Issue Articles
Denise LaSalle with David White, Always The Queen—The Denise LaSalle Story (University of Illinois Press)
Certainly, the cover of Always the Queen will turn heads while browsing the music section of your a literature retailer or online source. Beginning in 1971, the late Denise LaSalle […]
Billy Boy Arnold with Kim Field The Blues Dream of Billy Boy Arnold (University of Chicago Press)
Now 86 years old, the great Billy Boy Arnold is not only the longest-tenured Chicago blues musician, but he is also one of the earliest serious blues historians. As a […]
O.V. Wright, A Nickel And A Nail and Ace of Spades (Real Gone Music)
This is a welcome vinyl reissue of a super rare 1971 Back Beat album, one that many deep soul experts consider the holy grail. Essentially it was just assembled just […]
Daniel De Vise, King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King (Atlantic Monthly Press)
With three previous full-length B.B. King biographies still circulating, a handful of well researched box sets and any number of comprehensive B.B. King CD compilations, plus extensive stories about the […]
In Memoriam: Gary Edwards (1941–2021)
Gary Edwards, a prominent businessman in the New Orleans music industry whose Sound of New Orleans label recorded many regional bands and musicians, died on September 22 after a lengthy […]
Various Artists, Southern Bred: Louisiana and New Orleans R&B Rockers (I Hate To See You Go, Volume 15) (KoKo Mojo)
This series of Southern Bred CDs reminds one of listening to vintage “Records From the Crypt” shows hosted by Billy Delle on WWOZ. Koko Mojo’s ideology is “killer and no […]
Book Review | Macon Fry, They Called Us River Rats (University of Mississippi Press)
Be it the vastness of New Orleans East or the tiny sliver of the Mississippi River batture, very little has been written about the history of either community. Thankfully, Macon […]
Emperor of the Universe: Remembering the funeral and wake of Ernie K-Doe
July 13 marks the 20th anniversary of the funeral and wake of Ernie K-Doe, the larger-than-life, self-proclaimed “Charity Hospital baby” and R&B phenomenon best known for his 1961 hit song […]
In Memoriam: Lloyd Price (1933–2021)
Lloyd Price, an extremely successful entrepreneur and the recorder of such R&B classics as “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Stagger Lee,” “Personality” and “Where Were You On Our Wedding Day,” died May […]
Book Review | Rob Bowman, The Last Soul Company: The Malaco Records Story (Malaco Press)
Malaco Records’ unlikely saga of success is quite an epic tale. Really, how in the world could three Ole Miss frat boys build a corporation in Jackson, Mississippi, that would […]
