Lou Ann Barton- Maybe

No more maybes.

Big Joe Turner. Ruth Brown. Don Covay. The Drifters. Solomon Burke. Ray Charles. Aretha Franklin. Wilson Pickett. Doug Sahm. Bob Dylan. Willie Nelson. The careers of these giants were in ways big and small guided, at least in part, by Jerry Wexler. The man credited with coining the term "rhythm and blues" died today. Wexler must have loved the way Texas siren Lou Ann Barton recalled masters like Brown and LaVern Baker. This oft-reissued 1992 release was co-produced by Wexler and Glenn Frey.

---
I'm as surprised as anyone by just how much I enjoyed Amos Lee's performance Wednesday night at the Uptown Theater. He'd even fit in on the Bobby "Blue" Bland, Latimore and Bobby Rush package tour I caught back in March. Here's my review. Security near the stage didn't do me any favors; my live shots weren't very good. I did take this fine photograph of the lovely Priscilla Ahn at the merch booth. She's going to be a star.

---
Straight outta of Denzel, Washington, The Saturday Knights are assured of a spot on my year-end best-of list.

---
Lee Young died recently. It's hard to believe that Lester Young had a brother still living in 2008. (Tip via BGO.)

---
I'm still waiting for the official release of the "Calm Down Baby" video premiered at the Riot Room several months ago. Instead, a new video for Mac Lethal's "Black Widow Spider" was posted today.

---
Kansas City Click: Joe Moss and John Nemeth are among the acts entertaining Kansas City's steadfast blues community tonight at Knuckleheads.

D/Will, There Stands the Glass subject Stik Figa, Miles Bonny and other members of the area's hip hop community meet up Saturday at Crossroads Station.

I plan on attending the Pitch Music Awards at the Uptown on Sunday even though I didn't rate a proper invite this year.