Tag Archives: Asleep at the wheel

Special Guest – RW Grigsby



Bassist, singer and songwriter Richard “RW” Grigsby, has logged several lifetimes on the road, and his early rock and roll roots (Rome, GA near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains) burst out like another famous Richard from Georgia on “Road Scholar,” his story of a musician who has spent too much time on the road, working for too little pay. It’s sung by Red’s Blues drummer Tim Wilbur, a pro’s pro (2017 Sacramento Music Awards and Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame member), who brought creative percussion ideas — maracas AND the entire group thigh-slapping percussion. “We sat in chairs in a circle and slapped our thighs at certain points in the song to add accent,” laughs Beth.

“Jackknifed” (co-authored with fellow road warrior Mark Hummel) continues the road theme with bio notes from their Golden State-Lone Star Blues Revue adventures.

RW played with Carlene Carter, Gary Primich, Mike Morgan & The Crawl, Finger Taylor, Mark Hummel’s Golden State Lone Star Revue w/Anson Funderburgh & Little Charlie, JamesCotton & all the Harmonica Blowouts since 2008-2019( Magic, Lee Oskar, Kim Wilson, Billy Boy, Jason Ricci, Carey Bell, Lazy Lester, Estrin, John Primer, Duke, Billy Flynn, Elvin, Gravenities, Ron Thompson, Harman, Rod Piazza & many others)

2014 Grammy-nominated and Blues Music Award (BMA) winner bassist RW Grigsby has been playing since he was 14 years old and began his professional career when still a teenager.  He’s toured the U.S., Canada and Europe since the ’80s, and currently juggles playing with Red’s Blues, Mark Hummel & the Blues Survivors and The Golden State/Lone Star Blues Revue. He played and recorded with Texas blues stars Gary Primich and Black Top Records’ Mike Morgan and the Crawl in the 1990s.  RW is the bassist on the 2014 Grammy-nominated and BMA-winning CD, Remembering Little Walter. He was nominated for a BMA “Best Bassist” Award in 2017 and was inducted into the Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame in 2018.


Johnny Nicholas: Blues Guitar Legend



Nicholas grew up in Rhode Island, United States, where he formed his first band, The Vikings. The band performed cover versions of popular rhythm and blues hits of the time, along with songs by the Rolling Stones. In the mid-1960s, he formed the Black Cat Blues Band with Duke Robillard, Fran Christina and Steve Nardella. Around 1970, he formed the Boogie Brothers with Nardella. After attending the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1970, the band eventually moved on to San Francisco, California in 1972 per-request of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

By 1974, Nicholas had moved to Chicago, Illinois and began playing with Big Walter Horton. During his time in Chicago, he would record music with Horton, Boogie Woogie Red and Robert Lockwood, Jr. In 1974, he created his own single, “Too Many Bad Habits” for Blind Pig Records. Moving to Providence, Rhode Island, he formed his own band, Johnny Nicholas and the Rhythm Rockers, which included Kaz Kazanoff on saxophone, Terry Bingham on drums, Sarah Brown on bass guitar and Ronnie Earl on electric guitar.

Nicholas began his stint with Asleep at the Wheel in 1978, when the band asked him to perform with them. During his off time, he would travel to various cities for solo shows, but would often visit Louisiana to play with Link Davis and Cajun accordion player Nathan Abshire.

By 1980, however, Nicholas decided to take time off from music in order to raise a family.  in 1991 Nicholas returned to recording blues music with Johnny Shines and Snooky Pryor on the album Back to the Country. After returning to music, Johnny has released one studio album and three live albums on Topcat Records while also returning to regular live shows.


Live from The Backroom in Berkeley California



Mark Hummel brings together some of the top blues players in history for his Chicago Blues Party at the Backroom in Berkeley California.  The supergroup includes:

Mark Hummel – Harmonica/Vocals

Oscar Wilson – Vocals

Joe Beard – Guitar/Vocals

Billy Flynn – Guitar

Wes Starr – Drums

Randy Bermudes – Bass


Special Guests: Kid Andersen & Wes Starr



#greaseland #robertcray #wesstarr

Mark sits down at Greaseland Studios with guitarist/producer Kid Andersen ( Charlie Musselwhite, Rick Estrin, Little Charlie,Terry Hanck)  and legendary drummer Wes Starr. (Asleep at the Wheel, Hal Ketchum, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, Omar and The Howlers).

The guys talk about their attraction to the Blues and their journey to California. Kid began playing as a younth in Norway and came to the US at the invitation of Terry Hanck.  Wes was raised in Georgia and was exposed to the best of the blues. Wes made it to California via Nashville & Austin among other stops.

The guys also open up about sobriety and their path to becoming a sober performer and the challenges of staying sober on the road and in an industry that expects abuse.

Mark Hummel www.markhummel.com

Greaseland Studios https://www.facebook.com/Greaseland/

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/markhummel

Accidental Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOnWFbj8SGiV34ixhO0Cwg


Special Guest Wes Starr Pt 2



In part 2 of Mark’s discussion with legendary drummer Wes Starr, they talk about Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet, The Flatlanders, reuniting with Omar and The Howlers and recording with Anson Funderburgh and forming the Golden State Lone Star band.

Wes also hosts “Wes Starr’s “Deep Blues and Beyond” each week on The Rock 97.3 in Morro Bay, California and can be heard on demand at Wes Starr’s Deep Blues and Beyond

Special Thanks to Alan Grossman, Rachel Kumar, Bob Hakins, MJ Stringer for their photographs. Mark Hummel https://markhummel.com

Mark Hummel’s Website

Produced by Accidental Productions

For a video version please visit  Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party on YouTube

Please check out our sponsors and affiliates.

Seydel Harmonicas

Electro Fi Records

Mountain Top Productions & Records

 


Special Guest: Wes Starr Pt 1



In this episode of Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party, Mark sits down with legendary drummer Wes Starr to talk about his career that started in Rome, Georgia and has taken him worldwide. Wes’ resume includes playing with: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Buffet, Delbert McClinton, Hal Ketchum, Blaze Foley, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Bob Dylan, Kim Wilson, Joe Ely, Omar and the Howlers, Asleep At The Wheel, Anson Funderburgh Jimmy Vaughn our own Mark Hummel and TINY TIM !

Mark Hummel’s Website

Produced by Accidental Productions

For a video version please visit  Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party on YouTube

Please check out our sponsors and affiliates.

Seydel Harmonicas

Electro Fi Records

Mountain Top Productions & Records