Hey, you know every now and then a link will change or disappear. If that's the case with any of these, please let me know.
HELPING OUT
Find out how you can help save Chicago's Maxwell Street!
The Luther Allison Endowment Fund
GENERAL REFERENCE
The W.C. Handy Awards.
Find out more about Bay Area Blues Legends
The Blue Highway is probably the most elegant blues site on the web. A lot of info and links out the mojo.
The Legends of Black Music. Searchable by name or date with over 7000 entries, its good.
Blues Web is a warm and funky site with plenty of info, pics, audio, and a genuine FEEL for the music.
Blues World has got stuff I haven't seen anywhere else, and it's truly international.
This Week In Blues History by P.W. Fenton is great! And it's always current (unlike some calendars we can think of).
Delta Snake Blues News is the "On-line blues zine" with reviews, opinion, and a properly unconstipated attitude. And they have a very fine Women In Blues Index right here.
Delta Snake Daily Blues is a daily blues feed that is the only thing like it that I know of.
It's A Girl Thang! Lea Gilmore's great site is all about the women of the blues. This is the stuff that's never given its due (I'm as guilty as anybody), and Gilmore brings her knowledge as a musician to inform it all. Check it out!
Blueschat is the winner of a Handy Award for keepin' the blues alive and rightly so. Ain't no chattin' anymore, but it's still a good place to go.
The Delta Blues Museum at Clarksdale Online.
NetNoir If you like the blues, you know there's plenty more African-American culture out there.
A Deeper Shade Of Black Ditto.
AfroNet is a web site devoted to issues important to African-Americans with an emphasis on contemporary culture and op-ed pieces.
Afroameric@ focuses on African-Americans on the web.
Museum Of African-American History This Boston museum has a very beautiful and elegant web site.
Memphis Mojo An engaging site devoted to what's going on just outside Graceland.
American Song-Poem Music Archives Phil Milstein's site is everything about those "we'll set your poem to music" deals in the back of cheap magazines.
Retro Terrific 20th century anthropology with a strong section on music, and some pretty sharp design to boot.
The Rhythm & Blues Music Primer Peter Dean's hefty site is loaded with the stuff about Soul and Blues music.
BLUES.CO.NZ. is all the stuff from New Zealand's blues scene.
Blues On Stage covers the blues scene in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
Highway 49 Australian blues site with an accent on that country's action.
LouisianaRadio.com is an amazing site when you need a dose of some fine fine music. Get that RealAudio and go!
Blue Flame Cafe is a nice list of blues artists with bios, pix, and stuff
ARTISTS
Luther Allison A powerful artist and beautiful human. The late Mr. Allison's records are a sure way to get someone hooked on the blues.
Al Anderson, the former singer/guitarist for NRBQ is now a solo artist and one of the best songwriters in Nashville. Don't believe it? Ask The Mavericks. This is an unofficial site created by a fan (not me) that has as much info on Big Al as you're gonna find on the web.
James Armstrong San Francisco artist who is an amazing talent, coming back from a violent attack on himself and his family.
Charles Brown The late Mr. Brown was one of the creators of the cool West Coast style of smooth blues and widely regarded as one of the best blues singers ever. Also check out his fan page.
Chris Cain Bay Area artist with a killer guitar, great voice, and writing skills for miles.
Tommy Castro Bay Area hotshot worth every bit of hype. Don't believe it? check out his live show.
Johnny Clyde Copeland A personal favorite. A powerful singer/guitarist.
Delta Wires Fine Bay-area blues and r&b band.
B.B. King His official MCA site. King Of The Blues, and that's all there is to it, baby.
John Lee Hooker Boom Boom, indeed.
NRBQ Well, whaddya think the B stands for? A fan's site. And here's the Unofficial Page.
Yank Rachell King of the blues mandolin players.
Tony Joe White From a site in Germany. Really!
RECORDS
Here's the links to some of the labels who understand what the people need.
Downhome Records from El Cerrito, California comes what may be the best "roots" music store in the world. Includes, but not limited to, the Arhoolie catalog, meaning you can get into a whole lot of trouble here.
Bluebeat Records. If you've ever been to any blues festivals on the west coast you've probably seen the Bluesbeat tent. It's where everybodys hangin' around going through all the records and stuff. Their private label recordings of rare west coast blues are some of the best things around.
If you're interested in old 78's, try these record auction sites:
Nauck's Vintage Records has always got some good ones up for bid.
Bluesworld's 78 Auction is even bigger. In fact, if you're REALLY into the old stuff, Blues World has got a bunch of stuff you'll like.
Jack's Blues Shack offers reviews and links and such, but goes the extra step by offering one of the largest selections (if not THE largest) of blues cds on the web. Easy, friendly and informed.
RADIO
A map of blues radio in the U.S.by region, state, and city.
Thayrone is the radio equivalent of a psychotic enema nurse. His "Bone Conduction Music Show" is what everyone needs to hear for their own well being.
Mark Naftalin's Winner Records site is loaded with info and a fine publicity photo collection. This is also home base for Mark's "Blues Power Hour" heard on KALW, San Francisco.
Joe Frank-Somewhere Out There.Joe Frank ain't blues, but he's an amazing radio presence. If you've been lucky enough to hear him, you know. If not, you can learn.
WFMU-FM is the voice of truth and beauty in Montclair, NJ. The greatest radio station I've never heard also has a mail order division of truly mandatory products.
The Salt Block is the official voice of the Christian Deer Hunters Association, whatever the hell THAT is.
VIDEO & NEW MEDIA
Vestapol Videos has a nice collection of historical videos form all styles of guitar playing.
Blues Express is creating a series of live concert videos and more.
PUBLICATIONS
Living Blues is the premiere blues publication in the United States.
Blues Access is a much looser magazine than L.B., but they still know what they're talking about.
Blues Revue is the real comer in American blues mags. Now a monthly, this West Virgina-based thing has a good review section and the writers are often musicians themselves (Bob Margolin, Keri Leigh).
Southland Blues really covers the scene in Southern California. For more info e-mail them.
Cruzin' The Bluz has the best calendar listings in the Bay Area.
PERSONAL PAGES
Junior's Juke Joint is a terrific site FULL of cool, personal blues experiences by one helluva blues cracker out of Louisiana.
Bean Hollow is Barbara "Toez" Hammerman's page and includes info on The Luther Allison Endowment Fund, and her other good works for the blues. Even more, it's a little glimpse into the multifaceted funhouse of Toez herself.
Oto's Guitar Page reflects Naoto Nakae's passion for guitars, blues, and has links to other amazing Japanese blues sites.
Mountain Lion's Blues Page has got a nice array of stuff, but the best are his terrific record reviews.
Ms.Juke's Blues Place is one of those labors of love that yields good results. It's loaded with what's going on in Chicago and you know what that means.
Scott & Sean's Banana Zone every kid should be so lucky as to have a cool little web page like this. And they love ME, which is the important thing.
