Correspondent: HC Men keyboardist Ken Harris
As promised/threatened to David Day, this commences a daily Memphis Blues Challenge Blog from the Hoochie Coochie Men. We fly tomorrow morning from Boise to Memphis for the greatest single concentration of Blues Acts of the year: The 24th Annual Memphis International Blues Challenge, presented by The Blues Foundation(www.blues.org). There will be 160+ Blues acts from all over the world competing and we are sponsored by the Boise Blues Society(boiseblues.org). We have been together 14 years and are glad to be strutting our stuff in front of so many musicians, fans, promoters, journalists, clubowners...
It was a lot of work planning the two fundraisers that allowed us to book five flights and five rooms near Beale St for 4 nights, but thanks to The Boise Blues Society, Jo Fryberger and a lot of generous pals, we'll be arriving Wednesday afternoon. It took us a lot of e-mails to decide our songlists for the two 25-minute sets on Thursday and Friday evenings(50% original songs)and we have been rehearsing and played a set a few Sundays ago at our old stomping grounds the Bouquet at a jam session hosted by Richard Soliz and The Core. We're READY!
I found out that there will be a Friday/Saturday night after-competition jam session hosted by two old Boston musician buddies of mine: guitarist Bob Margolin(ex-Muddy Waters Band and now an established Blues bandleader) joined by harmonica hotshot Rosy Rosenblatt(who headed up ToneCool Records for years). I first heard these guys in the early 1970's and haven't seen them for 14 years.
Four out of five or our wives will be along(Dean's wife Karen and daughter Genevieve will have to go on our next trip with us). I've played in New Orleans and Chicago but I've never been to Memphis where BB King, Stax Records(Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MG's), Sun Records(Elvis/Jerry Lee Lewis/Howling Wolf/Johnny Cash/Carl Perkins), Gus Cannon, Furry Lewis and many others started out.
Well, David, writing an INTERESTING blog is a real...."challenge!"
Next report: when we arrive in Memphis, Tennessee....."Long Distance, Information, give me Memphis Tennessee. Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me..." We've played Chuck Berry's song many times, now we get to go.
THANK YOU to everyone who helped us along the way!
Barney, Mike, Ken, Dean, Bud: THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN