Rocky Athas' Lightning - Lightning Strikes Twice

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2007
Time: 60:59
Size: 141,1 MB
Label: Armadillo / Armadillo Music, LTD
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Up to the Sky - 3:59
 2. Where Do We Go from Here (Ratta Mae) - 4:54
 3. To My Friend (SRV) - 4:48
 4. Survival - 5:40
 5. Vows Were Made - 4:40
 6. Sanity - 3:26
 7. Ain't it a Shame - 3:47
 8. Don't Feel Free - 3:39
 9. Pack it up - 3:33
10. Thinkin' 'Bout You - 3:30
11. Lightning Strikes Again - 3:59
12. Home Again - 3:19
13. Big D Stuff - 3:43
14. I Will Love Again - 3:35
15. The Night is Over - 4:20

Texan Rocky Athas started playing guitar and performing at neighbourhood gigs with school friend Stevie Ray Vaughan. By 23, Rocky Athas was honoured an inductee to Buddy Magazine's Texas Tornadoes as one of the ten best guitarists in Texas. The English rock band 'Thin Lizzy' wrote the song 'Cocky Rocky' after hearing Rocky play at Mother Blues in Dallas. Queen guitarist Brian May was so floored by Rocky's finger tapping style that he incorporated it on the next Queen album, revealing that it was the guitarist from Mother Blues who first introduced him to the style.
In the late 70's and early 80's Rocky was the creative vortex behind Lightning. Rocky then joined the legendary Black Oak Arkansas playing on the Ready As Hell and The Wild Bunch LPs. Rocky also worked as a session guitarist for Polygram records at Memphis Ardent Studios.
In 2002 Rocky recorded The Blues Berries with Buddy Miles from Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsy's and SRV's rhythm section of Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon.
Mega producer Jim Gaines produced The Rocky Athas Groups 2003 CD Miracle. Jim felt Rocky's talents should be showcased under his own name and Rocky formed his Texan band, The Rocky Athas Group, featuring vocalist Larry Samford.  In 2005 Rocky recorded Voodoo Moon, again produced by Jim Gaines. The Rocky Athas retrospective CD Lightning Strikes Twice was released in 2007. Currently Rocky is touring the world as lead guitarist for The John Mayall band.
Texas veteran and smoking gun guitarist Rocky Athas fits easily in the same league of guitar gods as his long-time friends Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson.
~ BluesWax Ezine

Lightning Strikes Twice

Rocky Athas - Let My Guitar Do the Talking... With My Friends

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2015
Time: 39:33
Size: 90,6 MB
Label: Cherryburst Records
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Think About It (feat. John Mayall) - 3:38
 2. To My Friend - 4:52
 3. D Boogie - 4:04
 4. On the Move - 4:25
 5. Another Day, Another Time - 4:13
 6. Run Children Run - 5:12
 7. Rocky & Joe's Hail Damage Shuffle (feat. Smokin' Joe Kubek) - 4:19
 8. Rock Funk - 3:30
 9. That's What I Know - 3:13
10. Rachel - 2:03

This is an all original, instrumental album featuring over thirty vintage guitars played by the legendary "Texas Tornado".
When Rocky was asked by John Mayall, the iconic "Godfather of British Blues", to take the lead guitar role on his 2009 album, Tough, Rocky was honored. Being recognized for his guitar skill and asked to join forces with the creator of the legendary outfit, The Bluesbreakers, that featured a revolving cast of talented players including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Mick Taylor, was exhilarating. Within weeks of the call from John Mayall, they were together in the studio working on Tough.
Rocky’s first album with John Mayall, Tough (Eagle Records) was reviewed by Guitar Player Magazine, which called Rocky "a veteran Texas gunslinger with a wicked tone and a thriving solo career of his own."
In fact, before joining Mayall, Rocky's first worldwide release Miracle was prompted by his friendship with Grammy Award-winning producer Jim Gaines (Santana, Steve Miller, Journey, Stevie Ray Vaughan), which was forged while working on The Bluesberries with Buddy Miles (Jimi Hendrix, Electric Flag and Carlos Santana). Rocky was honored that Jim, named Blues Producer of the Year in 2003, produced his solo albums.
At the beginning of his career, Rocky was the creative vortex behind Lightning, one of the biggest draws in Texas nightclub history opening for national acts. By the age of 23, the Oak Cliff, Texas native, was named one of the first and youngest, TEXAS TORNADOS in Buddy Magazine's now legendary list of Top Ten Guitarists. The list of Texas Tornados later went on to include Eric Johnson, Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZtop's Billy Gibbons, and Johnny Winter.
After Lightning, Rocky moved on to be showcased as lead guitarist with national acts, including the southern rock one-of-a-kind Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas writing/performing on "Ready As Hell" and "Wild Bunch" which were included on their greatest hits album. During his association with BOA, Rocky met drummer extraordinaire Johnnie Bolin, brother of Tommy Bolin (Deep Purple and James Gang). Johnnie and Rocky cemented a life-long bond as brothers. Rocky performed, toured, and recorded Tommy Bolin Tribute shows for Johnnie in support of the Tommy Bolin Archives Foundation with the amazing vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple and Trapeze).
Throughout his career, Rocky has been asked about his friendship with Stevie Ray Vaughan and is extremely proud of his Oak Cliff roots which he shares with Steve. You can open the pages of Stevie Ray Soul To Soul by Kerri Leigh and read Rocky's recollection of childhood memories.
Six years into the collaboration, Mayall's newest album, A Special Life, features stellar guitar performances by Rocky that prompted Neil Spencer of Uncut Magazine to highly praise the new work "...whose guitarist, Rocky Athas, recalls the young Eric Clapton."
With the mutual admiration society nurtured by thousands of miles on the road together rockin’ the blues around the world, Rocky is proud to stand next to John Mayall blazing a fresh, new, innovative sound with the veteran bluesman.

Let My Guitar Do the Talking... With My Friends

Paul Zunno Band - Black & White and Blues All Over

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2002
Time: 40:55
Size: 95,2 MB
Label: Charm City
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. I Found My Soul - 3:43
 2. My Babe - 3:29
 3. I know you're here with me - 4:27
 4. I wanna love you - 4:06
 5. Crying in my sleep - 3:31
 6. Blues in C - 4:01
 7. Howlin' Wolf - 3:41
 8. You were Right/I was Wrong - 4:44
 9. So Long I'll see Ya - 4:42
10. Baby Come Back - 4:28

This is a Blues/Rock oriented album. The Paul Zunno Band is one hell of a rocking blues band based out of New York City. Guitarist/vocalist Paul Zunno is joined by Zerrick Foster on bass/vocals and John DiGuilio on Drums/vocals. Paul and Zerrick met playing for rock and roll legend Wilson Pickett(Midnight Hour and Mustang Sally) where they formed a friendship and musical bond that has grown stronger over the last three years. They both appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in support of Mr. Pickett?s new album and have performed throughout Europe and the United States. Zerrick and John met playing together backing up countless acts like the Shirelles, the Tokens and Gary U.S. Bonds. John was also Kenny Logins drummer for two years.
Together these three guys pack a punch that is very exciting to hear and see.

Black & White and Blues All Over

Jr. Drinkwater & the Thrist Quenchers - Like a Mirror

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2000
Time: 68:08
Size: 157,8 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

Tracks Listing:
 1. Little JR - 4:35
 2. Mississippi Hoodoo - 4:03
 3. Like a Mirror - 5:04
 4. Wishing Well - 6:50
 5. Too Many Fishes - 4:30
 6. Hold On - 4:04
 7. Fancy Pants - 5:16
 8. Little Bit - 2:19
 9. Wait on Time - 4:07
10. As the Years Go Passing By - 7:10
11. Like a Rooster On a Hen - 5:32
12. Help Me - 6:15
13. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, Resurrection - 8:17

Jr. Drinkwater's new CD release "Like a Mirror" mixes traditional blues with blues rocking leads for a sweet Memphis sound. New to SW Florida The Thirstquenchers are a mainstay in the Fort Lauderdale / Miami blues scene. Appeared with B.B. King and The Neville Brothers during the B.B. King Blues and Barbecue Fest and were the featured performers at the 14th Annual Sound Advice Blues Festival in Fort Lauderdale.

Like a Mirror 

The Downtown Livewires - I'll Do It Today, But Not Right Now!

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2019
Time: 37:29
Size: 86,3 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Electric Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Back to Arkansas - 3:45
 2. I Just Don't Feel Right - 4:16
 3. 3 Too Many - 3:45
 4. I'll Do It Today, But Not Right Now ! - 3:32
 5. Sneaky Eyes Blues (The Memphis Song) - 3:32
 6. Just Say It Once - 2:56
 7. Damned if I Do - 3:05
 8. Without Me Without You - 4:28
 9. I Don't Ask for Much - 4:05
10. Good Place to Be - 3:59

The Downtown Livewires is a 6-piece electric blues band that plays out of one of the fastest growing regions in the nation:  Northwest Arkansas (Bentonville / Fayetteville). The Downtown Livewires play high energy Electric Blues / Rock, Memphis blues, and legacy blues.  Audiences of their shows love to dance and sing along, no matter the venue, whether it be clubs, festivals, private parties, concerts, or city events.   
Since the band’s first gig on Halloween 2011, fans have been treated to hundreds of engaging shows. The band’s first EP, “Live at Haxton Road Studios” was released October 2017. Recorded in front of a LIVE studio audience, it’s available on iTunes and the actual videos are on their YouTube channel. Electrifying fans with thrilling originals and the revitalization of old legacy high energy blues covers, The Downtown Livewires totally involve the audience in every show! 
THE DOWNTOWN LIVEWIRES have been the "warm-up" band for both Country Platinum recording artist Collin Raye (4 Billboard #1 hits, and CMA Video of the Year), and The Reverend Horton Heat (national / international “cult” following).   
The leader of the band is Roger Thomas from Bentonville, AR.  Roger was born and raised in Memphis, TN (South-Central, Oakhaven neighborhood) until he was 30, playing professionally there through his 20’s.  Roger is known for talking with the audiences or audience members with whom to have on-stage positive, funny conversations, sometimes jumping off the stage and playing, dancing and singing within the crowd.   
Bob “Super Harp” Coleman is out of New Haven, Connecticut, and is a world-class harmonica player who also sings on lead vocals.  Bob has played with blues legends all over the country throughout his illustrious career.   
Dan Doebele from Kansas City, MO is an absolute blues beast on lead electric guitar, is known by other professional musicians to be one of the elite guitarists in the nation, and plays slide guitar with ANYTHING handy! 
Kurt “Where’s Kurt?” Haas is on keyboards and vocals from Tulsa, OK, and is known for his stellar new arrangements of old blues songs.  Kurt plays both piano and Hammond organ.   
And the rhythm section of Mark Vanderhoof on drums and Johnny Smith on bass from Fayetteville, AR is one of the most tenured blues rhythm sections in the country, in which audience members often find themselves focusing on their musicianship and killer beats and fretboard runs.

I'll Do It Today, but Not Right Now!

San Pedro Slim - In Times Like These

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 49:02
Size: 112,4 MB
Label: Mojo King Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Down on Pacific - 4:10
 2. I Was Wrong - 4:29
 3. Goin to See Mr Lee - 2:53
 4. Valentine's Day at a Motel 6 - 4:05
 5. If It's Over - 3:48
 6. Low Pay Loser Blues - 4:22
 7. No Overtime - 4:25
 8. When You Hurt - 6:44
 9. Workin for the Edd - 3:57
10. Give It Time - 3:37
11. Payday Loan - 3:54
12. You Must Thing I"M a Fool - 2:32

West Coast harpman and storyteller par excellence San Pedro Slim is back with his latest for Mojo King Records, this one entitled, “In Times Like These.”  It’s a set that’s guaranteed to help you get through today’s tough times, with a sometimes-biting, sometimes-humorous  look at folks livin’ day-to-day just to get by. Slim wrote all but one of the cuts herein, and he’s on harp and vocals, with Joe Conde on guitar, producer Kenny Huff on bass, Mark Vasapolli on drums, Mike Malone on keys, and the horn section of Lawrence White and Jorge Garcia. After a cool, gospel-radio station intro, Slim starts off with a swingin’ instrumental, “Down On Pacific,” as he busts out the big ol’ chromatic.  A cha-cha beat drives “Going To See Mr. Lee,” the man who’ll help you “leave your troubles behind” when you re-organize and “file a BK!”  Another tune about “workin’ hard for so little pay” is a sweet slow-groove titled “Low Pay Loser Blues,” with Joe’s twangy guitar and Mike’s acoustic piano adding to the “hard times” feel The horns get down to bidness on a cut written by Kenny Huff, the funk-filled strut of workin’ to keep a lover happy, “No Overtime.” We had two favorites, too.  Slim vows to “make next year better,” but, right now, it’s “Valentine’s Day At Motel 6,” set over a horn-driven, slow-dancin’-styled groove.  And, perhaps the set’s most humorous cut looks at the California jobless rate by way of a cool eight-bar, stop-time tale of “don’t call me unemployed–I’m Workin’ For The EDD!” San Pedro Slim writes about things he’s seen and stuff that permeates the daily news.  The country needs a stiff shot of good blues that’ll sho’ nuff make you feel better “In Times Like These.”  Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.

In Times Like These

Southbound - Rockin' Horse

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2019
Time: 54:15
Size: 124,7 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Rock Bottom - 5:12
 2. Gotta Hold on Me - 4:40
 3. Papercut - 4:33
 4. Pinstriped Suit - 3:09
 5. Georgia Peach - 6:18
 6. Four Leaf Clover - 7:08
 7. Rockin' Horse - 5:00
 8. First Time Love - 4:18
 9. Nothing but Time - 3:47
10. The Deceiver - 5:25
11. Hurricane - 4:40

Southbound, the upcoming blues-rock band based in London, are kicking up quite a storm. Bringing an exclusive take on British Blues, audiences are enthralled by the unique sounds and grooves that the band create on stage which has helped to propel their career forward. With inspirations drawing from blues, rock, jazz, funk and soul, Tom (vocals), Elliot (rhythm and lead guitar), Jordan (rhythm and lead guitar), Dan (bass) and Aaron (drums) each bring something distinctive to the table that could only be described as the sound of Southbound; it could be argued that their material, both in theme and performance, could only derive from a veteran of the music industry, however, this can be accredited to their hard work and passion for music. Whilst writing, the band draw from the sounds of greats such as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, the Allman Brothers Band, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton but also from quite unorthodox artists like Santana, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr and jazz-fusion band Snarky Puppy. When performing live, all these influences come together to create an unparalleled live experience that’s both entertaining and mesmerising.

Rocking' Horse

Tommy Bankhead - Please Accept My Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2002
Time: 51:37
Size: 118,4 MB
Label: Fedora Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

Tracks Listing:
 1. I'm Not Your Alley Cat - 4:22
 2. Worried Life Blues - 4:30
 3. Pleaase Accept My Love - 4:13
 4. If You Call That Gone - 4:02
 5. Everything Gonna Be Alright - 4:08
 6. Santa's Blue Lover Blues - 4:41
 7. Me & My Oxygen Tank - 3:44
 8. Are You Ready - 4:53
 9. Stoop Down - 5:22
10. Come to Me - 8:18
11. Tommy's Story - 3:18

His musical testimony, recorded only three months before he died. The music is simple and soulful. His vocals sound broken, the voice of a dangerously ill man. The St.Louis blues scene has lost one of his most sympathetic representatives. TOMMY BANKHEAD - gtr/voc, FRANK GOLDWASSER - gtr, BOB LOHR - pno, FRANK DUNBAR - bass, KEITH ROBINSON - drums.

Please Accept My Love

Willie May - Blues Like That

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2018
Time: 38:05
Size: 87,3 MB
Label: Williemaymusic
Styles: Blues/Guitar Blues/Contemporary Blues
Art: Full

Tracks Listing:
 1. Don't You Cry - 3:55
 2. She Loves the Devil - 4:12
 3. Ferris Wheel - 3:29
 4. Two Cats - 3:22
 5. Bottoms Up Baby - 3:32
 6. You Should Stop Talkin' - 3:25
 7. Livin' Like a King - 3:49
 8. You Know I'm Lyin' - 4:24
 9. The Party's Over - 3:57
10. Evil Wicked Big and Mean - 3:56

Buffalo Music Hall of Famer offers an array of blues from traditional to haunting heavy, slippery horn grooves to world music vibe, harmonica driven bop to guitar fueled shuffles and beyond.

Blues Like That

Josh Hyde - The Call of the Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 31:38
Size: 73,1 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Funky Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. The Call of the Night - 3:04
 2. The Truth - 4:08
 3. Close - 3:17
 4. Offshore - 4:13
 5. It's Not Too Late - 3:02
 6. Need a Lill More - 3:07
 7. Guitar in Hand - 3:23
 8. Mississippi Bridge - 3:34
 9. I've Got This Song - 3:47

Josh Hyde is a native of Louisiana and offers up here 9 original tunes that are filled with  his Cajun and Zydeco influenced vocals and guitar.  His band included Joe V. McMahan on guitar (who also produced the CD), Ron Eoff on bass, Jamey Bell on drums, Bryan Owings on percussion and John Gross on keys.  Several guest artists including Sonny Landreth join in for a few songs and are noted below.
The title song “The Call of the Night” has an Allman Brothers Band sort of ring to it.  Slick Southern rock mixed with cajun and blues is what we have here.  “The Truth” follows with guitar and organ howling a bit along with the vocals in a New Orleans sort of manner.  “Close” is next, a country ballad of sorts where Hyde uses his vocal style to make an impassioned plea.  Buddy Flett is on guitar with the band for “Close.”  Sonny Landreth joins in on guitar for “Offshore,” a cut with a haunting and swampy sound that very much is in the Sonny Landreth style.  Landreth is also on the next tune, “It’s Not Too Late.” Tony Daigle also fills in on acoustic guitar and James Westfall is on keys.  The song builds from the acoustic guitar and vocals with the slide added and an overall increase in intensity and then Daigle takes us out on a soft note.
“Need A Lil More” is a “down in the bayou” sounding sort of tune with pensive guitar work and organ layered on the vocals to good effect.  Hyde follows with “Guitar in Hand,” a pensive and thoughtful piece with a long, pungent yet sultry guitar solo.  Next we have “Mississippi Bridge” where Flett accompanies on guitar and Laura Mayo does backing vocals.  A mid-tempo cut, it guilds a bit with nice guitar work and the keys behind the entire song for effect.  The album concludes with “I’ve Got This Song” where Westfall is back on keys in support.
The album is mostly sultry and low to mid tempo.  It spins an intricate web of swampy sounds that are cool and interesting.  The vocals are haunting and ethereal, also quite interesting.  It is a modern sort of bayou music that blends blues, Cajun, Zydeco and some Southern rock into an intricate sound.  It’s not mainstream stuff but it’s cool and a nice change of pace to listen to.  Certainly not straight ahead blues but it’s fun and, as I noted, very interesting and intriguing music.

The Call of the Night