The Blues Show with Jonny Meister airs Saturday nights

                       from 7PM to Midnight on WXPN.

Coming Up On  The Blues Show  January 16, 2021:

new blues from Selwyn Birchwood from his album Living In A Burning House

In the midnight hour after The Blues Show, on Blue Dimensions: Program #J03 — songs that connect with the Martin Luther King Day holiday and the aspiration for equality and civil rights for all. We'll hear from one of the strongest voices for civil rights in the world of blues in the 1960s, J. B. Lenoir, who wrote some powerful songs and made some stunning acoustic recordings of them in 1965 and 1966. We'll also play some inventive covers of some of those songs from the late Mickey Baker, and from Mavis Staples, whose family was involved with Dr. King's work. We'll hear a favorite civil rights movement spiritual from Staple Singers patriarch Pops Staples, and one of King's favorites from daughter Mavis. Plus songs for Dr. King from diverse sources, including Champion Jack Dupree, gospel singer Brother Will Hairston, and James Taylor.

       Top Blues Albums and Blues Songs of 2020

       • • • Online Blues Concerts, Events, & News • • •

The movie Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is now being shown on Netflix. The film, based on a play of the same name by August Wilson, is about events surrounding a 1927 recording session with Ma Rainey known as the "Mother Of The Blues," and it stars Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman in his final film role. It is produced by Denzel Washington. Reviews of the film and the performances of its stars have been very positive. View the trailer.

Some sad news: Joseph "Mojo" Morganfield, son of blues great Muddy Waters has died unexpectedly at age 56 in Chicago. Morganfield recently put out a single "It's Good To Be King," with an album planned for 2021.
      read Mojo Morganfield's obituary.

The song Clotilda's On Fire on Shemekia Copeland's album Uncivil War tells the stories of the last ship to bring slaves to the United States, the descendants of those slaves, and the effort of the ship's captain to destroy the evidence of what it did. The wreckage of the ship has been found in Alabama. View Anderson Cooper's report on the Clotilda from CBS 60 Minutes.

Bluesman Jimmy Johnson turned 92 this November. You can view for free his concert with John Primer, Billy Branch, Dave Specter, and John Kattke, recorded last July. You may also support these artists if you would like to.

There's a new children's book about bluesman Blind Willie Johnson. It's called Dark Was The Night: Blind Willie Johnson's Journey To The Stars, named after one of Johnson's songs, a song that was included with the music and sounds of Earth sent into space on Voyager I in 1977, which is where the story starts in the book. It was written by Gary Golio and illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
Review of Dark Was The Night in The Houston Chronicle.

The Blues Images 2021 Blues Calendar with its accompanying CD (including a previously unreleased Victoria Spivey song, several previously unissued songs from Lost John Hunter from the Sun Records studio in Memphis, and more) is available now. The calendar features some of the original artwork and photographs used to promote these 78 rpm records when they were released.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram was featured on PBS Newshour, November 11, 2020

Watch Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's Tiny Desk Home Concert from NPR

The Chicago Blues Camp is having Facebook Live online concerts that you can either watch live as they happen or later. Recent ones featuring 92-year-old Jimmy Johnson and Mud Morganfield, son of Muddy Waters, are well worth watching.

The Blues Collaborative of Southeast Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley works with a number of regional bands to promote their work; visit their calendar of events.

Working From Home is a series of at-home concerts by blues and roots artists produced by The Arhoolie Foundation and The Little Village Foundation. The concerts they have up include music from C. J. Chenier, The Sons of The Soul Revivers, Aki Kumar and Rome Yamilov, and John Blues Boyd.

On Sunday, May 3rd, the winners of the 2020 Blues Music Awards from The Blues Foundation were announced, along with some performances online, and you can view the event now.

Rory Block is doing Facebook Live Concerts from her home Tuesday and Friday nights, starting at 7:30PM ET

"tune in" daily for online music from Clarksdale MS

Harmonica player Mikey Junior presents live online music every Wednesday from 5PM to 7M from The Twisted Tail's Facebook Page

Roger Girke, Jimmy Pritchard and others perform live online music every Tuesday at 6PM from The Saint Georges Country Store on Facebook Live.

Links for   Local Artists  |  Venues  |  Blues Events  |  Cool Blues Links

       • • • Area Blues Concerts & Events • • •

For blues event listings visit:
Delta Blue's Calendar
The Blues Collaborative
Bucks County Blues Society
Diamond State Blues Society
Baltimore Blues Society
Blues Society of Central PA
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
Central Delaware Blues Society

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• • • January • • •

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Sweet Honey In The Rock virtual concert
(3PM) $15 (event recurs at 8PM)

• • • February • • •

Friday, February 12, 2021

Gabe Stillman @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $19.50-$29.50
seating at the venue and live stream online of the show are both available

Sunday, February 21, 2021

James Hunter Six @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

• • • March • • •

• • • April • • •

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Bucks Blues Explosion 2020 with Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
and Slim & the Perkolators
@ Bucks County Community College, Newtown PA 18940 (7:30PM-10PM)

Monday, April 12, 2021

Walter Trout opening: Little Buddy @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $35-$49.50

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Tinsley Ellis @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Catherine Russell with Charanee Wade and Brianna Thomas Ladies Sing The Blues
@ Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center
Blue Bell PA 19422 (5PM)

• • • May • • •

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Albert Cummings @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $21.50-$30

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Blues & Brews with Flamin' Harry & The Roadhouse Rockers
The Little Red Rooster Blues Band, & Stevie & The Bluescasters
@ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $22.50-$35

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
@ Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis MD 21409

Vanessa Collier @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
@ Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis MD 21409

• • • June • • •

Friday, June 4, 2021

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 1
Havre De Grace MD 21078

Saturday, June 5, 2021

Saint Georges Blues Festival Day 1
Fort DuPont Parade Grounds
Delaware City DE 19706
11:45AM — Judy Sings The Blues
1:15PM — Studebaker John & The Delaware Destroyers
       with Garry Cogdell
3:00PM — Tennessee Redemption with Brandon Santini & Jeff Jensen
4:45PM — Victor Wainwright & The Train
6:30PM — Joe Louis Walker
Garry Cogdell's Session Tent All Weekend Between Sets

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 2
Havre De Grace MD 21078

Chester County Blues Barbecue @ Wyndsor Farm
Elverson PA 19520 (2PM-7PM) rain or shine

Sunday, June 6, 2021

Saint Georges Blues Festival Day 2
Fort DuPont Parade Grounds
Delaware City DE 19706
11:45AM — Gracie Curren & The High Falutin' Band
1:15PM — Backtrack Blues Band with Wayne Sharp
3:00PM — Toronzo Cannon
4:45PM — Mike Zito
6:30PM — Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Garry Cogdell's Session Tent All Weekend Between Sets

Havre De Grace Jazz & Blues Fest Day 3
Havre De Grace MD 21078

Friday, June 11, 2021

Billtown Blues Festival Day 1
Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Blues Brews & Barbecue on Hamilton Street, in Allentown PA
Noon — 10PM   free

Billtown Blues Festival Day 2
Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Billtown Blues Festival Day 3
Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville PA 17737

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Indigenous with Levi Platero Band @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50

Saturday, June 19, 2021

State Street Blues Stroll in the Media PA business district
Media PA 19063

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Dana Fuchs @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$40

• • • July • • •

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Opening Night:
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
6PM-11PM Bret Alexander & Friends (songs from summer of 1970)
MiZ (songs from Grateful Dead album American Beauty)

Friday, July 9, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day One br /> 88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
 4:15PM-5:45PM Celisse Henderson
 6:05PM-7:35PM Campbell Brothers
 7:55PM-9:25PM Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
 9:45PM-11:15PM Ana Popovic

        Back Porch Stage:

 1:00PM-2:00PM Dane Tilghman & The Jack Adams Band
 2:20PM-3:50PM Gabe Stillman
 4:10PM-6:50PM (TBA)
 7:10PM-8:40PM Pappy Biondo & Justin Mazer
9:00PM-10:30PM Swampcandy

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Briggs Farm Blues Festival Day Two
88 Old Berwick Highway, Nescopeck PA 18635    tel 570-379-3342
        Main Stage:
 4:00PM-5:30PM Scott Pemberton
 5:50PM-7:20PM Mac Arnold & Plate Full O' Blues
 7:40PM-9:10PM Victor Wainwright & The Train
9:30PM-11:00PM Shemekia Copeland

        Back Porch Stage:

 1:00PM-2:10PM The Mighty Susquehannas
 2:30PM-4:00PM King Solomon Hicks
 4:20PM-6:20PM (TBA)
 6:40PM-8:10PM Gracie Curran
8:30PM-10:00PM The National Reserve

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Sonny Landreth @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM)

Friday, July 16, 2021

Blast Furnace Blues Festival Day 1
@ SteelStacks, Bethlehem PA 18015

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Bucks County Blues Society's R & B Picnic
Biscuit Miller & The Mix, Shawn Holt & The Teardrops Harper & Midwest Kind, Moonshine Society, Nick Trill & The Thrillseekers, Tom Craig Band
@ Snipes Farm, in Morrisville PA 19067 (10:30AM-7PM)

Blast Furnace Blues Festival Day 2
@ SteelStacks, Bethlehem PA 18015

Hot Tuna with guests David Grisman Trio @ Penn's Peak
Jim Thorpe PA 18229 (8PM)

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Blast Furnace Blues Festival Day 3
@ SteelStacks, Bethlehem PA 18015

• • • August • • •

Friday, August 6, 2021

Roomful Of Blues @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $25-$39.50

Friday, August 20, 2021

Savoy Brown @ Sellersville Theater
Sellersville PA 18960 (8PM) $29.50-$45

• • • September • • •

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Phoenixville Blues Fest [event status uncertain]
Reeves Park, in Phoenixville PA 19460 (Noon-10PM) free

Gypsy Moon Blues Festival @ Community Park [event status uncertain]
East Petersburg PA 17520 (3PM-8PM) free

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Paoli Blues Festival
Paoli Presbyterian Church on South Valley Road
Paoli PA 19301 (Noon-6PM) free

• • • October • • •

Friday, October 15, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 1
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 2
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Lancaster Roots And Blues Festival Day 3
various venues in Lancaster PA
performers TBA

• • • November • • •

Friday, November 19, 2021

Reading Blues Fest (Day 1) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Reading Blues Fest (Day 2) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Reading Blues Fest (Day 3) — Ticket Information
@ DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading PA 19601

• • • December • • •

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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Regularly occurring (weekly, monthly) blues jams and events

     All of these are on hold, not happening at present, because of the COVID-19 pandemic

           Weekly

• • • every Monday • • •

blues jam & open mic with Joe Alves Band @ The Ashburner Inn every Monday
Philadelphia (Torresdale) PA 19136 (8PM-11PM)

• • • every Tuesday • • •

Little Red Rooster hosts blues jam @ Villa Capri every Tuesday
Doylestown PA 18901 (8PM)

blues jam hosted by Paul Boddy & The Slidewinder Blues Band @ Havana every Tuesday
New Hope PA 18938 (8PM)

Ursula Ricks hosts "Cats Eye Blues Jam" @ The Cats Eye Pub
Baltimore (Fells Point) MD 21231 (9PM)

Nate Myers and The Aces @ Grotto Pub
Enola PA

• • • every Wednesday • • •

Mikey Jr. @ The Twisted Tail every Wednesday
Philadelphia PA 19147 (8PM)

• • • every Thursday • • •

blues jam hosted by Steve Guyger @ Temperance House every Thursday
Newtown PA 18940 (7PM)

blues jam hosted by Empty Belly Blues Band @ Brut Lounge every Thursday
Feasterville PA 19053 (7:30PM)

• • • every Sunday • • •

Mikey Jr. leads blues jam - open mic @ The Twisted Tail every Sunday
Philadelphia PA 19147 (5PM-9PM)

Blues Brunch, Jam, & open mic with The Philly Blues Kings
every Sunday
@ Jamey's House Of Music
Lansdowne PA 19050 (Noon-3PM)   free
Open mic jam Noon-2PM — Philly Blues Kings set 2PM-3PM

           Monthly

Fred Miller Blues Band @ The Rusty Nail
Blues Jam 8PM last Sunday of each month
Ardmore PA

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Blues Albums Nominated For Grammys:

Best Traditional Blues Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental traditional blues recordings.

Frank Bey All My Dues Are Paid
Don Bryant You Make Me Feel
Robert Cray Band That's What I Heard
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes Cypress Grove
Bobby Rush Rawer Than Raw

Best Contemporary Blues Album For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental contemporary blues recordings.

Fantastic Negrito Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
Ruthie Foster Big Band Live At The Paramount
G. Love The Juice
Bettye LaVette Blackbirds
North Mississippi Allstars Up And Rolling

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[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

     Cool Blues Links

• video of "Jim Crow's Shadow" by The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram featured on PBS Newshour, November 11, 2020
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's Tiny Desk Home Concert from NPR
• video for Big Harp George's song Build Myself An App
• Watch the virtual version of this year's East Side Kings Festival from Austin TX
• Urban Ladder Society song/video Take Care Of Each Other
• Tinsley Ellis video of "Your Love's Like Heroin"
• Organist Barbara Dennerlein with the great harmonica player Toots Thielemans St. Louis Blues in concert on an Italian TV show "La storia del Jazz" sometime in the 1980s
• James Taylor performs his classic spoof on suburban blues wannabes Steamroller Blues in a 1970 concert in London
• Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton in concert at Paste Studio in NYC, April 4, 2019 • Danielle Miraglia performs at The Center For Arts in Natic MA October 24, 2020
• singer-saxophonist Evelyn Rubio in concert @ The Mucky Duck in Houston TX, September 13, 2020
• Johnny Rawls & Christopher Dean at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, August 2, 2020
• King Solomon Hicks with Kirk Yano bass & John Sweeney harmonica at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, September 2, 2020
• Kevin McCann Blues Trio at The Listening Room, Bloomsburg, PA, August 2020
• Danielle Miraglia home concert, September 15, 2020
• King Solomon Hicks video from Vintage Guitar Magazine Everyday I Have The Blues
• Albert Collins Live At Montreaux 1979 great set!
• Buddy Guy at Newport Jazz Festival 08/14/1994
• Alexis P. Suter performs "None Of Us Are Free" at The Iridium in New York City in 2014
• Joe Louis Walker & Eric Gales video "Comin' On"
• Adrena The Corona Blues
• Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors video of "Freedom For My People"
• Evelyn Rubio sings I'm Gonna Love You Tonight
• Toronzo Cannon (clips) @ 2019 Berks BluesFest
• View at-home concerts from various roots musicians (including CJ Chenier) in the Working From Home series from The Arhoolie Foundation and the Little Village Foundation.
• The Sons Of The Soul Revivers sing "Let Me Come Home" in their living room.
• Dukes Of Destiny in performance at Jamey's House Of Music, October 5, 2018 (two songs)
• The 2020 Blues Music Awards online ceremony from The Blues Foundation announcing winners, along with performances by blues artists and archival video
• Andrew Alli & Josh Small — Hard Workin' Man
• Andrew Alli performance and interview
• Bobby Rush Facebook Live Session 3/24/2020
• Keb' Mo' (with guest Jontavious Willis!) concert at Paste Studio New York City
• Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors Come Together not the Beatles song!
  (harmonica by Adam Gussow of the duo Satan & Adam; "Sir" Rod Patterson is nephew of Sterling Magee of that duo
• "Triple Tonguing" on the harmonica, from harmonica master Adam Gussow
• Harmonica master Adam Gussow's son Sean plays a whole bunch of instruments!
• Camille Thurman, saxophonist and singer, talks about (and plays) the blues
• Shemekia Copeland on PBS NewsHour Weekend 1/26/2020
• Benny Turner — "Who Sang It First"
• Cash McCall — "One Who's Got A Lot"
• Eddie Taylor and Big Walter Horton Live In Finland in 1976
• Blind Blake with Gus Cannon 1927 "He's In The Jailhouse Now"
• GoogleDoodle for B. B. King's 94th birthday, September 15, 2019
• song video Keb' Mo' with Taj Mahal Don't Throw It Away
• Christone "Kingfish" Ingram in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 13, 2019
• Annika Chambers in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Southern Avenue in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Cedric Burnside Project in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 13, 2019
• James Armstrong in performance at Briggs Farm Blues Festival, July 12, 2019
• Shemekia Copeland "Would You Take My Blood" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Shemekia Copeland "The Wrong Idea" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Shemekia Copeland "In The Blood Of The Blues" in performance World Cafe Live
       October 3, 2018
• Vanessa Collier "Bad News Bears" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 7, 2017
• Vanessa Collier "The Run Around" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 7, 2017
• Thornetta Davis "I'd Rather Be Alone" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival
       July 8, 2017
• Eric Gales "Change In Me" in performance Briggs Farm Blues Festival July 8, 2017
• R. L. Boyce & The Cornlickers "One Of These Days" in performance
       Briggs Farm Blues Festival July 7, 2017
• Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames "Mary Had A Little Lamb" in performance
       Saint Georges Blues Festival, June 10, 2017
• B. B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual in 1968 Part 1
• B. B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual in 1968 Part 2

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[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       — Jonny's Top Blues Albums of 2020 —

It's not really possible to precisely rank a whole bunch of great albums like these sensibly. What tiny difference makes the #18 album better than the #19 album? I've decided not to rank these in number order.

For the most part, this is just a list of some of the blues albums that have been played on the show in 2020, and they have made 2020 a good blues year, despite COVID-19. One thing of note — very possibly a result of the pandemic — was that there were a lot more singles issued this year than usual. Some are supposed to be on albums coming out in 2021. I'm including them in the albums list, but marking them as singles.

Artist	Album
Frank Bey	All My Dues Are Paid
Shemekia Copeland	Uncivil War
Jimmy Johnson	Every Day Of Your Life
John Blues Boyd	What My Eyes Have Seen
Adrena	Corona Blues [single]
Bobby Rush	Rawer Than Raw
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	The Real McCoy
Andrew Alli	Hard Workin' Man
Kat Riggins	Cry Out
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Live At The Paramount
Kirk Fletcher	My Blues Pathway
Mercedes Nicole	Constellation
Kat Pearson	My Roots
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Go, Just Do It!
Kevin Burt	Stone Crazy
Jonas Scott Cowan	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Dorothy Moore	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Joe Louis Walker	Blues Comin' On
Maceo Parker	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra	I'm Just Like You [single]
Big Bill Morganfield	Stop This Mess [single]
Sonny Green	Found! One Soul Singer
Vanessa Collier	Heart On The Line
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Hold On
Rory Block	Prove It On Me
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	100 Years Of Blues
Terrie Odabi	Love Trumps Hate [single]
Johnny Iguana	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
Dennis Jones	Soft Hard & Loud
Leyla McCalla	Vari-Colored Songs
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore	Cold Chills
Cathy Grier	I'm All Burn
Benny Turner	Who Sang It First [single]
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Jim Crow's Shadow
Annika Chambers & Derrick Procell	Black Man's Justice [single]
Devin B. Thompson	Tales Of The Soul
Nora Jean Wallace	Blues Woman
Big Harp George	Living In The City
Dave Specter & Billy Branch	Ballad Of George Floyd [single]
Mojo Morganfield	It's Good To Be King [single]
King Solomon Hicks	Harlem
Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors	Come Together
Dave Keller	Live At the Killer Guitar Thriller
Jack Hadley	Daybreak In Alabama - The Langston Hughes Project
Robert Cray Band	That's What I Heard
Sister Lucille	Alive
Roomful Of Blues	In A Roomful Of Blues
Ryan Perry	High Risk, Low Reward
Erin Harpe	Meet Me In The Middle
Evelyn Rubio	Crossing Borders
Dave Riley & Bob Corritore	Travelin' The Dirt Road
GA-20	Sit Down Baby [single]
Jimi Hendrix	Live In Maui
John Lee Hooker	Live At Montreux 1983
Tomás Doncker	Wherever You Go
Duke Robillard & Friends	Blues Bash!
Anni Piper	Blow Up Doll
Tas Cru	Drive On
A Band Called Sam	Legacy
Boo Boo Davis with ElectroBluesSociety	Chicago Blues Covers
Bobby BlackHat	America How Great Do You Feel Today [single]
Phantom Blues Band	Stll Cookin'
Christian McBride Big Band	For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver
Kim Wilson	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
GA-20	Live, Volume 1
Dion	Blues With Friends
The BC Combo	The Garage Sessions
Danielle Miraglia	Bright Shining Stars
V. A.	2020 Blues - New Music From Alligator Records
Sam Barlow	Faith In The Blues
John Mayall	I'm As Good As Gone [single]
Lloyd Jones	Tennessee Run
Chris Shutters with special guest Jimmy Burns	Good Gone Bad
Cash McCall	One Who's Got A Lot [single]
Albert Cummings	Believe
Sonny Landreth	Blacktop Run
Dom Flemons	Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus
Donald Kinsey	Bloody Tears [single]
Tinsley Ellis	Ice Cream In Hell
Bernard Allison	Songs From The Road
Cindy Cashdollar	Waltz For Abilene
Albert Castiglia	Wild and Free
Reverend Shawn Amos & The Brotherhood	Blue Sky
Mike Zito	Quarantine Blues
The BC Combo	The Garage Sessions
John Primer & Bob Corritore	The Gypsy Woman Told Me
Misty Blues	Weed 'Em & Reap
Zakiya Hooker	Legacy
Eliza Neals	Black Crow Moan
Tyler Morris	Living In The Shadows
Tony Holiday	Soul Service
The Nighthawks	Trying To Get To You
Linsey Alexander	Live At Rosa's
Little Red Rooster Blues Band	Under The Covers
Gerald McClendon	Can't Nobody Stop Me Now
David Brinston	I'm An O. G.
Jose Ramirez	Here I Come
Johnny Never	Blue Delta - New And Used Vintage Blues
Harper And Midwest Kind	Rise Up
Catherine Russell	You Reap Just What You Sow [single]
Johnny Burgin	No Border Blues
Mark May Band	Deep Dark Demon
Victor Wainwright and The Train	Memphis Loud
Hurricane Ruth	Good Life
Shirley King	Blues For A King
Eddie 9V	Way Down The Alley
Clarence Spady	Surrender [single]
Anthony Geraci	Daydreams In Blue
The Lucky Losers	Godless Land
The Mystix	Can't Change It
Gregg Martinez	Macdaddy Mojeaux
Lisa Mann	Old Girl
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie	Too Far From The Bar
Savoy Brown	Ain't Done Yet
Too Slim And The Taildraggers	The Remedy
Downchild	Live At The Toronto Jazz Festival
Andy Watts	Supergroove
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Volume 1
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters	Rise Up
Bette Smith	The Good The Bad And The Bette
John Németh	Stronger Than Strong
Johnny Rawls	Where Have All The Soul Men Gone
Ron Thompson	From The Patio: Live At The Poor House, Vol. 1
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band and Dom Flemons featuring Steve Cropper	Shake Your Moneymaker [single]
Bob Margolin	Star Of Stage And Screens
Ju Evans	All About Soul
Gabe Stillman ft The Nighthawks	Flying High
Miss Bix ft Keeshea Pratt	Red Walls [single]
Tomislav Goluban	Memphis Light
Whitney Shay	Stand Up!
Sass Jordan	Rebel Moon Blues
Lucas Spinosa	Friends & Legends Of Louisiana
Kid Ramos & Bob Corritore	Phoenix Blues Sessions
Mark Telesca	Higher Vibrations
AJ Crawdaddy	Steppin' Out!
Thorbjørn Risager	Come On In
Peter Parcek	Mississippi Suitcase
Greg Sover Band	The Parade
Barrett Anderson Band	Hypnoboogie
Alastair Greene	The New World Blues

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[Return To Top Of Blues Events]

       — Jonny's Top Blues Songs of 2020 —

My top song picks for 2020 . . . of course, as with the albums above, the ranking of these isn't the result of some kind of perfectly precise, logical process. All of these songs added something important to the overall body of blues songs in 2020. Some certainly "packed a punch" — songs like "Clotilda's On Fire" from Shemekia Copeland, telling the story of the last ship to bring slaves to this country, which was burned and sunk to conceal what it did, or "All My Dues Are Paid" from the late Frank Bey, summing up his life in blues.

Artist	Song	Album
Shemekia Copeland	Clotilda's On Fire	Uncivil War
Frank Bey	All My Dues Are Paid	All My Dues Are Paid
Adrena	Corona Blues	[single]
John Blues Boyd	In My Blood	What My Eyes Have Seen
Jimmy Johnson	Every Day Of Your Life	Every Day Of Your Life
Bobby BlackHat	America, How Great Do You Feel Today?	[single]
Kat Riggins	Cry Out	Cry Out
Benny Turner	Who Sang It First	[single]
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Jim Crow's Shadow	Jim Crow's Shadow
Annika Chambers & Derrick Procell	Black Man's Justice	[single]
Big Bill Morganfield	Stop This Mess	[single]
Sir Rod & The Blues Doctors	Freedom For My People	Come Together
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra	I'm Just Like You (with The Sons Of The Soul Revivers)	[single]
Phantom Blues Band	Better But Not Good	Stll Cookin'
Dave Specter & Billy Branch	Ballad Of George Floyd	[single]
Dennis Jones	I Hate Hate	Soft Hard & Loud
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Woke Up This Morning	Live At The Paramount
Terrie Odabi	Love Trumps Hate	[single]
John Blues Boyd	What My Eyes Have Seen	What My Eyes Have Seen
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Sittin' In My Rockin' Chair	Go, Just Do It!
Kat Riggins	No Sale	Cry Out
Bobby Rush	Hard Times	Rawer Than Raw
Shemekia Copeland	Money Makes You Ugly	Uncivil War
Mercedes Nicole	Path Of The Mystic	Constellation
Frank Bey	Idle Hands	All My Dues Are Paid
Joe Louis Walker	Feed The Poor	Blues Comin' On
Jonas Scott Cowan	People Grinnin' In Your Face	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Hold On	Hold On
Dorothy Moore	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	I Want To Be Loved	The Real McCoy
Rory Block	Prove It On Me	Prove It On Me
Andrew Alli	Hard Workin' Man	Hard Workin' Man
Kat Pearson	Ode To My Mother	My Roots
Bobby Rush	Down In Mississippi	Rawer Than Raw
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	100 Years Of Blues	100 Years Of Blues
The BC Combo	I Found The Blues	The Garage Sessions
Anni Piper	24 Guys Named Dave	Blow Up Doll
Evelyn Rubio	He Did Me Wrong But He Did It Right	Crossing Borders
Vanessa Collier	Who's In Power?	Heart On The Line
Johnny Never	Falls Off The Bone (The Blues in 7/8)	Blue Delta - New And Used Vintage Blues
King Solomon Hicks	Help Me	Harlem
Maceo Parker	Right Place Wrong Time	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Big Harp George	Build Myself An App	Living In The City
A Band Called Sam	Nothing In The Streets	Legacy
Johnny Iguana	Lady Day And John Coltrane	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Stop And Listen Blues	Volume 1
Nora Jean Wallace	Martell	Blues Woman
Kirk Fletcher	Fattening Frogs For Snakes	My Blues Pathway
Sonny Green	If Walls Could Talk	Found! One Soul Singer
Kevin Burt	You Get What You See	Stone Crazy
Tomás Doncker	Hard Time Killing Floor Blues	Wherever You Go
Mike Zito	Quarantine Blues	Quarantine Blues
Vanessa Collier	Bloodhound	Heart On The Line
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	T & P Train 400	Go, Just Do It!
The Lizzard Kings featuring Charles Ponder	Pennsylvania Avenue Blues	Jim Crow's Shadow
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie	What I Put You Through	Too Far From The Bar
Bette Smith	Fistful Of Dollars	The Good The Bad And The Bette
Jonas Scott Cowan	Church Street	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Cathy Grier	Ode To Billy Joe	I'm All Burn
Duke Robillard & Friends	You Played On My Piano (ft Michelle Willson)	Blues Bash!
Kim Wilson	Rumblin'	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
Jack Hadley	Merry Go Round	Daybreak In Alabama - The Langston Hughes Project
Devin B. Thompson	Tell Me	Tales Of The Soul
Roomful Of Blues	Phone Zombies	In A Roomful Of Blues
John Blues Boyd	Why Did You Take That Shot	What My Eyes Have Seen
Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band	Another Man Done Gone	Hold On
Cindy Cashdollar (w/ Rory Block vocal)	That Ain't No Way For Me To Get Along	Waltz For Abilene
Rory Block	In My Girlish Days	Prove It On Me
Alex Dixon's Vintage Dixon	Groanin' The Blues	The Real McCoy
Dorothy Moore	Sad, Sad Sunday	I'm Happy With The One I've Got Now
Ruthie Foster Big Band	Brand New Day	Live At The Paramount
Kat Pearson	Labour's Train	My Roots
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne	Just Do It! (duet w/ Dawn Tyler Watson)	Go, Just Do It!
Catherine Russell	You Reap Just What You Sow	[single]
Frank Bey	I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind	All My Dues Are Paid
Jimmy Johnson	Somebody Loan Me A Dime	Every Day Of Your Life
Christian McBride Big Band	Medgar Evers Blues	For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver
Johnny Burgin	I Just Keep Loving Her (Mada Sukinanda)	No Border Blues
Maceo Parker	Cross The Track	Soul Food - Cooking With Maceo
Victor Wainwright and The Train	Memphis Loud	Memphis Loud
Shirley King	Hoodoo Man Blues (with Junior Wells)	Blues For A King
Eddie 9V	Going Down Slow	Way Down The Alley
Anthony Geraci with Dennis Brennan and Monster Mike Welch	Jelly, Jelly	Daydreams In Blue
Bobby Rush	Smokestack Lightning	Rawer Than Raw
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite	If I Should Have Bad Luck	100 Years Of Blues
Big Harp George	Don't Talk!	Living In The City
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers	Let's Work Together	Volume 1
A Band Called Sam	Mother Blues (Papa Blues)	Legacy
GA-20	The Whale Has Swallowed Me	Live, Volume 1
Jonas Scott Cowan	Evil On My Mind	Parlor Tricks - Exhibit: A
Vanessa Collier	Freshly Squozen	Heart On The Line
Kirk Fletcher	Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal (hca Charlie Musselwhite)	My Blues Pathway
Kim Wilson	Money, Marbles & Chalk	Take Me Back - The Bigtone Sessions
Cathy Grier	Key To My Survival	I'm All Burn
Nora Jean Wallace	I'm A Blues Woman	Blues Woman
Danielle Miraglia	Walkin' Blues	Bright Shining Stars
Kevin Burt	I'm Busting Out	Stone Crazy
Shemekia Copeland	Apple Pie And A 45	Uncivil War
Johnny Iguana	Hammer And Tickle (instrumental)	Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular!
Dennis Jones	I Love The Blues	Soft Hard & Loud
Mojo Morganfield	It's Good To Be King	[single]
Leyla McCalla	Love Again Blues	Vari-Colored Songs
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore	Going Down Slow	Cold Chills
Sonny Green	Cupid Must Be Stupid	Found! One Soul Singer
Miss Bix ft Keeshea Pratt	Red Walls	[single]
Erin Harpe	What's The Matter With The Mill	Meet Me In The Middle
Dave Riley & Bob Corritore	Country Tough	Travelin' The Dirt Road
Sam Barlow with Annika Chambers	My Babe	Faith In The Blues
Tomás Doncker	I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge	Wherever You Go
Cathy Grier	Backroad Blues	I'm All Burn
Greg Sover Band	Feelin' Sumthin'	The Parade

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About The Blues Show and Jonny Meister

The Blues Show airs every Saturday night from 7:00 to Midnight on XPN. Host Jonny Meister explores this music and its history not only because it is the key ingredient in later rock and pop music, but also because of its own special allure and unique power as a style of music and expression of the human soul.

The Blues Show covers the entire history of the blues from 1920 to the present, from the best-known to the most obscure blues, with focus on the present-day blues, but with an eye on the rich history of this music and its large body of timeless recordings.

Host Jonny Meister has been playing the blues on WXPN since March 1977. Meister grew up with old blues records in the house. His father played boogie woogie on the piano, which Jonny learned at about the age of 12. Later he played in rock bands and did a few solo gigs as a singer-songwriter. As his interest in blues grew, he became especially interested in the history of the music, a history not always revealed by the rock musicians and their promoters who drew heavily on the blues.

Jonny spent a week with the family of the late, great blues musician J. B. Lenoir in 1979, and he was one of the consultants for the Wim Wenders film The Soul Of A Man which featured Lenoir, in the PBS film series The Blues. He won the "Keeping The Blues Alive" award for work in Public Radio for The Blues Show in 2000 and a "Best of Philly" award from Philadelphia Magazine in 1996 for "Best Local Radio Show".

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