The Legendary Blues Band | |
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Origin | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
Genres | Chicago blues |
Years active | 1980–1993 |
Past members |
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The Legendary Blues Band was a Chicago blues band formed in 1980 after the breakup of Muddy Waters' band.
In June 1980, Muddy Waters' backing musicians Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (drums), Pinetop Perkins (piano), Calvin "Fuzz" Jones (bass guitar), Luther Johnson (Guitar Junior) (guitar), Bob Margolin (guitar) and Jerry Portnoy (harmonica) quit over a salary dispute. The year before, Smith, Jones, Johnson and Perkins backed John Lee Hooker and Big Walter Horton in the film The Blues Brothers , playing a live version of "Boom Boom" in the Maxwell Street Market. Smith was the only band member to appear in close-up. [1] [2] [3] In 1981, Portnoy, Jones, Smith and Perkins formed the Legendary Blues Band, using a monicker Muddy Waters used to introduce them when on stage. Guitarist Bob Margolin chose not to join them and formed his own band [4] and was replaced by Louis Myers on harmonica and guitar. The Legendary Blues Band recorded their debut album Life of Ease for Rounder Records. [2] Duke Robillard guested on their second release Red Hot 'n' Blue.
The Legendary Blues Band recorded seven albums, Life of Ease,Red Hot 'n' Blue,Woke Up with the Blues (nominated for a W. C. Handy Award), Keepin' the Blues Alive,U B Da Judge,Prime Time Blues, and Money Talks, between 1981 and 1993 and toured with Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. [1]
Later recordings included Billy Flynn, Little Smokey Smothers, Tony O. Melio, Nick Moss and Madison Slim although the rhythm section of Jones and Smith remained through to their final release in 1993. [2]
McKinley Morganfield, known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago blues." His style of playing has been described as "raining down Delta beatitude."
Otis Spann was an American blues musician, whom many consider to be the leading postwar Chicago blues pianist.
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June, that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and always occurs in early June. Until 2017, the event always took place at and around Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park, adjacent to the Lake Michigan waterfront east of the Loop in Chicago. In 2017, the festival was moved to the nearby Millennium Park.
Jerry Portnoy is an American harmonica blues musician, who has toured with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton.
Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins was an American blues pianist. He played with some of the most influential blues and rock-and-roll performers of his time and received numerous honors, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Blues Hall of Fame.
Nothin' but the Blues is a 1977 album by Johnny Winter. The album has the following dedication: "I'd like to dedicate this album to all the people who enjoy my kind of blues and especially to Muddy Waters for giving me the inspiration to do it and for giving the world a lifetime of great blues." - Johnny Winter.
Bob Margolin is an American electric blues guitarist. His nickname is "Steady Rollin'".
Hard Again is a studio album by American blues singer Muddy Waters. Released on January 10, 1977, it was the first of his albums produced by Johnny Winter. Hard Again was Waters's first album on Blue Sky Records after leaving Chess Records and was well received by critics.
Debuting in 1973, the San Francisco Blues Festival was one of the longest running blues festival in the United States. Tom Mazzolini, the event's producer, founded the blues festival to educate the public about the history and evolution of the blues. Many of the performers at the early concerts were the pioneers and originators of the West Coast blues sound.
Willie Lee "Big Eyes" Smith was an American electric blues vocalist, harmonica player, and drummer. He was best known for several stints with the Muddy Waters band beginning in the early 1960s.
Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live is a live album by Muddy Waters. It was recorded during the tour to support Muddy Waters' album Hard Again and it features the same musicians, including James Cotton and Johnny Winter, who had produced the album.
I'm Ready is a studio album by the Chicago blues musician Muddy Waters. The second of his Johnny Winter-produced albums for the Blue Sky Records label, I'm Ready was issued one year after he found renewed commercial and critical success with Hard Again. The album earned Waters a Grammy Award in 1978. It was reissued in 2004 by the Epic/Legacy, with three additional songs.
George Carter Buford, Jr., known as Mojo Buford, was an American blues harmonica player best known for his work in Muddy Waters's band.
King Bee is the fourteenth and final studio album by blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. Released in 1981, it is third in a series of records done for the label Blue Sky Records under producer/guitarist Johnny Winter. Recorded in three days some of the band members, namely Winter and guitarist Bob Margolin, were not happy with the result. As his health deteriorated, Muddy was forced to cancel an increasing number of shows. He died of a heart attack on April 30, 1983.
Calvin "Fuzz" Jones was an American electric blues bassist and singer. He worked with many blues musicians, including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, the Legendary Blues Band, Mississippi Heat, James Cotton, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Little Walter and Elmore James.
Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down is a blues album by Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, and James Cotton. It was recorded live in 1977, and released in 2007. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart.
"Unk" in Funk is an album by blues musician Muddy Waters released by the Chess label in 1974.
The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album is an album by blues musician Muddy Waters released by the Chess label in 1975. The album features Levon Helm and Garth Hudson from The Band and Paul Butterfield.
Live at Mister Kelly's, often stylized as "Live" , is a live album by blues musician Muddy Waters released by the Chess label in 1971.
Anthony R. Geraci is an American blues and jazz pianist, organist, singer and composer. A keyboard player with a professional career in excess of 40 years, Geraci has played on stage with Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Chuck Berry, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, and Jimmy Rogers, and has recorded work with Big Walter Horton, Ronnie Earl, Big Jack Johnson, Zora Young, Sugaray Rayford, Debbie Davies, and Kenny Neal among others. Geraci's work has been nominated for a Grammy Award and he has had numerous Blues Music Award nominations. In addition to his work with others, Geraci has released seven albums in his own name.