Crossroads

1. James Hunter Six – Nick of Time (Daptone)
2. Jimmy Johnson – Every Day of Your Life (Delmark)
3. Whitney Shay – Stand Up! (Ruf)
4. Roomful of Blues – In a Roomful of Blues (Alligator)
5. Frank Bey – All My Dues Are Paid (NOLA Blue)
6. Phantom Blues Band – Still Cookin’ (Vizztone)
7. Tinsley Ellis – Ice Cream in Hell (Alligator)
8. Chanda Rule + Sweet Emma Band – Hold On (PAO)
9. Robert Cray Band – That’s What I Heard (Nozzle)
10. Jimmy Carpenter – Soul Doctor (Gulf Coast)
    

It’s “New Month/New Music” time as Crossroads teams up with Global Village and Strange Currency at the beginning of every month to feature the best in new blues releases.

Among the highlights this time:

• The return of Blind Lemon Pledge
• A live double set from Watermelon Slim
• Ben Rice and RB Stone teaming up for a Cigar Box Guitar Project
• Chicago blues woman Liz Mandeville
• Volume two in a new series from Rory Block saluting women of the blues
• And reissues featuring T Bone Walker, and the Crescent City’s Johnny Adams and Lee Dorsey.

Friday, March 27 and Monday, March 29

Crossroads wraps up the March feature of music from the great Memphis Thomas family this time. We’ll hear a rare straight-ahead blues album from Rufus Thomas, a solo project from Vaneese Thomas, a ‘60s hit from Carla Thomas, and a guest appearance from Marvell Thomas with the Staple Singers.

Crossroads also marks birthdays of award-winning Canadian blues artist Sue Foley, Texas blues great Johnny Copeland (the April featured artist along with daughter Shemeika Copeland), and boogie woogie piano player Camille Howard (including a special featuring her music in hour two of the show).

Plus the latest releases from Annika Chambers, the Forty Fours, Whitney Say, Roomful of Blues, and Matchedash Parish.

Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22

Crossroads continues the March feature of music from the great Memphis Thomas family. We’ll hear a hit from father Rufus Thomas, a Little Milton album that featured keyboardist and arranger Marvell Thomas, and an album in tribute to her father from Vaneese Thomas this time.

Crossroads also marks March 20th birthdays of pianist, singer and songwriter Marcia Ball, saxophonist and Howlin’ Wolf band member Eddie Shaw, roots blues great Jimmie Vaughan, and also gospel legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe (including a special about her in hour two of the show).

We’ll also hear the latest from the James Hunter Sic, Jimmy Johnson and Mike Zito.

Friday, March 13 amd Sunday, March 15

Crossroads kicks off this month’s feature of music from the Thomas family, this time with music from Carla and Vaneese Thomas, daughters of R&B pioneer and Stax hitmaker, Rufus Thomas.

We also remember Little Charlie Baty, founder of Little Charlie & the Nightcats, who passed away last Sunday.

There are birthday salutes to bluesmen Lightnin’ Hopkins and Melvin Taylor.

And we’ll hear new music from the James Hunter Six and preview blues concerts in the coming week.

1. Frank Bey – All My Dues Are Paid (NOLA Blue)
2. Johnny Rawls – I Miss Otis Clay (Third Street Cigar)
3. Tinsley Ellis – Ice Cream in Hell (Alligator)
4. Dave Specter – Blues from the Inside Out (Delmark)
5. Al Basile – B’s Hothouse (SweetSpot)
6. Levee Town – City Hall (Levee Town)
7. Jimmy Carpenter – Soul Doctor (Gulf Coast)
8. 11 Guys Quartet – Small Blues and Grooves (Vizztone)
9. Phantom Blues Band – Still Cookin’ (Vizztone)
10. Mark Hummel – Wayback Machine (Electro-Fi)
    

Friday, March 6 and Sunday, March 8

It’s “New Month/New Music” time as Crossroads teams up with Global Village and Strange Currency at the beginning of every month to feature the best in new blues releases.

Among the artists featured this time:

• The Robert Cray Band
• Blues and roots slide guitar master Sonny Landreth
• UK retro soul band The James Hunter Six
• Soul blues guitarist Dave Keller in concert
• Blues Music Award and Blues Blast Soul Blues nominee Whitney Shay
• Blues rockers Jeremiah Johnson
• Donald Kinsey, veteran Chicago bluesman and Peter Tosh band member, with his first new songs under his own name in over 40 years
• And Roomful of Blues, with their first new studio album in nine years.
  

Friday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1

Crossroads wraps up the February Soul Blues feature with more music from Otis Clay, along with tracks from Little Milton, Mighty Sam McClain, Johnny Rawls, John Nemeth with the Bo Keys, and soul blues pioneer Bobby Blue Bland. We’ll hear some classics from Bland in hour one and then a concert special in hour two featuring a band led by his son along with specials guests John Nemeth, Janiva Mangess and Sugaray Rayford. We’ll also hear the latest from saxophonists Mindy Abair and Terry Hanck, K.C. favorite Nick Schnebelen, and guitarist Tinsley Ellis.

Friday, February 21 and Sunday, February 23

Crossroads marks birthdays of Rhiannon Giddens, Johnny Winter, Nina Simone, and Corey Harris (including a concert special featuring Harris in hour two of the show).

Plus more soul blues sounds for the February feature including music from Little Milton, Frank Bey, Tad Robinson, and Grady Champion (with a tribute to soul blues star ZZ Hill).

There’s music from Blues Music Awards nominees Hudspeth & Taylor, and Rick Estrin & the Night Cats and Crossroads also previews local and regional concerts for the coming week.

Friday, February 14 and Sunday, February 16

Crossroads features soul blues throughout February in honor of Otis Clay’s birthday on the 11th. We highlight the gospel side of Otis Clay (including a classic song that he redid with Carla Thomas – the March featured artist on Crossroads along with her father Rufus Thomas and sister Vaneese Thomas) in hour one and turn things over to a Beale Street Caravan show in tribute to Clay that first aired shortly after his passing in 2016.We’ll also hear some great soul blues tracks from Sugaray Rayford (a multiple nominee in this year’s Blues Music Awards) and Wee Willie Walker, recently announced Maple Blues Awards winners JW-Jones and Colin James, and check out the latest from the Altered Five Blues Band and Dave Specter.