Blue Armadillo Winery, Princeton, 9/24/11

Last night the Birthright Blues Project played the Blue Armadillo Winery in Princeton, Texas.  In spite of the beautiful weather, or perhaps because of it, fewer folks than usual came out, but that of course resulted in a chance for more one on one time getting to know our audience during breaks. It is always fun and exciting to meet new people, play a show for them, and then get to know them over time at future shows.  Since playing shows is what we do most often and most enjoy, that is exactly how we have formed some of our tighter friendships of the past several years, and will continue to do so, because we see our audiences and following way more often than we visit with other friends (we're quite family oriented when we're not working, not really party animals here).

With the King Biscuit Blues Festival right around the corner (Columbus Day Weekend, we're out there for the week), Jack has been touching base with our friends we meet in Tent City and the local musicians.  One of these folks, a biker Jack particularly feels a kinship with, told him this morning that when he was out one night talking music with some other people, one of our CDs was played for him...."You've gotta hear this!"  Of course, our friend told them he knew who it was.....and hopefully they'll ALL be at the Biscuit to see us this year!  Plans are hitting town on Tuesday and becoming early residents of Tent City, North Side, Helena, AR; Free Blues Jam at Bunkies hosted by BBP on Wednesday; Practicing, Busking, and seeing Buddy Guy in Concert on Thursday; Rising Biscuit Stage on Friday, 7 pm; and then buskin our hearts out all day Saturday. 

The crowd response last year to what we are doing with our original music more than makes up for all the small crowds that we play for here in N/E Texas.  But, if we have to build our audiences like we did last night, playing as if we have a crowd until the folks down the road come see what's going on, and building our fan base by adding a few at each show, then it'll still build!  I firmly believe Jack's music is going to be a HUGE part of our future, he is just too good and too committed to it for it not to pay off for him.  Every crowd, even small ones, has a silver lining, and last night's was a potter, who quickly joined our fan base and sent us the following pictures of last night from her camera phone.   Thanks!

The more time we spend practicing, the more time Jack spends creating!  It seems like every afternoon this week he had to teach me a new rhythm, and they are really good songs!  One of them he has partly completed the lyrics on, and he's going to save the remainder of it to complete while we're playing on the street in Helena.  Another of them he and our ten year old son, Wade, are working out the lyrics together in the afternoons.  These songwriting sessions invariably lead to the guys singing and playing Robert Johnson songs, it is really a wonderful thing hearing my son progress along the musical highway!

Jack has always taken passing along his gift seriously, and has taught quite a few young men how to play, not only the blues, but also quite a bit of country and rock.  One of these is of course, our son, and another is young Jeff, the youngest member of our band.  He's also agreed to teach our niece how to play the piano, but since she's only 8, she has the attention of an 8 year old, so lessons are brief and basic, but I'll bet at some point we'll be able to put her and her cousin, Wade, on dueling pianos throwing that boogie woogie around!   Jack has always said he learned so much from others, he has to pass it down.

Tomorrow night we are playing another show at the Blue Armadillo Winery in Princeton, TX.  This winery has a very friendly atmosphere and a nice selection of frozen drinks, texas wines, coffees, sandwiches, and desserts.  It is casual with a flair, and has a really nice vibe going on in Princeton.  We'll most likely unveil one or two of Jack's new songs...come join us and be the first to hear them!  We go on, out on the patio, at around 8:30.  We're looking forward to another great gig in Princeton!

Some pictures, first of Jack and Jeff in Helena last year, then one of Jack with a 15 year old guitarist we met while in Helena last year, who we'll be hooking up with to jam again this year and another friend on bass, and finally, a picture of Wade working out that piano boogie.

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Unfortunately, another blues master has recently joined the Angel Band. 

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith died of a stroke at his home on September 16, 2011.  He  was born in Helena, Arkansas on January 19, 1936   and in 1954 began playing harmonica in the Chicago Blues Scene.  In the following years, he played music that revolutionized the blues, changing instruments and playing the drums on all of Muddy Waters’ Grammy winning albums. 

In more recent years, he played in the Legendary Blues Band, which included Pinetop Perkins, who also passed away earlier this year.  Wille “Big Eyes” Smith played harmonica and received a Grammy in 2010 for his work with Pinetop Perkins for Best Traditional Blues CD for Joined at the Hip with Telarc Records.

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith was scheduled to play the King Biscuit Blues Festival this October, as he has many times in the past.  He will be sorely missed, as will the other blues greats that also passed away this year, Honeyboy Edwards, Big Jack Johnson, and Willie’s most recent collaborator, pianist Pinetop Perkins. 

Thankfully, the world and the blues community have begun to recognize the greatness of these artists while they are still living, and the artists have been passing down their art to younger generations.  Willie “Big Eyes” Smith’s legacy will be continued by his son, “Beady Eyes” Smith.  Visit Willie “Big Eyes” Smith’s webpage for a more in depth biography, and Blues Blast to read an interview from June of this year, as well as a well written obituary.

RIP Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, you will be missed.

Princeton Blue Armadillo Winery Birthright Blues Project Pictures

Jack Holdsworth

Birthright Blues Project, the trio

Jack on Lead Guitar and Vocals

Elan on Bass and Mark on Drums

A special thanks to Al Pierce for making the trip to Princeton from Cooper, TX and taking these pictures!  Al is available for freelance work, email him via the link on our webpage. 

Blue Armadillo Winery, Princeton, TX, 9/10/11

Last night, the Birthright Blues Project played a show at the Blue Armadillo Winery in Princeton, Texas.  We arrived a bit early to set up, and ended up playing a set before we were scheduled to go on, and then played until 11, it was a fun gig with three different crowds that waved in and out throughout the night.

We were fortunate to have the 5th Street Band sit in during our breaks, keeping live music going all night, while we enjoyed visiting on the patio.  If you haven't been to Princeton's winery, you should.  There is really a great vibe going on in Princeton and we look forward to playing there again.  We'll be there on the 24th of this month.

Special thanks go out to the folks who came out to see us from Cooper--it wouldn't be near as much fun without some of "our" crowd, and the family members who rode in on the Harley from Arlington, it was great to see y'all!  It was nice seeing fellow musicians and friends and making new ones.  I look forward to next time.

This week, I'll be working on getting our webpage optimized for viewing on mobile devices so when a person takes a pic of our band code it will bring up the best possible interface so they can get to "know" us and see what we're about.  Getting ready for Helena, Arkansas and the King Biscuit Blues Festival....practicing, practicing, practicing.  We don't have a show scheduled for next Saturday night, although I'm hopeful that will change this week.   So if you need a band for Saturday night, keep us in mind...I'll post our schedule as always!

I'll put pictures of last night up ASAP!

Blue Armadillo Winery, Greenville, 9/3/11

Tonight the Birthright Blues Project played a show at the Blue Armadillo Winery on Lee Street in Greenville, Texas.
Just prior to our show, the historic downtown theater, The Texan, which has not been open since the 1970s, lit up the Marquee for the first time as a part of the renovations taking place.  This theater hopes to reopen in 2012.  It was neat to see the sign lit up, because I have seen the sign since I was a kid. 
We had a good turnout tonight,  over 30 folks came and heard the band.  We played three sets and got a good crowd response, especially for the third set (which was after we TURNED UP OUR AMPS).  We were fortunate to have our regulars who come see us at the Blue Armadillo, special friends Ann and Loren plus one,  and a couple who watched me grow up at school with their kids who I ran into at the sign lighting, plus an assortment of music fans who I didn't get the chance to meet.
 Since the venue is rather small, our drummer Mark brought a snare drum, a cymbal or two and an assortment of percussion instruments.  As usual, he jazzed up our blues in the way he does so well.  Then he really surprised me when during a stop in Send Her Back he broke out a kid's bike horn.  He usually has a special snare he hits for this part and it really cracked me up when he tooted his horn, but it sounded surprisingly just right!
The three of us had a really good time, and I enjoyed the chance to sit out a few songs while Loren took the stage on the bass and played, including one cover song that I just haven't got down quite right yet.  He also did some photographing and filming, which we'll post in the future. 
We want to say a great big Thank You to those who came out tonight, as well as Joe and Denise who ran the bar and kept the wine flowing.
Our next show is in Princeton, Texas, next Saturday night, September 10.  We'll be playing the patio helping to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of the Renovated Princeton Main Street and look forward to a great night! 

Mississippi River, a song by BBP

On that Mississippi
That's where it happened on a cloudy night
On that Mississippi
That's where it happened on a cloudy night
A man took his own life
On the account of his Evil Wife

Well she gave it to him
Then she gave it to him again
Yeah she gave it to him
And then she gave it to him again
She's given him that poison
The one they call Heroin
Yeah Heroin

He soon was addicted
He could not put that needle down
Yeah he soon was an addict
He could not put that needle down
Until that cloudless night
The night my dearest brother drown.


Song written by Elan and Jack Holdsworth, ASCAP
Delta Blues House Publishing Company
copyright 2009          Birthright Blues Project