JANUARY 2012 1

JANUARY 2012

Vol. 20.1 $1.00

Charlotte Blues Society

PO Box 32752

Charlotte, NC28232-2752

A MEMPHIS SEND-OFF PARTY & JAM !! JAN. 8, 2012

They Came, They Played, They Conquered!

The Bill Miller Band first entered our Blues

Talent Competition in 2010, at the urging of

Robin Rogers, and the band made it into the

finals. In 2011 they got their best groove on

and made it to the winner’s circle! This

BLUESunday is the “Memphis Send-off Party”

for their trip to the International Blues

Challenge held Jan. 31-Feb. 4

These four hard-working musicians strive to

get you moving to their high powered,

contemporary interpretation of vintage blues. Father and Son share vocals with Bill Jr. on harmonica and

Bill III on guitar. Randall Cowles holds down the bottom while Stuart Sullivan provides the beat. The

recipe for their sound is a mix of Chicago and Texas, rock and funk, delivered with a tremendous amount of

their own passion and drive. Maybe it was Karma when they first got together at a jam held at Puckett’s

Farm Equipment, and they've been steadily gaining new fans at each high energy show since 2006.

Bill Miller Jr. (Harmonica, Vocals) admits his early influences were Sam Cooke and Chuck Berry, and

through them he found his way to the music of Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson. Once he found Blues,

Bill also found his favorite harp players, Little Walter Jacobs and James Cotton. You’ll often see Bill at

various blues jams in and around Charlotte, not only honing his harp skills but also keeping a sharp ear for

the versatile styles of other musicians who come to jam. And that’s what makes it work!

Bill Miller III (Guitar, Vocals – and is really the head honcho, according to his dad) plays his guitar in honor of the

stylings of Albert King and Jimi Hendrix plus a few others in between. He grew up hearing Blues played in

the house and going to Blues festivals with his dad. That probably influenced the direction he took in music

– that and the Devil at the crossroads with the Mojo!

Randall Cowles (Bass) played in a number of bands around his home of Dallas, Texas, before hitting the

road to seek his fortune. Since finding his way to Charlotte in 1999, Randall has been working with various

artists, both live and in the studio. Steeped in the traditions of Texas Blues, his influences include James

Jamerson, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Tommy Shannon, and John Entwhistle. "It's all in the groove!"

Stuart Sullivan (Drums) is a Charlotte native who learned to play drums when he was 6 years old, and

has been playing in bands since the 7th grade with influences stemming from rock’n’roll. As he grew older,

he expanded his style and began playing with R&B and Blues bands, including Robin & Tony Rogers, Jubal

Kane, Wilie Evans Trio, and a host of others.

So come on out to support the Charlotte Blues Society and The Bill Miller Band on

BLUESunday ~ Jan. 8. Let’s send them off with some positive mojo in their pocket!

The Double Door Inn

Doors open at 7:00

Music starts 8:00

1218 Charlottetown Ave.

704-376-1446

CBS Members – FREE

Non-members - $5:00

(2) Bluesletter

Jeri shows Jan our new T-shirts!

Long sleeve ones are available—

just in time for those chilly

January-February days!!

Happy New Year, Blues Fans! I hope it will be a safe and

prosperous 2012 for us all.

First things first -- It was an outstanding Holiday Party

with Bob Margolin and Friends. There was dancin' and

eatin' and groovin' going on! A good celebration for our

last gathering of the year.

Guess what??? We have fans “Down Under”… our very

first online t-shirt order came from Ian Turier in Wales,

Australia! It wasn’t even announced yet that they were

available online. If you would like to purchase yours, just

go the website and click on the Merchandise tab.

For 2012, we'll start off with the "Memphis Send-off Party" on Jan. 8 featuring our Blues Competition

winners, The Bill Miller Band. After we sample what they'll take to Memphis, they will also host

our Open Mic Blues Jam.

Our February BLUESunday date has changed to Feb. 12 with featured guest, "Little Miss Dynomite,"

Donna Duncan, so bring your sweetie out for this pre-Valentine's treat.

This weekend we kick off our brand new partnership with Smokin Bluz and Fanz Sports Grill with

the Jill Dineen Band. Bring your membership cards for Free admission, but tips are accepted and

appreciated for the band. FANZ Sports Grill is located at 3425 David Cox Road in Charlotte (off W.T.

Harris Blvd.). (We will have the T-shirts available)

Another year is coming to a close which means great thanks goes out to the Board of Directors, the

members, and all of our musicians and supporters out there. Without you we would not be able to do

what we do.

We will be posting this week (in the Blues e-blast) for Opening Board seats for elections in

January. If you are interested in running for a seat or nominating someone, please send information

to info@charlottebluessociety.org.

Happy New Year

Diva

Tad Walters (harp, guitar, vocals)

Chuck Cotton (drums, vocals)

Bob Margolin (guitar, vocals)

JANUARY 2012 3

YES – YOU CAN VOTE !!

Members of The Blues Foundation can vote

for their favorite nominees of the

33rd Blues Music Awards.

Nominees are listed at www.blues.org

If you are not a member of The Blues Foundation,

you have time to get your membership!

Voting ends March 1, 2012, at 7:59 CST.

Awards will be presented in Memphis on May 10.

A complete nominee list, as well as membership, voting,

ticket and host hotel information can be found at

The Blues Foundation’s website—www.blues.org.

The annual Blues Music Awards ceremony is the premier event for

Blues professionals, musicians, and fans from all over the world.

The focus of this celebration is to recognize superior achievements

in Blues performance, songwriting, and recording

while honoring a rich cultural tradition.

Don’t forget to check out

our affiliates on the website

and on your BluesBlast

for some really cool stuff.

One is with Live Nation,

the other from

R. Crumb T-Shirts

“Heroes of the Blues”.

The Society receives a residual

of what you purchase.

(4) Bluesletter

Hubert Sumlin: A Remembrance

November 16, 1931 — December 4, 2011

By Michael Wolf Ingmire

1972, Ann Arbor Blues Festival: I was hoping that my mother would not find

out that I was not really staying the weekend with a neighborhood kid. I was actually at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At 15, I was starting to realize that the Blues was what I wanted to play. The festival line-up was a Blues fans dream with Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor among others. But the real highlight for me was seeing the mighty Howlin’ Wolf. The Wolf was having a great day and I was fixated on Hubert and his playing. To me it was hard to believe that the sounds I was hearing were coming out of this man. He seemed to play so slowly, yet there was a torrent of notes coming out of his guitar, which I think might have been an Epiphone hollow body electric. His sound seemed so playful and his tone was magnificent. A treasure chest of slides, bleeps, and hip tricks. Unlike say Freddie King, Hubert seemed to be totally relaxed in his playing. He didn’t scrunch up his face like someone eating

a lemon. The next Christmas I received several Blues albums. The one that I treasured the most was Chester Burnett AKA Howlin’ Wolf. I studied that album intensely and started to understand where folks like Clapton and Hendrix got their goods from.

Flash forward to 1979, when Hubert was playing with Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Gang and they were playing at a small Virginia Beach VA club called The Cave. A small place where I got to watch Hubert work his magic on a variety of guitars from Stratocaster to Les Paul to various hollow body guitars Hubert always sounded like Hubert and unlike Eddie, Hubert was approachable and ready to show a fellow guitar player his various tricks. I was always amazed how kind Hubert was. He was one of the most tolerant musicians I have ever met with a beautiful smile. I was lucky enough to see Hubert in that intimate setting several times until one time in 1980 when I came in and Vann Shaw was filling the guitar chair. Eddie gruffly told me that Hubert was hanging his hat in Austin, Texas. Later on I found out that was a great period for Hubert as Clifford Antone, of Antone’s Blues Club, was looking out for him.

The last time that I saw Hubert play was in May 2006 at The Double Door. It was an unexpected pleasure as the bill was Willie Big Eye Smith and Friends. I had heard that Pinetop Perkins was supposed to be on the bill, but decided to bow out. I had not looked at the schedule which listed Bob Margolin and Hubert as participating. When Willie announced that Hubert Sumlin was in the house, I started to sweat. Also sitting in that night was Mookie Brill who played great Howlin’ Wolf style harp and sang a ferocious version of Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning.” Also sitting in that night was Matt Hill. It was great to see Hubert in a small club setting again. His turn at the vocals on “Sitting on Top of the World,” bought tears to my eyes. The show stopper was Carey Bell who sat in on an instrumental and did one of the best versions of “Five Long Years,” that I have ever heard. I felt lucky to have seen this night and when I talked with Hubert, I showed him a pin that I had from the Ann Arbor Blues

festival. He gave me that smile and said “You weren’t old enough to go to that festival!” I mentioned that I was only 15 at the time. Willie came up and said “This is the guy that Mac Arnold said can play.” Hubert got a twinkle in his eye and gave out that smile again and said,

“Well maybe we’ll get together and play sometime.” “I’m not done yet.” No one can play all night like Hubert Sumlin did. Heaven has another angel.

HUBERT SUMLIN was born on November 16, 1931 in Greenwood, Mississippi and raised in Hughes, Arkansas.

He was taken by the great Blues players he heard -- Charlie Patton, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Wil-

liamson, Lonnie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell, and Son House. Hubert was born to take his place with these masters. His brother A.D. had nailed baling wire to a wall and plucked music out of it. Hubert told his mother that he wanted a guitar and she spent her entire $5 weekly paycheck to buy him his first. Good investment!

When Hubert was about 10, he sneaked out to the local juke joint and stood on a pile of Coca Cola crates to see Howlin’ Wolf. Drawn in by the music, he fell through the window and landed right on the stage. The club owner tried to throw out the underage boy, but Wolf insisted that Hubert stay and sit on the stage while he played. He later took Hubert home to his Mama and asked that he not be punished.

--Bob Margolin

*We hope you enjoy the two personal stories that follow.

A young Sumlin with Howlin’ Wolf

JANUARY 2012 5

Travels With My Camera:

Hubert Sumlin

By Daniel Coston I first met Hubert Sumlin in July of 2003. It was less than two weeks after photographing Johnny Cash’s final public appearance, and I secured a photo pass to the Gibson Night Of Guitars, an annual event

held at the time in conjunction with the NAMM conference in Nashville. The headliner was Les Paul, the legendary guitarist, inventor and namesake of the famed Gibson Les Paul guitar. The rest of the lineup were no slouches, either, and I was thrilled to finally see Sumlin play. Sumlin had been the longtime guitarist for blues singer Howlin’ Wolf, and was the archetype for a million blues and rock guitarists.

On the day of the show, I drove straight from a video gig in Charlotte, through a nasty rainstorm as I crossed into Tennessee, and finally made it to the Ryman Auditorium during the first set of the show. Later in the evening, I looked around, and I suddenly thought, “Oh, my God! I’m in the Ryman!” The day had been so hectic, the idea that I was also finally attending a show at the Ryman (the longtime home of the Grand Ole Opry) had not even dawned on me.

Les Paul’s set, even at the age of 88, was just fantastic. The introduction to his set was a video of the very first Grand

Ole Opry to be broadcast on TV, in 1950. The show’s special guest? Les Paul. As the video ended, Les Paul walked out on stage, and the place just erupted. Les was one of the sharpest, funniest and dirtiest minds I have ever been around, and the place (like I) loved every minute of it.

As the second half of the show began to start, Les was sitting on the left side of the stage, listening to introductions, when an older black gentleman in glasses, pinstriped suit and fedora hat, came from behind Les, and gave him a big hug. This was Hubert Sumlin. The two hugged and chatted like the old friends they were. I wish I could tell you that I got a good photo of this, but I was so struck by the beauty of the moment, that I just watched it, and let it go. Sumlin did two songs on this night, and the New York Dolls’ David Johansen singing Howlin’ Wolf’s parts. Sumlin nailed his parts, and just plain looked cool doing it.

After the show, I ran into Sumlin and Johansen in the lobby. When I asked Sumlin how he was doing, he said with a smile, “I’m doing all right. I only got one lung these days, but I’m feeling okay.” I had not heard about Sumlin’s recent

health issues, and he certainly didn’t show it on that night. I got Sumlin to sign my program, and wished him well. I spent that night sleeping in my car, at a Stake & Shake parking lot, taking in the experience of the whole day.

A couple of years later, Sumlin came through Charlotte as part of a Kenny Wayne Shepherd tour. It was a collective of musicians that had either been influenced by Hendrix, or in Sumlin’s case, had influenced Hendrix himself. I ran into Sumlin in the parking lot. When I started to explain when I had met him, Sumlin said, “Yeah, I remember you! That was a good show.” I don’t know if Sumlin really had remembered me, but his sincerity in saying that meant the world to me. We talked, hugged, and I promised to see him again soon.

Less than a year later, the legendary bluesman Pinetop Perkins was supposed to play at the Double Door Inn, but he fell ill, and couldn’t do the show. His replacement? Hubert Sumlin. In the intervening year, Hubert had nearly died from a heart attack, but was back on the road in a matter of months. The show was a lot of

fun, with Muddy Waters alumni Willie Smith and Bob Margolin backing Hubert up. After two sets of asking and coaxing, another alumni of the Waters band, Carey Bell, got up and played a few songs. Sumlin smiled and played with everyone that got on stage that night.

What struck me about Sumlin on this night was his playing style. He was definitely a lead guitarist, but not in a conventional sense. The playing seemed to dance around the melody, and his guitar solos were sometimes like watching an improvised high wire act. You weren’t always sure where he was going to land, but it sure was fun to see where Sumlin went. What also stuck out to me was Sumlin’s enthusiasm for everything. For playing, for people, for the whole evening. It dawned on me that Sumlin was in many ways still like a kid, perhaps even that young kid that had snuck into seeing Howlin’ Wolf all those decades before, and got himself a job

playing guitar. I can honestly say that Sumlin was one of the oldest children I have ever met in my life, and I mean that as one of the highest compliments I can give.

(Cont’d, Next Page)

Nashville, 2003, by Daniel Coston

(6) Bluesletter

(Cont’d, Sumlin)

In May of 2007, another alumni of the Waters band, Mac Arnold, put together a festival in Greenville, SC, and got Sumlin and another alum of the Howlin’ Wolf group, Eddie Shaw, to play together for the first time in 30 years. I was gonna be there, no matter what. The only issue? I was already contracted to shoot Merlefest, in Wilkesboro, NC, that same day. So, I shot at Merlefest all day, shot all of the folks I had come to see, and then drove 3 1/2 hours to Greenville. I got there for the last set of the show, with Sumlin and Shaw standing and playing together on blues classics. After the show, I talked my way backstage, and got posed shots of Sumlin and Shaw together, with the last few shots I had left. How did I pull it off? There was no way I wasn’t going to pull it off. That was my mindset. This is history, and I knew that it may never happen again. And sadly, now it never will.

When a great musician like Sumlin dies, the hardest thing that I sometimes have to accept is, I will never see that person onstage again. Forget the photographs, I will never see another Hubert Sumlin show. No more excited anticipation of another show. No more laughs. No more hugs. The finality of it all sinks in, when you realize that your experiences with someone is now in the past, and we, as the survivors, will always have that empty space in our hearts.

I would like to think that Hubert would’ve said it was okay, that he had outlived many of the bluesmen that he had played alongside, and that he had gotten the chance to meet, and influence, fans and musicians the world over. Somewhere, wherever our spirits go when they leave this place, I hope that Hubert has the chance to smile, give some fellow souls some hugs, and play that guitar. The world, on this side, or the other, doesn’t seem right without it.

-Daniel Coston, Dec. 21, 2011

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Dick Waterman: Focus on the Blues Myths

Introduction from an interview with legendary photographer Dick Waterman: The blues will never die

(by Michael Limnois, Blues Festival Guide, Dec. 16, 2011)

Photographer, agent, manager, producer, promoter, Richard Waterman is the only person inducted in The Blues Hall of Fame who was not either a performing artist or a record company executive.

He established himself in the Blues community as a diligent advocate for the artists and the art of Blues.

Waterman is primarily known today as an archivist and photographer of Blues, Country, Rock and Jazz legends from Mississippi John Hurt to Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton. His commitment to documenting the Blues artists he worked with and came into contact with throughout the years is legendary.

Waterman studied journalism in the ‘50s, and in 1963, he began to promote local shows with blues artists including Mississippi John Hurt and Booker "Bukka" White. The next year, he went to Mississippi on a quest that eventually led to the

"rediscovery" of legendary blues singer Son House.

Following this, he founded Avalon Productions, the first booking agency ever formed to represent blues artists. Within a few years, he was representing House, Hurt, White, Skip James, Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins, Arthur “Big Boy”

Crudup, Junior Wells, J. B. Hutto and many others. He also promoted concerts by folk and rock acts in the Boston area. In the late 1960s he met a young female guitarist and singer named Bonnie Raitt and persuaded her to begin what has

become a long, fruitful music career.

As the older blues artists died, Waterman’s responsibilities shifted to taking care of their estates and providing for their heirs. He moved to Oxford, Mississippi, in the 1980s and began a second career publishing the photographs of blues, folk, country and jazz artists that he had been taking since the early 1960s. His book Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive contains about 100 of his photographs from the 1960s onwards.

In 1993 Waterman was instrumental in placing a new headstone on the grave of Mississippi Fred McDowell

with funding from Bonnie Raitt through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund. Waterman delivered a stirring tribute to McDowell, an early mentor of younger musicians including Raitt, at the dedication ceremony on August 6, 1993, in Como, Mississippi.

Read the entire interview at www.BluesFestivalGuide.com

JANUARY 2012 7

Thanks to everyone for

coming out Dec. 10 to

celebrate the holidays with us!

(8) Bluesletter

NEWS FROM THE BLUES FOUNDATION

IBC—The 28th International Blues Challenge (IBC) will be held January 31- February 4, 2012 in 20 venues

in and around the Beale Street Historic District – over 575 performances by 226 acts over 5 days! The 2012 challenge will bring 748 musicians from 13 countries to downtown Memphis, Tennessee for the largest gathering

of Blues artists…in the history of the world!

BMA’s – For complete information on the Blues Music Awards, including full list of nominees, visit these links:

(1) The list of 2012 Blues Music Award nominees: http://www.blues.org/bluesmusicawards/nominees.php

(2) To vote for 2012 Blues Music Awards: http://www.blues.org/bluesmusicawards/vote.php

(3) To purchase tickets for Thursday, May 10: https://www.blues.org/tickets/bma.php

(4) To reserve your room at the host hotel: http://www.blues.org/bluesmusicawards/travel.php

The Best Self-Produced CD Contest has entered the second Round. The initial list of 74 has been pared to

30. The list of CDs still in the hunt can be found at http://www.blues.org/ibc/selfcd.php

The HART Fund has received donations from dozens and dozens of individuals over the past month. 100% of

these funds will be redistributed to assist Jim O’Neal with his medical bills, Hubert Sumlin’s Chicago burial expenses and the payment of medical and dental treatment for a number of lesser known members of our blues

family.

Accolades to Dion – Noted music critic, author and historian Dave Marsh said to Blues Foundation member

Dion, “you’re the only guy from the 50’s that’s remained relevant and creative.” This remark was partially in

reference to Dion’s trilogy of blues albums: Bronx in Blue, Son of Skip James, and the soon-to-be-released A Tank Full of Blues. A rare accomplishment indeed.

Celebrating the Centennial of Legendary Bluesman ROBERT JOHNSON

& A Benefit for the BLUES HALL OF FAME

A special March 6 tribute concert will be held at New York's historic Apollo Theater, celebrating the centennial of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Net proceeds from the concert will go to provide funding for The Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, Tennessee. The star-studded lineup includes Shemekia Copeland, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Bettye LaVette, with more to be announced.

"Robert Johnson's story is the fabric of myth," comments producer Joe Morton. "His music continues to weave its way, beyond the blues, into and through almost every other popular genre today. Our concert is a celebration of

the man, the myth, and the omnipresent influence of his music.”

The Blues Hall of Fame is a historical record of those who have made the Blues timeless through performance, documentation, and recording. Since its inception in 1980, The Blues Foundation has inducted new members annually into the Blues Hall of Fame for their historical contribution, impact and overall influence on the Blues.

Tickets available through Ticketmaster or online at www.apollotheater.org

For more information about the Blues Hall of Fame, go to www.blues.org

Sign up as a Blues Foundation member

and receive monthly news items.

Here is a sampling of Foundation updates.

JANUARY 2012 9

Always the salesman —

tonight, it’s Mojo Picks!

Caught doin’ the

dishes! My image

is ruined!

(10) Bluesletter

Coco Robicheaux October 25, 1947 – November 25, 2011

Louisiana Bluesman Walked with the Spirit

Reflections by Michael Wolf Ingmire

Coco Robicheaux, was one of the many reasons why I have gone to New Orleans so many times over the years.

The beauty of the music of Louisiana for me is the broadness of its rhythmic

sensibility and that always included the Blues that found a home there. Add on to the aiming for higher ground, while being aware of the flesh, wise-blood lyrics of Coco and I was hooked. Another original who made their home in the Crescent City. That is why that it truly saddened me when my nephew, WWOZ Radio Host George Ingmire, called from New Orleans on November 25th and told me that he feared that Coco had died that evening. Coco had collapsed in or outside of a club where he held court on Frenchmen Street called The Apple Barrel. He was rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival from a massive heart attack. The NOLA Defender reported that a confidante reported Coco’s last words as “I’m

home.” And New Orleans was home and sanctuary to Coco Robicheaux.

He was born Curtis John Arceneaux of Choctaw and Cajun descent in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Per his beautiful self-narrative, he said that he was born alongside a California desert road while his parents were on vacation. He was especially close to his great-grandmother who he described as a gris-gris healer. During performances he had described the education he received from his grandmother in the gathering of roots and ingredients for gris-gris rituals. He took the stage name from a Cajun children’s story about a troublesome child named Coco Robicheaux who was kidnapped by a werewolf. After moving to Slidell, Louisiana during his high

school years, he played trombone in a variety of Blues, Soul and R&B bands. He ran as “Creative Director” the first Psychedelic nightclub in that area called The Purple Pickle and spent a short time as a medic during the Vietnam era. He was honorably discharged after it was determined he had an irregular heartbeat. I personally felt that Coco had an amazing heart and the various obituaries written about detailed stories of his kindness and generosity. Part mystic, part hippie, part Louisiana Voodoo man, all Bluesman — Coco had a second line heart and every beat of his songs bought you closer to the heart truth of his music.

Robicheaux was known for a gravely voice, a wonderfully unique swamp Blues-Rhumba Funk guitar style. I loved Coco’s guitar work because it always orchestrated the higher ground of his lyrics and the stories behind his great songs. He was also a very talented visual artist, painter, and sculptor. He created the bronze bust of New Orleans piano legend, Professor Longhair, that graces the area near the entrance of the New Orleans club Tipitinas.

He released several albums starting with the seminal Orleans record release “Spirtland” in 1994. There are many wonderful stories and urban legends about Coco. One of the most repeated involves his appearance on

the second episode of the HBO series “Treme,” which has lead to the false story that he actually sacrificed a

rooster in the studio of New Orleans radio station WWOZ as part of a Voodoo ritual. Many publications have been printing this as a fact in their Coco obituaries.

I will tell you a true story in closing. I met Coco on Halloween afternoon in 2000 through my friendship with New Orleans poet and songwriter-singer-musician, Reverend Goat Carson. I have had the pleasure of playing guitar on a couple of Goat’s CD including my favorite “Simmerin.” Coco really liked my slide playing on one of the tracks “Redskins.” We were hanging out at a halloween celebration at New Orleans mystic landmark,

Congo Square. We talked about everything under the sun. When I expressed cynicism about the possibility of marriage in my life, he said “Let me look at your hands.” After a few minutes he declared, “You are going to be married within a year.” I roared with laughter. However, I met my wife Sharon in April of 2001 and we married in September of that same year. So thank you, Coco, for your humor, spirit, music, laughter, and very accurate predictions.

JANUARY 2012 11

GUITAR BOOK HAS HEFTY WEIGHT … AND PRICE She’s a beauty, with an hourglass figure and just a few years over 300. The honey-hued guitar (pictured here), which Antonio Stradivari made in 1700 on a break from violins, is the first of 150 exceptional strummables featured in The Guitar Collection, an unusual piece of work itself.

[The book] is 23” wide by 11.25” tall and weighs 21 pounds. As a guitar-loving colleague noted while gawking, this is “a coffee-table book big enough to be one.” The 512 pages bear more than 670 images, and the multiple photographs for each guitar include the kind of close-up look you’d never get for many of these rare specimens without steaming up a vitrine. Add a heavy black leather

hard case in which yet another, normal-size book is secreted in a panel of the plush lining, plus a print signed by one of the three photographers – one print for each of the three limited editions of 1,500. Finger-picking good doesn’t cover it, but $1,500 will.

A group of experts chose the 150 instruments based on historical, aesthetic and celebrity value. Then a lot of negotiating followed to get access from private owners and collections, according to the book’s publisher, Epic Ink of Bellevue, Washington. (Other instruments highlighted include a 1928 metal National resonator; a 1937 Rickenbacker featuring the “Doc Kauffman-designed motorized vibrola tailpiece, which used an electric motor, flywheel and solenoid assembly” to create “Hawaiian-style vibrato effects”; and a pink paisley Telecaster that Fender made for James Burton in 1969; a 1928 Gibson L-5 that Maybelle Carter played for 50 years; and a battered 1954 Fender Esquire that Jeff Beck played while he was with The Yardbirds. The list goes on and on.) Walter Carter, a guitar historian and sales manager with Gruhn Guitars of Nashville, wrote the main text for the big book, putting flesh on some of the famous names. For a circa 1834 Martin, Carter notes that Christian Frederick Martin left Germany “to get away from a dispute between the guild of violin makers and the guitar makers, who belonged to the guild of cabinetmakers” and arrived in Manhattan in 1833. Orville Gibson, he writes, worked as a shoe-store clerk in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the 1890s before he started

making guitars.

The Guitar Collection: An Elite Gathering of 150 Exceptional Guitars is published by Epic Ink Books (512 pages, $1,500; the first 10 numbered copies for each edition cost $3,000 and number 11 to 100 cost $2,000). The book can be ordered at Amazon.com, John Varvatos stores, and www.theguitarcollectionbook.com.

Custom Relics Check out www.CustomRelics.com for the best replica guitars of your favorite musicians. They also perform relic services that will transform your guitar into a 50-year-

old road warrior. Anything from a “lightly used” look to a “nightly used” workhorse. They’ll take custom orders too!

“We Juke Up In Here: Mississippi's Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads" wrapped up its final day of filming on Dec. 10th. The film explores what remains of Mississippi’s once-thriving juke joint culture. Told through live music performances, character-driven interviews and rare on-camera blues experiences, viewers are taken below the surface of the quasi-legal world of real Delta jukes – while it’s still living and breathing.

“We Juke Up In Here” is a joint production of Broke & Hungry Records and Cat Head

Delta Blues & Folk Art. The movie will premiere at Delta Cinema in Clarksdale on Friday, April 13, 2012 as a kick off to Juke Joint Festival weekend.

DVD/CD pre-orders can be placed now at www.wejukeupinhere.com

JOE BONAMASSA, dubbed by Guitar World magazine as the “Blues Rock Titan,” made his feelings known by unleashing a tirade of tweets after he was yet again snubbed in the recent Grammy nominations. He launched his digital assault by stating his recent

achievements within music: 12 records, 9 #1 blues albums, sold-out shows around the globe. He wrote, “Disappointed and rejected isn't the word to describe how I feel again about being shut out of the Grammy nods … Again ... 12 in a row...”

Scheduled for Feb. 12, the GRAMMY Awards are the only peer-presented award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.

(12) Bluesletter

Congratulations to the Double Door Inn!

They celebrated their 38th Anniversary on Dec. 22 with a reunion of the Federal Bureau of Rock ‘n’ Roll

The Double Door is now the oldest original-owner Blues Bar in the US.

Here’s wishing Nick and DDI Staff a prosperous New Year!

JANUARY 2012 13

The Double Door Inn

Check out The Double Door’s Website for up-

dates and future bookings, show times, admis-

sion, nightly drink specials, & more!

Sign up for weekly updates. Purchase Advance Tickets for selected shows.

www.doubledoorinn.com 1218 Charlottetown Ave. 704-376-1446

Join the DDI Fan club at www.facebook.com

Early shows 9:00 most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Check website for mid-week discounts!

Be sure to check out all the great Double Door bands - For detailed information about

cover charges and drink specials, visit the Double Door websites

www.facebook.com www.doubledoorinn.com

EVERY MONDAY

MONDAY NITE ALL STARS

The awesome Monday Nite All-Stars will be playing some of your favorite Soul / Funk ... easy to listen to and

great to dance to!!

EVERY TUESDAY

JAZZ JAM NIGHT

Bill Hanna's Jazz Quartet has been hosting this jam session at the club for years. Whether you are an up-and-coming jazz musician, or someone shaking the dust off the old instrument, either way this is the place

where you can come out and jam with one of the best.

LOTS OF BLUES IN JANUARY!! Adv. Tix purchased at www.doubledoorinn.com

Jan 5 (9:00) Of Good Nature (9PM) w/ Fresh Salsa (10PM) ROCK/REGGAE/FUNK

Jan 6 (10:00) Lizzy Ross Band SOUL/AMERICANA/COUNTRY Adv. Tix

Jan 7 (9:00) Groove 8 FUNK/JAZZ/FUSION Adv. Tix

Jan 8 (8:00) BLUESunday w/ The Bill Miller Band BLUES

(followed by Open Mic Blues Jam)

Jan 11(9:00) Sugar Lime Blue: the 6th Annual ROCK/JAM/BLUES Squeaky Wheel Tour for the Missing

Jan 12 (9:00) Michael Tracy Band BLUES/ROCK Adv. Tix

Jan 13 (10:00) Michael Burks BLUES/SOUL/ROCK Adv. Tix

Jan 14 (9:00) Side Project w/ Simpler Times BLUES/ROCK Benefit for Pat’s Place for Abused Children

Jan 18 (9:00) Tab Benoit BLUES/CAJUN/SOUL Adv. Tix

Jan 19 CLOSED FOR PRIVATE SHOW

Jan 20 (10:00) Lazybirds SWING/JAZZ/OLD-TIME

Jan 21 (10:00) The Corduroy Road w/ James Justin & Co. BLUEGRASS/AMERICANA/FOLK Adv. Tix

Jan 25 (9:00) Jaimo’s Jassz Band (Allman Bros. Drummer) JAZZ/BLUES/ROCK Adv. Tix

Jan 26 (9:00) Chuck Johnson & the Charleyhorse All-Stars

w/ Crisis AMERICANA/BLUES/ROCK/R&B

Jan 27 (10:00) Tinsley Ellis BLUES Adv. Tix

Jan 28 (10:00) Tom Principato BLUES/ROCK Adv. Tix

NOTE: DDI CLOSED ON FEB. 5 … BLUESunday WILL BE FEB. 12 WITH DONNA DUNCAN!

(14) Bluesletter

You can help increase revenue by selling (or buying) advertising in the Bluesletter. Our rates are very inexpensive compared to other local newsletters … and now that previous issues are posted on our website, your ad can be viewed by more readers for a longer period of time.

Ads are due by the 10th of the month for the following month’s issue. Ads must be pre-paid unless billing arrangements have been aproved. (Federal Tax ID available upon request)

Contacts for questions are: - Betsy at bnsb40@carolina.rr.com (704-351-3848) - Rita at fulobluz@gmail.com (980-226-0917)

(Print this page as a handout for your ad sales!)

MONTHLY RATES $ 15 .............. Business Card $ 40 .............. Quarter Page $ 75 .............. Half Page $125 ............. Full Page Package Rates Available

10% discount to CBS members

(excluding business card)

Due to e-mail distribution, we can

now accept ads related to finance,

insurance, or credit cards.

The Bluesletter is published monthly by the

C h a r l o t t e B l u e s S o c i e t y

PO Box 32752

Charlotte, NC28232-2752

www.charlottebluessociety.org

SMF PBN: 1938390

The Charlotte Blues Society (CBS) is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the American Blues tradition through the presentation of concerts, forums, workshops, and educational programs in Charlotte and surrounding areas. Founded in the Spring of 1993, CBS has steadily

grown in membership and popularity in support of this musical art form.

CBS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors and is an affiliated member of The Blues Foundation the umbrella organization for a worldwide network of 165 affiliated Blues societies and has individual memberships around the globe. The Blues Foundation produces the Blues Music Awards, Keeping the Blues Alive Awards, Blues Hall of Fame Induction, and the International Blues

Challenge.

CBS members gather on “BLUESunday,” the 1st Sunday of each month, 8:00 PM, at The Double Door Inn. Meetings include announcements and updates, special guests, and an Open Mic Blues Jam. BLUESunday is free to CBS members and only $5.00 for non-members. The Board of Directors also meets every 1st Sunday. Meetings are open to

the membership.

Members receive a monthly newsletter and free admission to monthly meeting entertainment (unless otherwise posted). In addition, members receive discounts and co-sponsored or CBS-advertised events. Annual dues (12-month period) are $20~ Individual, $35 ~ Family, and $75 ~ Sponsor Membership. Corporate sponsorships and individual

contributions are welcome and are tax deductible (excluding dues).

The CBS Bluesletter is published monthly and distributed to approximately 600 readers. It includes information on Society activities, a

local blues calendar, and a variety of blues-related items of interest.

CBS is proud to call The Double Door Inn home. The Double Door Inn, winner of the 1994 Keeping the Blues Alive award from The Blues Foundation, is located at 1218 Charlottetowne Ave., Charlotte, NC (704-376-1446) Over the past 35 years, the DDI’s stage lights have shined on Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Marcia Ball, Saffire ~ The Uppity Blues Women, Lonnie Brooks, Eddy “the Chief” Clearwater, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Luther Allison, just to name a few. (And that doesn’t even include the countless local and regional performers who otherwise would not have had a stage to stand on.) Thank you, Double Door, for all your support for live blues, zydeco, reggae, Americana, and most of all, your support of the Charlotte Blues Society!

OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jeri Thompson, President 704-488-9608

Betsy Norton-Stowe, Vice-President 704-351-3848

(vacant), Secretary

Jeff Thompson, Treasurer 704-829-5336

Advisors: Beth Pollhammer, Bill Buck,

Rita Miller, Michael Simonetti

BLUESLETTER STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Bluesletter Staff— Jill Dineen, Rita Miller

Contributing Articles/Photos– Jill Dineen, Jeri Thompson, Michael Wolf, Daniel Coston, Rita Miller,

Artists, Media, & Websites

Memberships / Address Changes - www.charlottebluessociety.org

Printing Services - International Minute Press, South Blvd, Charlotte

Submissions Welcome!

Blues Articles, CD Reviews, Concert Reviews, Interviews, Calendar Events, Advertising, News Releases

Items due no later than the 15th of the month for the following

month’s issue.

Items received beyond deadline will be used the following month,

if still timely.

Scanned or digital photos should be e-mailed to the editor; other

photos are also accepted and will be returned. (Note: Photos with matte finish or screen print may not reproduce

as sharp as glossy prints.)

Articles may be edited for brevity or clarity, unless otherwise

requested by the writer. (Please do not exceed 500 words for

articles or 300 words for reviews.)

Views expressed by the writers do not necessarily reflect

those of CBS or its members

Phil Beam Jill Dineen

Dick Gilland Nick Polyzos

Michael Swisher (Vacant Seats Available)

JANUARY 2012 15

The Bluesletter is published monthly by the

C h a r l o t t e B l u e s S o c i e t y

PO Box 32752

Charlotte, NC28232-2752

www.charlottebluessociety.org

SMF PBN: 1938390

Something New for 2011! You can now renew your membership online at

www.CharlotteBluesSociety.org. We have a new email-able form and PayPal Button.

Just go to the Membership page and click!

Turn Your Radio On! Sundays, 8:00-12:00 PM ................... WRFX 99.7 FM “Smokin’ Bluz” Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM .................... WSGE 91.7 FM “Hwy 321 Blues” Mondays, 11:00 PM-12:00 AM ............ WGWG 88.3 FM “Blues & Roots” Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00 PM ................... WSGE 91.7 FM “Hwy 321 Blues” Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 PM ............... WSGE 91.7 FM “Hwy 321 Blues” Fridays, 11:00 PM-12:00 AM ............... WGWG 88.3 FM “Blues & Roots” Saturdays, 7:00-11:00 PM ................. WNCW 88.7 FM “Saturday Night House Party” Saturdays, 9:00-12:00 PM ................. WFAE 90.7 FM “Blues Central”

Please help us stay current – send radio updates to fulobluz@gmail.com

If you are a CBS member who still gets your Bluesletter by “Snail Mail,”please send us your e-mail address for faster delivery … and it’s in COLOR!

(On-line delivery saves postage and helps the environment.)

Membership Appl icat ion PLEASE PRINT

Name: _________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________ Phone (Day):__________________ (Night): __________________ E-mail: _________________________________________________ (Not shared – Used only for Blues updates and late-breaking news!)

Please list members’ names for Membership Cards:

________________________ _________________________ ________________________ _________________________

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT CBS? [ ] Web Search [ ] The Double Door Inn [ ] News Media [ ] Concert / Festival ________________________________ [ ] Other __________________________________________ [ ] Referred by: _____________________________________

Today’s Date: _________________ [ ] New Member [ ] Renewal

MEMBER CATEGORY: e-mail / postal

[ ] Individual ........... $20 / $25

[ ] Family (2-4) ....... $35 / $40

[ ] Sponsor ............. $75 / $80

(includes Qtr page ad

or T-shirt) Size: __________

VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS NEEDED:

[ ] Merchandise Sales

[ ] Membership Development

[ ] Fundraising / Sponsorships

[ ] Educational Programs

[ ] Promotion / Publicity [ ] Festivals / Event Booths

[ ] Bluesletter / Writing / Photos

ARE YOU A MUSICIAN?

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] vocalist

[ ] Instrument(s)

____________________________

(16) Bluesletter

Charlotte Blues Society

PO Box 32752 Charlotte, NC28232-2752

www.CharlotteBluesSociety.org

The Charlotte Blues Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors, and is an affiliated member of The Blues Foundation

A MEMPHIS SEND-OFF PARTY & JAM !!

BLUESunday * JAN. 8, 2012 * The Bill Miller Band

Come support the winners of

the 2011 Blues Talent Competition

before they hit the road for Memphis!!

(Open Mic Blues Jam

too)

The Double Door Inn

Doors open at 7:00

Music starts 8:00 1218 Charlottetown Ave.

704-376-1446

CBS Members – FREE

Non-members - $5:00