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Let's raise a glass to legendary blues shouter Wynonie Harris and his classic King recordings, 1947-1954.

The Voice just kicked off its 7th season on NBC… Seems like a good excuse to talk about Wynonie Harris – a truly badass blues shouter who would send the smug, preening judges on (insert [...]

This winter refuses to end. Time to drink (and revisit this post). I’m guessing the first drinking song was written not long after the first alcoholic beverage was served. Something about [...]

Here’s a re-post from 2009 that looks back at one of America’s greatest independent labels, Cincinnati’s King Records. Its huge catalog includes seminal recordings by some of the most [...]

The election’s over, so it’s time to drink. Heavily. Which brings us to the second installment of our tribute to the Great American Drinking Song. And we’re using the same basic guidelines [...]

Another big, sprawling topic – more than one post can handle. And another cheap excuse to share a few of my favorite examples of the form. But what is jump blues, exactly? Some would describe it [...]

I’m guessing the first drinking song was written not long after the first alcoholic beverage was served. Something about draggin’ stone for the pharaoh – and my baby left me too. In other words, [...]

In the early 1980s, I lived in Cincinnati and edited one of those free entertainment newspapers you see blowing through the streets of big cities throughout the country.  The following piece [...]