Author: C.C. Rider

If Big Mama’s body was big, her talent was cosmic. Big Mama Thornton is one of the most bad-ass women in blues…

At first, they called themselves Snoopy and the Sopwith Camels. A trio from Worcester, Mass. Three college students who played acoustic blues. A bassist, Danny Klein, a harmonica player, Richard Salwitz, and a guitarist, John Geils. They took the names Dr. Funk, Magic Dick, and—yep—J. Geils…

This is the latest from The Bluesmobile’s C.C. Rider, who spends her life venerating the founding fathers of the blues. She’s walked the crooked highways of this singing country to resurrect the voices of the past. With the dirt of the Delta on her hands, she sleeps in the shadow of the giants on whose shoulders popular music now stands. Brownie McGhee (November 30, 1915 – February 16, 1996) In 1941, Okeh Records had a problem.  Best selling artist Blind Boy Fuller had just died suddenly from kidney disease.  But the record company was desperate to bank on his stardom just a little while longer.…

He was born Robert Lee, his friends called him Rule. But we know him as R.L. Burnside…

It’s arguable that the Ed Sullivan Variety Show did more for popular music than any other TV program. Introduced America to the Beatles, to Elvis Presley. That show gave most people their first taste of Rock n’ Roll. But it wasn’t Elvis who did it…

This is the latest from The Bluesmobile’s C.C. Rider, who spends her life venerating the founding fathers of the blues. She’s walked the crooked highways of this singing country to resurrect the voices of the past. With the dirt of the Delta on her hands, she sleeps in the shadow of the giants on whose shoulders popular music now stands.   Hank Ballard (November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003) The Twist. One of Rock n’ Rolls biggest hits. Gave birth to a dance phenomenon. Been called the song and dance that changed the world. And when Chubby Checker performed the Twist on Dick Clark’s…

It was 1961. The very beginning of the folk blues revival. An up and comin’ young folk singer recorded a track for his debut album called “Fixin’ to Die”…

The “Father of the Blues” W.C. Handy claims he was at a train station in 1903 when he first heard the long, low sound of a knife on steel strings. According to myth, Handy hearing that slide guitar was the official birth of the blues. Makes sense. There are more 78s and 45s dedicated to stations, railways and locomotives than can ever be counted…

It’s 1981. And a synthpop duo called Soft Cell isn’t doing so well. They’ve got one last chance to make a hit before their label kicks ‘em to the curb. So they took one final shot with a version of an old soul song—Tainted Love…

This is the latest from The Bluesmobile’s C.C. Rider, who spends her life venerating the founding fathers of the blues. She’s walked the crooked highways of this singing country to resurrect the voices of the past. With the dirt of the Delta on her hands, she sleeps in the shadow of the giants on whose shoulders popular music now stands. Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) “She has a once in a millennium voice.” That’s what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said about Mahalia Jackson. She and Dr. King were close friends. They marched and sang at many rallies, but the…