2008 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year!
Once in a lifetime you may experience a brief moment
when the stars align and something truly extraordinary
happens. This was the case in October 2004, when four of
the greatest living blues legends were assembled in
Dallas, Texas for one incomparable night of music. At the
time they ranged in age from 89 to 94 and all had
received the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage
Fellowship Award, the highest honor in the USA for
traditional arts.
These musicians have devoted their
entire life to playing the blues, and staging such an epic
event was a rare opportunity. Once reunited, the old
magic reemerged. It was if they were long lost school
buddies. There was a time when
Dallas was viewed as an epicenter for the blues. It was
home to such legends as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddie
Ledbelly Ledbetter, T-Bone Walker, Freddie King and
others. The Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas and the
Zanzibar Ballroom in Fort Worth catered to well-dressed
audiences who were transfixed by the soulful shouts of
Johnny Taylor, the screaming Telecaster of Albert Collins
and the eerie cry of Albert Kings Flying V.
On October
16th, 2004, Dallas once again reclaimed its place as a
blues capitol when the four remaining elders of the blues
reunited on the stage of the historic Majestic Theater for
a grand performance. It was a night that was 90 years in
the making, but will live on for eternity.
INTRODUCING THE LEGENDS:
HENRY JAMES TOWNSEND
He goes by the name of Henry James Townsend but his friends call him “The Mule”. Though the nickname's origin is a mystery, it could refer to his stubborn will to keep playing. At the time of this recording, the dean of St. Louis blues and reigning patriarch of the blues, Henry James never had played Dallas in his 94 years. He is the only American recording artist to have recorded in every decade since the 1920's. Henry's music is a unique combination of country and city blues, tempered with just the right amount of influences from Lonnie Johnson and Roosevelt Sykes. The best part about Henry is the wisdom he shares with the audience about his life and his music. It's insightful, provocative and timeless. Profile | Add to Friends
JOE WILLIE "PINETOP" PERKINS
Born July 7, 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi, Grammy Award winner Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins took up piano mid-career after he was stabbed in the arm. Early on, Perkins accompanied such blues legends as Big Joe Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson. By 1953, he was well known as both a back-up player and solo act. This was also the year he made his first solo recording with Sun Records. Now living in Austin, Perkins used to visit Texas regularly when he played piano for the legendary Muddy Waters Band. Today, “Pinetop” Perkins is regarded as one of the world's greatest blues and boogie-woogie piano players. Profile | Add to Friends
DAVID "HONEYBOY" EDWARDS
David "Honeyboy" Edwards was born June 28, 1915 in Shaw, Mississippi. To listen to Mr. Edwards and his skilled slide guitar playing is to journey back in time to the Mississippi
Delta and the street corners of Clarksdale, Mississippi. There, Honeyboy played a pivotal role in shaping the seminal moments of blues history. He is sought after by documentary filmmakers for his detailed accounts of blues folklore, especially his recollections of the day Robert Johnson died. He describes Deep Ellum, east of downtown Dallas, as if it were yesterday. He recounts with incredible accuracy his escapades near the “Central Track” (now Central Expressway) that bordered the west side of this area known for its colorful nightlife in the 30's and 40's. Profile | Add to Friends
ROBERT LOCKWOOD , JR .
Ninety-year-old Robert Lockwood, Jr. or “Robert Jr.” to his friends used to “play” one-month gigs in Fort Worth during the 50's and 60's. He learned to play guitar from the legendary Robert Johnson, who lived with Lockwood's mother during his formative years. He learned his first song, “Sweet Home Chicago”, in about three weeks under Johnson's tutelage. Robert is also one of the original King Biscuit Boys who once opened for King Biscuit Time, now the longest running live radio show in America. Today, Mr. Lockwood is recognized as one of the most prolific guitar players in the world. His unique chord progressions have earned him two honorary doctorate degrees for music theory. Profile | Add to Friends
