PrescottBlues.com is the online home of Prescott Blues Notes, a resource dedicated to the blues community in Prescott. The website offers information on local blues events, artist features, venue details, and an archive of past activities. Additionally, we host a mailing list for subscribers to receive updates on upcoming blues gigs in the area. ​

Beyond event listings, PrescottBlues.com engages in community initiatives. For instance, we organized a Charity Chili Cook-Off that raised funds for local organizations: Lower 22 Foundation (l22f.org) and Prescott Area Shelter Services (prescottshelters.org).  

In summary, PrescottBlues.com serves as a central hub for blues enthusiasts in Prescott, providing valuable information on events, artists, and venues, while also supporting community-focused activities.

by Mike Todhunter         

            Prescott has much to be proud of since its days before statehood when it was the territorial capital of Arizona. Today it's best known for its world-class rodeo and its July 4 patriotic parade, but Acker Night stands equally as more than a community cultural event and early celebration of Christmas, but as an opportunity for Arizonians statewide to make the trek to our historic city center for good times and activities for all. This December 12, they did.

            Much praise should go out to the Acker event organizers for the forethought given in making the Downtown Prescott area a version of a modern urban Renaissance Faire climaxed with the lighting of our Back-To-The-Future-like courthouse in a Christmas display equal to any. Folks throughout Arizona are well-aware of the event's spirituality and beauty that coincide with our holiday traditions. Here the sights and sounds that warm hearts capture the best of Americana. After the blocking off of some access streets near the courthouse, Cortez St., Montezuma St. ( with its famous Whiskey Row), and Gurley St., a comfortable walking environment was provided - its small businesses opening doors to consumers and Lookie-Loos alike. Countless musicians from parts unknown made the pilgrimage to Prescott for our enjoyment. Philanthropic booths, food venders, local high school glee clubs added substance to the comfortable walkabout. Piped in music played the eternally-pleasing Christmas carols of yesteryear's Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and others. This ageless atmosphere found young and old sharing Acker's stage- aging lovers held hands and warm embraces; young children scurried up to Santas while parents proudly snapped the pictures for posterity. The plaza was a picture of perpetual motion and human activity. With so many things to do and see, it reminded me of that junior high joke about the mosquito at the nudist colony- so much to cover with so little time.

            Mosquitos aside, the only dark shadow cast over the wonders of Acker Night was the Mission Impossible task of finding parking. Good luck, Tom Cruise and Santa and his reindeers! With courthouse lighting ceremonies and the Elk's Theater doors opening at 5 PM, unless you were an early-bird, finding parking tested your lay-of-the-land skills. Thank goodness that Acker Night was Dec. 12 rather than Dec. 24 or Santa would have been looking for a soft-landing on the courthouse roof.

            Needless to say, Ginny and I enjoyed thoroughly the pageantry with our first stop being the Elk's Theater where two of Prescott's best musicians- Chicago Bob and the Blues Squad and the Freddy Freeman Band (Bobby Tencer doubled for both bands)- entertained and raised money for local scholarships destined for the needy. Bob laid down his Chicago blues vibe and Freddy tickled his keyboard ivories. Their endeavors filled the dance floor with happy hoofers who confidently stepped out in their version of a frontier fandango. The patrons did not hold back their appreciation or donations toward the cause.

            Our good times were just beginning as a 2.8-mile drive took us to the Windsock Lounge, Prescott's Hall of Fame blues establishment, to once again hear Miklos Udvardi, Tony Olive and Mike Daily- Miklos's band name anglicized for our benefit to the Mick Yard Band. This wasn't the first time that we heard the Hungarian Hurricane perform with his characteristic passion and fire the standards of Albert King, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and the likes of Kenny Wayne Sheppard. At Phoenix's Rhythm Room blues bar's IBC (Int'l Blues Competition) showdown held to determine Arizona's representative to Memphis's annual global blues competition, we first heard Mick Yard and were blown away by the Hurricane. Our musical blessings continued in Cornville when Dr. Bob and NAZBA (No. Arizona Blues Assn.) brought Mick , Heavy Crawls and Chicago Bob for a final IBC shootout. The winner got a ticket to the international competition. I can only thank the Lord that I didn't have to judge either event- trying to discern the best of the best would have been a nearly impossible task.

            The Windsock's contribution to Acker Night didn't disappoint. The Hurricane arrived with the fury of Katrina and left FEMA in financial deficit. Mick attired in his black leather slacks, his black designer shirt, black boots and black Estaban hat became a musical ninja laying waste to any that didn't think they'd have a good time. But more than their music, everyone had a story- some better than most.

            Born in Hungary, young Miklos found himself caught up in the Cold War during the Hungarian uprising of 1956 when Soviet tanks and troops stormed Hungary, killing and wounding thousands and forcing over ¼ million Hungarians to flee their homeland.  Of age, Miklos was forced into compulsory conscription and saw first-hand the repression imposed by the Soviet's communist regime. Seeking freedom from a restricted future and the dream of artistic freedom, while attending an Alvin Lee concert in Budapest ( Lee's band," 12 Years After" was the talk of Woodstock), Miklos knew his future. Inspired, at 16, he began to practice the guitar eight hours daily. With a love for the blues, in 1987, he made his way to an Austrian refugee camp where for two years he sought legal American citizenship. As he stated, "The legal way". There in the camp he structured his time trying to find work- managing to hustle a guitar to continue his musical love affair. Unfortunately, Miklos had to leave his family behind. Notwithstanding, with the fall of the Berlin Wall ( a wall built to keep people in, not out), with the effects of the Gdansk Solidarity movement and the inspirations of Lech Walesa and Pope John Paul II, Germany was reunified. With the Soviet Empire in ashes, Miklos's dreams of a future in America came to fruition.

            Fortunately for Ginny and I, we got to briefly know the band- vocalist/ bassist Tony Olive in particular. Tony, an air force brat, like myself; with three degrees of separation, connected with Ginny through memories shared about life at the Upper Heyford and Croughton AFBs in Midland England. A songwriter and jazz enthusiast, Tony makes the Valley his home, while drummer, Mike Daily, was home grown in Tucson. All in all, The Mick Yard Band is seldom without a gig playing in Valley venues like The Maverick, Hoopers, Skippers, Tailgaters, and many others (mickyardmusic.com).

            If you get a chance, join the Mick Yard Band and meet Miklos's and his charming wife, Marpa, Tony and MIke. Their music will remind you of several contemporary blues rockers- certainly Kenny Wayne Sheppard, the Blood Brothers, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia, and Poppa Chubby- not bad company to hang out wilth.
 

 By Mike Todhunter      

             Tensions were tight on Oct. 19 at Cornville's blues bar, The Old Corral, established in 1976 and located in the Oak Creek area of Verde Valley. The Northern Arizona Blues Association's (NAZBA) version of sudden death played out in the Old Corral's confines offering a chance for some Arizona blues band to snag a final spot to represent us at the 2026 IBC competition in Memphis held on Jan. 13-17 on Beale St.- America's blues central.

            With past prelims held on Oct. 5 and finals on Oct. 12 in the rearview mirror, Phoenix's representative for the IBC had already been selected and the last chance opportunity rested with NAZBA and the Cornville shootout. Three bands, all who had previously competed in Phoenix, made the journey to Cornville for the showdown. The Heavy Crawl, a Valley-based blues-rock band, navigated the I-17 North and they were joined by The Mick Yard Band. Rounding out the trio, Chicago Bob and the Blues Squad filled the ticket- representing the Prescott area. Together the blues patrons were treated to the best of the blues- the turnout being quite impressive (kudos to Garry Segal, Dr. Bob Sellani, Frank Marbut, the Blues Foundation and the Old Corral).

            The bands were all entertaining- the best of those that didn't take the top spot at Bob Corritore's Rhythm Room. Together they vied for a last hurrah and a trip to Memphis and the site of Elvis's Graceland. The Heavy Crawl, led by guitarist, Max Tovstyi, and accompanied by Jake Meliye on the stand-up bass and Max Wieden on drums, had placed second in Phoenix. The Mick Yard Band had made it through Oct. 5 in Phoenix, but the drummer's sudden illness prevented their Oct. 12 performance. Lastly, Chicago Bob, with his Chicago blues sound, had placed fourth and looked like a long-shot entering the Old Corral. The absence of the Blues Squad's Bobby Tencer left guitar riffs to Pete O' Reilly to carry the rhythm- increasing the pressure.

            Getting to Cornville is no easy task and just the name alone would lend one to think that perhaps you had gotten lost somewhere near Nebraska. Driving in from for the chance to compete is a testimonial to the band's commitment to the blues. My first thoughts about a town called Cornville in the backroads of Arizona was that the indigenous Native-American population (the Sinagua abandoned the Montezuma Castle area in the 15th century) found a plot of arable land for their maize crop- but then I'd be wrong. Apparently in 1887 in an effort to establish a post office and to incorporate, the Cohn family applied to Washington for a permit and some 19th century bureaucrat read "Corn" instead of Cohn- hence Cornville. Well, the beat still goes on and so do the blues.

            The competing bands have their own interesting histories with the Heavy Crawl and the Mick Yard Band having a strong Eastern European connection- Europe's loss, our gain. The Crawl's Max Tovstyi, a Ukrainian, moved to the USA as a result of the Russian invasion of his homeland and his desire to play the blues in peace. Educated with a Master's Degree in English, he supports the Ukrainian fight for national sovereignty- donating money towards those efforts through the sale of his merchandise and through charitable concerts. His brother served in the Ukrainian army makes it more than a mere financial endeavor. The Heavy Crawl's album, "Songs from the Desert", shows the strong blues-rock influence of Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Black Keys and others. Their internet videos include: "Comin' to LA", " 6000 Miles from Home" and are played throughout Europe. Max is an amazing guitarist and I would encourage all blues enthusiasts to catch a Valley show.

            The Mick Yard Band resume deserves coverage as well. Led by Miklos Udvardi (Mick Yard), AKA- "The Hungarian Hurricane", and accompanied by bassist Tony Olive and drummer, Mike Dally, they play with passion and heart. Raised in communist Hungary during the Cold War and victimized by the Soviet invasion of his homeland in 1956, Mick's love for the blues was censored, but after hearing Alvin Lee (12 Years After), he sorrowfully left his family at age 16 for his new American home where he could play the music of BB King, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and enjoy the pleasures of freedom.

            Chicago Bob never had to worry about his artistic freedom, but as a Chief of Police in the burbs of Chicago, he had an up-close view of the mean streets of Chi Town. Later, taking his law enforcement skills abroad, Bob contracted through the UN as a peacekeeper in the Kosovo- Bosnian War and found himself in the unenviable position of guarding a bridge that separated hostile rivals itching to address historical wrongs. Today, playing in local Prescott venues like The Windsock, The Founding Fathers, and the Eagle's Nest, Chicago Bob and the Blues Squad are seldom without a gig. The Blues Squad includes Pete O'Reilly, Gordon Jennings (formerly bassist for California's Central Coast favorites, The Mojo Combo) and newcomer Steve Atwood on the drums. The band keeps the Chicago blues sound relevant in Prescott. A master lyricist, Bob and the band lay down the comic relief with tunes like: "Gonna Hit the Bricks", "Two-legged Dog", and a song of great social significance in Chicago-"You Dirty Rat". Make no mistake though, when you hear Chicago Bob and the Blues Squad, you aren't getting some new-age version of the blues. You are getting the real deal.

            After 25 minutes of stage time for each band, the drum roll began at 2pm. Fortune and misfortune, someone was going to be very happy and someone very sad. So much talent laid it down for the Old Corral patrons. Unfortunately, there could be only one winner- such is life. Judges like Big Daddy D had the unenviable task of consummating the verdict to be handed over to and delivered by host Dr. Bob Sellani.

            "Hey, Bob, you’re going to Memphis!"
 

by Dr. Bob Sellani

In 2022, I started down a journey to discover my Italian heritage and little did I know, four and a half years later, I would connect with that heritage, and also be invited to play drums at a Blues Festival in my grandparents’ commune (village) in Italy! It was January of 2025 and while researching the town of Guglionesi, Italy, in the State of Molise, a banner popped up on my screen that advertised the GOOD TIME BLUES FESTIVAL. I thought to myself, that was odd! What was a Blues festival doing in a little town of about 4800 people? The commune is one of many hilltop villages in Italy that is sadly losing more and more people each year as the young do not want to work on farms and desire more opportunities, eventually relocating to the big cities. This festival description was different from any other I had been to over the years, so I looked further as to what they were offering. The price was not cheap at over $325, but it was for a week! I had never heard of a Blues festival going on for a week, so more questions were in order. What I found was something unique. A fully immersive experience, combining Blues music and dancing, with local Italian traditions, within a small community. And attendance is limited to 300. Guglionesi does not have ANY hotels! One option is to stay with the locals in the village itself, as they rent out their homes and/or rooms for the week. Another option is to stay at the nearby port town of Termoli, about 20 minutes by car, and commute back and forth. Each day there is something different going on. Dance lessons, dance competitions, various food samplings, pasta making, cheese making, wine making and tasting, olive oil tasting, trips around the area in classic cars, trips, and trips in the fields on quads. Guglionesi is about 1500 feet above sea level and about 6 miles as the crow flies from Termoli which is a cool place with plenty of Italian history. There are lots of clean beaches, shopping, and even high speed ferry service over to Croatia and other points and things to do there too.

All of this intrigued me, so I decided to reach out to the event producers and introduce myself. My initial email was received by Adamo, who was born in Guglionesi, but lives in Spain, while his mother still lives in Guglionesi. He is a professional dancer and well-established artist, with his own dance shoe line! When he responded to my inquiry, he was doing a dance clinic in China and we decided to set up a zoom meeting when he returned a few weeks later. He noted his co-producer, Daniele would also be joining in the meeting. Daniele was also born in Guglionesi, but now lives in London. He is a very talented drummer with an excellent band based in London. As I logged in for the Zoom meeting, I had no idea what to expect. These guys didn't know me from Adam, and they seemed intrigued by the fact that I had family roots in Guglionesi, and was also a Blues drummer. When the meeting started, they spoke perfect English, and were probably both in their early 40's, After introductions, it seemed like we were all family! It was amazing! We spoke about my drumming, which Daniele was quite impressed with, and my family ties with Guglionesi, and my recent acquisition of Italian dual citizenship, through my grandparent’s lineage. Given so much commonality, Adamo said, simply, “you must come”! Daniele echoed the sentiment and emphasized that I definitely would be playing on stage with his band. So, in essence, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse!

Three of my cousins had been to see our grandparents’ ancestral home and I thought it was time for me to make the pilgrimage, and given such a warm, heartfelt offer, I made my arrangements to go this past July. Two of my cousins also agreed to go, one just having a hip replacement and she was definitely a trooper! We met in Philadelphia airport, flew to Naples, Italy, rented cars and off we went and about 3 hours later we were in Termoli. We decided to stay in Termoli as my cousin's hip surgery left her not as mobile as she would have liked to have been. We then grabbed a shower, cleaned up and off we went to Guglionesi, not knowing what to expect when we got there.
The event itself was into its second day, as we just could not get there any earlier. When we arrived, we checked in, got our wristband and were full of excitement! It should be noted, it's about 6:30PM, and I just flew from PHX to PHL, to NAP, drove 3 plus hours, showered, and am now in Guglionesi, basically running on adrenaline! As sunset approached, I began to take in the surrounding areas of Guglionesi. It was beautiful and serene! Farm land as far you could see, with all rolling hills in every direction. In the distance, about 6 miles, you could see the Adriatic Sea, where my grandmother and grandfather would go to the beach. Tonight, we were entertained by local Italian musicians and people just dancing in the streets! It was very organic and authentic and the musicians were all village locals. That went on until about 9:30PM. At 10:30, the first of a number of Blues bands started! YES, at 10:30 the FIRST BAND STARTED!! Still high on adrenaline, we made our way to the next venue (also outdoors) and grabbed a couple of chairs as we were all getting tired. I hadn't seen either Adamo or Daniele as of yet, so I headed for the stage area and sure enough, there was Daniele setting up his drums! When he saw me, he gave me a big smile and came over and hugged me as a long-lost brother! I finally managed to find Adamo, who was problem solving, but when he saw me, also gave me quite a warm welcome! The band started up, and it was clear from the start, these were all very talented musicians. Top A players in my book. We listened and enjoyed the music, and I noted hundreds of people dancing, and they were all young! We were the old farts in the place! It was great to see the enthusiasm of so many young people swing dancing to Blues, something not seen in the US. Adamo, comes over to us and says I have a surprise for you! He then introduces us to someone that has the same last name as my grandmother (DeCurtis). He doesn't speak English and sadly, we don't speak Italian, so we implore Adamo to act as translator for a bit, so we could better know who he, and his family were! Indeed, it would appear he was related to my grandmother's side of the family and still resides in Guglionesi. My cousin pointed out that he had blue eyes and my mother was the only child of seven that had blue eyes. It was a wonderful family connection, courtesy of Adamo. It is now about midnight and we are all getting sleepy. The band is into its second number of the second set, when Adamo grabs the mic and asks everyone to come around the stage, as he has an announcement to make. Little did I know, I would be the subject of the announcement! Yes, I was the special guest, whose family roots are from Guglionesi, and I had just become an Italian dual citizen, and yes, I was also a great blues drummer and was going to play some drums for the crowd! OMG, this is a bit too much for me I thought! So, Daniele hands me his sticks, and off we go. I played my ass off, as more adrenaline kicked in and finished off the set with much crowd applause and appreciation. My cousins hadn't heard me play in decades and were very impressed that I could just jump in and play like that. Wow! That's all I could say! After still being awake, some 22 hours later, it all seemed like a blur as we drove back to Termoli. That was Day 1, a day that I will never forget!

The next day, we recovered as best we could and made our way back to the village. We had reservations for some wine tasting and other activities during the day and spent some quality time exploring the village. We went to the church my grandparents were baptized and married in, we went to see the home my grandmother grew up in, and unfortunately, it was abandoned as were so many places in the village. It seemed there was an ongoing effort to rejuvenate the village, so perhaps in time, my grandmother's place will once again have a family living in it. We tried to find our grandfathers home but apparently the street name changed and no one had any recollection of what it used to be. We even went to the town administration office to see if someone there would know but sadly, they didn't. A great dinner was had by all and the featured band that evening, starting at 10:30PM was the Kings of Blues! This is Blues royalty! Tony Coleman, and Russell Jackson (BB Kings rhythm section), along with Vasti Jackson on guitar, Sir Waldo Weathers on sax, and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne on the keys. These are the top players and easily could headline ANYWHERE in the world. Other acts at the event included The Stef Rosen Trio, Beverly Skeete, London Blues Collective (Daniele's band), Noreda and her Band, Martin Burgess Blues Band, Francesca Confortini Big Band, Francesca English, and the Newton Family. All high-quality players and performers. A typical big stage setup, located in town's square, was the location for this part of the show. What was different from US style festivals and quickly observed, was a HUGE dance floor! Probably 70' by 45” by my rough estimate with no chairs in front of the stage. About at 10PM, there was a dance competition held in front of the stage. It was great! The music was DJ'd but all Blues tunes. This was the first round of four to be conducted over the course of the festival. Another difference from US events was the relaxed security. I went behind the stage area and introduced myself to Tony Coleman, who was just sitting around killing time. I mentioned I missed him in PHX as he was a guest of the Phoenix area drummers group. He was very cordial and talkative I might add. We discussed his tour and where he was going next. I also had some conversation with Russell Jackson, who was close by. He was one of the judges that judged our IBC performance in 2017 at Rum Boogies. What was memorable, was after we finished, he came down personally to tell us we missed the finals by 5 points and we sounded great! He didn't have to do that, but he did. The band that beat us, ultimately finished second in the IBC, so we didn't feel too bad. He vaguely did remember that encounter, particularly when I mentioned Kenny Neal called up Renee Rice and Tommy Grills to play with him after the semi-finals were done that evening. Again, more great memories. With three other bands doing sets that night and into the wee hours, more unique attributes of this event came into focus. In a US style event, you would see seating in front of the stage. Not here! The dancers got top priority, and if you were there to listen, you basically did so, off the dance floor area. In fact you really could not stand up and watch from the front of the stage as you would become fair game for the dancers to knock into you! There was plenty of room on the perimeter of the dance area to view although the viewing was not all that great. You could easily view from the sides of the stage and get almost right up to though, so no problem with that view. At this point, I had met people from all over the world! China, Singapore, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Italy (of course), South Korea and it was truly an internationally attended event. I got home at 4:30AM. My cousins were smart enough to bail after the Kings of Blues!
The next days were similar, with lots of afternoon and early activities, some early afternoon and evening music, including some jams, and great featured acts from 10:30 to 4:00 AM. I should mention, all of these shows were outdoors!! So, a big thank you goes out to the villages of Guglionesi, as they tolerated a lot of loud music, many trying to sleep with windows open, until 4:00 AM, for that week! All in all, I, played on three separate occasions as a featured artist with Daniele's band, I got to meet at least one family relative, I got to see my family home village, where my grandparents were born and raised, and married, spent quality time with my cousins, I also did a radio interview, conducted in English, that was broadcast throughout the State of Molise, and played three times with a great band from London!
I will be going again, god willing, next year, and if anyone would like to go or has questions about the event, please reach out to me at drmmrboy52@gmail.com. Other than that, a pretty uneventful July in Italy! Ciao!
 

I Didn't Know What I Was Doing'

DeSylvester Paid Dues To Achieve Harp Stardom

By John Johnson

Like many of Arizona’s top blues musicians, Ray DeSylvester’s roots are in Chicago. But he wasn’t really a practitioner of the genre – or even much of a fan of it – during his youthful days in the Windy City.

DeSylvester, a 67-year-old Cottonwood resident known around the region as “Sweet Baby Ray”, has traveled a long, winding road with the harmonica that eventually landed him in the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. The journey is something he never could’ve imagined as a painfully shy kid who was way more into sports than music – and way more into classic rock than the blues.

“Learning the harmonica was a very slow process for me,” he said. “I couldn’t bend a note until I was 35 years old.”

The youngest of four boys, he came from a family with no musical background. He played saxophone for one year in elementary school (4th grade) but got heavily into sports the year after that, and his athletic exploits conflicted with band practice. He put down the sax and never picked it up again.

His interest in music got a big boost when he began listing to rock-and-roll on FM radio – the likes of Queen, Foghat and John Mayall – as a sophomore at a Catholic high school. He asked for and received an acoustic guitar for Christmas, but most of his interest was still focused on football, basketball and track and field.

A Mayall song inspired him to buy a $5 Hohner Blues Band harmonica, and he goofed around with it for a couple of years. Eventually a friend loaned him some blues albums by Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Albert King, John Lee Hooker and others, and he began to learn some of the easier harp licks from those.

He entered a school talent contest during his junior year and won it, playing a harp in the key of E.

“All my buddies were hollering and throwing money at me,” he said. “The nuns were the judges and I remember one of them saying ‘Wow, Raymond finally came out of his shell.’’’

It was during college at Western Illinois University where he truly fell in love with music. A friend turned him on to the J. Geils Band and the legendary harmonica tune “Whammer Jammer”, played by Magic Dick.

“That’s when I realized that the blues has a feel and a groove,” he said. “Around that time a friend took me to a Muddy Waters show with Jerry Portnoy on harp, and I couldn’t grasp what he was doing. It was like magic.”

He earned a degree in special education and was ready to enter the teaching field, but wanted out of the Chicagoland area. He didn’t want to work in the inner city and the suburban schools weren’t hiring recent graduates. Two of his brothers were living in the Phoenix area, so he headed out here to look for a job.

One night he went to a place called Chuy’s in Tempe to catch Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson’s act and the opening band was the Rocket 88s with legendary Phoenix-area harp player Bill Tarsha.

“He was just blowing me away,” DeSylvester said of Tarsha. “Also around that time, I saw Rick Estrin and S.E. Willis.”

Inspired once again, he bought a full set of harps in every key from a pawn shop and started going to local jams.

“Even then, I was just terrible,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

On a visit to his homeland, he went to see Pinetop Perkins at a local club, and a friend he’d gone with mentioned to Perkins that DeSylvester played harmonica. Perkins invited him to sit in and he waited for three hours, until about 2 a.m., before he was called to the stage.

“I was drunk and shaking like crazy,” he said. “Somebody said the song was in E and I took out an E harp because I didn’t know cross-harp. Somehow, I survived it.”

Back in Arizona, he continued to show up and local jams and started to figure things out. A cassette tape given to him by Hans Olson, who owned a bar called the Sun Club, give him a lot of encouragement.

He took a teaching job in Camp Verde and during his second year there, he linked up with fellow teacher Gary Morgan to form a blues duo called the Root Doctors that played gigs over a 10-year period. They made the finals in one of the first International Blues Challenge competitions in Phoenix. The next year, DeSylvester reached the finals as a solo act and received the award for Best Traditional Blues Artist from the Phoenix Blues Society.

He moved back to the Phoenix area in 1999 and played some coffee-house gigs with an outfit called the Hoodoo Casters, then joined a group called Evonne and the Blue Knights. He started going to Sunday jams hosted by the Rocket 88s, where his wife Dorothy had begun to sit in on the drums. They eventually joined with two guitar players to form a band called Blind Dog.

One night at the Rhythm Room, he got an impromptu lesson on playing octaves from owner and harmonica virtuoso Bob Corritore. He worked diligently on those, along with trying to develop a richer tone.

“I started listening a lot to Little Walter, trying to get that sound,” he said. “It took a long time before I understood all the different styles and I got a lot of that from (Corritore’s) radio show.”

He spent about three years playing with a band called JC and the Juke Rockers before moving back to Cottonwood. He started sitting in with a three-piece band there and one of the members tagged him with the “Sweet Baby” nickname.

After that came a stint with Big Daddy D and the Dynamites that lasted several years, concluding in 2019. These days he mostly plays as part of a duo, often with the multi-talented Willis, a Flagstaff resident and former member of the Elvin Bishop Band.

“I was eventually able to develop a pretty good tone and I put in a lot of effort hustling to get gigs, but I’d imagine that me getting into the (Arizona Blues Hall of Fame) was kind of political,” he said. “There are guys I think probably should’ve been considered before me and I think some people had a hand in lobbying for me to get in.

“I’ve enjoyed playing the blues with some great players, and of course it took me a very long time to get to a certain level. I still make some mistakes like missing the chord changes, but the tone is pretty much what it’s all about.”

  By Mike Todhunter

At 73- years-old, travel isn't all that it's cut up to be as in youth where every turn invites an exciting initiation into a wondrous world. So as Ginny and I began a much anticipated trip to Hilton Head, SC, via a Savannah stop, concluded by a Legendary Blues Cruise, we reflected on pianist/ humorist, Rev. Billy Wirtz's song, "Can't Get the Blues Blues"- reminding us that all things are interconnected in a dynamic balance of opposites. In short, vacations can run the spectrum between joy and unanticipated disappointment or as the Reverend would say : expecting the blues , in blues-speak: I lost my gal, my job, and my health, but later my PSA numbers went down, got a fat covid check for staying alive, and my lost dog wandered home. Hence, "Can't Get the Blues Blues" became a song and a reminder that the world turns in incomprehensible ways- unity and balance. Our vacation was no exception.

         And so it began when my emeritus brother called from Hilton Head to suggest that Ginny and I delay our arrival for fear that his cold may be contagious. No problem there, we love stays in Savannah- established in 1733 on the Savannah River by James Oglethorpe as the British colonial capital.  Known for its antebellum architecture, its port activity, its 22 continuous parklike squares, its cultural history, and not to forget, its great seafood and southern hospitality. How could we go wrong?

         Finally arriving in Hilton Head for the chance to catchup with lost time, eight inches of snow blanketed one of America's snowbird destinations paralyzing locals- shutting down nearly all business activity and forcing tourists to actually cook their own meals. Our Idaho friends would say, "That's not a snow!" Comedy prevailed watching residents with shivering tushes toss snow into the wind with garden shovels. Talk about blowback?

         With cold weather in our rearview mirror, and our attitudes primed for Roger Nabor's  Legendary Blues Cruise # 42 aboard Holland America's newest ship, the Rotterdam, we flew into Miami's hellish airport to eventually catch a cab to Fort Lauderdale. Our destinations were Tortola, BVI, St. Thomas, VI, and Puerta Plata, DR., but before we boarded, we had a cab to catch. But be warned that a Tijuana taxi might be thrillsville, but a Haitian cabbie making time on the I-95 makes no backseat joyride. Nothing like a white knuckler to ease the stress.

         Finally, aboard the Rotterdam, we made a beeline to Mitch Wood's Club 88 held in the BB King Room where Mitch and Travis Colby, Mitch's future successor, tickled the Baby Grands to fan's delight. Mitch gave Ginny and me the bad news that we unfortunately had to deliver to Chicago Bob's bassist, Gordon Jennings, and his wife, Kristan, and to Prescott's Gary and Renee Hoffman who will be joining us in Salt Lake for the Utah Blues Fest. Mitch had planned to be the Marriott's evening lounge entertainment but had been offered a Swiss Alps gig that conflicted with Utah. ( His newest CD, "Happy Hour", captures the feel of his "jump boogie" style.) No worries though because we were informed that the Neal Brothers of Nawlins fame would be his replacement.

          Even though many of the usual suspects routinely sail and perform for Roger Nabor's cruises, the novelty of meeting and seeing the future blues stars is like a child's Easter egg hunt- discovery and excitement wrapped in one. Like children, we were enthralled with the stage presence of neophytes- slick-dressing Piper and the Hard Times, DK Harrell and the Canadian blues brothers, the Blackburn Brothers. Piper, whose real name is Al Green (true enough), after 20 years of anonymity has put together a revue band that jumps with genuine vitality- each Hard Timer nailing it in their new CD, "Revelation". With the coolest street handles-  Al "Piper" Green, Steve "The Conductor" Eagan; drummer, Dave " Sexy Boy Himself" Coletta, pianist, Amy "The Professor" Frederick, and Parker " PH Funkstick" Hawkins, winning the IBC was self-evident. Big man, DK Harrell, another IBC, made a big splash with his with his performances and the release of his first CD, "The Right Man", produced by Kid Anderson's Greaseland Studios. Joining DK in the studio was a team of all-stars: the "Kid" himself, Jim Pugh on the keys, Tony Coleman ( BB King's long-time drummer), and background vocalists- Tia Carroll and Alabama Mike. As DK would say, "Not here for a long time, but here for a good time." Toronto's Blackburn Brothers- Duane, Brooke, and Cory- performed in the Crow's Nest with their powerful sound and were later joined by fellow Canucks: Colin James, angelic vocalist, Dawn Watson and Monkey Junk's Steve Marriner. Colin James's recent release,"Chasing the Sun", includes collaborations with Lucinda Williams and Charlie Musselwhite.

          Our ' 24 blues travels have been plentiful- taking us to the Utah Blues Fest, the Vegas Big Bender, Helena's King Biscuit, and our most recent blues cruise., so when we say that the best show that we saw in '24 was Tommy Castro's with his wife, Deanna Bogart, at Bob Corritore's Rhythm Room in Phoenix (They informed us that they would be returning in 2025), we don't say it lightly. They were equally dynamic on the Rotterdam. Together on the World Stage, they were joined by Magic Dick on the harp (J. Geils Band), and Bernard Allison (Luther's son) on the guitar.  Tommy and the Painkillers just released CD, " Closer to the Bone" is a must listen. Collaborating with Tommy and Deanna were a collective of blues heavyweights- Kid Anderson on the guitar; harp icons, Billy Branch and Rick Estrin, Chris Cain on the keys, and Jim Pugh on the piano/ organ. Castro left fans with some impressive resonator slide work in "Everywhere I Go" and the congenial Bogart displayed her artistry on the tenor sax. Their '25 Rhythm Room show can't come soon enough.

          It's a difficult act following Tommy Castro, but we had never heard blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd live. So when it was announced that the KWS Band with lead singer, Noah Hunt,  and piano man, Joe Krown, were going to be on cruise #42, we jumped on it. Biographically, KWS's real name is Kenneth Wayne Probst- born in Shreveport. He was self-taught and still doesn't read music. At the age of three, his Grandmother bought him a plastic guitar with her S&H green stamps. By seven, taken to the music of Stevie Ray Vaughn and having access to his radio personality and concert promoting Father's record collection, fame came early. Nominated for five Grammys, his 1995 LP, "Trouble Is", took seven singles into the top ten- the longest running album on the Billboard Blues Charts. By 2007 his acclaimed DVD-CD project, "10 Days Out", documented the backwoods tour with SRV's Double Trouble Band, recording with blues legends- Gatemouth Brown; harpist Jerry McCain, Chicago's Hubert Sumlin, Etta Baker, Honeyboy Edwards, "Big Eyes" Smith, and Pinetop Perkins. On the cruise, Noah Hunt, who's been in partnership with KWS since 1997 performed their signature song, "Blue On Black". The classic rock influences of the Stones, Pink Floyd, the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead evident in Kenny and Noah's blues rock style. Little known to blues enthusiasts, in 2013, KWS along with Stephen Stills and Barry Goldberg formed the "Rides" for LPs, "Can't Get Enough", and "Pierced Arrow"- Shepherd calling it, "The blues band of my dreams." His three shows, all performed on the World Stage packed the vibrating theater with ear-splitting applause. Joining Kenny on the final show, Memphis keyboardist, Victor Wainright, lit the house with Megatrain, followed shortly by Danielle Nicole and Brandon Miller for fan favorite, "Crosscut". The sons of blues legends, Bernard Allison and Ronnie Baker Brooks, joined in for a rousing finale-  Ronnie playing tribute to Bobby Bland.

         Chicago's Ronnie Baker Brooks, son on Lonnie, has seen his career take off with the release of his CD, "Blues in My DNA". His career was almost destroyed by the covid-19 pandemic, but through the internet, he hustled to establish a global audience through his worldwide tours while managing his own mailing lists. Signing with one of the premier promotions, Alligator Records, his CD is a listening must- one in which Lonnie would be proud.

         Barely discussed here are the many artists that we were unable to enjoy in person but still could through our late-night CCTV in-room broadcasts shown live from the BB King Room and from the World Stage. Also available were the countless blues documentaries. Years ago we saw the California Honeydrops perform outdoors in Big Sky, Montana, when they were pups. Today, far from their busker startup in the subways of Oakland,  Lech Wierzynski, with his vocals and trumpet, and his mates, travel the world sharing their NOLA-style music. Not to be outdone, Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman), the Mississippi Love Child, no longer wears his characteristic Mr. Poindexter glasses, but has exceeded levels of relevancy headlining inspiring gospel services- rekindling our souls with the Lord's spirit. Joined by Dylan Triplett, all the while dabbing his forehead like Louis Armstrong with his brow towel, Mr. Sipp reverently brought the audience to its feet with the hymn, "Thank You, Lord". The cruise headliner, Taj Mahal, joined by the Phantom Blues Band, briefly showcased the icon's music. But truth be told, Taj is near retirement- a condition facing us all at some time. But still, his immense contribution to the blues and to world music cultures is undeniable- stretching many decades. When the debate begins as to who rightfully belongs on the Mt. Olympus of the blues, Taj will join the likes of BB King, Buddy Guy, the Wolf, and Muddy Waters in the blue skies.

          In short, blues cruise if you can. There are no better folks than blues lovers. The artists mix with fans and energize every show for us. What possible misfortune could ruin such a time? The boats are floating petri dishes full of patiently waiting pathogens seeking their next victims. Your immune system had better be up to speed because woe be you if the bugs invoke Murphy's Law. The RSV and his many friends thrive in large social gatherings. So don't be surprised if you get the blues blues.

Road One South Returns to the Iconic Windsock with a Soul-Stirring Blues Performance

 By Tom Pallen

Road One South, the renowned blues band, made a triumphant return to the iconic Windsock, grabbing the audience with their soulful melodies and impeccable musicianship. Led by the charismatic frontman Freddie Freeman, the band delivered a mesmerizing performance that showcased their collective talent and deep-rooted love for the blues genre. With John Wurtz's electrifying guitar, Steve Rivera's grooving bass, Dwight D'Evelyn's pulsating drums, Ofer Harel's captivating percussion, and Jay Schermer's soulful harmonica, Road One South proved once again why they are a force to be reckoned with in the blues scene. 

From the moment Road One South took the stage, the energy in the room was palpable. Opening with a foot-stomping blues number, Freeman's powerful vocals immediately commanded attention. His expressive voice, reminiscent of the blues greats of the past, effortlessly conveyed the emotions embedded within each song. Freeman's skills on the keyboard were equally impressive, adding depth and texture to the band's sound. 

Wurtz's guitar work was nothing short of extraordinary. His mastery of the instrument was evident as he effortlessly transitioned between searing solos and delicate, nuanced melodies. Wurtz's passion for the blues shone through every note, leaving the audience captivated and craving more. 

Rivera's bass provided a solid foundation for the band's sound, creating a rich and resonant groove that kept the audience swaying throughout the night. His impeccable sense of timing and ability to lock in with D'Evelyn's dynamic drumming created a rhythm section that was tight and powerful. 

Speaking of D'Evelyn, his drumming skills were a highlight of the performance. From thunderous beats to intricate fills, D'Evelyn showcased his versatility and mastery of his instrument. His infectious energy was contagious, driving the band forward and keeping the audience on their feet. 

Harel's percussion added a layer of flavor to Road One South's sound. His expertly placed rhythms enhanced the overall groove and added an element of spontaneity to the performance. Harel's chemistry with the rest of the band was evident, creating a cohesive and tight-knit musical unit. 

Last but not least, Schermer's harmonica playing added a soulful and authentic blues touch to the band's sound. His ability to breathe life into each note and evoke a range of emotions was remarkable. Schermer's harmonica solos were a true highlight of the evening, drawing cheers and applause from the audience. 

Road One South's return to the Windsock was an unforgettable night of blues music at its finest. Freddie Freeman and his bandmates delivered a stellar performance that showcased their exceptional talent and genuine love for the genre. Their tight-knit musicianship, powerful vocals, electrifying guitar work, grooving rhythm section, captivating percussion, and soulful harmonica made for a truly memorable experience. Road One South's dedication to the blues shines through in every note, making them a must-see for any fan of the genre. With their remarkable performance at the Windsock, Road One South solidified their place as one of the top blues bands around.

By Mike Todhunter

Destination Helena, Ark., the King Biscuit Festival, and Clarksdale, Miss. in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, home of the blues, site of the Delta Blues Museum and the legendary Hwy. 49/61 where Robert Johnson made a blues bargain with the devil for unparalleled blues proficiency. A bucket list must for every blues lover, Ginny and I hit the road to experience the epicenter of blues history.

    The history of the Mississippi Delta and its blues connection is a continuum in time reaching back to when King Cotton ruled and slavery soiled our history, but from these field work chants, sorrow songs and haunting field hollers, the blues emerged. It was here that Bessie Smith died in an auto accident on Hwy 61 and that Muddy Waters and Pinetop Perkins drove tractors. Countless musical icons walked these streets- Ike Turner, Sam Cooke, John Lee Hooker, Son House, Howlin' Wolf, WC Handy, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Parker, Charlie Patton and contemporaries like Kingfish Ingram. The Clarksdale blues connection continues today unrelentingly with live music at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero, or at Sam Apple's "Bad Apple Museum and Lounge", the legendary blues club, Red's, and many more. You will find the Cat Head retail store here with old vinyls, hard-to-get CD's, prints and the usual memorabilia.

    But before we could immerse ourselves in the blues lore, we had a long, but interesting trek into the heartland, finding beauty and stories along the way that reminded us that to truly appreciate the greatness of this country, you must hit the road.

    Catching the I-40 eastward at Flagstaff, the interstate singularly paved our drive from AZ. to OKC. Curious and itching to case out the Casino 66 outside Albuquerque, we found the casino/hotel pleasant but nothing special. Continuing on into the Texas Panhandle, our Amarillo stop offered a vicarious thrill when at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar, we were treated to Jayden Daniels's NFL success when he nearly single-handedly threw and ran the Washington Commanders to victory. Jayden's father played ball for me for four years- the son having won the Heisman Trophy at LSU.

    The next days haul through W. Oklahoma was characterized by windmill farms of such enormous stretch that the fabled Don Quixote could easily have battled these transgressors for millenias while chasing his chivalrous delusions. Soon reaching the commercial port of Tulsa, where the Arkansas River sends produce to the greater Mississippi- eventually to the Gulf, we looked forward to a night at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel only to enter a parking lot maze. Desperately searching for the check-in site, in the lot we encountered the current and cordial Ms. Oklahoma- sash and all! As if an apparition, she popped out of the blue, so we snapped a few pics (confidentially I think she was stalking me and most likely digs old guys- NOT). It would be advised that any prospective sugar daddy be sure to take the skinny but pretty gal out for a good meal. It turned out that our stay at the Hard Rock was a big zero- Monday to Wednesday being dark.

    Onward to Bentonville and Rogers, Ark., there was nothing dark about the Sam Walton headquarters with all the new construction and multiple warehouses, the size of several sports complexes. Recently hit by a 20 mile wide tornado with six supercells, the Rogers damage was evident. Ginny's bridesmaid and small family farmer suggested that we go to the Daisy Airgun Museum- the airgun being every little boy's fixation. From 1880 until today, Daisy has been busy producing airguns beyond description and style- munitions enough to arm a child's militia. You haven't lived until you've seen a .50 caliber sniper airgun. No kid's stuff here.

    The trip's biggest thrill came when farm girl and showoff, Ginny, once more got behind the wheel of a John Deere tractor and cruised Liz's family farm. Not to be outdone, city-slicker Mike drove a combine for the first time and harvested soybeans with the driving accuracy of a one-eyed sidewinder taking driver's ed. It kicked up enough dust to give me the farmer's version of black-lung disease. It's a hard life.

    Getting to the rich entertainment spoils in Branson, Mo. on Hwy 76, also called the EE highway- the loud sound often heard on roller coasters, proved to be a two-hour trip on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride with so many ups and downs and twists and turns that the "Spirit of 76" should be nausea rather than patriotism. Post nausea was a joyous time- Branson's Mid-America hospitality an often spoken reality. The Sun Records Showroom featured David Brooks, one of the original cast members from the "Million Dollar Quartet" ( C. Perkins, J.L. Lewis, J. Cash and Elvis met at Sam Phillip's Sun Studios on Dec. 4, 1956 in a historic recording session). Brook's "On Fire" show was coupled with primary source big screen videos of the original "Killer". Later , attending the "Legends in Concert", we were treated to a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, Conway Twitty, the Judds, the Blues Brothers and Elvis. Needless to say, Belushi and Aykroyd stole the show.

    Traveling into the Mississippi Delta, we were about to reach our desired destination- The King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Ark. and Clarksdale, Miss., blues central. The two sites are only thirty miles separated- Helena on the 49 and Clarksdale on the 61. Both are divided by the Big Muddy . You can almost hear the Mark Twain calls. Massive levees protect and enrich the fertile flat farmland from frequent flooding. Sorghum, soybeans, and cotton fields flow as far was the eyes can reach. The climate is brutal most of the year, excepting for the Fall and Winter. Not far from the Crossroads, Hernando de Soto in 1541 claimed SE  North America a Spanish possession. Also, Helena's rich history included the Civil War Battle of Helena when in 1862 the Confederacy failed to retake Helena enabling the North to turn the tide at Vicksburg.

    Today the King Biscuit Fest has evolved out of the local Helena radio station, KFFA. "KB Time" was the nation's first radio program hosted by Sonny Boy Williamson II and devoted to American music blues. The longest running daily American radio broadcast in history was sponsored by King Biscuit Flour. Today the annual festival is the major music and cultural event between Memphis and New Orleans. It brings much needed revenue and pride to this impoverished region.

    Clarksdale takes full advantage of its blues status- attracting visitors across the globe, all the while maintaining that small and intimate blues club atmosphere that says: " No matter who you are, you are welcome here." Welcome we were, especially the money that we spent at the famous Cat Head retailer- scoring some Memphis Slim and Magic Slim CD's and getting the lay of the land from its proprietor. Shortly, we were greeted by Sean Apple and his black cat that had the run of the place and led into a blue ambient lit hole-in-the- wall and offered a Pecan Beer, the local brew. Sean, born with the gift of gab, played his slide guitar and related stories. One featured his journey to Holly Springs, Miss., home to three generations of Burnsides- patriarchs to the Hill Country blues. Sean brought his teenage girlfriend and guitar to the jam. She, having never heard the RL Burnside hypnotic one-note riff, gave him the evil-eye for bringing her along. Fifteen minutes later, miraculously, she wanted to dance. The blues will do that to you.

    Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero club was the quintessential big money establishment, albeit with good food ( the catfish servings from the Pleistocine Era) and had a definite blues motif. Local blues bands play there nearly every night as they did at Red's, an iconic blues dive that is indeed very red. For 40 years Red's has been a must stop with a friendly heavy blues vibe. But Clarksdale's gem proved to be the Delta Blues Museum- one of the best museums I have ever visited. Great pride and effort was put into its layout creating a real time sense of the blues long history- complete with old victrolas, reel-to-reels, juke boxes, old posters, musical artifacts, life-sized cutouts and all primary sourced! It was worth the trip.

    Equally enjoyable was the King Biscuit Festival proudly presented by the Helena community. Of the two main locales to the fest only the main stage charged admission. The big hustle was on Cherry St. directly behind the state-of-the-art main stage. Memorabilia stalls, Southern cooking and buskers filled every block. With a folding lounge chair and a spot of shade you could enjoy for free hours of down-home blues. For example, the Lockwood-Stackhouse Stage featured Johnny Rawls, Kevin Burt (IBC winner), Benny Turner, and more while at the front porch stage you could be entertained by Zakiya Hooker, "Super Chiken", Filmore Slim and" Beady Eyes" Smith. The Bit-O-Blues" Stage included the Delta Blues Museum Band and the Pinetop Boogie Woogie Workshop. But the big action occurred on the main stage. Thursday we heard DuWayne Burnside, Vasti Jackson, Ally Venable, Thornetta Davis and The Three Kings. Friday two IBC winners, Mathias Lattin and Keeshea Pratt (Koko Taylor reincarnate), showed, followed by Texan Carolyn Wonderland and Curtis Salgado. Saturday brought more heavyweights on stage- Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin, Anson Funderburgh( Fabulous Thunderbirds), Marquis Knox, Larry McCray and Mr. Booty, Bobby Rush.

    All told the trip exceeded our expectations. Gas was rarely over three dollars, food was reasonable, hotels well below AZ. costs with plenty of Midland and Southern hospitality. Clarksdale was costly as are most tourist towns, but given the state of the local economy, reaching deeper into our pockets seemed like a public service. Our nearness to the Big Muddy afforded us the opportunity to truly feel the culture and its endless agrarian landscapes. If you dig the blues, Clarksdale and Helena should be on your bucket list.

Tom Pallen  
This is a Prescott Blues.com interview with Mr. Chuck Hall. We’re here on March 29. It's Friday afternoon and we're at Creekside.

Tom Pallen  
Chuck, thank you for taking the time to meet with us.

Chuck Hall  
Well, thanks for having me, man. Appreciate it.

Tom Pallen  
So let's get right to it. You’re a blues man.

Chuck Hall  
I'm mostly known for that. mostly known for that. Absolutely. I do other things but yeah, the blues is in me.

Tom Pallen  
Why, why the blues?

Chuck Hall  
Well, you know, my musical background. My mother's a classical pianist. So that's the first music I ever heard. She's very skilled. We lived in Baton Rouge rural but outside of Baton Rouge, and you get in the car and the old man turns on the radio and there were all kinds of music on the radio. I mean, they didn't specify a specific genre or anything. It was Frank Sinatra to Elvis to John Lee Hooker for crying out loud. I heard John Lee Hooker and I remember Jimmy Reed. So, I was probably about seven or eight, seven or eight. Yeah. And it was regional music. You know where I was living at the time. Yeah, that's where those guys were from basically, although they were recorded in other areas. So that really stuck with me quite a bit. And it just comes naturally.

Tom Pallen  
So, you just got it and so you got the blues inside you.

Chuck Hall  
I guess. I've never had to learn it. I'll put it that way.

Tom Pallen  
What made you become a musician? Why music?

Chuck Hall  
Like I said, growing up in my house was like a garden of Eden of music. Because my mom played classical piano, and it was just beautiful. She also managed a record shop. So, my dad would bring home all this cool music and it was just, there was music going on all the time. And it drove me and my little brother, we would go kind of crazy. So, I still do. When I hear something that excites me, I'd still get that way. So, I guess it’s just a natural thing. Plus, my mom has a great picture of me. I was probably about three or so and three of my cousins and we're all in little cowboy suits. And she has a guitar on me. I don't remember doing that. I've just seen the picture. So mom, did you put me on a career path?

Tom Pallen  
When did you first pick up a guitar?

Chuck Hall  
About 11. Yeah. I first heard the sound of an electric guitar on a record my dad brought home and I'm like, what is that? That’s what I want. Well, it took about another two or three years before they got me a guitar. This was you know, back in the late 50’s or early 60s and guitars weren't prevalent like they are now.  So it took them a while to get me one and it was really hard to play. But I was like, I'm determined. So when I picked it up I actually played a chord. I didn't know what it was yet but I learned it was Em. But I could tell that it sounded right. It was not a good guitar and I would practice until my fingers would bleed.

Tom Pallen
But did you take lessons?

Chuck Hall  
When I got the guitar, I took six lessons with this guy. I still remember his name, Ray Ellis. And I remember him teaching so he could buy a brand new 1964 Stratocaster and I remember he showed me the guitar. That seafoam green they call it but what he sent me home with was a sheet of paper with lyrics to a song, you know, popular song and the chords. That was it. I blew through all that stuff pretty quick. And then I decided I kind of just started going on my own. So, it came easy to me. The hard part was putting in the work. You know golf and guitar and a lot of things kind of come easy for me. But the trick is, you got to really bust your ass to get good. Here's a great example. Tiger Woods hits about 1000 golf balls a day. Can you imagine? Yeah, so I messed around with it until I was in my late teens. I could have, if I had really been committed when I was a kid, I could have gone out and made a living probably when I was 15 or 16. But right around the time I hit about 20 and I'd had a bunch of stupid jobs I said to myself “Dude, you know you can make a living playing guitar”. So that's when I really started to bear down. And I spent about 10 hours a day playing guitar for about a year and it was damn hard. That's what I'm talking about work. And I still work hard at it. Yeah. So, you got to keep it fresh.

Tom Pallen  
What's that old saw about 90% perspiration? So, do you practice now on a regular basis?

Chuck Hall  
Oh, yeah. In fact, that's why I've been in Crown King this week. I decided I needed a little vacation. I had this one gig here. The owners of the saloon are so cool to let me stay in the room up above the saloon. Which is awesome. So I went up Wednesday night and yesterday was all day practice. And it's so silent. So quiet. Nobody's gonna mess with you. Really ready to get some shit done. Tomorrow and Sunday I'll be doing the same thing. But I just had this one gig that  here at Creekside tonight.

Tom Pallen  
Do you play any other instruments?

Chuck Hall  
I played drums for a while. I always loved the drums. And I had a buddy when we were about 12. He got a little drum kit. And he'd leave it in my garage, my parent's garage. And that's where we made noise. I spent a lot of time playing drums. But that's years ago. Same with piano. I kind of got to where I could play some stuff. I haven't been around a piano for years.

Tom Pallen  
You mentioned that your mom is a concert pianist.

Chuck Hall  
Oh, yeah, she is highly skilled. I know I heard her play  before I was born. And now, when I listen to classical music on the radio I'll hear pieces that she did. It's so cool.

Tom Pallen  
It's so cool. Now you write your own music too.

Chuck Hall  
I've probably written 200 songs. I'm not sure I lost track but most of them have been recorded. I got really lucky with a record label in Phoenix. They bought all my publishing and they get it on TV shows like Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and many others

Tom Pallen  
Your music is in all these shows.

Chuck Hall  
Sometimes it's kind of in the background. And then a couple of times, it's like right up front, right in your face and I'm like yo, 80 million people just heard that. So I've probably had about 50 songs placed over the last 10 years.

It’s like my own private social security fund.

Tom Pallen  
Where do you get your inspiration for music for what you're writing? Where's that come from?

Chuck Hall  
I don't know. That's hard to explain. It's like, a lot of times I would liken it to an arrow with a message on it. Hits me in the head. I gotta read the message and then get to work

Tom Pallen  
So, it comes to you comes out of somewhere.

Chuck Hall  
I have no idea where. I think to me, music is part of the universal energy. You know, the energy that drives the universe. And it's in there somewhere. Maybe my antenna is just dialed into it. I don't know.

Tom Pallen  
What musician out there really floats your boat. Who would you like to collaborate with? Who would you like to work with?

Chuck Hall  
You know, now that I've done the Windsock Sunday blues jam with Elvin Killerbee I think it would be interesting to try something with him. He’s got that Louisiana stank on it. I could tell when I heard him play. I get something good coming out of that. I did a collaboration a few years ago. I had never done this before. A buddy and I got together and spent two days a week for a year with a scratch pad and recording console and wrote and recorded like 30 songs. And it's on his

website. That was interesting. I'd never done that. Beyond that, I just seem to be kind of in my own little envelope.

Tom Pallen  
What female entertainer would you like to date?

Chuck Hall  
Well, I'm married so I'm dating the one I would like to date.

Tom Pallen  
Well if you're married...

Chuck Hall  
As far as playing with somebody, man, if you listen to that Muscle Shoals stuff that Aretha Franklin was on, you know, with the Muscle Shoals band. Holy cow. Loved it.

Tom Pallen  
Do any musicians out there inspire you? Anybody?

Chuck Hall  
Well, the first guy that really got me was BB King. And I'll tell you a little story. I've always just listened to everything. If I get excited by it, I don't care what it is. I have no genres that I adhere to, in my mind, right. But when Cream was just starting out, I read an interview with Eric Clapton. And he goes, they asked him what's this music? What's his style? He said, it's our version of American blues. You need to go find your blues guys in America. And he mentioned BB King and I went, okay, because I didn't know John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed were blues. I had heard them when I was a kid, but I had no idea what it was called. Right. So, I went and bought a BB King record immediately. I was about 13. Put it on, I go, oh, I know what this is. I've seen him a bunch of times. We opened for him in Phoenix in 1984. And I've met him a couple times. And I would say he's the biggest single influence on me. BB King, what a gentleman. The guy was amazing. And the first time I went to see him was with three buddies. We all had long hair and wore jeans. You know that show was on the other side of town in Dallas over 50 years ago. We walk in and it’s all black folks. And they're all dressed to the nines, to the nines. And we’re in our jeans. Yikes, feeling stupid. And BB came out and he killed it. I was in tears. It was so powerful. Because at that point, he'd been touring with the same band on the road 300 days a year for maybe 20 years at that point close to 20 years. We met him that night, too. He saw us hanging around. Boys hanging out. And he invited us to his dressing room. I got to play Lucile. It was amazing. And yeah, he’s easily the single most important influence.

And, I’d like to mention my wife Mary Ann as well. She’s been a big part of all the music I've done for the last 13 years. She is a great sounding board, she puts up with all the repetition required while practicing and she helped me deepen my commitment to it. It would be a different thing without her.

Tom Pallen
And how did it feel to wind up opening for BB?

Chuck Hall  
I can't describe it.  And I don't know if you know the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. It's the one with the rotating stage. I’d been in Phoenix about 6 months and the band I was in had already established a fairly big reputation. So people were yelling out my name in between songs which blew me away of course. It was electric. I remember telling my mom a few days later that I felt I was onto something here.

Tom Pallen  
50 years ago?

Chuck Hall  
It was 1984. That's 40 years ago. And over the course of being in Phoenix, I've opened for BB King, Albert King, Albert Collins. A long list of other ones but those are the guys that really stoked it for me, you know? I mean, we opened for what was left of Marshall Tucker, Robin Trower, Johnny Winter, he was another one who blew me away when I heard him . Yeah, just flat blew me away.

Tom Pallen  
Yeah. What's the favorite performance of your career? Now you've had a long-storied career you've played with the Masters you've played with the best in the business. You are the best in the business, so what's your favorite performance? The Jam at the Windsock Sunday was huge by the way. The blues jam. It was so much fun.

Chuck Hall  
You know, I mean, we opened for Cheap Trick and that was about 20,000 people. So that would have been my biggest crowd. We did a show in Sweden, where we were part of a huge festival in this town, and they had us on the blues stage. We were there two nights and the sound engineer spent the first night dialing in the sound. The second night it sounded so incredible. I remember looking at the top of people's heads from way up while I was playing and listening to myself as if it was someone else and going man it sounds so good.

Tom Pallen  
Okay. What's the best part of being a musician?

Chuck Hall  
Playing music. That's my blood. And it took me a while to really fully embrace that  because I knew, you know, it would take a lot of hard work and I tend towards being lazy.

Tom Pallen
So, you're just the guy who played for 10 hours a day for a few years. I don't think lazy fits you

Tom Pallen
What skills have you gained that help you perform at your peak?

Chuck Hall  
That's a good question. My approach has always been that I want to be as good as I think I can be. And I'm going to do what I like. That makes me happy, and if somebody else gets into it, awesome. That's the way I approach it. 
Tom Pallen  
Everybody was bobbing their head moving around, body movement. They loved you at the Windsock. And we're gonna love it again when you Rock the Sock on April 13th. Do you think you can get any better as a musician?

Chuck Hall  
At this point, it's maintaining focus. And to that end, I spent a lot of time playing scales and working on just technical stuff. just to keep me really in it, you know, engaged. Fundamentals. yeah, absolutely. a lot of time I spend on that. Actually, I use a scale system that was created by Andre Segovia, which I'm so glad I found.  So for my students this is extra credit, because this requires, it can be excruciating at first. But once you get into it, you know, you'll start to see the benefits. And so you're going to come back next week tell me, Wow, this is great. Or I don't want to do this. So I'm not going to force it on you. I'm going to give it to you and let you try.

Tom Pallen  
So how long have you been teaching?

Chuck Hall  
I went through a period back in the early 90s, where I taught for maybe a year. I can't remember but I didn't have that many students. I never considered myself a teacher. My mother is a teacher. I grew up watching that for 60 years and that's the classical discipline. Which is you take a Mozart piece and put it on your stand on the piano, and you know how to read the music. And because of the Italian words to tell you the emotions and the passions and the tempo, etc. And she'll just sit down and go. By comparison I really didn’t consider myself a teacher. So I did that for a little while and then I picked it back up right before COVID. Since then I've been teaching for about two and a half years solid. And I was given a great opportunity by Ed who owns a guitar shop in Cave Creek, Black Mountain Guitar. And I said, I gotta take advantage of this. So I just dove in and I hope my first few students cut me a little slack because I've been learning on the job. You know, I think I've gotten a little better at it.

Tom Pallen  
Have any of your students gone on to become professionals?

Chuck Hall  
I haven’t been teaching that long and most of them are just playing for fun. I do have this one kid Reno. And he was already playing really well and he just wanted to pick up some of what I do. So, we would just jam and he'd stop me. Oh, what was that? How'd you do that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, because that kid he's smooth.  And he's totally intuitive.

Tom Pallen  
What’s  the best piece of advice you could give to a musician, an aspiring musician?

Chuck Hall  
It's a commitment. And it's funny. It's hard to make a commitment a lot of times, but once you do, then it gets easy. Because now my mind is right there. And that goes for everything. Anything you endeavor, you know, relationship, golf. Whatever. You made that commitment, and now you're kind of on the other side of the fence. And that's where you stay.

Tom Pallen  
What's the best piece of advice anybody ever gave you regarding music?

Chuck Hall  
Boy, that's a tough one

Tom Pallen  
Well, let's get back to that. Something may bubble up here.  What would you do if the audience looked bored or restless or, you know, they just weren't responding, what would you do?

Chuck Hall  
That has happened in the past. Because, like, like I mentioned before, sometimes you're just in the wrong place. I don't know how many gigs I've played in my life, and there's gonna be a few of them that you're just in the wrong place.

Tom Pallen  
Get Paid, move on. What's the worst gig you've ever had? I mean, the very worst.

Chuck Hall  
I do have an answer for that. We were in Detroit. We got hired by a local biker club to play. And the gig was no fun. But we thought we were getting paid. And the guy at the end of the night that owns the joint came out with a chrome pistol and said “boys, I ain't paying you tonight.”

Tom Pallen  
Damn!

Chuck Hall  
Yeah, I guess you're not paying...

That was pretty bad. It was a biker bar. Biker club, okay. And he walked out with that pistol and I'm like, this isn't going in the right direction now.

Tom Pallen
What's your favorite song?

Chuck Hall  
Whatever I’m playing usually.

Tom Pallen
What about outside interests? What do you do? What would you do if I was walking into your garage? What would I see?

Chuck Hall

Oh, some old amps I don't use anymore. I travel very light. Some old golf clubs, tools I don’t use any more. I have to protect my hands, you know.

Tom Pallen  
How long have you been in the Valley?

Chuck Hall  
I moved to Phoenix in February of 1984.  We moved from Baton Rouge to Dallas when I was 10. And then I moved from Dallas to Detroit and lived up there in 83 because disco kind of killed the live music scene in Dallas. We were touring around, Midwest, Southwest and it could be tough with that disco crowd. And so I then picked up with this guy from Detroit. He said we can get work in Detroit. So, we did that for a year. And I found a really good bass player. I hadn't had much luck with that before. Oddly enough in Texas, you know,  it was the time everybody wanted to play like Yes.  And I'm like play me a groove. They wouldn't do it.  Well, this guy Scott  that I hooked up with in Detroit. He played bass. One day he goes, Hey, let's move to Phoenix. Now we were doing pretty good up there. I went shit. I don't want to look for another bass player. Let's go and that's how I ended up here. Literally. And we had a drummer so the three of us came on down.  And the drummer was a great guy but ended up having some  problems I just couldn’t deal with and plus I knew another guy that I played with in Texas. So I contacted him and he came out great, great drummer. And we're still friends, the three of us and we had a band for six years. It's probably my biggest claim to fame. It was called Chuck Hall and the Brick Wall. Still to this day people recognize me from that.

Tom Pallen  
You've a member of the Blues Hall of Fame, right? When were you inducted?

Chuck Hall
Roughly 99. Right after they started it, actually. Right around there. Yeah, and a great friend of mine, Hans Olsen was part of the organization from the start. Next thing I know, I'm getting a call and I've been inducted. Congratulations. I'm like awesome.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, one of my favorite joints is the Windsock. When I first I lived in Prescott back around 2015. for a while we were right down the street . I don't know how long you've been going in there but the evolution of that place is pretty remarkable. We’d go in and there was a little tiny stage with a wooden rail around it. And not much going on. I never met Connie at that time. Then Scott O'Neal, whom I've known for a long time mentioned a blues jam. Yeah, well, either that or a gig. I can't remember that. But I think it was first the blues jam.  I hadn't been in there at that point in a while. I get there and there's a beautiful stage. And a PA and lights. She's committed to this. And then it's obvious that the blues works very well there.  So if anybody deserves to be a club owner in the Hall of Fame that's Connie because  she’s earned it.

Tom Pallen  
Yeah, absolutely. Connie's an angel. We're talking about you Connie.  Chuck, I'm having the time of my life here. I really, I really enjoy interviews. I really enjoy this kind of exchange and to learn about you. To know what makes you tick. Very cool. Well, people want to know this stuff. People want to hear about and know about their heroes.

Chuck Hall  
Speaking of interviews, I haven't thought of this in a while. A friend of mine who happens to be James Earl Jones’ stepbrother or half brother. I can't remember which one. I don't know the difference. approached me about doing an interview show. And he would get guys like Johnny Winter or you know, on that level, okay, and I'd be the interviewer. Oh, no. Oh shit. I'm gonna have to study if I want to do this. It never came to fruition and I don't remember why. But I was almost a little relieved.

Tom Pallen  
It's easy, just like bullshiting with your best friend. If you had a message for your fans, what would it be?

Chuck Hall  
Thank you! I'm thankful for the people that come to support me. You know, it's a synergistic relationship. I come out and I do what I do. And I've obviously spent a lot of time getting it to where I'm getting close to where I want it. I always want to be perfect, but that’s  impossible! It’s great when people enjoy and support what we do. So, THANK YOU! What else can I say? Right?

Tom Pallen  
You know, that's a good way to end. Awesome man. That is a good way to end off thanking your fans. And I want to thank you for taking the time. I know you're a busy guy. Well, I know you got a lot of stuff going on. And your lunch got cold, but still good. But I really appreciate the fact that you took the time

Chuck Hall  
Well, and I would have to include you in the thank you to the fans because you're supporting what we do as well. It was much appreciated.

Tom Pallen  
Well, that's what we're here for. Thank you, Chuck.

Chuck Hall  
Yeah, you bet buddy.
 

Review: Big Daddy D and the Dynamites featuring Betty Jo Vachon 

By Tom Pallen 

Big Daddy D and the Dynamites featuring Betty Jo Vachon put on an electrifying show that left the audience in awe. With an ensemble of incredibly talented musicians, this performance was a memorable journey through the blues genre.  

Dr. Bob Sellani on drums set the tone right from the beginning with a captivating opening act. His drumming was nothing short of spectacular and it was evident that he brought a wealth of experience to the stage. And the way he ripped open "Hip Shake" was simply mind-blowing, and it instantly drew the crowd into the groove.  

Scott Jeffy on bass provided a rock solid and groovy foundation for the band. His basslines were tight, and he effortlessly held the rhythm section together, allowing the other musicians to shine.  

Darryl Porras (aka Big Daddy D), with his soulful vocals and mesmerizing guitar skills, showcased the heart and soul of the blues. His performance of "Nasty Habits" was filled with emotion, and his guitar solos were nothing short of breathtaking.  

But it was Betty Jo Vachon who stole the show with her incredible voice. Her rendition of "Chain of Blues" was one of many highlights of the evening. Her powerful vocals resonated throughout the venue, leaving the audience in awe of her talent and stage presence. She brought a unique energy to the stage that was truly unforgettable.  

The chemistry between the band members was palpable, and their synergy on stage was a testament to their years of experience and dedication to the blues. Each member brought their A-game, and it was evident that they were in their element.  

This show was undoubtedly one for the books and a testament to why the Windsock is in the Blues Hall of Fame. Big Daddy D and the Dynamites featuring Betty Jo Vachon delivered a performance that was unparalleled. It was a night filled with soulful blues, incredible musicianship, and a whole lot of heart. If you ever have the chance to see them, don't miss it – it's an experience you won't forget.

BIG DADDY D    
         https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-band/Big-Daddy-D-and-the-Dynamites-159634094130074/ 

DENNIS HERRERA

     http://DennisHerrera.com

DR. BOB 

         https://www.reverbnation.com/musician/robertsellani

CATBONE

     http://catbonebluesband.com/band-bios.html

CHICAGO BOB AND THE BLUES SQUAD 
         http://chicagobobandthebluessquad.com

CROS CHARLES MAC

         https://www.cros.rocks/

DIRTY RED AND THE SOUL SHAKERS

      http://dirtyredandthesoulshakers.com/index.html

FREE RADICALS 
       https://www.facebook.com/groups/237954696935175/ 

MOTHER ROAD TRIO

        https://motherroadtrio.com/

ROAD ONE  SOUTH

        https://www.facebook.com/RoadOneSouthBand

POPPY HARPMAN AND THE STORM 
       https://www.facebook.com/PoppyHarpmanAndTheStorm

SCOTT O'NEAL BAND 
       https://thescottonealband.com/

S E WILLIS

      https://sewillis.net/home

SIR HARRISON

       https://www.facebook.com/SirHarrisonBand

SHAW SQUARED

    https://www.facebook.com/shawsquared901/

SWAMP POETS
       https://www.facebook.com/ElectricSwampPoets/

TOMMY DUKES

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100031934606088

10/12 CLUB, CLARKDALE 

AD ASTRA BREWING COMPANY 

ALCANTARA WINERY

BACK ALLEY WINE BAR

BLUES BREWS AND BBQ, FLAGSTAFF

CHARLY'S PUB, FLAGSTAFF

CREEKSIDE LODGE AND CABINS

FOUNDING FATHERS COLLECTIVE

GRANITE CREEK WINERY

LAZY G's

MARK'S BEERGARDEN

MOGOLLON WINERY

OAKMONT GRILL, SEDONA

THE ATTIC

THE POINT

RAVEN

ROUTE 66 PLAZA, WINSLOW

SOUND BITES GRILL, SEDONA

THUMB BUTTE DISTILLERY

WINDSOCK

Special thanks to Daryl Weisser for photos of local bands and memories from Doheny

Northern Arizona Blues Alliance         https://nazba.com/home-page

The Blues Foundation                           http://blues.org

The HART Foundation                           https://blues.org/hart-fund/

Daryl Weisser Photography                 http://darylweisserphotos.com

PV Music                                                   http://prescottvalleymusic.com

Mercy Guitar and the Fiddle Doctor   http://www.thefiddledoctor.com

World's Best Cosmo Recipe                  https://youtu.be/7OmkFqy0-9I     

Grey Dog Guitars                                     https://www.graydogguitars.com/

This link will take you to the PBN Archive - Features and Interviews

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ykvetcqztkoeub6/AACNO6j-gabvM1ZQUHf10FT6a?dl=0