Dick Shurman

Last updated
Dick Shurman
Birth nameRichard L. Shurman
Born (1950-05-23) May 23, 1950 (age 74)
Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Genres Chicago blues, blues, rhythm and blues
Occupation(s) Record producer, sound engineer, music journalist, music historian, backing vocalist
Labels Alligator, Delmark, various

Richard L. Shurman (born May 23, 1950) [1] is an American record producer, [2] sound engineer, music journalist, music historian, and backing vocalist. [2]

Contents

He has produced numerous recordings by notable musicians including Johnny Winter, Lurrie Bell, Eddie C. Campbell, Albert Collins, Little Smokey Smothers, Jody Williams, Roy Buchanan, Big Bill Morganfield, Larry Garner, Robert Cray, Hip Linkchain, Magic Slim, Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush, Johnny Heartsman, and Fenton Robinson. [3] [4] Shurman has also written many liner notes, and is the publisher of Chicago Blues News. [5] In 2005, he was the recipient of the Blues Foundation's "Keeping the Blues Alive" award. [6] He co-produced Showdown! , an album which won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1987.

Shurman was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2014 for his multitudinous contributions as a 'non-performer'. [7]

Biography

Shurman was born in Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States, and later resided in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, before relocating to Seattle after his father secured employment with Boeing. [1] There he befriended a number of blues musicians, and started writing articles for the British magazine, Blues Unlimited . [1] Shurman first attended the University of Chicago in September 1968. [8] Fearing that his continual attendance at local blues clubs may harm his education, he enrolled at the University of Washington, earning a master's degree in library science that enabled him to begin full-time employment in a suburban library back in Chicago. He continued to work full-time in a succession of library jobs. [1] His occasional writing work led Shurman to interview musicians such as Albert Collins, Otis Rush, Jody Williams, Johnny Heartsman, and Lee "Shot" Williams. [1] Shurman befriended many blues figures including Earl Hooker [9] and Johnny Heartsman. [10]

His involvement in, and passion for Chicago blues, led Shurman into record production work. His most successful period was with Alligator Records, often working alongside the label's founder Bruce Iglauer on production duties. Albert Collins was signed by Alligator Records in 1978, on the recommendation of Shurman, whom Collins had met in Seattle. [11] His first release for the label was Ice Pickin' (1978), which was recorded at Curtom Studios, Chicago, and produced by Iglauer, Shurman and Richard McLeese. [12]

Shurman co-produced the album Showdown! , with Iglauer, which won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1987. [4]

Shurman has contributed to various publications, including Living Blues , Juke Blues and Block Magazine . [1] [13] In 1997, Shurman jointly compiled and wrote the liner notes for Sonny Boy Williamson II's compilation album, His Best . [14] In 2000, Shurman gave encouragement to Jody Williams to resume performing, and produced Williams' comeback album, Return of a Legend (2002), on which his bold playing belied his thirty-year break from music. [15]

In 2010, following the death of Little Smokey Smothers, Shurman and Iglauer jointly penned an obituary which appeared in Living Blues. [16]

In 2014, Shurman was inducted as a member of the Blues Hall of Fame. [17]

Shurman has annotated many albums and contributed to chapters of books, feature articles and reviews, and for many years had a news column in Living Blues. He is also a member of the Chicago Blues Festival Advisory Committee. [18] His annotation work included the ten disc box set, Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. B.B. King (2012). [19] In addition he earlier penned the liner notes for Howlin' Wolf's 1991 compilation, The Chess Box. [20]

Selected record production and other work

YearAlbum titleArtistOther information
1976 Right Place, Wrong Time Otis Rush Liner notes
1978 Ice Pickin' Albert Collins Co-production with Bruce Iglauer and Richard McLeese
1980 Frostbite Albert CollinsCo-production with Iglauer and Casey Jones
1983 Don't Lose Your Cool Albert CollinsCo-production with Iglauer and Collins
1984 Guitar Slinger Johnny Winter Co-production with Iglauer and Winter
1985 Serious Business Johnny WinterCo-production with Iglauer and Winter
1985 Showdown! Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland Co-production with Iglauer
1985 When a Guitar Plays the Blues Roy Buchanan Co-production with Iglauer and Buchanan
1986 Dancing on the Edge Roy BuchananCo-production with Iglauer and Buchanan
1986 Third Degree Johnny WinterCo-production with Winter
1987 Hot Wires Roy BuchananCo-production with Justin Niebank, Iglauer and Buchanan
1991The Touch Johnny Heartsman Co-production with Iglauer
1991 Let Me In Johnny WinterCo-production with Winter; backing vocalist
1992 Hey, Where's Your Brother? Johnny WinterCo-production with Winter
1997 His Best Sonny Boy Williamson II Compiler and liner notes with Andy McKaie
1998Rough News Charlie Musselwhite Producer and backing vocalist
1998 Live in NYC '97 Johnny WinterProducer
1998 Black Tornado Magic Slim Producer
2000SnakebiteMagic SlimProducer
2000Once Upon the Blues Larry Garner Producer and backing vocalist
2001Ramblin' Mind Big Bill Morganfield Producer
2002Return of a Legend Jody Williams Producer
2004 I'm a Bluesman Johnny WinterCo-production with Tom Hambridge and Winter
2009Chicago Blues Buddies Little Smokey Smothers Producer, photography and liner notes
2012Spider Eating Preacher Eddie C. Campbell Producer
2013Blues in my Soul Lurrie Bell Producer and liner notes

[3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howlin' Wolf</span> American blues musician (1910–1976)

Chester Arthur Burnett, better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was at the forefront of transforming acoustic Delta blues into electric Chicago blues, and over a four-decade career, recorded blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and psychedelic rock. He is regarded as one of the most influential blues musicians of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Walter</span> American blues harmonica player (1930–1968)

Marion Walter Jacobs, known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on succeeding generations, earning him comparisons to such seminal artists as Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix. His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners' expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica. He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, the first and, to date, only artist to be inducted specifically as a harmonica player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Collins</span> American blues guitarist and singer (1932–1993)

Albert Gene Collins was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. He was noted for his powerful playing and his use of altered tunings and a capo. His long association with the Fender Telecaster led to the title "The Master of the Telecaster".

Alligator Records is an American, Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971. Iglauer was also one of the founders of the Living Blues magazine in Chicago in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back Door Man</span> Song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin Wolf

"Back Door Man" is a blues song written by American musician Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1960. The lyrics draw on a Southern U.S. cultural term for an extramarital affair. The song is one of several Dixon-Wolf songs that became popular among rock musicians, including the Doors who recorded it for their 1967 self-titled debut album.

<i>Moanin in the Moonlight</i> 1959 compilation album by Howlin Wolf

Moanin' in the Moonlight is a compilation album and the first album by American blues artist Howlin' Wolf, released by Chess Records in 1959. It contains songs previously issued as singles, including one of his best-known, "Smokestack Lightning". Rolling Stone ranked it number 477 on its 2020 list of "the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Iglauer</span> American businessman and record producer

Bruce Iglauer is an American businessman and record producer who founded Alligator Records as an independent record label featuring blues music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rollin' and Tumblin'</span> Blues standard popularized by Muddy Waters

"Rollin' and Tumblin'" is a blues standard first recorded by American singer-guitarist Hambone Willie Newbern in 1929. Called a "great Delta blues classic", it has been interpreted by hundreds of Delta and Chicago blues artists, including well-known recordings by Muddy Waters. Rock musicians usually follow Waters' versions, with the 1960s group Cream's rendition being perhaps the best known.

"Wang Dang Doodle" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon. Music critic Mike Rowe calls it a party song in an urban style with its massive, rolling, exciting beat. It was first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1960 and released by Chess Records in 1961. In 1965, Dixon and Leonard Chess persuaded Koko Taylor to record it for Checker Records, a Chess subsidiary. Taylor's rendition quickly became a hit, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard R&B chart and number 58 on the pop chart. "Wang Dang Doodle" became a blues standard and has been recorded by various artists. Taylor's version was added to the United States National Recording Registry in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't Superstitious</span> Blues song written by Willie Dixon

"I Ain't Superstitious" is a song written by bluesman Willie Dixon and first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It recounts various superstitions, including that of a black cat crossing the pathway. The song has been recorded by a number of artists, including Jeff Beck, whose blues rock adaptation in 1968 was named one of Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time".

<i>Third Degree</i> 1986 studio album by Johnny Winter

Third Degree is a 1986 album by Johnny Winter and the final one of the trilogy he made for Alligator Records. Following disagreements with Alligator's boss Bruce Iglauer during the production of Winter's previous album, Serious Business, the album was produced by Dick Shurman with Iglauer taking on an Executive Producer role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evil (Howlin' Wolf song)</span>

"Evil", sometimes listed as "Evil (Is Going On)", is a Chicago blues song written by Willie Dixon. Howlin' Wolf recorded the song in Chicago for Chess Records in 1954. It was included on the 1959 compilation album Moanin' in the Moonlight. When he re-recorded it for The Howlin' Wolf Album in 1969, "Evil" became Wolf's last charting single, reaching number 43 Billboard R&B chart.

<i>Showdown!</i> 1985 studio album by Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland

Showdown! is a collaborative blues album by guitarists Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland, released in 1985 through Alligator Records. The album is mostly made of original material, with cover versions of songs like T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle", Muddy Waters' "She's into Something" and Ray Charles' "Blackjack". Collins, Cray and Copeland were supported by Johnny B. Gayden and Allen Batts, who at the time were members of Collins' Icebreakers, and Alligator's household artist Casey Jones. In the album's sleeve notes, producers Bruce Iglauer and Dick Shurman observe how Copeland and Cray were both given support by Collins early in their career, and how the three musicians have often crossed paths since then, making this collaborative effort a "thirty years in the making" project. Showdown! was one of Alligator's most successful albums, peaking at n. 124 on the US charts and selling over 175,000 units worldwide. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1986. It was re-released on CD by Alligator in 2011.

Joseph Leon "Jody" Williams was an American blues guitarist and singer. His singular guitar playing, marked by flamboyant string-bending, imaginative chord voicings and a distinctive tone, was influential in the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forty-Four</span> Blues standard written by Roosevelt Sykes

"Forty-Four" or "44 Blues" is a blues standard whose origins have been traced back to early 1920s Louisiana. However, it was Roosevelt Sykes, who provided the lyrics and first recorded it in 1929, that helped popularize the song. "Forty-Four," through numerous adaptations and recordings, remains in the blues lexicon eighty years later.

Little Smokey Smothers was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer. He played with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and played with other Chicago blues musicians in the 1960s, then left music for most of the 1970s. He returned to music in the late 1970s and continued performing until his death in 2010.

<i>His Best</i> (Howlin Wolf album) 1997 greatest hits album by Howlin Wolf

His Best is a greatest hits album by American blues musician Howlin' Wolf. The album was originally released on April 8, 1997, by MCA/Chess Records, and was one of a series of releases by MCA for the 50th anniversary of Chess Records that year. Ten years later – on April 17, 2007 – the album was reissued by Geffen Records as The Definitive Collection.

<i>Let Me In</i> (Johnny Winter album) 1991 studio album by Johnny Winter

Let Me In is an album by guitarist and singer Johnny Winter. It was released in 1991 on vinyl and CD by Pointblank Records.

Casey Jones was an American drummer who recorded with blues artists such as Albert Collins, appearing on his Frostbite and Ice Pickin' albums and Johnny Winter appearing on Winters Serious Business, Guitar Slinger, True to the Blues: The Johnny Winter Story albums. He is also a singer and record producer.

<i>Cold Snap</i> (Albert Collins album) 1986 studio album by Albert Collins

Cold Snap is an album by the American blues musician Albert Collins, released in 1986. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Best Traditional Blues Recording" category. Collins supported the album with a North American tour.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "KRAB Has The Blues - Urban Blues With Dick Shurman". Krab.fm. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  2. 1 2 "People - Dick Shurman - Soundcheck". Soundcheck.wnyc.org. 2012-02-24. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  3. 1 2 "Dick Shurman | Credits". AllMusic. 1950-05-23. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  4. 1 2 "Raisin' Cain - The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter - Johnny's Sound". Johnnywinterbook.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  5. ↑ "2-2010 - Chicago Blues News by Dick Shurman". Bluesart.at. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  6. ↑ "Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame 2007 — Dick Shurman". Gtcbms.org. 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  7. ↑ "Other Individuals | The Blues Foundation". Blues.org. 2014-06-20. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  8. ↑ "Friday Blues Fix: Ten Questions with Dick Shurman". Fridaybluesfix.blogspot.co.uk. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  9. ↑ Sebastian Danchin (1970-06-15). Earl Hooker, Blues Master. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 342. ISBN   9781578063079 . Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  10. ↑ Edward Komara (2005-10-28). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Routledge. p. 417. ISBN   978-0415926997 . Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  11. ↑ Albert Collins - Vital Blues Guitar Series. Transcriptions: Richard DeVinck. Creative Concepts Publishing (California) 1994. ISBN   1-56922-047-6.
  12. ↑ "Ice Pickin' - Albert Collins | Credits". AllMusic. 1973-01-17. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  13. ↑ "About Juke Blues Magazine". Jukeblues.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  14. ↑ "His Best [MCA] - Sonny Boy Williamson II | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  15. ↑ Dahl, Bill (2002). Return Of A Legend [CD liner notes].
  16. ↑ Dick Shurman & Bruce Iglauer, Obituary in Juke Blues , no.70, 2010, p.60
  17. ↑ "Eddie Shaw, Dick Shurman to be inducted into Blues Hall of Fame". Windycityblues.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  18. ↑ "Dick Shurman". Blues.org. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  19. ↑ "Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. B. B. King". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  20. ↑ Shurman, Dick (1991). Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box (Media notes). Howlin' Wolf. MCA/Chess Records. CHD3-9332.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.