DESCRIPTION:
Alabama Music Office.com goes to Florence, Alabama to interview bluesman Maxwell 'Max' Russell. We did our interview in his home studio. Maxwell Russell was born and raised in northwest Alabama. He grew up in the Colbert County area, a region which has had its share of music greats. It is home to Muscle Shoals Sound, Fame and other famous, ground breaking studios. It is also the hometown of Blues legend W.C. Handy. Maxwell has been playing the guitar since he was a youngster but started his journey in the "business" at the age of 26, forming bands along the way and playing his originals at gigs. He writes music ranging from Country ballads and Country rockers to Blues and Jazz numbers and old time Rock 'n' Roll. His music is influenced by old school Delta music, Slide, Boogie, Shuffles, Swing and old Rock 'n' Roll. He plays songs by the likes of Howling Wolf, Ike Turner, Muddy Waters, Carl Perkins and newer artists like Tony Joe White and Stevie Ray Vaughan to name a few. Max has played mainly throughout the southeast for festivals and clubs. In 2006, he entered and won first place in a Blues band competition in Birmingham, Alabama and was sent to Memphis for the IBC competition. He has two independent albums and one live recording of solo Delta Blues music which will be released soon. He is working with his band The Shakedown Kings...a group of seasoned players from in and around the Muscle Shoals area. Max is still hammering away at the clubs with his band,and playing his acoustic blues.