Junior Wells and Robert Cray

This post is of the old and the new. The top sketch is of the late Junior Wells, a Chicago style harmonica player and singer who often collaborated with Buddy Guy on albums. Junior passed away in 1998. The younger vanguard of blues players is represented by Robert Cray. Cray is considered the main person responsible for the 1980's blues revival. Cray was born in Georgia and grew up in Virginia; the old standard development migration from delta to Chicago is no longer a part of every blues-man's experience in the modern world.

Pinetop Perkins

This is Pinetop Perkins. At age 96, Pinetop is the oldest living delta blues musician who still performs. His boogie woogie piano style has been heard on albums from Sonny Boy Williamson to Willie Dixon. For over a decade, Pinetop was the keyboard artist in Muddy Water's legendary band of the 70's.

Brownie McGhee

This is Brownie McGhee. He is mostly associated with harmonica player and vocalist Sonny Terry. The duo collaborated from 1942 until 1980 Their music is in the country blues style with acoustical guitar and harp. If you youtube either McGhee or Terry you will come up with some excellent clips of them on an old Peter Seeger television broadcast. Brownie passed away in 1996

Muddy Waters

To my mind, Muddy Waters is the undisputed king of the Chicago Blues. His career spanned over 40 years starting in 1941. His blues standards are too numerous to list, suffice to say, the Rolling Stones take their name from one of his songs. Muddy (real name, McKinley Morganfield) passed away in 1983. His two sons, Big Bill Morganfield and Larry Mud Morganfield are also blues musicians.

Chuck Berry

The unofficial king of rock 'n' roll music was (and is) grounded in the blues. If any one individual is to be credited with being the originator of rock 'n' roll it is Chuck Berry. So much of America's music finds its roots in the blues from the music of Jimmy Rodgers (the father of country music) to the jazz of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to the rock 'n' roll of Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. At age 73, Chuck continues to tour and plays once a month at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis, Mo.

My sketches are becoming more caricature-ish and cartoon like which is something I want. If these eventually look like they walked off the pages of an R. Crumb comic book, I would be overjoyed

T-Bone Walker

This is T-Bone Walker. His best known song, Stormy Monday (associated more with B.B. King) was written in 1947. His guitar playing influenced the likes of Chuck Berry to Jimmy Hendrix. T-Bone was also a vibrant stage performer sometimes playing the guitar behind his neck and with his teeth. He passed away in 1975.

Doctor John

This is Doctor John, sometimes known as Doctor John The Night Tripper. His real name is John Rebennack Jr. Dr. J is probably best associated with his biggest pop tune hit, 'In the Right Place at the Wrong Time' but beyond the psychedelic voodoo theatrics he used in the early seventies, John plays a blues form of New Orleans R&B. He is a noted sessions musician, playing piano on many album cuts with James Taylor, The Rolling Stones, Carlye Simon, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, etc. etc. He still records and performs today

Koko Taylor

This is Koko Taylor, her career spanned over 50 years. Of all the covers done of Willie Dixon's famed song, Wang Dang Doodle, Koko's stamp on the song has made it her own. Youtube the version she sings with Little Walter and Hound Dog Taylor (not related), it is terrific. She sang a deep rough style of Chicago Blues. Koko passed away in June of this year

Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter

For many, these are two artists associated more with Rock then Blues but both are premier blues guitarists to the finest degree. Johnny is also an accomplished slide guitarist whose concentration has been exclusively blues for most of his career.

British star, Eric Clapton is such a household name in Rock that his blues sometimes gets overshadowed. His early work with the Yardbirds (as well as the entire British Blues scene) breathed life back into the blues form of music and re-established the careers of many American legends such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters. Both Johnny and Eric continue to perform. I have seen Johnny twice and plan on seeing him again this fall.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King

Here are Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King. B.B. is a living legend, Stevie redefined the blues for an entire new generation of enthusiasts. Without these two artist two of Rolling Stone's all time top 10 guitar players would be missing from the list. My suggestion is to youtube both artists and have a listen. Stevie died in a helicopter crash in 1990, B.B. still performs.

Bob Margolin and J.B. Hutto

Here are Bob Margolin and J.B. Hutto. Bob was guitar player in Muddy Water's band for many years; he currently continues to play and record and is a columnist for Blues Review Magazine. J.B. Hutto was noted for his slide guitar playing, although he is not playing slide in this picture. J. B. passed away in 1983.

Lightnin Hopkins and John Lee Hooker

These are Lightnin Hopkins and John Lee Hooker. John is known for his signature boogie woogie beat on classics like, "Boom, Boom and Boogie Chillen". His career spanned 7 decades. Lightnin, who played country style blues, recorded more albums then any other blues performer. Hooker died in 2001 and Hopkins in 1982.

Bo Diddley and Albert Collins

Here are a couple more great blues legends from the past. Bo Diddley and Albert Collins. Collins was known to continue playing after the club he was performing at had closed by going outside and playing on the sidewalk. Bo Diddley is probably a house hold name these days his real name is Ellas Bates. His rumba style beat blues became a signature for him. The name Bo Diddley is derived from a primitive string instrument know as a diddley bow. Collins passed away in 1992, Bo died last year. What you see Bo playing is a well crafted facsimile of an old cigar box guitar.

Sonny Terry and Little Walter

Here are two more legends of the blues, Sonny Terry and Little Walter Jacobs. The simplicity that is the diminutive diatonic Hohner Marine Band harmonica belies the incredible sound blues artists can get out of it. With these two legends, a broad spectrum of sound was achieved from the country, acoustic sound of Sonny Terry to the blasting, amplified Chicago harp style pioneered by Little Walter. Both artist influenced my playing style. Sonny passed away in 1986 and Little Walter in 1968.

Blues legends Buddy Guy and Willie Dixon

These are blues legends, Buddy Guy and Willie Dixon. Buddy is still performing and I was lucky enough to see him play at Wolf Trap Farm this last summer. He puts on an electrifying show. Buddy is 63 years old. Willie Dixon was famous for writing such songs as, Spoonful, Back Door Man, Wang Dang Doodle, Bring it on Home and others. He was a bass player and you can see many of his old t.v. broadcasts on youtube playing his big stand up bass. He also spent considerable time later in life preserving the legacy American blues has left on our culture. Dixon passed away in 1992.

I'm experimenting with different color inks for my pens when I make these sketches. I hope the colors are not too fugitive because the drawings look nice framed in those cheap Wal-mart frames and hung on my wall and it would be a bummer if they faded away.

More blues legends

Here are couple more blues cats of world renown: Otis Spann and Charlie Musselwhite. Otis is considered the post war era's greatest blues pianist, he passed away in 1970. He played with many people but is perhaps best known for being part of Muddy Water's band from 1952 until 1968. Charlie is 65 and still tours and records. He had a big influence on my playing when I was first learning how to play harmonica 40 years ago. I've been playing off and on ever since.

Blues legends

It has certainly been awhile since I've posted but there have been reasons. First, I moved from Virginia to Maryland, which disrupted everything and second, I formed a blues band which has taken a considerable amount of time away from painting and sketching but more than anything, the waiting to move was the biggest obstacle. I also put myself on a diet and lost 56 lbs, so I'm pretty trim nowadays. (I'll have to do a new self portrait)

Anyway, here are some sketches I just completed that draw homage to some great legends of American blues music. The images are self explanatory. By the way, I do these sketches with regular writing pens. I also have an annoying spot in my camera lens that I can't get rid of. Oh well, I'm not buying a new one right now.