This week’s installment dives into the wild origins of “balling the jack.” From steam trains to juke joints, this phrase went from a railman’s command to crank up the speed to a symbol of living life at full throttle—whether in dance, bed, or the gamble of life itself. Explore how this fiery expression influenced the rhythms of jazz, blues, and swing, and check out how Bessie Smith and others brought it to the spotlight.
Browsing: Big Bill Broonzy
This week’s installment delves into the humble origins of the ‘one-strand-on-the-wall’ guitar, crafted from baling wire and ingenuity, and how it shaped legends like Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, and Big Bill Broonzy.
In ‘The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to ZuZu,’ author and rocker Debra Devi explores the meaning of a word or phrase from a blues song.
“What a great resource, as fascinating as it is informative. Debra’s passion for the blues shines through.” – Bonnie Raitt
Bluesman Brant Buckley’s Chicago Blues-inspired sound is melodic, rhythmic, and haunting, drawing from his folk…
Broonzy was also one of the first bluesmen in Chicago to play electric guitar, beginning in 1942, though his audiences preferred the acoustic sounds of the South.
This is the latest installment of our weekly series The Language of the Blues, in…
Find out what MOONSHINE really means in this new installment of our popular weekly series,…
This Week in Blues Past has some HUGE landmarks involving a handful of the BIGGEST names in the blues!
In the 1950’s, Big Bill Broonzy was one of the first Bluesmen to tour all over the U.S. and throughout Europe. He was a leading figure in what they called the Folk Revival.
Acoustic guitarist Tim Williams was half way from Calgary to Memphis in his journey to compete in the International Blues Challenge when the flight attendant in Houston made her first offer.