Time Signatures with Jim Ervin

This week, join host Jim Ervin as he welcomes another Woman of the Blues. Alexandria Bailey, aka Lexie Blue, came up in Las Vegas during her early life, occasionally joining her adoptive parents on stage as they performed, and the musician bug took hold of her early on. Following her move back to Michigan, she took out an ad on Craig’s List and put her first band together. She has since gotten married, and formed another band with her husband, but she also formed her own Blues-based band, ‘Lexie Blue’ in 2023. She has since competed in Memphis during the International Blues Challenge, and is an active participant in the National Women in Blues events. In fact, during her visit to Beale Street, she buddied up with two other ladies and they are all presenting a Ladies Only event in Kentucky and Michigan this fall. Great conversation with an incredible Woman of the Blues….please enjoy our chat with Lexie Blue!

Website: https://www.lexieblue.com/

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1EznkhE2ee541dhaFxRYAj?si=F0XVDSfaROmjQyw2gQvn6w

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmrxDR50TsSqpLHNHN1zLKg

Women in Blues from Beale Street

Covington, KY (Madison Theater) October 3: https://madisontheater.com/

Westland, MI (Token Lounge) November 7: https://madisontheater.com/

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

What do you do when you find that your longtime gig is about to be slowed to a halt, albeit temporarily? If you are Matthew Stubbs, former full-time touring guitarist with the legendary Charlie Musselwhite, you think it over…and then you form a band to keep the bills paid. On this week’s edition of Time Signatures, Erv and Matt talk about that period of time, and how it ultimately led to that band with an old time 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s sound, GA-20. Matt and his new GA-20 bandmates, Cody Nilson and Josh Kiggins are here to talk about coming together as friends and neighbors to form the newest iteration of this iconic band, their chemistry, and the new music you are soon to enjoy. They are out there touring, so check them out!

Website: https://ga20band.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GA20blues

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lg8xPLWMK8R3EfQlKA5bT?si=-d-mL26eSWO3Ck6LG6pjEw

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU6asn78UCHxIIoCtAkz55A

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

What happens when a local radio personality establishes a wildly popular daily radio program and then is thrust onto the national stage after an article is written about his work? Well that is precisely what happened to this week’s guest on Time Signatures, and before it was all said and done, he had been hired by Sirius XM satellite radio and tasked with helping to launch the Bluesville channel. Over the course of the 12+ years that followed, Bill Wax made an incredible connection with the late legendary Bluesman, B.B. King who was later proclaimed Mayor of Bluesville, with his name added to the channel. In the years that followed, Wax would record a series of 40 one hour programs with King, each talking about various music-related issues, his history in music, etc. There is a lot more, so check out this program and enjoy!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.wax.777

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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/

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

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

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation