Author: Barry Kerzner

“When I’m reaching an audience, I feel it.” – Hubert Sumlin

At about 1 a.m. on the morning of February 3rd, 1959, the chartered Beechcraft 35 Bonanza airplane carrying Ritchie Valens, J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Buddy Holly and pilot Roger Peterson crashed into a field north of Clear Lake, Iowa. This tragic event came to be known as “The Day the Music Died.” Valens, Richardson, and Holly had just performed at the Surf Ballroom as part of the “Winter Dance Party” tour through the Midwest United States. With the release of “That’ll Be the Day” in May 1957, Holly was now a celebrity. Richardson as “The Big Bopper” and Valens were…

Editorial note: Revisiting this interview with Ben Harper, originally published in 2018, to celebrate his birthday!

This is an instrumental album, and just like other such albums of quality (think Freddie King’s ‘Let’s Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King’), ‘Harpbreaker’ is destined to become a classic!

‘Honey Up’ is a monster! The album showcases Collier’s gritty playing, fiery singing, and her burgeoning song-writing prowess.

The 4th Annual B.B. King Symposium takes place this Thursday, September 6th offering a number of inspiring events and discussions unfolding throughout the day.

If folks have a chance to experience any touring exhibit of the National Guitar Museum in their hometown, they should jump all over it.

Dickey Betts, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band has postponed three upcoming performance dates due to what his doctors have described as a mild stroke.

“I got the idea from the film, ‘The Town.’ The movie is about Boston gangsters. A father in prison says this to his son. What a beautiful thing for a hard man to say.”

“The majority of the lyrics to ‘Down To Memphis’ were written in a taxi cab on the way to the Memphis airport a couple years ago.”