It’s another powerful episode this week on Time Signatures as Erv welcomes an amazing Woman of the Blues, Kat Riggins.  Kat discusses her early years, with those two weeks of piano lessons, being teased as a young girl about her deeper than average voice, and being comforted by Koko Taylor, Denise LaSalle, and other female voices on the radio during that time period. She also talked about her struggle to be taken seriously as a band leader early on, work with Gulf Coast Records, her maturity as a singer and songwriter, and her newest album, ‘Revival’. She calls this work, “Drenched in Blues, but Funk-tified!”.  Come on in, and check it out!

Website: https://katriggins.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/kat.riggins 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0gE5H6j7N6LseB5laJ8m1E?si=sUWBM-HEQ7-cuU2NRvZYtA 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katrigginsOFFICIAL

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Season Five is cruisin' along, so you are invited to join host Jim Ervin as he welcomes Jeff "JT" Taylor and Jeff Shroedl of that Blues band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Altered Five. The five piece band has been making waves since releasing their 2008 inaugural effort, but their 2021 release 'Holler If You Hear Me' reached number three on the US Billboard Top Blues Chart. Jeff and JT talked about their early years in the Blues, and their steady ascent among the Blues faithful. They also teased a possible trip back to Nashville to record some new music for an 8th album release. Don't miss this episode, and be sure to tell your Blues fan friends, too!

Website: https://www.alteredfive.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlteredFiveBluesBand

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7idP7O5Y5lvJw4XFeAJxzg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYA5incsY4AFCfzj1afcjOA

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It’s a fun-filled episode this week on Time Signatures as your host, Jim Ervin welcomes a Michigan songwriter who has built an incredible long term relationship with our own Larry McCray over the past 40 years. Charlie Walmsley has had songs on Larry’s albums dating back to the 1990’s, but 2022s ‘Blues Without You’ included Walmsley’s ‘Arkansas’ and ‘Mr. Easy’, and the newest project, ‘Heartbreak City’ includes ‘Try To Be A Good Man’, the darker, edgier ‘Hangman’, and the feel good tune ‘Bye Bye Blues’. Join us for a fun chat about how the two came together in Bay City, a bit about Charlie’s writing process, and what it’s like working with Larry and other Blues musicians in Michigan and elsewhere. Season Five is cruisin’ along, so climb aboard, and enjoy the ride!

Website: https://www.charliewalmsley.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlie.walmsley.71

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charliewalmsley6209 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rpnBMcFQ9X6JYQffJKoPp

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On this week’s edition of Time Signatures, Erv welcomes a member of the up and coming generation of the Blues, Chicago native, Christopher Henderson. From his early beginnings in the genre as a young boy, to that serendipitous moment, performing a medley of songs by Bobby Blue Bland and others at “Catfish Corner”, an establishment owned by the-Chicago Alderman, Wallace Davis, Chris got a taste of stage life and he never looked back. Please take a moment to review this young man’s music, and support him where and when you can. This is how we carry the Blues into the next generation. 

Email for booking: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063577600742 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepchrish/

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A new week on Time Signatures with Jim Ervin and this week, Erv welcomes another legendary Blues musician. Mark Hummel is a singer, songwriter and longtime band leader of the Blues Survivors, a group he formed in 1977 with Johnny Waters. And, since 1991, Hummel has produced the annual Blues Harmonica Blowout, where is he also a featured performer. Mark dropped by to talk about his work with many other legendary performers, including James Cotton, John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite and others. This is a fantastic interview, chock full of great stories as only Mark can tell them!

Website: https://markhummel.com/home 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.399 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJHnGpgUkKWdPHfd1hHoYA 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6tThEAJKUsHlj0ALfRObEP

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This week on Time Signatures, Erv welcomes an incredibly talented gentleman who spent nearly 20 years working in Nashville, alongside some of the top writers in country music at that time.  He had music recorded by the likes of Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, and the Highwaymen, to name a few. A few years ago, his song, ‘Millionaire’ was recorded by Chris Stapleton-and he took it to the Billboard charts for 50 weeks! Following his stint in Nashville, Kevin Welch joined up with some of his songwriting/musician friends and formed the Americana flagship Indie label, ‘Dead Reckoning Records’. If you want to enjoy some great music, touched by some definite Blues influences, check out the limited edition ‘Dead Reckoning Years’ 2 LP set.  Talk about a fun interview!

Website: https://kevinwelch.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinwelchmusic 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1s16tcMsyP2SpoLjLg44n1

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Growing up in Memphis, Charlie Musselwhite got lots of exposure to street performers of all kinds.  On this episode of Time Signatures with Jim Ervin, the legendary Blues harmonicist stops in to chat with Erv about his early life on Beale, attending late night parties with Elvis, his move to Chicago at age 18, and cutting his musical ‘teeth’ absorbing and learning the Blues at the feet of the days’ biggest names in the Windy City. He talks about studying Little and Big Walter, his first break with Muddy Waters, and work with his Blues pal, Elvin Bishop. Charlie also has a new album out this year, called “Look Out Highway”, so you are sure to hear about that as well. It just doesn’t get any bigger or better than Charlie Musselwhite!

Website: https://www.charliemusselwhite.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlieMusselwhiteOfficial 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuNdotRXYx2tAI_5QeYs6Ng 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4NikxGoDm5LGVYAHj0Euoc

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This week on Time Signatures, Erv welcomes 2024 Grammy Winner, 2014 IBC Band Category winner as well as the Albert King Guitar Award, the Jus’ Blues Foundation’s Bobby Rush Entertainer’s Award, and the Jackson Music Awards’ Blues Artist of the Year, Castro ‘Mr. Sipp’ Coleman .  He started playin in local churches at the age of 6, touring at the age of 11, and for 26 years, Castro Coleman spent his time working in Gospel Music. His move to the Blues after those 26 years was fully accepted by his fan base, and Mr. Sipp was ‘born’ and he was to the races. A fantastic discussion, with a dynamic personality.  You will love this interview! 

Website: https://www.mrsipp.net/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrsipptmbc 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVo4hXgVM9aWizDUQGIrKQ 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1duNfccIPXlVz522cvFKNi

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2025 Grammy winner, Ruthie Foster drops by for our Season Five Premier to talk about her brand new album, “Mileage” and a recap of her Australian tour earlier this year. She talks about her Great Uncle singing at church when she was a little girl, recognizing the power of performance even at an early age. We also discussed her early piano and guitar lessons, knowing her worth as a woman in the Blues, serving in the Navy, learning hand signals from Paul Schafer, caring for her Mother in her last months…and then we circled back to discussion of recording at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis for her latest project. It’s a powerful kickoff to our fifth season, so come on in, and give it a listen! Oh, and be sure to pick up your copy of “Mileage” TODAY!

Website: https://www.ruthiefoster.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthiefostermusic 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ruthiefoster 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lL4ckeM1A2Qo2Fe64dP0F

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It’s the Season Four finale for Time Signatures, as host Jim Ervin welcomes an incredible woman of the Blues, Grammy nominee Janiva Magness. The Blues Foundation’s B.B. King Entertainer of the year in 2009, only the second female artist to be so honored, along with Koko Taylor, Magness shared deeply powerful stories from her youth and life in the Blues, including her father denying her to chance to see the Beatles, her baptism into the Blues, and those first concerts with Otis Rush and B.B. King. She spoke of her difficulties establishing herself in music, due to a dark relationship she had at age 19, her need to be part of music, in some form or fashion. But it was the serendipitous moment with Sid Page that set her on the path to the career that has unfolded since. We also talked about her latest album ‘Back For Me’. So much more….way too much to list here. There simply could not be a more captivating episode to complete Season Four than this one. Enjoy!

Website: https://www.janivamagness.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanivaMagness 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3igRFmvurYBLvQ4aYliwXg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD286bmZ6a-5bqGaVm7ydmA

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