challenge to be risen to, time and again. On a track like Manic Depression, it's as if he's about to be pitched off his drum seat over the top of the kit, propelled by the sheer tsunami of his drumming. He is almost the dominant force. By 1968, as Hendrix really began to experiment, bassist Noel Redding found himself marginalised and eventually jettisoned. Mitchell, however, rose again to the occasion, holding his own in the jam session with Hendrix and Steve Winwood that gave rise to Voodoo Chile. Even when Hendrix went the way many of his black followers had hoped he would and formed the African American trio Band of Gypsys, Mitchell was never out of the loop. On the last Hendrix recordings, he was part of a trio that included bassist Billy Cox. He worked with him to the end, and beyond. For on October 19, 1970, it was Mitchell's grievous duty to go in and lay down the studio drum part to "Angel", over the guitars and vocals of his colleague who had died tragically just a month earlier, aged 27. The rising swell of cymbals that concludes the track feel like a final embrace with the ascended soul of his old friend.

Although he played in a supergroup involving John Lennon, Mitchell never
really found a major role for himself following Hendrix's death, and towards the end of his life he had been playing on the Experience Hendrix tour across America. However, rock historians should always remember to open their ears beyond Hendrix's dazzling playing and recall that Mitchell was, then and forever, an indispensable part of the Experience.

From: The Guardian/UK
By: David Stubbs
Photograph: Joel Elkins/Rex Features