Sh-Boom (acapella version) – The Chords (1954) Rare acapella version of the R&B classic. The hit version (with instrumental) backup reached No. 2 on the Billboard R&B charts and peaked at No. 9 on the pop charts.
Jessie Wagner was born in Norfolk, Virginia and began her career writing songs for Black House, a production company in Jacksonville, Florida. She’s performed with many recording artists including Chic (lead vocalist), backup vocals for Duran Duran, Kid Rock and Lenny Kravitz, and more recently is pursuing a solo career, writing and performing her own songs.
Selwyn Birchwood is an American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Tampa, Florida. He plays what he calls “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues,” and was the winner of the Blues Foundation’s 2013 International Blues Challenge (band category), as well the winner of the Albert King Guitarist of the Year award. [Wiki]
Justin Saladino Band, live at the Montreal International Jazz Festival 2018.
Saladino plays a mix of rock, blues, Americana and funk (and contemporary roots, whatever that means). More about him here.
Fun times indeed: The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is reflecting again, there’s more ballot fraud in California, Iran’s still dikkin around, FIFA announced that fans can bring disposable water bottles to the games, Jeff fell in the creek after we warned him twice, and now Texas screwworms are on the march. More news may or may not be discussed at Porch Time tomorrow. See you at your estimated time of arrival.
A one man band, Sergi Estellastudied musical education at the University of Barcelona (2010) and completed the intermediate degree at L’Aula (the Liceu Conservatory of Jazz and Modern Music, 2011). He is known for building his own instruments; he plays guitars made from broom handles, beer cans, or even a wooden box with a tap pouring wine, among others. Following blues aesthetics, his lyrics deal with everyday events and personal experiences, both in Catalan and English, with satirical humor that is also reflected in his stage presence. [Wiki]
The James Hunter Six – James Hunter is a Grammy-nominated soul/R&B singer/songwriter from Essex, England. He began his recording career in 1986, and collaborated with Van Morrison on several records. Good stuff.
Blues legend based in Austin, Texas, Guy Forsyth has a long resume of recording and performing around the world, with many awards to boot. (He’s got a knack for storytelling also, as evidenced in his bio.)
I realized a long time ago that government has a weasel infestation, but I never imagined it mestasizing. A late reckoning is better than none at all. The good news is that The Strait is open again (at least for now) and gas prices should be turning back to normal. Now about those taxes…
Ah, I’m wishing for too much; besides, Porch Time is on tomorrow’s to-do list and we can solve the problems of the world then. See you there.
Soul / blues / R&B band Vintage Trouble formed in Los Angeles in 2010. Their debut album The Bomb Shelter Sessions (2011) hit number one on Amazon‘s music charts in the UK, and they won the Best New Band prize at the 2011 Classic Rock awards. In February 2024, the group announced an indefinite break “to focus on individual and family endeavors”.
Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon didn’t pick up a guitar until he was 22, but he picked it up fast. “Gary Clark, Jr. declared, ‘Toronzo is a beast. He lights the room up,’ and Joe Bonamassa rightly pronounced, ‘Toronzo’s a great guitar player, excellent vocalist and an amazing personality.’ ”
Jonathon “Boogie” Long
From his website: “He began his career at the age 18, invited by BB King to tour with him. Shortly after, he was awarded Guitar Center’s “King of the Blues”, besting over 4,000 other contestants. Since then, he’s taken the short road to Louisiana legend, already a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and Baton Rouge officially designating January 4th as “Jonathon Long” day.”
R.I.P Chuck Norris, sorry about your legacy Cesar Chavez, nice work Nick Shirley, Gavin Newsom is still a douchebag, and tomorrow is Porch Time.
See you there.
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar are a soul / gospel / R&B / blues group from Toronto, whose musical influences come from way past the Canadian border. The full band consists of 10 members plus singer / songwriter / guitarist Samantha Martin.
Multi-instrumental blues / roots rockers Rebecca & Megan Lovell, aka Larkin Poe, are amazing. Multiple Grammy Award winners from Georgia, the sisters named their group after their great-great-great-great-grandfather, a cousin of that other Poe guy.
Selwyn Birchwood is an American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Tampa, Florida. He was the winner of the Blues Foundation’s 2013 International Blues Challenge (band category), as well the winner of the Albert King Guitarist of the Year award. [Wiki]
From Boogie Beasts‘ website: “Dirty beats, hypnotizing slide, screaming harmonica riffs and plenty of fuzz: all of these will be served by this four man band from Liège-Limburg-Namur, Belgium. […] The drive is infectious, the noise is pure filth, yet highly irresistible.”
Stuff happened this week – some good, some bad, most of it just plain absurd. It’s also the time of year where we ignore resetting the clock in the dashboard and set our sprinklers and calendars ahead instead. As always, the change doesn’t affect porch time. Be there or be somewhere else.
I Can’t Stop Dancing, Archie Bell & The Drells (1968)
Soul / R&B group from Houston, Texas, Archie Bell & The Drells had a string of hits in the late 60s-70s. They are best known for their 1968 dance hit Tighten Up which shot to No. 1 on the charts while Bell was recuperating from a leg injury he suffered while in the U.S. Army.
Slow Down, Larry Williams (1958) From Wiki: “Lawrence Eugene Williams (May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm & blues and rock & roll singer, songwriter, and pianist from New Orleans. He is best known for writing and recording some rock & roll classics from 1957 to 1959 for Specialty Records, including Bony Moronie, Short Fat Fannie, Slow Down, Dizzy Miss Lizzy (1958), Bad Boy and She Said Yeah (1959).”
Can I Change My Mind, Tyrone Davis (1968)
In the 1950s, Davis was a popular R&B singer in the Chicago area, began recording in the late 1960s. A DJ friend in Houston played the the B-side of one of his singles on the air, and Can I Change My Mind made both the Billboard R&B and Top Pop charts. It eventually sold more than 1 million copies and his career took off. (In 1969, Joyce Jones recorded Help Me Make Up My Mind as an answer song.)
Curtis Salgado began with The Nighthawks, later joined The Robert Cray Band, led Roomful of Blues, inspired the Blues Brothers and formed Curtis Salgado & The Stilettos.
Mike Benjamin & The Bend In The Road Band perform a blend of Americana, New Orleans funk, Delta blues and classic rock. Benjamin began as a Boston busker, moved to the New York club scene, became a session musician (vocals/guitar), and recorded hundreds of national commercials from Coca-Cola and Clorox to Budweiser.
Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues
A three-time Grammy nominee, Branch is a roots blues promoter and historian with a direct link to Willie Dixon. He’s considered to be a member of the “New Generation of Chicago Blues”.
Seems we’ve entered dropping jaw season early this year. It’s more than just a clean up on Aisle 3 – the whole damn parking lot is a mess and the two lane is backed up all the way to Paducah. On the plus side, our stray tom likes his new box on the stoop, and the porch will be open by the time you show up. See you then.
The end of a long year deserves a playlist to bring in the new one, so here’s a compilation of tunes that tugged on my earballs in 2025. Each set is in chronological order by date of recording.
Set 1 – January, February, March & April
Set 2 – May, June, July & August
Set 3 – September, October, November & December
I omitted seasonal tunes from the Halloween and Christmas playlists. Last year’s playlist (2024) is here, and the 2023 EoY list is here.
And one more thing:
May You Have a Happy & Prosperous New Year!
[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of these recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only.]
Tacky Raccoons 