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The Blues Had a Baby and
They Named It Rock and Roll
In 1976 two iconic Blues artists released songs with similar titles and lyrics. Brownie McGee released "Blues Had a Baby (They Call It Rock & Roll)." And Muddy Waters offered "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll." Both are a testament to what was occurring at that time: Rock n Roll was filling the airwaves and concert halls with music that originated from Folk, Country, Jazz and Blues.
Willie Dixon put it this way, "You can't have the fruits without the roots."
Connecting the dots between Rock n Roll and its musical influences has been a passion of mine since I created this feature in 1989 for my radio show, House Party Blues. And is something I presented in some form on nearly all of the radio stations for which I worked. Consequently it is a feature I continue on Rock n Roll Soul by playing a Blues original followed by a Rock n Roll cover version of the same song. Some are obvious pairings, like John Lee Hooker and George Thorogood doing One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer. And others are more obscure, like Little Milton and Jerry Garcia doing "That's What Love Will Make You Do." Whether well-known or more hidden, this feature is a listener favorite and one I always relish putting together. And it's included in every show.
First Album First Song
This occasional feature is when Rock n Roll Soul plays the opening track of a band's debut album. Going back in time to see how they introduced themselves to the world. It is such a defining moment in a band's career when they move from stage to studio. So First Album First Song is an opportunity to recall what song kicked off their recording career. Often you'll hear more than one song from the album along with stories behind the music. Bands featured so far include Aerosmith, The Pretenders, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, Joe Walsh, and more.
Play The Poster
When I was hosting both a Psychedelic show and a Blues show on college radio, I began collecting concert posters that featured both genres of music. Concentrating on shows from San Francisco in the 1960s. Many had the cryptic lettering that you can't read at first and then comes into view, like one of those magic pictures. And all of course are works of art. So over the years I had many framed and they lined the walls of my home. Leading me to often wonder what it must've been like seeing those shows.
So on Play the Poster we take a trip back in time, listening to a song from each artist on the bill and making our own mini set list of the show. Usually from the Avalon Ballroom or Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco at a time when music promoters like Chet Helms and Bill Graham were putting together trailblazing concert line-ups.
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