Mr. V (James Vaughn) of Mr. & Mrs. V on Houston’s 90.1, KPFT — HDR Image by kenne
Mike Durbin of the Moe Hansum Band — Image by kenne
The Houston Blues community is feeling the pain. Two of the communities well known personallities past away this past week. To hornor the memory of these Houston friends, I’m sharing a Diunna Greenleaf video I posted several years ago — Growing Up and Growing Old in the Fellowship of Family and Friends.
— kenne
Gary Clark Jr. (09/21/01) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
We first saw Gary Clark Jr. in Humble, Texas at the Cactus Moon at age sixteen (November 2000).
The original image for the above art was taken the following September
at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston where he appeared with Diunna Greenleaf.
— kenne
Jonn Del Toro Richardson at the Corner Pub in Conroe Texas (11/03/07) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Jonn played lead guitar for Diunna Greenleaf for several years before going out on his own. The following video combines two clips, one in a club setting, another in a festival setting in which Jonn and Bob Corritore jam with Diunna.
Texas Johnny Brown & Diunna Greenleaf (12-02-06) at Houston’s Big Easy — Image by kenne— Michael Bublé
The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona (February 28,2020) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
It’s been several years since we have seen our good friend Diunna Greenleaf live.
So, when we learned that she was going to appear at The Rhythm Room in Phoenix,
On February 28th, we made plans.
Charley Parker, A.J. Murphy, Diunna Greenleaf, Kenne Turner, Dale Armet
We have known and loved her music since she worked with us to form
The Friends of The Blues — Montgomery County in the north Houston area in 2000.
Bob Corritore and Diunna Greenleaf — Photos and Video by kenne
Since we first met Diunna, she has won many Blues Music Awards,
including the ‘Koko Taylor Award’ twice.
— kenne
Going through some old photos, I found some I took at a 2002 Fotofest event, State of the Blues.
Since we were recently in Houston visiting family, I thought this would be an appropriate time to revisit the State of The Blues.
— kenne
Joe “Guitar” Hughes (Fotofest 2002)
Joe “Guitar” Hughes (Fotofest 2002)
Joe Hughes and Oscar Obear (Fotofest 2002)
Joe Hughes and Trudy Lynn (Fotofest 2002)
Joe Hughes and Trudy Lynn (Fotofest 2002)
Trudy Lynn (Fotofest 2002)
Trudy Lynn and Joe Hughes with Diunna Greenleaf Looking On (Fotofest 2002)
Fotofest 2002 — Images by kenne
The Blues Always Tells a Story!
At a February of 2009 fundraiser
for Diunna Greenleaf, Mean Gene Kelton
was one of several musicians playing for the cause.
In addition to being a great musician,
Mean Gene is a master storyteller
in the oral tradition of what I refer to as
“Rural Mississippi Backporch” style — I love it!
In this video, Mean Gene shares a Dallas Texas gig experience
he and his band had traveled with Diunna, before going into
playing, “I Play the Blues for a Livin’.”
kenne
Video at the Big Easy in Houston, Texas
Gary Clark and Diunna Greenleaf (September 2001) — Digital Art by kenne
— kenne
Jonn Richardson, Diunna Greenleaf, and Bob Corritore — Image by kenne
I didn’t realize how much I needed a “Diunna Fix” till I was out doing a morning walk listening to my iTunes music. I like to shuffle through the music, when “Growing Up and Growing Old” (On the CD, Trying To Hold On) started playing, which is one of my favorite Blues/Gospel tunes. I knew then, I would be listening to more Diunna today.
“I Aspire to Inspire Before I Expire” — Diunna Greenleaf
Video by kenne
Jonn Richardson and Diunna Greenleaf — Image by kenne
We are pleased to have known Diunna for about twenty years. Joy and I consider her a very close friend. And when it comes to singing the Blues, there’s none better. Here’s another video from the same show, in case you also need a “Diunna Fix.” Get a load of Jonn’s guitar playing need the end of this video, the Del Toro really comes out!
— kenne
Video by kenne
Diunna & Joy, my Zen Women — Image by kenne
Music Explosion — Abstract Image of Diunna Greenleaf by kenne
Words filling the air
Expressing an enchanted
Anecdotal truth
— kenne
Diunna Greenleaf (CD Party, December 2006)
— Image by kenne
Jonn Del Toro Richardson and Diunna Greenleaf — Image by kenne
Tonight, two of our favorite blues musicians, Jonn Del Toro Richardson and Diunna Greenleaf, won awards at the 2017 Blues Music Awards in Memphis — Jonn for Best Emerging Artist Album and Diunna for the Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist). Congratulations to Jonn and Diunna, we love you both!
— kenne
Do You Want Be To Stay — Diunna Greenleaf, Jonn DelToro Richardson and Bob Corritore Video by kenne
Houston Legend, Earl Gilliam and Jonn Richardson at the Big East, (February 15, 2009) — Image by kenne
Lately I have been listening to an Otis Taylor CD. Coincidentally, my friend Jonn Del Toro Richardson posts on Facebook a Otis Taylor, Gary Moore & Jonn Richardson video from 2006 — karma!
I’ve followed the musical career of Jonn over the last decade. The Blues world has a lot of great Bluesmen, but few as good, yet not recognized as Jonn. Yes, among Blues musicians Jonn is admired for his talent, but for many Blues fans he is under the radar. For years Jonn has toured with better known musicians, and collaborated on releasing CDs, but no solo CD — it’s time for his own CD!
Now there’s an opportunity to help Jonn reach his funding goal to produce his first solo album. Click here for more information.
Here are three of videos of Jonn I have done — yes, he is the “REAL DEAL!”
IBC Blues Jam, 2010
The Real Deal with Rich DelGrosso at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, 2011
Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy @ Rhythm & Roots Concert Series In Tucson, 2012 — Jonn and Diunna bring it on home in this video!
Ruthie Foster and Diunna Greenleaf, Heritage Place, Conroe, Texas (June 2, 2005) — Image by kenne
Jonn Richardson, Diunna Greenleaf and Bob Corritore — Image by kenne
We have thought more about Houston lately and our many “blues” friends. Since moving to Tucson from The Woodlands, we have stayed in touch via the Internet, social media and other electronic media. Friday, we learned via Facebook that our good friend, Mary Harris (aka, Ken & Mary of Ken & Mary’s Blues Project) was in the hospital after having a lung collapse — gotta be hard on breathing! The news is good, she is resting and getting better all the time.
Each time we go to Houston visiting family, we tried to include friends, which is not always easy. So, Ken & Mary are a “must see,” because we love them and they are soooo connected to all our blues friends in the Houston area, therefore we try to schedule trips around Ken & Mary’s house concerts. (Sometimes we can only schedule lunch.) We could go on and on with superlatives, but we will let past and future posting on the blues and Ken & Mary do the talking.
When time allows, we stream KPFT on Sunday morning, listening to Mr. & Mrs. V, who we are pleased to say have been a part of our circle of friends for almost as long as we have known Ken & Mary — our circle has grown to include blues in Tucson and Phoenix, with the likes of Marty Kool , KXCI, and all the great blues Bob Corritore brings into Arizona at his “Rhythm Room” in Phoenix.
This morning, we were streaming KPFT, knowing the the V’s would mention Mary’s hospitalization. We stepped away from the computer for a moment, when returning we heard Diunna Greenleaf singing one of our favorite Diunna songs, “Growing Up and Growing Old.” Given Mary’s situation, having heard Diunna sing it on several occasions, plus having the CD, I kept saying to myself, “myself, I thing I videoed her singing this song when she and Jonn were here at Plaza Palomino’s Rhythm & Roots Concert Series, Tucson, Arizona, and the Bisbee Blues Festival. Hoping that I had not lost the clips from their time here in September 2012, my Sunday became an “age like fine wine” project, in more ways than one.
Here’s the video, dedicated to Mary — hope we continue to hear great news on your recovery, Mary!
kenne & joy
Gary & Diunna
Gary Clark Jr. and Diunna Greenleaf At Miller Outdoor Theater, Houston, September 21, 2001 — Image by kenne
This is one my favorite photos of Diunna, which captures one her classic looks — it’s so Diunna. Here, 17 year old Gary Clark Jr. is getting the “evil eye.”
Earlier in 2001, when he was 16, Gary represented Houston in the International Blues Competition.
It’s because of musicians like Diunna and Gary that the blues is alive and well –if you think not, you need to check out this KCRW, “Live In Studio” set.
This is one jamming live set by the best Texas has to offer.
http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb120217gary_clark_jr/hd-showcase#autoplay
kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 