Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue #22

Well, it's been a long time (SIX years) but once again, dear readers, it's time for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue.  This makes our 22nd edition.  For a long time, this was one of our favorite themes and it dates back to FBF's early days as a weekly email sent to co-workers.  I'm not sure why we stopped doing it in the first place, but this is a good time to start it back up.  

For those unfamiliar with the format, we offer a song from the early days of the blues (Something Old), a song from a recent blues artist (Something New), a blues artist covering a rock song or vice versa (Something Borrowed), and finally, someone who epitomizes the blues.....usually a legendary artist (Something Blue).  It's a pretty simple format that can be worked in a lot of different ways.  Here we go......

The only known photo of Casey Bill Weldon

For Something Old, let's check out Casey Bill Weldon, one of the finest slide guitarist of the pre-war blues period, or really any period, to be honest.  There's not much known about Weldon and there's only one known photograph of him.  It's believed he was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and went to Chicago, via Kansas City.  He was one of the first to be recorded playing slide guitar, playing a National steel guitar flat on his lap, Hawaiian style, which earned him the nickname "The Hawaiian Guitar Wizard."

Weldon cut over 60 sides for the Bluebird and Vocalion labels and played on many other recordings by other musicians, notably Peetie Wheatstraw and Memphis Minnie.  His biggest two songs were "Somebody Changed The Lock On That Door" and "We Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town," which was recorded in 1936 and has been covered by a number of artists, including Louis Jordan, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Mel Torme, Lou Rawls, Rod Stewart, B.B. King, The Allman Brothers Band, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Willie Nelson (with Keb' Mo').  Weldon married the blues singer Geeshie Wiley and they both disappeared from sight around 1938.  He's believed to have passed away in Kansas City in 1972.

Kevin Burt

For Something New, meet Kevin Burt.  Well, he's not really new, but he's new to a lot of blues fans.  I first heard him when I reviewed his Heartland and Soul album about five years ago.  He just blew me away with his guitar, harmonica, and his powerful vocals, which really reminded me of Bill Withers at times.  He won just about every award that could be won at the 2018 I.B.C., including first place in the Solo/Duo category, the Cigar Box Award for best guitarist in the Solo/Duo category, and the Lee Oskar Award for best harmonica player.  Believe it or not, Heartland and Soul, released later in 2018, was his first recording.

Burt has released two more albums that are just as good as his debut, Stone Crazy in 2020, and a wonderful tribute to Withers (who Burt cites as an influence) that came out earlier this year, Thank You Brother Bill:  A Tribute to Bill Withers.  An Iowa native, Burt also has had several role in off Broadway plays, notably playing Papa Gee in the play Klub Ka, the Blues Legend, which sold out for two weeks in New York City.  Burt also arranged all the music for that play.  If he happens to be performing near your area, you need to check him out.

For Something Borrowed, check out the late, great soul-blues singer Johnnie Taylor.  I recently read a biography of Taylor by Greg Hasty and T.J. Hooker Taylor (Johnnie's son) called I Believe In You - The Incredible Journey of R&B Legend Johnnie Taylor, which I reviewed in Blues Bytes last month.  Taylor was always one of my favorites and he enjoyed success from the late 60's through the late 90's before passing away in 2000.  The book is well worth a read if you were a fan of his.  I'm really amazed at how much he seems to be forgotten today despite his long run of hit songs.  One of my favorite songs by Taylor was his wonderful cover of The Falcons' (with guitarist Robert Ward and lead singer Wilson Pickett) 1962 soul classic, "I Found A Love," which was on Taylor's 1988 Malaco release In Control.  The Jackson, MS gospel group, The Jackson Southernaires provided background vocals.

John Mayall

For Something Blue, we pay tribute to the late John Mayall, dubbed The Godfather of British Blues, who passed away in late July at the age of 90.  Mayall was influenced by American blues players at an early age and taught himself to play guitar, piano, and harmonica.  After studying art, he moved to London and began playing the blues, beginning with the Powerhouse Four, the Blues Syndicate, which later became the Bluesbreakers.  The Bluesbreakers became a training ground for some of the UK's finest guitarists, inclluding Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Rocky Athas, and Carolyn Wonderland to just name a few.  He remained active until the year before he passed away, releasing The Sun Is Shining Down in 2022.

One of my favorite eras of Mayall and the Bluesbreakers was recently captured in three volumes, featuring Mayall with Green, and his future Fleetwood Mac musical partners John McVie (bass) and Mick Fleetwood (drums).  This set of Bluesbreakers never made it to the studio, but these live recordings from early 1967 were found and remastered over the past few years and are well worth a listen.  Actually, all of Mayall's recordings are worth a listen.  R.I.P. to this great British bluesman.