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PHILLIP WALKER
Born February 11, 1937 near Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the small town of Welsh, Phillip Walker's earliest musical influences came via the Cajun and Creole rhythms he heard as a youngster. A second cousin to Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and huge admirer of T-Bone Walker, Phillip began making a name for himself in the early 1950s with his first recording session backing pianist Roscoe Gordon. At the age of 16, Walker left home to tour with Zydeco king Clifton Chenier (who incidentally gave the young fledgling Walker his first bona fide guitar) and never looked back. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1959, Walker cut his first side as a bandleader; the storming "Hello My Darling", produced by J.R. Fulbright for Elko Records. His first full length album didn't appear until much later though. With the help of long-time supporter and producer Bruce Bromberg, Walker cut the excellent LP "The Bottom of the Top" in 1973 for Hugh Hefner's short-lived Playboy label. Over the next three decades Walker's musical career continued to pick up steam with numerous recording projects for HighTone, Black Top, Rounder, JSP and Alligator Records. In 2007, Randy Chortkoff signed Phillip Walker to Delta Groove Music and released the critically acclaimed CD "Going Back Home". The recording session featured the renowned guitarist going back to his roots and exploring the rich musical history of Louisiana, Texas and West Coast Blues on classic material by Lowell Fulson, Ray Charles, Lonesome Sundown, Lightnin' Hopkins, Champion Jack Dupree and Frankie Lee Sims among others. Going Back Home was later awarded Best Album of 2007 in the New Recordings / Contemporary Blues category by the Living Blues Awards Critics' Poll. Label CEO Randy Chortkoff shared some of his fond remembrances of working with Phillip these last few years by stating "Phillip was a consummate gentleman and it was an absolute pleasure working with him over the years. It was a pleasure producing his last album 'Going Back Home'. We chose the music on that album based on Phillip's musical tastes and background. He especially enjoyed doing the Champion Jack Dupree song 'Bad Blood'. It later became a standard in his live repertoire, in addition to one I wrote for him, 'Lay You Down'. We also had a great time with him years ago at the Moulin Blues Festival in Holland where he performed with The Mannish Boys, and then again at Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi for our 3rd Annual Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue. There's some great footage of him playing at Ground Zero that we hope to one day put out and share with everyone. He was definitely a one of a kind. He will be missed." |
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THE TONE SHOP IN FRESNO BURGLARIZED Our good buddies who just opened The Tone Shop in Fresno were burglarized in the early morning hours last weekend. The thieves got away with a lot of guitars and amps. What I need from all of you is to help pass the word anywhere you can to see if any of this gear surfaces. We have helped in the past in retrieving guitars for Cole Fonseca and Tommy Castro by everyone spreading the word. Here is a list of what was taken. If you run across any of it please call the police and let them know ASAP. • 2007 Marshall JCM 2000 DSL head Jim Eachus |
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COOLEY JACKSON LOSES SON IN ACCIDENT
Full story in the Merced Sun-Star: www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/06/29/1477790/6-year-old-boy-killed-in-fatal.html Donations can be made at: The fund is in the name Erika Willis Jackson, Andrew's mother. |
Family members of Andrew Jackson, the 6-year-old son of bluesman Cooley Jackson who was killed this week after being struck by a
car while riding his bicycle, are raising donations for the boy's funeral and have set up a fund.|
EAST/WEST BLUES GUITAR SUMMIT
While building a solid reputation at blues festivals and clubs throughout California, Mike Hammar & The Nails won top honors at the Monterey Blues Festival's 2009 "Battle of the Blues Bands". That puts them before an international audience as Monterey Blues Festival's Main Stage opening act this coming June. Steve Johnson has recently added the distinction of winning New York Blues & Jazz Society's 2009 "Battle of the Bands" to an already lengthy musical resume - rich with glowing recognition from the music industry. Steve's recordings have been heard in television episodes of "Medium", "Monster Garage", and "Chopper Build-Off". He's exchanged licks on stages with Albert Collins, Paul Butterfield, Johnny Copeland, Jaco Pastorius, Lonnie Mack, Leslie West, Eddie Martinez, Paul Schaeffer and many other keystones of blues and jazz. Steve's west coast cohorts Those BOBtones will be on hand. Club Mercedes Doors, bar and kitchen open at 5:00 pm. Live blues 7:00-11:00 pm. $10 tickets can be purchased at Rudy's Encore at 1628 Canal at Bob Hart Square in Merced - phone (209) 233-9614 or (209) 233-9489. |
On Friday, April 30th, Merced's Club Mercedes will bring together two guitar greats - east coast blues royalty Steve
"Mouse" Johnson, and Merced's masterful blues showman Mike Hammar.|
CENTRAL VALLEY BLUES SOCIETY
Fresno's Tower Theatre show starts at 6pm till 11pm Visalia's Moose Lodge show starts at 5pm till 11pm Modesto's show will be at Nino's Place 3pm till 7pm San Jose's show is at the Voodoo Lounge. |
Hello Blues Lovers, this is it. We are making history for the CVBS by putting on 4 events on the same night in 4 different
cities. When I asked folks to step up to the plate I could have never dreamed it would grow like this. Now all we need
is the rest of you to show up and bring lots of friends to which ever show you will be attending. If you don't forward
anything else this year please forward this.|
LIL' DAVE THOMPSON
Thompson was born in Mississippi in 1969 into a blues family, his father Sam having performed alongside artists like Asie Payton, Willie Foster, Paul Wine Jones, and others. He began playing guitar at the age of nine, and was playing in local bands in his early teens. Thompson made his recording debut in 1995 with the release of Little Dave and Big Love on the Fat Possum label. Although he would literally disappear from the blues scene for better than six years, Thompson would reappear in 2002 with his album C'mon Down To The Delta. It was with a pair of albums for the Electro-Fi Records label, however, that Thompson would make a big noise in the blues world. Thompson's Got To Get Over You (2006) and Deep In The Night (2008) would be accompanied by constant touring and critical acclaim, and would earn the guitarist a loyal and growing audience. Our thoughts go out to Thompson's family, friends, and many fans worldwide. Lil' Dave is survived by his wife of 15 years, Susan White; children David Jr. (20), Danielle (19), Shequeena (18), Shirleiah (16) and Destiny (13); sisters Patricia, Barbara Denise (twin sister), Jennifer and Pasty Thompson, Zenovia Henderson and Rose Marie Richmond; and brothers John, Sam, Elijah Allen and Tyrone Thompson. Contributions to the family can be mailed to: |
By Reverend Keith A. Gordon